Reviewed by: Sand under foot
The Grand Circle Island tour is a great way to have a compact adventure all in one day. It was full of beautiful scenic views of cliffsides, beaches, cooled lava formations, waterfalls, volanic crater, and so much more. You experience a hike through a rainforest with some inclines at times, volcanic steam vents that feel like you're in a sauna, turtle viewing at Black Sand beach, cliffsides overlooking crashing waves, a coffee harvesting & processing walkthrough, a lava tube cave, and much more. Some hikes can be a bit challenging if you have mobility problems but our tour guide Brent is so accommodating and on the HNP Kilauea hike, you can ride along with him to the top of the viewing area if you're not able to do the short walk. Additionally, Brent is not just a tour guide, he will transport you to another time. He wove an amazing storytelling of Native Hawaiin history into the scenic mountains, beaches, historical battleground sites, trees, buildings, fantastical stories, and rich cultural backdrop. I walked away with a deep appreciation for how the Hawaiian island and culture came to be. This was an amazing way to experience the island!
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Packages: | Grand Circle Island & Volcanoes National Park |
Attended as: | Couples |
Posted on: | 2024/10/06 |
Activity Date: | 2024/10/04 |
Reviewed by: Kara
Your in the bus for a long rides but the sights are all beautiful!
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Packages: | Twilight Volcano & Stargazing Tour |
Attended as: | Couples |
Posted on: | 2024/09/18 |
Activity Date: | 2024/09/12 |
Reviewed by: Kara
A really well planned day, we really wanted to stargaze so was super happy we got the day tour + the evening
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Packages: | Twilight Volcano & Stargazing Tour |
Attended as: | Couples |
Posted on: | 2024/09/18 |
Activity Date: | 2024/09/07 |
Reviewed by: Kara
Really easy way to get to see so many fabulous spots around the Big Island without needing to drive and look at directions all day!!
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Packages: | Grand Circle Island & Volcanoes National Park |
Attended as: | Friends |
Posted on: | 2024/09/16 |
Activity Date: | 2024/07/21 |
Reviewed by: Kara
This day may be long, but you get to see all the island and find spots you want to go back and see more! The stargazing was unreal!!
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Packages: | Twilight Volcano & Stargazing Tour |
Attended as: | Couples |
Posted on: | 2024/07/21 |
Activity Date: | 2024/06/26 |
Reviewed by: Sharda
We thoroughly enjoyed the Grand Circle Island Tour. We had the opportunity to visit so many different parts of the island and experience the true beauty of the Big Island. The tour was well planned and Neil was an amazing host!
I definitely recommend that all visitors try this tour at least once!
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Packages: | Grand Circle Island & Volcanoes National Park |
Attended as: | Families |
Posted on: | 2024/06/29 |
Activity Date: | 2024/06/05 |
Reviewed by: Sarah & Scott
Great experience. Our tour guide Grant is top notch. His knowledge on the everything the big island and particularly the volcanoes was impressive and he makes it so much fun. Highly recommend if never have explored the big island before.
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Packages: | Standard Tour |
Attended as: | Couples |
Posted on: | 2024/05/26 |
Activity Date: | 2024/05/24 |
Reviewed by: Kara
I felt like I got to see all the best spots of Big Island on this 1 day tour!
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Packages: | Grand Circle Island & Volcanoes National Park |
Attended as: | Friends |
Posted on: | 2024/01/28 |
Activity Date: | 2023/10/24 |
Reviewed by: Sue
We really enjoyed this tour. It is a long one so be prepared. But they keep you hydrated and fed. I loved the black sand beach, and the sea turtles and the stop along the shore the most. But all of the events were really fun. They packed so much into one day. it was a great tour and we had a lot of fun. The picnic, the stop at the bakery, and the dinner, you were all excellent quality as well.
