Aloha: Island Hopping in Hawaii

Drive along the scenic North Shore of Oahu to the Polynesian Cultural Center. You will get to experience the culture of the island nations of Tonga, Tahiti, Hawaii, Fifi, Aotearoa (New Zealand) and Samoa through six villages. See distinct dance performances, visit traditional homes and watch how local specialities such as banana bread and poi are prepared. You can also participate in activities such as spear throwing and learn how to weave two long leaves into intricate objects. While here, check out the ukulele factory and get a free lesson on strumming techniques. Later, you can hop on a canoe and paddle on the lakes. Don’t miss the Canoe Pageant, where villagers perform rituals while gliding on the lagoon. You will also get to enjoy the sumptuous Gateway Buffet that includes Polynesian-inspired Asian and American dishes. Then, it is time for the ‘Ha: Breath of Life’ show. This features a Pacific Isle saga with more than 100 people performing fire dances and battle scenes with traditional music. (Duration: full day; Seasonal: daily except Wed, Sun, 24th Nov & 25th Dec; Time: 1000/1100 hrs; Shared activity & transfers from Waikiki hotels only; Pick up times may vary; All entry fees are included; Meals included: gateway buffet; Please inform us of any food allergies in advance)

Here’s your chance to tour Oahu’s famous Kualoa Ranch, the popular nature reserve and film location for numerous Hollywood blockbusters and TV shows. Make sure to reach Kualoa Ranch at least half an hour before your tour begins. If you’re staying at a hotel in Waikiki, transport will be arranged to the ranch. Once you reach, ride through the lush valley on an all-terrain vehicle, with your local guide for company. Check out the shooting locations for movies like ‘Jurassic Park’ and ‘Pearl Harbor’, and TV shows like ‘Lost’. Your guide will point out local plants and wildlife and share interesting trivia as well. Ride your vehicle over seasonal streams and dirt tracks. Follow your guide up hillsides with historic WWII trails and down into a green valley. Return to your hotel after the tour. (Duration: half day; Not available: Christmas & New Year’s Day; Shared activity; Group size: max 10 ppl; Shared transfers for Waikiki hotels only; Pick up times may vary; Equipment provided: safety helmets; Please wear covered shoes; Not suitable for pregnant women & people with back, joint or heart conditions; Driving license required; Signed liability waiver needed; Children below 18 yrs to be accompanied by adult; Min age to drive: 21 yrs; Min age to ride: 5 yrs)

Explore Pearl Harbor and learn about the historic events that took place in the Pacific Ocean during World War II. This tour begins at the Pearl Harbor Historic Sites Visitor Center. Visit two museums – Road to War and Attack and Aftermath. View multimedia and interactive exhibits. Stroll along the shore and view the submarine, USS Bowfin. Cross Pearl Harbor aboard a naval vessel that takes you to the Arizona Memorial on Ford Island. It marks the resting place of the USS Arizona with more than 1,100 sailors and marines interred within. Next, go on a docent-led tour of the USS Missouri, nearby. The Surrender Ceremony, which ended World War II, took place on this ship’s deck. Later, pay your respects to the veterans laid to rest at the National Memorial Cemetery of the Pacific, located at Punchbowl Crater. Driving through Honolulu’s historic district, see Iolani Palace, home of Hawaii’s erstwhile monarchy, and Kawaiahaʻo Church. End the tour at King Kamehameha’s Statue. (Duration: full day; Time: 0630 hrs; Available only on Fridays; Not operational on Thanksgiving, Christmas & New Year’s Day; Shared activity & transfers from Waikiki hotels only; Pick up times may vary; Group size: max 16 ppl; Meals included: lunch; Please inform us of any food allergies in advance; Please wear comfortable clothing and use sunscreen)

