Hawaii: Volcanoes, Beach and History

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)

Enjoy a two-hour surfing, stand up paddleboarding or bodyboarding lesson for two in Oahu. Choose the option you prefer while making your booking. On the day of your lesson, you will be picked up from your hotel in Waikiki and taken to a beach in Waikiki or to Oahu’s North Shore. There you will meet your professional instructor. You will be given all the necessary equipment, including a long sleeve surf shirt and protective reef shoes. Your two-hour lesson will be tailored to fit your skill level. Whether you are dipping your toe in the water for the first time, looking to improve your technique, or wanting to learn advanced skills, your instructor will have a specific approach just for you. If you take a surfing lesson, you will also receive instruction on the mental, emotional, and spiritual aspects of the sport so you can express your personality on the board. (Duration: 2 hrs plus transfers; Private activity; Shared transfers; Meals are not included; Fitness level: moderate; Min age: 14 years; Group size: max 2 ppl; Please bring your own towels and sunscreen)

This immersive tour begins at the Pearl Harbor Historic Sites Visitor Center. Visit its two museums, Road to War and Attack and Aftermath, replete with multimedia exhibits. View a 23-minute film of the Japanese air strike at the Pearl Harbor Memorial Theater. Cross the Pearl Harbor channel aboard a Naval vessel that takes you to the Arizona Memorial on Ford Island. This white open-air shrine is built over the remains of the midsection of the sunken battleship. More than 1,100 servicemen remain entombed in its hull. There’s a marble wall engraved with the names of all the martyred crewmen. Anchored nearby is the iconic USS Missouri that was the site of the Surrender Ceremony, which ended World War II. Pay your respects to the veterans who are laid to rest at the National Memorial Cemetery of the Pacific, located at Punchbowl Crater. Driving through downtown Honolulu, see Iolani Palace, Kawaiahao Church and King Kamehameha’s Statue. (Duration: full day; Not available on Thanksgiving, Christmas, New Year’s Day, Honolulu Marathon Day & Dec 7; Time: 0800 hrs; Shared activity & transfers from Waikiki hotels only; Pick up times may vary; Group size: max 58 ppl; tour is 6 hrs but 8 hrs with transfers)

On this excursion to the Hawaii Volcanoes National Park, learn about Big Island’s dramatic landscape and its ever changing geology. Drive down from your hotel to the Kilauea Volcano with your local guide. Explore the ancient terrain on a leisurely nature walk and learn about the events that changed its landscape from your guide. Munch on light refreshments along the way. Next, drive down to Kauhi Cavern and discover the mysterious yellow and gold microbial mats that live on these cave walls. This lava tube is only accessible to select guests. After your short walk, you can stop for lunch. Ever witnessed a lava eruption? On this excursion, you can do just that. Watch the fiery eruptions that originate from Halemaumau Crater at night from a far, watch the sky light up with the glow from the red-hot lava. Drive back to your hotel after the trip. (Duration: full day; Not available on Sundays; Shared activity; Group size: max 12 ppl; Shared transfers; Pick up times may vary; Meals included: lunch, snacks & water; Please inform us of any allergies in advance; Fitness level: easy to moderate, people with physical limitations can participate as long as they have someone to provide assistance; Min age: 8 yrs; Equipment provided: Walking sticks, day packs & rain gear; Please wear comfortable walking shoes & shorts, bring sunhat, sunscreen & light jacket; Signed release & waiver of liability needed)

Enjoy a lovely cruise with a romantic, three-course dinner and cocktails. Make your way to the starting point with time to spare and meet the friendly crew. As you sail past significant landmarks along the rugged Kealakekua Bay coastline, your historian tour guide will share interesting information on all that you see. You will learn the history of famous landmarks like Captain Cook’s Monument, the Ahuena Heiau, the Holua Slide and the Kuamoo Battlefield. After, savor a sumptuous dinner buffet, featuring salads, curries, fragrant rice, BBQ short ribs and local coconut dinner rolls with desserts and cocktails. There will be live entertainment during the alfresco meal, and the chance of spotting spinner dolphins and even humpback whales. Finally, take in a beautiful sunset before returning to your hotel. (Duration: 3 hrs; Time: 1600 hrs; Not available on Mondays; Shared activity; No transfers; Starting point: Kailua Pier in Kailua-Kona; Meals included: dinner with one complimentary cocktail; Please inform us of any food allergies in advance; Suitable for differently abled guests; Signed release & waiver of liability needed to board)

Explore the best of Maui. Drive through a variety of ecozones and take in scenic views while you make your way to Haleakala National Park. Travel upcountry with your guide, going past plantations and ranches. You’ll see that the landscape turns barren as you approach the summit of the dormant Haleakala Volcano. Explore the unique landscape and acquire knowledge about the area’s flora, fauna and folklore. Keep your eyes peeled for the rare Hawaiian goose and Hawaiian petrel. View cultural and natural history exhibits at the Haleakala Visitor Center. While descending, take in views of the rolling hills and expansive pastureland of Kula. Head to Wailuku and walk along Market Street that has numerous family-owned shops, bakeries and restaurants. Travel to the lush Iao Valley State Park, which was the sacred burial ground for Hawaiian royalty. View the iconic Iao Needle, a lava remnant that rises 1,200 feet from the valley floor. End the tour with a visit to the pedestrian-friendly town of Lahaina. (Duration: full day; Available every Wed, year-round; Time: 0645 hrs; Shared activity & transfers; Pick up times may vary; Group size: max 25 ppl; All entry fees are included; Please dress in layers for the summit, temperatures can be in 20-30 degrees Fahrenheit)

Enjoy a truly Hawaiian experience with this traditional luau on the beach. Head to the oceanfront venue and immerse yourself in local history and culture. Take in the rustic setting reminiscent of an old Hawaiian fishing village, where you will be greeted with a fresh flower lei. Watch demonstrations of various island crafts as you sip on refreshing cocktails and premium spirits from the open bar. Gather around the imu, a traditional underground oven, to watch the unearthing of roasted kalua pig, a luau staple. Afterwards, sit under thatched structures and take in splendid views of the sunset over the ocean. As night falls and the tiki torches are lit, feast on a five-course meal featuring local specialties such as lomi lomi salmon, kalo hummus and Maui-style fish. Enjoy dessert to the beat of the Pahu or Hawaiian drums as the cultural performances begin. Gain insight into the rich past of Hawaii through an engrossing revue where hula dance performances and elaborate costumes are some of the highlights. (Duration: 3hrs; Not available on Oct 31; Time: 1715 hrs (Oct – Feb)/ 1745 hrs (Mar – May & Sep)/1815 hrs (Jun – Aug); Shared activity; Group size: max 480 ppl; No transfers; Meals included: dinner and drinks; Please inform us of any food allergies in advance; Starting point: 1251 Front Street, Lāhainā; Choice of seating available at time of booking)