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Packages: | Twilight Volcano & Stargazing Tour |
Attended as: | Families |
Posted on: | 2024/01/06 |
Activity Date: | 2024/01/04 |
Reviewed by: Leah
Took this tour 6 years ago and had the most amazing experience. So I had to do it again. This tour offers the best of Big Island because you get to see Akaka Falls and Rainbow Falls. We saw lots of turtles at black sand beach and an actual rainbow at Rainbow Falls! Our guide Brent was very informative and helpful.
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Packages: | Grand Circle Island & Volcanoes National Park |
Attended as: | Solo Travelers |
Posted on: | 2023/12/24 |
Activity Date: | 2023/12/23 |
Reviewed by: Mpy14
The tour was very well organized and very well planned. I felt I saw so much and learned a lot about the culture and history of the island. Jim was full of interesting information and made the trip memorable Fun group.
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Packages: | Standard Tour |
Attended as: | Solo Travelers |
Posted on: | 2023/11/21 |
Activity Date: | 2023/11/19 |
Reviewed by: Brittany B-M
The perfect experience for first time visiting Kona! Loved the Coffee farm, black sand beach, and stargazing the most on this full-day excursion!
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Packages: | Standard Tour |
Attended as: | Couples |
Posted on: | 2023/11/05 |
Activity Date: | 2023/10/19 |
Reviewed by: Kara
You hit it all and you do not need to drive and miss views along the way!
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Packages: | Grand Circle Island & Volcanoes National Park |
Attended as: | Families |
Posted on: | 2023/09/18 |
Activity Date: | 2023/08/02 |
Reviewed by: Barbara
We had a lot of fun on the tour Ridge was amazing and gave us a lot of good local history and knowledge. If he didn't know the answer to a question he found it out for us. We'd highly recommend this tour to anybody looking for a great day on the island.
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Packages: | Standard Tour |
Attended as: | Couples |
Posted on: | 2023/09/18 |
Activity Date: | 2023/09/05 |
Reviewed by: Mob_cali_breaks (IG)
Incredible tour but our Tour guide, Anson really brought the island and the tour to life. Honestly enjoyed the tour to the max but we would pay to just hang out with Anson again. Lol. I'm sure all the guides are great and extremely courteous.
All the jokes we made he would rebuttal and be involved all while still maintaining his poise and professionalism. It's the little things guys and this tour has it all. Thank you From the bottom of our hearts.
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Packages: | Standard Tour |
Attended as: | Couples |
Posted on: | 2023/09/09 |
Activity Date: | 2023/09/08 |
Reviewed by: Justin
Good tour! Aaron was our guide and he did a perfect job! I only wish the volcano was erupting so we could see more activity. The meals were good, the views were good and we learned a lot.
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Packages: | Standard Tour |
Attended as: | Couples |
Posted on: | 2023/09/04 |
Activity Date: | 2023/09/02 |
Reviewed by: Sandrine
My partner and I went on this tour with Aaron. He was a fantastic tour guide, with lots of interesting tidbits about the history of the island and plenty of jokes. He also offered to take plenty of photos of us at all the stops. A huge thank you to him for remaining so cheerful and helpful after such a long day. If it was a long day for us, I can't imagine how long it was for him.
The tour was exactly what's stated in the description. We chose to do the tour in part because we weren't certain how to navigate Volcano National Park, and the tour offered highlights of the Park. After the tour though, I wish we had had more time on the island so we could explore Volcano National Park ourselves. Two hours wasn't nearly enough. If you're lucky (we unfortunately weren't), there will be lava at the Park. But don't worry, the volcanoes on Hawaii won't kill you, but bad tour guide jokes will (thank you for that one Aaron!).
Another highlight was Punalu'u Bake Shop. Try the pineapple malasadas: you won't regret it! I was initally hesitant because I'm not a fan of pineapple not in its raw form/juice, but the pineapple malasada was the best of those we ordered. I wish we got more. The passionfruit (lilikoi) and apple ones were also delicious.
