On the weekend I decided to travel to Lanikai Pillbox. After my last hike I wanted to do something a bit harder and I wanted to capture the view of Kailua from up above. It was a decent hike but during my next travel I will go at an earlier or later time. I will post various pictures below.

1: LOCATION

Lanikai Pillbox is located near Kailua Beach. The only issue with this location is you cannot park near the main entrance. Instead I suggest you park near the beach (ensure all belongings are packed inside the trunk) and make your way up the hill to the entrance. It is about a 10-15 minute hike to the entrance so this is your last chance to take a bathroom break and fill up on water before heading up the hill. The entrance is of the area is located to the left of the “private property no trespassing sign.”

2: SCENERY

Lanikai Pillbox is rocky with barely any plant life. The plant life that is there seems to be be at the tail end of its life. You however did not come to this hike for the plant life however you came for the adventure. I can say that once you reach the higher locations the view is beautiful. You are able to see both the town of Kailua and the ocean without obstruction. I will post pictures of the view below

3: TIPS

I am unsure of your age or athletic ability but I must forewarn you that this hike isn’t easy. I don’t think this is the hardest hike on the island *cough* (koko head) but I would be prepared for this one. I believe any style of running shoes with adequate support or hiking boots would be best as they give you footing. The soil is “loose” and will cause you to slip if you aren’t careful. Towards the beginning of the hike the trail will have a skinny rope that is attached to the fence on the left side. You can use this to assist you on the way up. There will also be blue colored ropes littered throughout the beginning of the trail to assist you. After this you will be required at various points(I say this loosely) to “rock climb” up the mountain. These regions aren’t difficult just make sure that if you aren’t too versed with hiking that you always have three points of contact while climbing. Ensure you have plenty of water as you will indeed sweat. Once you reach the higher locations you can kiss your shade goodbye and be prepared to get chummy with the sun. Lastly while I noticed that many people go the faster route of rock climbing directly, many areas have branching pathways. Look for areas where the grass has been split to find an easier trail to go on. Hopefully this blog has given you better insight into another hiking destination on Oahu.

-GAIJINQUEST

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