Go on a kayaking and hiking adventure over varied terrain that includes rainforests and valleys, gigantic cliffs and cascading waterfalls. Hop aboard tandem kayaks and paddle two miles down the Huleia Stream, a major waterway of the Nawiliwili Bay Watershed. Cruise through the Huleia National Wildlife Refuge that lies adjacent to the historic Menehune Fish Pond. It offers refuge to endangered water birds like the Hawaiian ducks, coots, moorhens and stilts. This area has been featured in Hollywood blockbusters such as ‘Raiders of the Lost Ark’ and ‘The Lost World’, the sequel to ‘Jurassic Park’. Navigate your way around the base of Haupu Mountain Range and proceed on a jungle trek into Hidden Valley. Your guide will explain the area’s ecology and biodiversity to you. Along the way, stop at waterfalls and swimming holes with rope swings. Return to the dock by a twin-hulled motorized Hawaiian canoe. (Duration: 3.5 hrs; Available Tue, Thu & Sat, year-round; Time: 0930 hrs; Shared activity; Group size: max 17 ppl; No transfers; Starting point: Outfitters Kauai Kayak Shack, 2494 Niumalu Rd., Lihue, HI 96766; Meals included: snacks; Please inform us of any food allergies in advance; Check-in 15 mins prior to departure)

The Na Pali Coast, on the northern shore of Kauai, is distinguished by spectacular natural beauty. Take a half-day tour aboard the custom-designed 60-foot sailing catamaran, ‘Lucky Lady.’ Marvel at the majestic emerald-hued cliffs with sharp ridges, cascading waterfalls and pristine beaches as you sail this secluded wilderness coastline. En route, your captain talks about the cultural and geological history of the region and narrates legends of the ancient civilizations that once inhabited these lush valleys. At the snorkeling stop, dive into the blue waters to admire the abundant marine life. Pass Miloliʻi Beach, site of an ancient Hawaiian settlement, now home to green sea turtles and monk seals. From December through April, spot spinner dolphins, turtles, and humpback whales in the waters. Breakfast onboard is assorted pastries, fruit salad, and coffee; lunch is a buffet of sandwiches and pasta salad; assorted beverages from juices, beer, and wine to mai tai’s are also served. (Duration: Half Day/ 5 hrs; Departs: 0715 hrs; Check in required at 0645 hrs; Shared Activity & No Transfers; Includes: Continental Breakfast, Deli Lunch; Fitness Level: Easy; Please carry towel, sunblock, sunglasses, light jacket).

Don’t miss this chance to go snorkeling at night with Big Island’s manta rays. Make your way to the tour location well in time for it to begin. Enjoy a spectacular sunset over the Pacific Ocean and ride down to Keauhou Bay Point, a snorkeling site where you can spot the area’s giant manta rays. As you swim out in your snorkeling gear watch out for large manta rays feeding and gliding above the seafloor near the mouth of Keauhou Bay. Watch them swim and float gracefully in the water, much like huge underwater ballet dancers. Back onboard the boat, savor light refreshments of hot chocolate and cookies. Return to your hotel after the trip. (Duration: 1.5 hrs; Time: 1730 hrs; Shared activity; Group size: max 50 ppl over multiple rafts; No transfers; Starting point: Sea Quest at 78-7138 Kaleiopapa St, Kailua-Kona; Meals included: light refreshments; Please inform us of any food allergies in advance; Equipment provided: snorkel gear; Please wear sandals/flip flops, bring light jacket/cover up & waterproof bag for electronics; Min age: 7 yrs; Must know how to swim and snorkeling once prior is preferred; Not suitable for pregnant women & guests with back problems; Tour is weather-dependent)

