We visited Hawaii for our 2018 summer family vacation and we started on the Big Island…read more We started our last full day with a lava boat tour that started at 4am in Hilo and returned to the dock at 7am. We enjoyed a relaxed ride back to Kona via Highway 19. Before the trip, and once we arrived, I thought about visiting the telescopes atop Manua Kea, but realized that there were too many clouds, too few hours in the day, and sadly too little interest among the other three family family members, so he was OK not going. Then, as we drove home, we passed the Keck Observatory Visitor Center, in Waimea, and I quickly made a u-turn. I asked my wife and sone to let our daughter and me go in for just 5-7 minutes. Somehow that turned into 40 minutes, because it is pretty awesome! The docents are fun and engaging and insightful. We learned how they use adaptive optics to help ground-based see better, to see with clarity approaching that of the Hubble Space Telescope... they use a laser to measure distortions of the optics by the air in the sky and then apply that same math to "un-do" the distortion and make images of deep space objects more clear (this wording is all mine, not a quote from Keck). We also learned that the Keck Observatory has: ⁃ discovered over 100 exoplanets and has recently helped to classify different types of exoplanets ⁃ seen through the gas cloud at the center of our Milky Way and see the stars swirling around the black hole - http://www.keckobservatory.org/g-objects/ ⁃ helped discover dark matter ⁃ discovered the moon Dysnomia, around Eris, which is further from the sun than Pluto and bigger than Pluto, and which helped change the class of planet for Pluto (note... Pluto is still a type of a planet and deserving of that status; planets come in different kinds, just like stars do, and the demotion in 2006 was in part due to someone having personal dislike of Clyde Tombaugh, who discovered Pluto) ⁃ the Keck I and Keck II telescopes, which have 36 6-foot hexagonal mirrors and sit atop Mauna Kea, make two 10-meter (30-foot) telescopes We had great visit and hope we can have more time to visit on our next trip!

We noticed the Keck Observatory Visitor Center as we were making a u-turn to get back onto highway…read more19. We went in, me just hoping for a restroom, that need satisfied we ended up spending over an hour learning about the Keck Observatory and their mirrors up on Mauna Kea. Jane was a wealth of knowledge and very enthusiastic about the work done up on the mountain. Usually one can look out from the glass front doors and see the observatories on top of Mauna Kea but it was very overcast while we were there, possibly due to the volcanic activity down south at Kilauea. I got the coolest souvenir there, a beach towel of the observatory and stars. I'll be the envy of all the ladies in the locker room at my gym.

This was a great way to spend a couple of hours. The owner is very knowledgeable and friendly. Plan…read moreon being educated about the plants around you before you start your self guided tour. We had no mosquitos during our visit. There are a lot of beautiful statues to see. Peacocks and wild turkeys were fun to visit. There is also a large tortoise. The place is a bit overgrown. Make sure you wear good walking shoes. There are several semi steep hills and some areas are rocky. We bought water but you can buy some there. Cost $13.00 per person, worth the time and money.

A nice little diversion. Gardens are well put together and maintained even though they are on the…read moredriest part of the island. Owner was there to greet us and provided a great overview of the flora and fauna of the garden and of the area. There are other bigger gardens on the island, but the 1x1 education from the owner was worth the price of admission. You can tell she loves her gardens and is passionate about what she does. Excellent views of the west coast from the guest center and interesting sculptures enhance the grounds. The stone circle was a nice touch too, especially since the day we went was the equanox. Overall a nice place to go spend a relaxing morning and learn something new.

