Natural Wonder · Honolulu, United States
Diamond Head
Diamond Head is a volcanic tuff cone on the Hawaiian island of Oʻahu.
Photo: mar1865 via Wikimedia Commons, CC BY-SA 3.0. Cropped and resized for display.
Landmark facts
| Location | Honolulu, United States |
|---|---|
| Type | Natural Wonder |
| Elevation | Elevation: 232 m |
| Coordinates | 21.2619° N, 157.8056° W |
Every fact above is taken from the sources listed below; anything no source states is left blank rather than guessed.
What Diamond Head is known for
Diamond Head is a volcanic tuff cone on the Hawaiian island of Oʻahu.
About Diamond Head
Diamond Head is a volcanic tuff cone on the Hawaiian island of Oʻahu. It is known to Hawaiians as Lēʻahi, which is most likely derived from lae (browridge, promontory) plus ʻahi (tuna) because the shape of the ridgeline resembles the shape of a tuna's dorsal fin. Its English name was given by British sailors in the 19th century, who named it for the calcite crystals on the adjacent beach.
History
Known as Lēʻahi in Hawaiian, the mountain was given the name Diamond Hill in 1825 by British sailors who discovered sparkling volcanic calcite crystals in the sand and mistook them for diamonds. This is reflected in another local name, Kaimana Hila. The name later became Diamond Head, with head being shortened from headland.
How to get there
| Nearest town | Honolulu |
|---|---|
| Nearest airport | Honolulu International Airport (HNL) |
| Distance from the airport | 8.7 miles (straight line) |
Nearest major airport by straight-line distance from the landmark’s coordinates; road distance will be longer.
Airports near this landmark
The airports a visitor would actually fly into, nearest first — each link opens its profile on our sister site AirportProfiles.
- Daniel K. Inouye International Airport (HNL) · Honolulu, Oahu, United States · 8.7 miles away
- Kahului International Airport (OGG) · Kahului, United States · 92.1 miles away
- Lihue Airport (LIH) · Lihue, Kauai, United States · 110.0 miles away
Landmarks nearby
The closest landmarks in this library, by straight-line distance.
More landmarks in United States
More natural wonders
Frequently asked questions
What is Diamond Head?
Diamond Head is a volcanic tuff cone on the Hawaiian island of Oʻahu.
Where is Diamond Head located?
Diamond Head is in Honolulu, United States. Its coordinates are 21.2619° N, 157.8056° W.
How do I get to Diamond Head?
The nearest town is Honolulu, and the nearest airport is Honolulu International Airport (HNL), about 8.7 miles away (straight line).
What is the history of Diamond Head?
Known as Lēʻahi in Hawaiian, the mountain was given the name Diamond Hill in 1825 by British sailors who discovered sparkling volcanic calcite crystals in the sand and mistook them for diamonds. This is reflected in another local name, Kaimana Hila.
Sources
- https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Diamond_Head,_Hawaii — Wikipedia article — overview, history and core facts (CC BY-SA).
- https://www.wikidata.org/wiki/Q944686 — Wikidata — built year, architect, height/size, visitors, official website (CC0).
- https://github.com/jbrooksuk/JSON-Airports — Nearest major airport computed from landmark and airport coordinates (haversine); airport list: jbrooksuk/JSON-Airports.
Page last updated 13 November 2026.