Aloha! Here we are on the corner of Leahi Ave. and Pualei Circle and today we're going to do a walking tour of Pualei Circle. As we promised a few weeks back, we did a a tour of the Gold Coast, which is going to be across Kapiolani Park behind here. We're going to start at the very base here at Pualei Circle at the Gregg Apartments, which is 3006 Pualei Circle. Then, we're going to a walking tour up the street and around the circle (like a clock) and we'll go by each building and explain everything.
Bonus Feature at the End of Tour
If you hang around to the very end, we're going to cover 2 bonus properties at the end, that are around the corner. They're technically not Pualei Circle condos, buy great Diamond Head Condos as well.
Gregg Apartments
As we start our walk up Pualei Circle off Leahi Ave., first off on the left hand side, we have the Gregg Apartments like we talked about. The address is 3006 Pualei Circle. There are 2 buildings - A & B. In the distance there, off Leahi Ave. and the common area swimming pool. Once again, buildings A & B. These are all 2 bedroom, 1 bath condos at roughly 650 square feet.
Leilani (Part 1)
Next coming up on the left is going to be Diamond Head Hale. Straight forward is going to be the Leilani, which is one of 3 buildings of Diamond Head at Pualei Circle. That address is 3030 Pualei Circle. You have a swimming pool there in the front. Then, we're going to cover the Leilani again when we hit the back part of Pualei Circle.
Diamond Head Hale
As we hook to the left here, you have a postal box if you want to drop your mail. Then, we have Diamond Head Hale on the left. They also have 2 bedroom, 1 bathroom units, but they're a little bit than the Gregg Apartments. They're more like 700-800 sq. ft. and they also have a common area swimming pool and an open (uncovered) parking lot. As we walk by, this will kind of give you a perspective of Diamond Head Hale.
Diamond Head Terrace
The next building we're going to approach on the left is going to be Diamond Head Terrace. Here, we've got a mixture of studios, 1 bedrooms and 2 bedrooms. Then, you've got the common area swimming pool there off Diamond Head Terrace Like most of Pualei Circle, these are "walk up" style condominiums with the stairs on the outside.
Hale Pua Lei
The next building we're coming up to on the left is Hale Pua Lei. What's unique about this building is it backs up to Waikiki Elementary. So, there's an open space out the back. In full disclosure, you will hear some noise from the school. What's nice about some of these upper floor units is you've got great views out towards Kapiolani Park. Hale Pua Lei is a mix of 1 and 2 bedroom condos.
Diamond Head Lanai
The next building on the left is going to be Diamond Head Lanai at 3103 Pualei Circle. This is one of 3 buildings I'd mentioned that falls under Diamond Head @ Pualei. We covered the Leilani earlier.
Ilima Apartments
The next building we have here is the Ilima Apartments, which has a great view of Diamond Head out the back. There, you have a mix of studios, 1 and 2 bedroom condos. Then, off that parking area to the left, you have the common area swimming pool for the Ilima Apartments at 3093 Pualei Circle.
Diamond Head Manor
As we make our way around the circle, we're going to be coming to the top of a clock in a sense. But, we've got one more building which is going to be Diamond Head Manor. This is the 3rd of 3 buildings that fall under the HOA of Diamond Head @ Pualei. There, we have Diamond Head Manor on the left at 3089 Pualei Circle. They have nice lanais and also a walk-up building, like pretty much everything in Pualei Circle (but 1 building next).
Pua Leahi
The next building we're going to be coming up to kind of falls at the top off the circle, which is going to be 3071 Pualei Circle, which is Pua Leahi. What's cool about this building is I believe it's the only one in the entire Pualei Circle that actually has an elevator. Some of these can actually come with more than 1 parking stall. What's also nice about these (outside of the Leilani) is this is the only building that has a 2 bedroom, full 2 bathroom product. That's one of the nice features of Pua Leahi.
Leilani (Part 2)
Speaking of 2 bedroom, 2 bathroom units, this is the backside of the Leilani at Pualei Circle. You have the 2 bedroom, 2 bathroom units at the top. They're 2 stories, which is kind of unique and this is the only building in Pualei Circle that is like that.
Diamond Head Plaza
Next on the left, we have a mix of 1 and 2 bedroom units at Diamond Head Plaza, which also consists of 2 buildings. Like I said, most of the 2 bedroom products in Pualei Circle are going to be a 2 bedroom, 1 bathroom product. Whereas, the Leilani and Pua Leahi have a 2 bedroom, 2 bathroom product.
Diamond Head Gardens
The next building we're going to be coming up to on the left is Diamond Head Gardens. This is a little sentimental to me. When my wife and I were first dating, she owned a unit here at Diamond Head Gardens, which has 2 buildings as well. There's a mix of 1 and 2 bedroom products and they do have a nice swimming pool out the back. The addresses are 3045 and 3055 Pualei Circle.
There's a mix of uncovered parking stalls you'll see off to the left. They have this nice mosaic tile decor feature here at Diamond Head Gardens, kind of a retro mid century modern typeface. Then, around the corner, you actually have some covered parking stalls underneath. As you look up, they have nice sized lanais, some of which the owners have enclosed and have put in shutters for sun protection. What's nice about those upper floors at Diamond Head Gardens have view above Diamond Head Alii, which is the next building we're coming up to on the left. Both at Diamond Head Gardens and Diamond Head Alii on the upper floors can see Kapiolani Park.