There isn't anything more to say that Dave G. hasn't covered. So I will break my learnings down in…read morebullet points: *Fascinating history of Hawaii and why Waipio Valley went from the Valley of the Kings with a population of 3,000 to the sparsely populated land where only 50-75 Hawaiians reside today. *If you have back problems or are prone to back problems and pinched nerves, you may want to skip this tour. It's bumpy, the road down the valley is steep enough to make an atheist start getting religious. *Spray lots of OFF on your exposed body parts. There are many, many critters all too eager to feast on fresh blood, haole and otherwise. So either wear long pants or douse yourself in OFF. *It's windy at the lookout so dress in layers, light jacket or windbreaker will do. *Bathroom outside the Neptune Garden/Last Chance store is clean but bring your own toilet seat cover. *Minor detail but the website lists the meeting point address as 48-5300 Kuikuihaele Road, Honokaa, HI. We entered it in our GPS and couldn't find it because it's actually 48-5300 Kukuihaele Road, Honokaa, HI. Bonus points if you can spot the error. *Mules are smarter than horses and can pull heavier loads. Being called an ass, not so bad. *Taro is hard to grow and harvest. Appreciate your poi and taro chips for they are lovingly grown by earnest Hawaiians, one of whom is our tour guide Li'a. *Tip Bob and Li'a. These two guides are doing their part to keep the old Hawaiian spirit and culture alive so help these brah's out. *The tour lasts about 1 1/2 hours and the drive from either side of the island can take 1-2 hours one way. Grab some malasadas from Tex Drive-In on your way into the valley and stop by Jolene's for local food and Hamakua Fudge for dessert to end your day. *Lastly, show respect and pay reverence to the old Hawaii that you won't see in these Disneyfied resorts or urbanized enclaves of Hilo Hatties and ABC stores.

The other one-star reviews are spot-on…read more We spent more time in the dirty, stinky van, and waiting for the dirty stinky band, than we did in the wagon. The van's transmission warning light was on, my seat belt wouldn't latch, and three of the four tires were beat up and bald. For your own safety, please pick a different company. I'm sad to have to give a negative review and try to give people the benefit of the doubt when at all possible, but putting guest safety at risk like this is never acceptable.

If you are looking for a fun interactive tour filled with education and fun, this is for you. Keep…read morean open mind and and eyes to the sky. I have always been one looking up in the sky wondering what is out there. Now I know what to look for . You can tell Lisa is passionate about this and so willing to answer all questions intelligently. This is a must do when you are on the big island. I would totally book again.

This is a MUST when visiting the Big Island! Lisa not only shares her fascinating personal…read moreencounters with ETs and UFOs, but she also draws upon her scientific background to help you view these experiences through a thoughtful and compelling lens. Just like snorkeling reveals an entirely different world beneath the surface of the water, the night-vision goggles Lisa provides open your eyes to a whole new world above. WOW! Whether you're a believer, an experiencer, or simply curious, I highly recommend this tour even if it's just for the breathtaking view of the stars...and perhaps something more! #thatsnotasatellite

If you can only do one tour on Hawaii, this is the one to take. Not only do you get to see the…read moremagnificent scenery of the Waipio Valley, you learn about the history of the land and all it has to offer. Our guide was Keanu...so much knowledge of Hawaii and even more passion sharing it all with us. And the best part was that we were honored to have the owner of the taro farm, Uncle Morgan as our other guide. The two together just made it the best tour - it felt real, it felt like Hawaii. We've had some great moments here, but nothing has matched our experience with Hawea Waipio Valley Adventures.

was visiting Hawaii with my fiancee and his family. His family has been to Waipio Valley a few…read moretimes, while this was my first time, and we are all in agreement that this tour was absolutely perfect. We wouldn't change a thing about it! To start the day we were met by Makano, a local who lives in the valley, who drove us down the steep winding road to the bottom of the valley. The car ride was incredibly educational and Makano made sure to point out all of the beautiful views the canyon had to offer and make sure we could stop and take lots of pictures. Once we were on the family farm we learned all about taro and how its grown. Makano was very knowledgable and shared all of his experiences with us. We got to walk into the Lopi where the taro is grown, got to pick some ourselves and even tasted some freshly made poi.  After the taro farm we headed deeper into the property to try some more of the islands fresh fruits and berries. To end the day we walked to an entirely secluded waterfall, and yes we were able to walk right in!  This tour is perfect for all ages. It's great that it really doesnt have a "touristy" feel. Makano and his family do a great job of showing you just how a Hawaiian lives (or used to live back in the day) the tour is very personal because of the small group aspect. I would definitely recommend this for anyone who wants to actually go down into the valley and experience all of the beauty the island has to offer!

This tour is a must do!!! Paul is awesome tour guide!! He took us to amazing places before the…read morepark and in the volcanic park!!!! So nice to not have to drive. We are so glad we booked this tour!!!