After the bakery, we went to Punalu'u Black Sand Beach. It's absolutely lovely and a nice chance to see the endangered Hawaiian sea turtles up close. It's also very picturesque. Just don't get too close to the waves or you'll get very wet.
We finished the tour with stargazing.
Overall, I highly recommend this tour for anyone who wants a quick, yet interesting and surprisingly thorough, tour of the southern part of the Big Island. If/when we go back, we would book with Wasabi Tours again.
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Packages: | Standard Tour |
Attended as: | Couples |
Posted on: | 2023/08/27 |
Activity Date: | 2023/08/01 |
Reviewed by: Diana P.
This was a long tour, about 13 hours, and it was so informative and fun! Our guide Aaron was very safe, smart, and informative during our tour. We had a great time at the coffee plantation, black sands beach, a famous bakery, and at the volcano national park. Dinner was good and so was lunch they provided. We had a great and unforgettable time.
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Packages: | Standard Tour |
Attended as: | Families with Young Children |
Posted on: | 2023/08/26 |
Activity Date: | 2023/08/17 |
Reviewed by: Kara
So much goodies in 1 day- we loved the Kona coffe and cannot stop thinking about it!
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Packages: | Grand Circle Island & Volcanoes National Park |
Attended as: | Couples |
Posted on: | 2023/08/13 |
Activity Date: | 2023/06/19 |
Reviewed by: Kara
Amazing experience! Lots of the island wrapped up in a day you can't go wrong.
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Packages: | Grand Circle Island & Volcanoes National Park |
Attended as: | Families |
Posted on: | 2023/07/31 |
Activity Date: | 2023/06/09 |
Reviewed by: M & A
We booked this tour based on these reviews, it seems that these reviews were spot on. Our tour started when Tod picked us up on time and whisked us off to our island adventure. He was very knowledgeable and went out of his way to explain Hawaiian culture and pointed out things in our drive that were informative.
The stargazing portion of our tour was an incredibly unique and awe-inspiring experience. Tod was a knowledgeable guide and took us to a dark and remote location in Mauna Kea, perfect for stargazing. With the use of his personal high-quality telescope, binoculars and a powerful laser pointer, we were able to see constellations, planets, and even faint nebulae. Tod also shared interesting facts and stories about the night sky, making the experience both informative and enjoyable.
Tod even made the experience memorable by playing The Planets by Gustav Holst, its those little details, that made this tour the highlight of our Big Island Vacation.
Overall, this tour is a must-do for anyone who wants to see the stars in all their glory accompanied by our an amazing guide Tod.
Make sure to request him on your next stargazing adventure.
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Packages: | Standard Tour |
Attended as: | Couples |
Posted on: | 2023/06/20 |
Activity Date: | 2023/05/13 |
Reviewed by: Sherri
Tour was excellent, Aaron was a great host. Very informed, engaging. Had fun all along the way. We had plenty of time at all the stops to experience and enjoy. Made our 1st trip here an experience to remember. We are telling everyone if they come to the Island they need to take this tour.
In addition when we 1st booked, we were told that our location was around 90 minutes from the tour pickup. We chose to go ahead but very much appreciated the help and advice. Excellent service all around.
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Packages: | Standard Tour |
Attended as: | Couples |
Posted on: | 2023/05/21 |
Activity Date: | 2023/04/27 |
Reviewed by: Kara
From local coffee to black sand beaches to wineries to lava flows to lava tunnels to a charming sunset, this tour is a entire day filled with memories. The guides were knowledgeable and so kind and accommodating, which we appreciate :)
Aloha Kara,
Thank you so much for the kind review! Thanks for acknowledging the guide, they are your captain for the day and we are so proud of the ones we have. We hope you enjoyed your time on the Big Island!
