Scenic Hawaiian tour: Explore the Hamakua Coast and Mauna Kea Volcano
5.0
15 Ratings
Kailua-Kona
Embark on a scenic Hawaiian tour and explore the Hamakua Coast and Mauna Kea Volcano Adventure North. Experience the beauty of the historic Hamakua coast, lush jungle gulches, and breathtaking ocean vistas.
Duration: 8 hours
Cancellation: 1 day learn more
Highlights
  • The Volcano Van Private Tours - This tour begins as we leave the shores of the Kona and Kohala to the lush rain forests on the east side of the island. We’ll head up through the ranching town Waimea and the pastoral landscape as well with a stop at Waipio Valley.
    A stop for a delicious local snack of malasadas (Portuguese doughnuts) at Tex Drive, then to Laupahoehoe point, where 300 foot sea cliffs surround a peninsula on both sides. After some amazing photo opportunities, we’ll continue south along the lush jungle roads to Akaka Falls State Park. We will pass through the town of Honomu, where we’ll have a picnic lunch of fresh local sandwiches and fresh fruit.
    After Akaka Falls, we’ll head through the town of Hilo and we’ll check out Rainbow Falls. Next, we will take a glance inside Mauna Loa volcano known as Kaumana Caves.
    The last part of our adventure takes us up Saddle Road back to the island’s west side. To top it all off we’ll be afforded stunning views of Mauna Kea and Mauna Loa volcanoes at sunset.
What's Included
  • Professional guide
  • All taxes, fees and handling charges
  • Rain Ponchos
  • Lunch
  • Hotel pickup
  • Priceless Memories
What's Not Included
  • Gratuities
Additional Information

Embark on a journey to the North of Hawaii and discover its ancient, traditional charm along the renowned Hamakua Coast. The Mauna Kea volcano has been dormant for about 4,600 years, but it continues to amaze both tourists and residents. Our route takes us across old and new motorways, starting from the Waimea highlands to the coastal rainforests of Hilo down the Hamakua coast of Hawaii. The journey kicks off with a scenic drive alongside some of the most picturesque countryside roads on the island. The Hamakua coast’s rural roads take you through verdant jungle ravines, across rivers, and by stunning coastal views. It is a captivating afternoon drive through a paradisiacal slice of Hawaii.

  • Children must be accompanied by an adult
  • Be prepared for rain
Location
The Volcano Van Private Tours
Cancellation Policy

For a full refund, cancel at least 24 hours before the scheduled departure time.

Customer Ratings
5.0
(15 Ratings)
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Rnmom4god
May 24, 2023
Outstanding from start to finish - We were looking for a tour that included visits to the waterfalls on the island. On this tour we were able to visit some of the beautiful waterfalls and so much more. We went to the cliffs and jungle/rainforest areas, as well as through some small towns and a ranch. It was like seeing several places all in one tour all on the big island. It was just amazing to see the vastly different parts of the island that were "off the grid." Our guide Scott was very informative and fun. He planned the day, but was aware of what interested us most and made it happen. I would highly recommend this tour to anyone looking for a full adventure on the big island.
Review provided by Tripadvisor
Nikhat
May 8, 2023
Thumbs up for a good tour - Scott was very good at communicating before the tour. During the tour he showed had a lot of knowledge about the areas on the tour and the journey. He taught a lot about the volcanoes and was friendly. He was happy to answer any questions. Would definitely recommend
Review provided by Tripadvisor
Pathfinder449828
Jan 9, 2023
Excellent time - This tour was absolutely amazing! Scott our tour guide was so nice and knowledgeable! We were the only 4 on the tour which made it super special! He brought us to Akamai Falls and along the way we stopped for some more phot opps! Well worth it!
Review provided by Tripadvisor
Msinex
Jul 19, 2022
Great travel guide and private tour! - Would highly recommend both the Volcano van in general and this particular tour in general. Scott made the drive very entertaining, and was very flexible in getting us to everywhere we wanted to visit. Thanks!!
Review provided by Tripadvisor
Abby_f
Jul 3, 2022
Incredible views,... - Incredible views, learning about the land and history, knowledgeable and friendly guide!! A great comprehensive tour.
Review provided by Viator
Robinmf6622eq
Oct 7, 2021
Touring around with our friend Scott. - Scott was great. My friend and I ended up with a personal tour just for us. Scott was very knowledgeable on island facts. He knew plant names as well as the volcano information. We wanted to see the waterfalls and wow did we ever. We made a last minute stop at a farmers market, on Parker Ranch. And stopped to get malasadas at a fabulous bakery. I can not remember the names of the towns we drove through but Scott pronounced them with ease. For someone who was not born on the island and has only lived on it for I think he said 10 years I thought that was awesome. I sure don’t think I could. The day was like spending time with an old friend instead of a tour guide. If you are looking for an informative tour and also to have fun then book your tour with The Volcano Van. I guarantee you will not be disappointed.
Review provided by Tripadvisor
294maryannez
Oct 7, 2021
Fun, adventure, and malasadas unlimited! - The favorite part of my trip was the tour guide Scott and his dedication to making our trip fun, interesting, informative, and spontaneous.
Review provided by Tripadvisor
Q517prluisac
Apr 17, 2021
Great for All!!! - Scott was super friendly, personable, and professional. He definitely goes above and beyond to make you feel comfortable. Heavenly Hamakua was the perfect trip to start our vacation. I would recommend this tour to anyone. The tour was excellent for three generations (me, my 21 y/o daughter and my 75 year old mother). This was our first trip to Hawaii and Scott gave us lots of great tips. We all loved all the stops! And lunch was great!!! Thank you Scott for all those wonderful memories!
Review provided by Tripadvisor
John_w
Feb 28, 2021
Great tour - Great tour, very knowledgeable of the areas and history. He took us to some hot spots and stopped for as long as we wanted.
Review provided by Viator
T6986gldanl
Jan 18, 2021
Incredible tour, do it your first day! - Amazing tour! I am not typically someone who takes tours, since I prefer to go off the beaten path, but Scott made sure we got to enjoy the adventure along the way. In a single day we went through ~6 different climate zones on the Big Island, explored volcano vents, waterfalls, gullies, beaches strewn with massive lava rocks, ate hot masaladas (Portuguese donuts, absolutely delicious), see wild goats and pigs, and probably a dozen other things I am forgetting. 100% worth-it experience, I recommend doing it on your first day, since it will give you a good idea of how much is available while you are there. Also, Scott does a great job as a tour guide, providing details about the history of every area visited, never going into the monotone drone that seems to be so common-place, and he was fantastic putting up with my irrepressible urge to run off and do my own thing at times.
Review provided by Tripadvisor
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up to 6 guests
1 Adult
May 2024
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