My parents and I went on a tour with Marcus and thoroughly enjoyed it. We did the PM volcano tour…read more Marcus is super knowledgeable about Hawaiian culture, plants, and volcanos. Because of the time of year we went there was a bit of rain so he was constantly checking apps for updates on the weather to ensure we were able to get great views. Despite some fog I got some awesome pictures. I absolutely recommend this tour!

MALAMA KA 'AINA = "to care for the land" How do you care…read morefor the land? Plant a tree! After I read Brandon's review, I knew I had to bring my kids to see this place. We've planted trees at our house, but we've never planted a Koa tree on the slopes of Mauna Kea, Hawaii's tallest volcano. The tour was scenic, taking us up to high altitudes on a 4x4 vehicle so we could see the entire forest in various stages of growth. Our guides were fantastic and really knew the land, pointing out various trees and special wildlife. My kids got to see an 'Io, a Hawaiian hawk, which is protected as an endangered species and only found on the Big Island. I had never seen one before so that was pretty cool to see it out in the wild. GRAND TOUR (3.5hr): This is a unique experience you will find nowhere else in Hawaii. I am going to tell you about our experience (2 adults, 2 kids) on the Grand Tour which included a Koa legacy tree planting 'session'. We have been to the Big Island many many times before, but this is definitely one of my favorite things we've ever done. LOCATION: http://www.yelp.com/biz_photos/hawaiian-legacy-tours-honolulu?select=1V96336NehN9GNpR3D1WHQ This is on the BIG ISLAND, HAWAII on the slopes of Mauna Kea. They have an office in Honolulu (Yelp has it listed in Honolulu), but that is not the location of the Koa tree forest, or where the tour is. You can't really put this one in your GPS. We came from Kona side (took about 90 min from Waikoloa), but you can come from either Hilo or Kona. If you go to their website to get directions, the directions will say "turn right after at Donna's cookies at the Kukaiau Ranch sign...drive 3.3mi through a winding road in the Eucalyptus forest...through the guard shack, pass the Kukauia Estates sign, watch for cows and horses, up 1.2mi to Umikoa Village, keep going until you see 3 houses". The scenery as we drove up the volcano looked like something straight out of a movie. http://www.yelp.com/biz_photos/hawaiian-legacy-tours-honolulu?select=W0asouZ0IBNyY2ebCUwY1Q GRAND TOUR PRICE (3.5hrs): $180 per adult (includes one Koa tree for planting) $90 per child (ages 5-18, does not include a tree) PLANTERS TOUR PRICE (2hrs): **you get to plant your tree but don't get to see all of the forest** $110 per adult (includestree for planting) $55 per child (ages 5-18, no tree) VEHICLE USED: http://www.yelp.com/biz_photos/hawaiian-legacy-tours-honolulu?select=KEF6e5VBy39RdKtCOrEgLw We rode on the Kawasaki T-Rex, which was a yellow off road vehicle. If you are the type to get car sick, you will get car sick on this. There is a roof but no windows. The sun/rain up on the volcano can be unpredictable and the weather can change quickly. We went during the summer but it was cold and rainy for parts of our tour. Bring sunscreen and rain jackets, you never know what it's going to look like until you get there. THE FOREST Because of the unique climate on Mauna Kea, the type of Koa tree that grows here is not grown anywhere else in the world. We have lots of Koa trees on Oahu, but they aren't valued like the ones grown on the Big Island. They started to clear the forest over a century ago to make room for farming and ranching, which wiped out almost all the Koa trees. Now they are trying to save the forest, so they have put up fences and gates to keep out the pigs, cattle, and hunters to allow the trees to grow once again. PLANTING THE KOA TREE We found our spot up in the middle of a field and my kids got to plant their baby trees. We got the certificate which has the GPS coordinates of each tree so we can go back and visit the tree later when it's part of a large forest once again. You can put a name on the certificate to dedicate the tree to someone you love. Or not. http://www.yelp.com/biz_photos/hawaiian-legacy-tours-honolulu?select=gCS2he__69NonE-OPB7cLA http://www.yelp.com/biz_photos/hawaiian-legacy-tours-honolulu?select=_Jvwca3lb2GFQOtznWOl4g THE TOUR Besides planting the tree, which was pretty neat, the tour took us up and down the entire forest. Our tour was bumpy, rainy, fresh, and definitely educational. We saw the lone koa tree, which was left behind from over a hundred years ago, and saw different forests at various stages of growth. We learned about different flora/fauna and wildlife only seen on the slopes of Mauna Kea. I don't remember any toilets during our 3.5hr tour, but I think they were going to put one up at the top of the vista soon. So while it seemed like $540 was a ridiculous amount of money to plant 2 trees, I hope someday my kids will see their GPS certificate for their koa tree and take their kids back to the big island to show them the koa forest and teach them about MALAMA KA 'AINA.

