Top Hawaii Bus Tours

Our experinece started out with Uncle Jim, our tour guide who used stories to explain the history of the area and sites along the way. We were riveted to his stories which included humor and lots of history with many Hawai'in words I will never remember. At each stop on the tour, our guide told us how to best take advantage of the terrain to get the best photos and where to go to find the best views of each location. We visited a local bakery where we ate wonderful pastries and had a bit of lunch before moving on to the volcano. We did not look at any website images of the area before arriving so we were totally blown away by the panoramic views of the crater as steam vents were pumping out clouds of smoke and gasses about a mile away from us. We passed many cracks and fissures as we walked the trail to the visitor center where gift shops and more views awaited us. Part of the lave tube was closed due to construction, but we were able to walk through 90% of it and see the location where part of Indiana Jones and the Temple of Doom was filmed. We were traversing the same path of an ancient erruption as we followed the turns of the tube until we reached the end and had to turn back. The pictures we took there will serve as a reminder of the wonder we felt as we walked in the darkness of the tube surrounded by the quiet only being underground can provide. Then we went to Hilo where we saw Rainbow Falls and drove around a park where one of the statues of King Kamehaha is enshrined as he overlooks the areas where families can walk along paths and watch children play in the small salt water swimming areas. The falls were breathtaking and we enjoyed drinking fresh coconut water from a street vendor who sold coconuts from the bed of his truck. The weather for our trip was perfect, sunshine all day except for a few drops of rain when we were in Hilo for the Rainbow Falls part of the tour. This tour was the highlight of our Big Island visit.

We loved every minute of this tour. The tour bus ride, dinner below the summit at the museum/gift shop, sunset and finally star gazing were all perfect. Our tour guide Jason was awesome! He provided great stories and insights into Hawaiian history as we made our way up the mountain, and his knowledge after dark during the star gazing portion of the trip was incredible. He showed a genuine love for astronomy, and Hawaii as a whole. You will NOT be disappointed with this tour.

Great experience overall with excellent sites/views and a wonderful way to learn about the culture. We had Jason as our tour guide. He was fantastic. He gave us great insights on the local culture. The road is very curvy - one lane each way - take motion sickness medicine! Enjoy the waterfalls and the black sand beach as well.