Diamond Head Alii
Here at Diamond Head Alii, if you look out the back, they also have a common area swimming pool. That's one of the access points. There are 3 separate buildings that range from 3017-2027 Pualei Circle. Diamond Head Alii is exclusively 1 bedroom, 1 bathroom condominiums. Unlike the previous buildings we just walked by and covered, there is not a 2 bedroom product at Diamond Head Alii. It's all 1 bedroom, 1 baths, walk-up condominium style living. There again (across the street0 is a post office box where residents can drop their mail at Pualei Circle.
Now, we're going to head back down to 6 o'clock, if you were to think of Pualei Circle like hands on a clock. As start walking back down the street towards Leahi Ave here. If we look off to the left, that's going to be another access point to the swimming pool for Diamond Head Alii.
Diamond Head Surf
Last, but not least, we have Diamond Head Surf coming up on the left. Once again, you have that cool mid century modern typeface here at Diamond Head Surf. It is kind of a retro building as a lot of these Pualei Circle condos are. As we round out our walking tour of Pualei Circle, we have Diamond Head Surf off to the left, there is a mix of 1 and 2 bedroom condos at Diamond Head Surf. Like a lot of other condos here at Pualei Circle, it does have a common area swimming pool. You have a beautiful view of Diamond Head right out the back. They call it Diamond Head Surf because you can literally cross Kapiolani Park to hit the surf at Diamond Head.
Full "Circle"
Ok. That kind of summarizes walking Pualei Circle through the bottom on up at 6 o'clock at the bottom, all the way up like a circle around a clock. We're now back at the base with Diamond Head Surf behind me and the Gregg Apartments where we started. I want to show you something right across the street.
Community Garden
As we cross the street from Pualei Circle (behind me here) what we have is Diamond Head Community Garden, which is a community garden for neighbors in the area that want to grow vegetables, fruits, etc. If you cross through the middle, it takes you to Kapiolani Park and the Waikiki Shell. You can also head down Leahi Ave., hook a right, head across Kapiolani Park and back to the Gold Coast.
Bonus 1: Diamond Head Sands
Now, we're around the corner of Pualei Circle at the intersection of Monsarrat and Kanaina Avenue. This strip mall here at Diamond Head is anchored by Bogarts, which is a great breakfast and coffee place. It's also got a lot of great smoothies.
If you're on the internet or looking to buy a condo in this area, some people are confined to Pualei Circle. But, not many people are aware of Diamond Head Sands, which is this condo complex on the backside of Pualei Circle offf Kanaina. These are studios and 1 bedrooms. They are quite spacious, because some of these 1 bedroom condos at Diamond Head Sands can be north of 600 square feet.
As we start to walk by, you'll notice the building is propped up and elevated, which provides for a lot of covered parking (which not many of the buildings in Pualei Circle have). What's unique about Diamond Head Sands was it was built in 1975, so it's a little bit "newer" building. Most of Pualei Circle was built between 1959 and 1966. So, one of the things that is unique about Diamond Head Sands is they do have enclosed interior walkways between the condos. Whereas, most of Pualei Circle is open.
Off to the left there you do have the backside of Diamond Head Circle, which is a high end residential neighborhood with generous sized lots. As we walk by and round up Diamond Head Sands, not all of the units do have lanais, but some do. Some on the upper floors can have great views out the back.
When you go past Diamond Head Sands, you walk by a home on Kanaina that sold for $2.5 million in October, 2023. Some of these other single family homes have come up over the years. Once again, you have views of Diamond Head out the back.
Here we have a back entrance to several of the buildings in Pualei Circle. Not many people are aware of it, but the Ilima Apartments and Diamond Head Manor have entrances on Kanaina Ave as well. Now that we've covered Diamond Head Sands and the backside of Pualei Circle, stay with me and we're going to hook around the corner to show you one last property.
Bonus 2: Diamond Head Hillside
Here we are now at Diamond Head Hillside, which is going to be the final building. It's right off Monsarrat Ave., so it is a bit of a busy street. Kitty corner across the street you've got Coffee Bean and Tea Leaf. Across the street, you've got Diamond Head Grill. Then, you've got an Aloha Gas Station across the street as well. Now, as we walk around the corner at Diamond Head Hillside, Diamond Head Hillside is primarily made up of 2 bedroom, 1 bathroom units. However, there is a 1 bedroom, 1 bathroom product.
What we didn't cover much walking around Pualei Circle is similar to Pualei Circle, Diamond Head Hillside has community laundry. There are many (if any) units that have washer/dryers in the units. There's open parking here on the backside of the building. So, it's uncovered parking. Diamond Head Hillside is a 6 story building, which is significantly taller than the condos at Pualei Circle and Diamond Head Sands, which are typically about 3 stories. We have the Gold Coast in the distance and we're not surprised why they named this building Diamond Head Hillside. You have incredible views of Diamond Head right out the back.
I hope you enjoyed my tour of condos at Pualei Circle and the bonus features of Diamond Head Sands and Diamond Head Hillside here at the very end. If you need any help with condos in the Diamond Head area or anywhere around Oahu for that matter, feel free to reach out and give me a shout. Mahalo!