We went to the Legacy Tours again in 'Umikoa. Again it was fabulous! I am beyond thrilled with…read moreour tour guides Richard L. and Emi. We had a bit of a hard time finding the house because it was different from before. But it is actually easier now since it is on the bottom of the hill and Emi was waiting outside for us. Then same yummy scones and cinnamon tea! Yum!! The day was gorgeous...blue skies, perfect weather. Emi remarked it was the most gorgeous day she had ever seen to date. Richard even drove our ATV to the lookout so we had a different view from our first planter's tour. We got a peek and use of the state of the art hidden outhouse and were able to plant our kitty and two koa seedlings without any Big Lebowski moments...all with a gorgeous view of Mauna Kea's snow top and a partial view of Hale'akala. I remember a few years ago when no one was allowed to pick lehua blossoms for Merrie Monarch Festival because of some mold or fungi epidemic on the Big Island. Luckily they have a huge forest of ohi'a lehua trees of all three colors here that are healthy due to the elevation of the mountains. The ride was the perfect blend of informational, seriousness, and fun (with a few safe moments of catching air before returning to our seats and only because I expressed a love of thrill). We totally love this tour and are sure to do this again. They also have cool investment opportunities of purchasing 100 koa seedlings with payouts to the investor and corporate opportunities for carbon credits. Great great company and staff. Thank you so very much Richard and Emi. Also thank you for the amazing photos of us sent to our email and the certificate with our special RFID number. Really appreciate you all. Will be back soon. Highly highly recommend as a cool way to give back to the islands when visiting here or even if you're a local. p.s. Emi thanks for the great photos! They looked professional with the way you capture light beautifully. So thrilled. A deep thank you.

Not happy with the customer service. Called in to book a whale watching tour with the website…read morepulled up in front of me. It explicitly said the tour was $99 per person. The woman on the phone argued the price and told me it would be double what the site said. When I called back later to see if maybe someone else would pick up and help me, I mentioned I had called in earlier. The line went silent. Then she told me they were "not currently scheduling any tours". She was perfectly willing to book one when we called the first time. In short, this was handled in a very rude manner on their end. Both the magazine ad and their site are false advertising.

Whale watching with Kohala Tours, the boat the LavaKai, leaves from slip #S01, South Harbor at…read moreKawaihae, Hi. A little hard to find but very well worth the effort! We set off on Thursday, January 14th, under mostly sunny skies, gentle winds, and smooth calm waters. Once at the harbor we met Captain William, and his first mate, Chris. Both, well seasoned and professional, William follows the whales, in Alaska in Summer, while Chris does wildlife bus tours in Alaska. Both then head to Hawaii, for winter migration. Once aboard the Comfortable LavaKai, we headed out of port. Within seconds of heading out of to sea, we had our first sighting, the adventure had begun! First, a couple of blowhole water spouts, then so many more sightings, too numerous to count! Captain William, and Chris were as stoked as we all were! We experienced a full body out of the water Breech, a 40x tail fop, and even a cow & calf with escort family pod cruise along side of us! The tour was awe inspiring, a memory to last a lifetime! The boat, The LavaKai, was clean and comfortable, we were treated like guests,with fresh baked banana bread and shortbread served on a silver tray, as well as juice,water and chocolate covered macadamia nuts. We were very impressed by their hospitality. William and Chris are both following their bliss and it shows, they have a genuine love for sharing the majesty that the humpback whales display. We felt like partners of an adventure, rather than just another ticketed customer on a scripted tour. Highly recommend for the experience, the hospitality, and the professionalism. When on the Big Island during the winter migration, Kohala Tours, with Captain William and Chris is a Must Do Adventure! Don't miss out...