Discover the wonder and beauty of the Hawaiian night sky on this full day adventure. Your tour begins in the afternoon. Meet your guide at either Hawaii Forest & Trail in Kona, Queen’s Marketplace in Waikoloa Beach Resort, or Lava Java located in the Waikoloa Village Shopping Center. Travel in a 4×4 vehicle from sea level up to the nearly 14,000 ft summit of Mauna Kea on Hawaii’s Big Island. As you ascend to the summit, your guide will regale you with accounts of early travelers who climbed these mountains. You will also learn about Mauna Kea’s geology, and its natural and cultural history. Once at the top, watch the sun set over the Pacific Ocean. Then enjoy a picnic dinner followed by dessert and tea while your guide helps you navigate the clear Hawaiian night sky. It can get quite cold at the summit so after your meal, warm yourself up with a cup of hot chocolate while being treated to a private star show with a 11′ Celestron telescope. (Duration: full day; Time: afternoon; Shared activity & transfers; Pick up times may vary; Meals: Picnic dinner; Please let us know about any food allergies in advance; Max pax: 8-12; Min age: 16; Fitness level: easy to moderate)

A helicopter tour of Big Island is one of the best ways to experience the region’s boundless beauty. Take off and soak in the incredible scenery of waterfalls, volcanoes, rainforests and black sand beaches. Soar south along the coast to Kilauea, an active shield volcano, in Hawaii Volcanoes National Park. Flying over the steaming crater and lava fields, witness current volcanic activity and lava flows in the caldera and its vents. Then, onto the 50-mile-long Hamakua Coast that boasts lush tropical rainforests and valleys, picturesque waterfalls and canyons. Fly past misty peaks and zip between the massive pinnacles of Mauna Loa and Mauna Kea volcanoes. Glide over Waipio Valley, Big Island’s beautiful northern coastline and the rugged Kohala Mountains. (Duration: 2 hrs; Shared activity; No transfers; Meal included: no; Please wear comfortable clothes; Bags/backpacks not permitted; Reconfirmation recommended 24 hours before departure)

Travel on the picturesque Hana Highway, through Maui’s verdant countryside, during this eco-adventure tour. You will traverse scenic vistas with 620 curves, cascading waterfalls and 59 bridges. Along the way, your knowledgeable driver/guide will tell you about ancient Hawaiian culture, myths and legends. Pass through Paia, a town on the North Shore that is home to surf shops and art galleries. Watch waves crashing against the rocky coastline at Kaumahina State Wayside Park. View the Upper Waikani Falls, also known as Three Bears Falls. Stop at the traditional Hawaiian village of Keanae with its taro fields. Stand near the Keanae Congregational Church and see the waves roll over the jagged, black lava rocks. Then, halt at Pua’a Ka’a State Wayside Park, with its acres of rainforest. Weather permitting, you may swim in the waterfall pools. Next is Waianapanapa State Park in Hana that boasts a black sand beach, blowhole, lava tube and sea arches. Drive around Hana Bay and return via Kaupo and Nu’u Refuge. (Duration: full day; Available Tue, Thu & Sat, year-round; Time: 0600 hrs; Shared activity & transfers; Pick up times may vary; Group size: max 15 ppl; All entry fees are included; Meals included: breakfast and lunch; Please inform us of any food allergies in advance; Min age: 3 yrs)

Encounter wild dolphins in their natural habitat on this tour aboard a catamaran. After a leisurely breakfast at your hotel, make your way to the Pacific Whale Foundation Store in Lahaina, well before the boat trip begins. Once onboard, watch pods of spinner dolphins, bottlenose dolphins, and spotted dolphins cavorting and swimming in the open seas. Learn about these beautiful creatures from the marine naturalists on the tour boat. They will share fascinating trivia about Hawaii’s wild dolphins. The crew will lower an underwater hydrophone through which you can hear the inquisitive and friendly mammals that swim beside your catamaran. Don’t forget to bring your cameras and binoculars along. Later, enjoy lunch with dessert and beverages onboard, before sailing back. (Duration: 3 hrs; Seasonal: May 16 – Nov 25; Time: 1300 hrs; Shared activity; Group size: max 35 ppl; No Transfers; Starting point: 612 Front Street in Lahaina at the Pacific Whale Foundation Store; Meals included: lunch; Please inform us of any food allergies in advance; Fitness level: easy; Aerosol sunscreens are not permitted onboard)