Aloha A wonderful experience all the way around…read more Polynesian Cultural Center was great. The Trip out to Dole etc was also great. The drive to the airport also a good experience. The driver from the Cultural center was very friendly and knowledgeable he used to dance for this very place, he was very kind and we enjoyed our day with him very much. So upset that I can't remember his name. The Dole trip was very informative as well. Koko was our driver. We liked him very much too. The man who picked us up from the hotel the morning of the 13th or 14th was nice and we enjoyed the Hawaiian music on the way to the Oahu airport. We were heading to Hilo. All in all a wonderful bunch of guys. A great company. Clean buses in good condition w good AC. Highly recommend Roberts !!! Call them ! Aloha

Taking the Big Island Circle Tour (over 10 hours) may not have been the best idea but I wanted to…read moresee things without driving. Unfortunately, we had an older driver (Lincoln) who talked constantly, told stories about his family, his childhood, etc....some of which may have been interesting but we had trouble understanding him much of the time because of a strong accent and low monotone voice. And frankly, most of the folks in the group tuned him out. It would have been nice if he paused, perhaps putting on some traditional Hawaiian music for us rather than talking nonstop. At least he drove safely. The worst part for me was the focus on commercial establishments. I know most tour groups do that but it was way too much in this case! The candy factory/store, the macadamia store, the Kona coffee "Museum" and store. Please...cut at least one of those and include another park or botanical garden, or more time at the other stops, especially the volcano.

Claudia at Hawaiian Educational Pursuits is fantastic! We had a great tour around the Big Island of…read moreHawaii. Great for the kids to have a private tour, personalized to their interests.

We chose Makaio Tours because it seemed like a good length tour that covers a lot of the popular…read moretourist destinations around Hilo, and boy, did Justin deliver! He was prompt, great at planning, and exceptionally personable and professional throughout the entire trip. It is clear that he has a wealth of knowledge regarding the islands of Hawaii and regaled us with tons of interesting fun facts. I would recommend this tour to anyone looking for a great comprehensive and interactive adventure around the Big Island. Justin, thanks for being our host for the day! We have learned a lot from this Hawaii Volcanos, Waterfalls, Beaches, and Hilo tour. We would highly recommend Makaio Tours

We booked this through TripAdvisor, which was a very simple process. I had booked the volcano park…read moretour but we didn't get to see the volcano park and they took us to the coast and waterfall instead. Fast forward 2 days and it was perfect out... didn't go those days though. Tried to make the best of it but for $680 I would've rather seen the park. And we got paired with a very annoying couple.

Having never flown in a helicopter, we were excited to experience the big island of Hawaii by air…read more Unfortunately, the day we arrived, the volcano was blowing smoke, making it too difficult to fly over. So, our pilot took us to Mauna Loa and across the island to some of the water falls instead. We got to see the coast line of the Eastern side of Hawaii... all which was absolutely gorgeous. Our pilot shared much history and tid bits about the island which made the trip even more pleasurable. With 5 family members total, the flight was comfy and all seats had great views... even mine, sitting in the middle! This was one of the less expensive tours... and we were quite pleased to have the helicopter for just our family.

Take a scenic drive to an amazing working cacao farm where you can learn all about the art of…read moregrowing cacao. Chocolate lovers of all kinds will appreciate this event. Serene setting, knowledgeable hostess (host) We were greeted by the "security "dog named Darwin and knew this was the adventure for us. Travel with curiosity, be ready to have a Chocolate experience.

It's a little out of the way, but well worth the trip. We did the tour, which lasted about 4 hours,…read moreincluding a two-part tasting of 13 different chocolates and a very detailed tour of the farm and fermentation area. Colin was a very gracious host and patiently answered all our questions which was a great educational experience. Jude was a very entertaining tasting guide, inviting us to sample some cacao tea (smelled great!). Highly recommended if you're a chocoholic.

It was extremely hard to find decent reviews for this place. So, I am going to write a review that…read moreI would've liked to see: This tour was provided by Polynesian Adventure Tours (land tour) and Paradise Helicopter. My boyfriend and I bought the Oahu to Hilo Volcano w/airfare and land tour and helicopter ride. The guy who picked us up was 20 min late. They called us two days before to confirm our attendance and asked us to wait in front of hotel between 4:45-5AM. Pickup after arrival was smooth. Our tour guide was Captain Rob. Great guide! The itinerary says "breakfast buffet". The menu was terrible so make sure you eat before boarding. The Hawaii Volcano National Park was awesome. After touring around ourselves, the driver drove us around to see everything. The hikes were fun. However, we went on a rainy day and it was extremely slippery. The trail to the steam vents were nice! However, if you enjoy hiking, go head and hike down to Halema'uma'u Crater. I wished I knew this beforehand but the driver did take us the crater with a better view. Lunch was at the macadamia farm. The options were Burgers and hotdogs. PACK YOUR OWN LUNCH. The helicopter tour was beyond amazing, so I won't spoil it for you here. They do a safety briefing and you hop on. It's breathtaking! Bring a raincoat, good walking shoes, and sandals (black sand beach). Had there been better communication about the food options, I would've given it 5 stars. No one likes to be hungry.

Let me start by saying the booking process was painless and easy, even when we had to change the…read moredate within the month prior. We had a party of six and booked two flights. The helicopter will only hold three passengers. Luka, the owner and pilot was both professional and friendly. He was engaging before, during and after the flight. You have an option for a doors on or doors off tour, one of only two companies that offers this. Flying with the doors off is the best way to experience the feel of the lava flows and the best for photography. Additionally, I chartered the flight for an hour, which provided additional flexibility to fly at lower altitudes and allowed for better photos. Luka did great maneuvering the helicopter so both sides had a great view. We saw the volcanoes/lava flows and the waterfalls. I HIGHLY recommend HVHT and Luka as a MUST DO on your visit to the Big Island. Thank you Luka for helping to make this a memorable vacation!

10/14/2024 Pacific…read moreTsunami Museum 130 Kamehameha Ave Hilo, HI 96720 I went there on Columbus Day, so it was open (closed Mondays)! Street parking is available on Kalakaua Street and Kamehameha Avenue. If you are a Hilo resident or a Baby Boomer from Hilo, I highly recommend a visit. There are rooms for the history of Hilo Tsunamis and the 1960 Tsunami which I experienced. The other displays were interesting, educational and informative. The 1975 local Tsunami display was especially relevant to me because one of the fatalities was my brother's doctor. The other rooms feature displays for other Pacific Tsunamis and Tsunami science. The staff was knowledgeable, helpful and friendly I won't repeat until we have another future Tsunami for display.

This is only open on the weekends! It is well worth the visit. There is so much history with…read moretsunamis in Hawaii.

We loved our visit to Lavaloha! It was great for kids--interesting, and not too long or too short…read more Plus, there's the chocolate tasting, and you get to support a small business, which is wonderful. I would absolutely recommend this to anyone visiting the Big Island

Amazing!!! My family and I did the chocolate tour and they were so knowledgeable and caring about…read morewhat they do. I'd recommend anyone to take the time and go out. I'm not a big chocolate person, but I've learned so much from them and appreciate the work that goes into making tasty chocolate!