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Packages: | Standard Tour |
Attended as: | Couples |
Posted on: | 2023/04/10 |
Activity Date: | 2023/03/13 |
Reviewed by: Frances Morgan
Awesome day on the Big Island. A full day with a coffee farm, tour of the Volcanoes National Park, then stargazing on a clear night. Our Tour guide Aaron was the best. His knowledge of Hawaiian culture, the volcano, and then the night sky was awesome. He was so helpful and kind. This was a once in a lifetime experience. The volcano stopped erupting a few days after our tour. So, we felt so lucky to get to see an active volcano. Be sure to take a sweatshirt or jacket. It got cold in the evening. It is a full day, but so worth it.
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Packages: | Standard Tour |
Attended as: | Families |
Posted on: | 2023/03/25 |
Activity Date: | 2023/02/28 |
Reviewed by: Julie
We really enjoyed our experience on this tour. Our tour guide, Aaron was very informative! I mean who better to have for a tour guide than a history teacher!! The only part that could use some improvement are the meals. We expected a meal with more substance.
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Packages: | Standard Tour |
Attended as: | Couples |
Posted on: | 2023/03/23 |
Activity Date: | 2023/03/14 |
Reviewed by: Kara
Not only does it cover so many aspects of the island, you have an excellent guide the full time that makes you understand each area you are stopping at and the history!!
Aloha Kara, and thanks for your kind words. We're glad you enjoyed the tour, and we thank you for choosing Kailani Tours!
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Packages: | Standard Tour |
Attended as: | Friends |
Posted on: | 2023/03/23 |
Activity Date: | 2023/03/22 |
Reviewed by: Flora
Just want to say that my husband and I really enjoyed our tour with Zachary he was very knowledgeable and attentive with everyone in our group! Thank you!
Aloha Flora,
Thank you for your review! We appreciate you picked Kailani to tour you around the island. Zachary is amazing, a very humble and knowledgable guide. Thanks again for posting, and we hope you enjoyed your time on the Big Island!
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Packages: | Standard Tour |
Attended as: | Couples |
Posted on: | 2023/03/09 |
Activity Date: | 2023/03/07 |
Reviewed by: Dan&Renee
This tour was worth every penny. The sites and culture we experienced were beyond our expectations. The tour guide was so friendly and her knowledge of each and every site visited and of the Hawaiian culture and history was beyond outstanding. This tour has to be the highlight of our visit to the Big Island. If you want an exciting, exhilarating, beautiful, and culturally immersive experience this tour will meet your every expectation.
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Packages: | Grand Circle Island & Volcanoes National Park |
Attended as: | Couples |
Posted on: | 2023/02/24 |
Activity Date: | 2023/02/22 |
Reviewed by: Katherine Y.
This trip was such a convenient way to see Hawaii Volcanoes National Park. I think it can be a bit daunting when planning trips to the different islands for the first time especially considering location of places, terrain, the type of vehicle you may need, parking, and the length of the trip. So I would say this is a great way to get a taste for a bunch of different activities to do on the big island.
It will take about 13 hours to complete the whole trip and the temp will be warm during the day and cold at night so be prepared. Luckily the company does provide windbreakers and fleece jackets for the cooler temperatures. Our tour guide Aaron was great! He was very friendly and helpful. He is very knowledgeable about the history, environment, landscape, and so much more! Thanks so much for touring us around, Aaron. We appreciate it so much.
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Packages: | Standard Tour |
Attended as: | Families |
Posted on: | 2023/01/12 |
Activity Date: | 2023/01/10 |
Reviewed by: Gitika
Todd was great, he went out of his way to make it a great experience for us. He set up his own telescope for the group to get a good look at the stars and moon. He was very knowledgeable and extremely patient. We were also lucky enough to catch the eruption making the trip really great
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Packages: | Standard Tour |
Attended as: | Couples |
Posted on: | 2023/01/07 |
Activity Date: | 2023/01/06 |
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Aloha, Barbara!
Thank you for sharing your positive experience! Ridge is indeed a fantastic guide, always eager to provide local history and insights. We're thrilled to hear you had a lot of fun and enjoyed the tour. Your recommendation means a lot to us, and we hope to welcome you back for another great day on the island in the future! Mahalo again!