Koko Crater Botanical Garden on Oahu: See Cacti and Plumeria

You certainly don’t expect to see cactus in Honolulu. However, that’s exactly what you will find at the Koko Crater Botanical Garden in Oahu.

The Koko Crater Botanical Garden is one of five gardens administered by the City and County of Honolulu. And it is the most unique of those gardens. Instead of lush landscapes, mountainous backdrops with waterfalls, and Hawaiian vegetation, you walk through a succulent garden replete with cactus and other succulents from around the world. All of these plants thrive in the tropical Hawaiian climate.

But, it’s not all prickly succulents. The site also showcases a plumeria garden, with trees holding flowers of many colors and varieties.

Join us on a tour around the Koko Crater Botanical Garden for a first-hand guide to what you can expect as you roam the gardens.

About Koko Crater Botanical Garden

The garden is on the East side of Honolulu. It sits at the foot of 1207 foot tall Koko Head. The mountain has a famous (or infamous) 1.6 mile trail up steep steps. The Koko Crater Head Trail is one of the more popular things to do on Oahu.

The Koko Crater Botanical Garden is not as popular. In fact, when we visited, we only met a handful of people.

The 200-acre land was set aside in 1958 to create a botanical garden. The garden is dedicated to the cultivation of rare and endangered dryland plants from around the world.

Admission to the park is free. It is open daily from sunrise to sunset (closed on Christmas and New Years Day).

Getting to Koko Crater Botanical Park

You can drive to the park. There is a small parking lot on site.

However, I chose to take the city bus to the garden. It was a 40-minute ride from my Waikiki resort to the bus stop. It was then a short five-minute walk to the park’s entrance.

Getting Around the Garden

The garden is a 2-mile loop taking you around the crater rim. All of the path way is unpaved. There are some inclines and declines on the jutted path. I would say that it is a moderate walk for most people.

Since the path is a loop, it’s not really difficult to get lost.

I found a park map on a mounted informational board. There also were brochures at the entrance with a map inside.

But, before my trip, I had downloaded a map to my smart phone, so that I had ready access to identify where I was and what I was seeing.

Plumeria Garden

As you enter the botanical garden, you’ll walk a short way to the plumeria garden.

The plumeria is the quintessential Hawaiian flower, used ubiquitously in lei and other adornments.

At the garden, you’ll find a few dozen of the plumeria trees. When visiting, I was fortunate to see many of the trees in bloom. So there were ample flowers to enjoy during my hike. And, as a bonus, the path through the gardens begins and ends at the plumeria grove. That means you get a couple of opportunities to admire the trees and their blooms.

Screwpines

Past the plumeria groves, you’ll start down the circular trails around the remainder of the gardens. But before the circle starts, you journey past an assortment of screwpines.

The screwpine, also known as the Hawaiian Walking Tree, is a tropical tree with stilt-like roots, which anchor the trunk to the soil. The unique look makes the trees appear as if they have legs and are walking.

The screwpine (Hala in Hawaiian) is sometimes referred to as the Pineapple Tree, because of its fruit, which resembles a pineapple.

I see screwpines all over the Hawaiian Islands, and I can’t help but take a picture everywhere I see them.

The Americas/Cactus Garden

As you begin the circular trail, you arrive at the Americas Garden, where I discovered a wide variety of cactus including a Giant Yucca and Golden Barrel Cactus.

There are some benches scattered throughout the cactus garden to sit and take in the sights and sounds of the botanical garden. From here, I was able to hear the wind rustling through the garden trees, the voices of distant hikers trekking up the Koko Crater Trailhead, and an assortment of bird whistles and songs.

I had to remind myself that while surrounded by cacti and succulents, I was actually on a tropical island in the middle of the Pacific Ocean. It was a transcendent experience.

African and Madagascar Gardens

As I continued meandering through the garden, I reached the African and Madagascar gardens. These two areas seem to flow seamlessly together, which did make it difficult for me know which region I was walking through. Even though I had downloaded a map to my cell phone, I still struggled to know where I was.

No worries, however. Although I may not always have known a plant’s origination, it did not make the experience any less enjoyable.

Some more signage throughout the trail may have made my journey less confusing. But, it also would have interfered with the natural aspects of the botanical garden. And the paths and trail are clearly visible, so why worry about a plant’s origin when you can simply rest in the experience.

Spotting Animals

While walking through the gardens, I heard birds singing almost endlessly.

One of my favorite birds I’ve spotted on the Hawaiian islands is the Red-Crested Cardinal. While the birds is not indigenous to Hawaii (it’s actual a Brazilian import), I love catching a glimpse of the birds.

However, it is rare for me to get a picture of the Red-Crested Cardinal. Usually, by the time I can get a camera ready, the bird has flown away. So, I enjoyed the opportunity to have camera ready to snap a photo of this one at the Koko Crater Botanical Garden.

Structure in the Garden

I must admit, I’ve always had a soft spot for rocks.

So, one of the things I most admired while perusing the acres of garden where the natural features, like rocks, that created structure throughout the premises.

Over the years (and I have a lot of years behind me), I find myself spending time looking at these more subtle aspect of a botanical garden. I like how the form and function of these natural or created structures can augment the overall garden experience.

Final Thoughts

I found the Koko Crater Botanical Garden a perfect place to get away from the crowds in Waikiki. I discovered plants I thought I would never see in a tropical Hawaiian climate. The garden felt like a refuge from the outside world. While there, I was able to enjoy a couple of hours of quiet while perusing the garden trails with nary a soul in sight. In fact, I think I saw more people hiking the Koko Incline than I saw during my time in the park.

The botanical garden was definitely a highlight for me, and a place I likely will return to on a future visit to Oahu.

Of course, I took far too many pictures while visiting. There are too many to share. However, the video below does capture some of the plethora of pictures I captured during my time. Enjoy.

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A visit to the Limahuli National Tropical Botanical Garden on Kauai.

Spend a day at El Mirador Beach on Cozumel.

Discover a Cactus Garden and Chocolate at the Ethel M Chocolate Factory in Las Vegas.

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