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.

Our best Hawaii experience to date! My husband and I have been visiting the Big Island of Hawaii…read moreseveral times a year for the past few years. Recently we brought a few friends with us and wanted to do some touristy things that we had never tried before. We found the Giving Tour, and hands-down - this is the best trip we have had to date on this island ever! Sam and Dev live on the Island and are just absolutely wonderful human beings, extremely warm, reliable, knowledgeable at the about the island and the area and passionate about helping people and giving back to their beautiful island. Dev is a riot, there are no dull moments when she is around! Sam is a Jack of all trades who always has a fresh coconut on hand to crack open and share. We booked the farm lunch and tour and it was amazing! The farm is on a beautiful 20 acre property that will blow your mind. It filled with so many different kinds of fruits and vegetables and even animals! The spread we had for lunch was out of this world... We ate until we could barely move. The farm tour was awesome, Travis, the garden manager showed us the garden with all of his awesome medicinal plants and tasty veggies then we got the grand tour with so many exotic fruit trees to sample from and plants from around the world to marvel at. This is not a tour that you can pick out of any random guidebook. We became closer as friends, and made some awesome friends at the farm. This is an insiders look into life on the island, and I cannot recommend it enough! If you want a run-of-the-mill tour with long lines and manufactured entertainment, this is not the tour for you. This is a behind the scenes look at this beautiful island and culture. You will have tons of fun, meet amazing people, eat incredible food and have memories that will last a lifetime. We also did another tour the same week and it also surpassed my expectations. It's a great value for the money and Sam and Dev are the most amazing tour guides I've ever experienced anywhere in the world. Thank you Giving Tour for giving us this beautiful memory.

All I can say is that Devin's tour was the highlight of our entire time on The Big Island. She's…read moresuper loving and fun, the farm itself is amazing and awash with hundreds of years of history--and then there is the VIEW! Wow...I hate to break the suspense...but to finish the tour with the view they have....well...like I said that's worth the trip. I'm always hunting for that insider's angle on the place I'm visiting. That spot where I can feel connected to how the locals are living and a sense of connection beyond what I can find at the next resort or airbnb. The Giving Tour was just that--and then some. I can't more highly recommend.

What an amazing time my family and I had zip lining with Kohala Zipline. Everything from the moment…read morewe got there was well organized and extremely safe. Our Tour guides Jake and Kodie, were so knowledgeable and so very friendly and reassuring for this a just a little scared 61 year old. It was a great time and we all would highly recommend. Can't wait to come back and try a different tour with Hawaii Forest and Trail.

This was one of the coolest experiences I have ever done before. From the pick up to the drop off…read moreat the end, this was hands down one of the best tours I have ever been on. Our guide was knowledgeable, and the scenery and grounds we walked were absolutely stunning. This tour really celebrates the beauty and culture of the Big Island and our guide was the best to make sure we all understood what he was saying. Even though the zipline was fun, learning about the nature on the island and walking around was one of my favorite parts. The zipline was so cool though! It is a mix of starter and long runs. Having had been on zipline before, it was a good course with plenty of great runs where you got to see everything around you for a good period of time before slowing down and stopping. Between the zipline, waterfalls, hiking views, and all of the knowledge we were taught about the nature and beauty of the island, this tour was absolutely worth it. Next time we are on the big island, we will have to go again. Highly recommend to anyone visiting the island.

It is a historically interesting site. The Inn is layered with luscious foliage beneath towering…read morepine trees dancing within the trade winds. Stepping into the foyer, I was enveloped by a cozy and nostalgic atmosphere. Their Ohana staff welcomed my Ohana family. As a yogī~, I was reinvigorated by the fertility of the land and found myself drawn to explore my breath, my body, my spirit, and my heart. At the heart of the kitchen, you will find a tempting all-organic cafe (currently vegan) nestled next to a locally made boutique.

Although we weren't able to do the full tour due to it being a little cloudy, James and Dylan made…read morethe experience worth it. James was very communicative about updates about weather and the different locations. When we got to the spot, Dylan was very friendly and pretty honest about the sky being unfortunate and that we may not get clear skies. He told us we could wait or just leave now and reschedule or get a refund. At our tour start time he decided to cancel the tour but offered a mini tour for free instead. Since we weren't able to rebook, we opted for this option instead. Dylan was extremely friendly, knowledgeable, and funny. He was able to show us some cool stuff they saw last night. It was for sure a bummer that we had our tour canceled, but everyone made up for it and we still got a full refund. We knew it was a gamble, but we chose this company since they gave full refunds if it was cloudy and they fulfilled that promise and then some. We still walked away with a very cool experience. Highly recommend! If we come back, we will for sure try again.

Would not recommend this tour. Save yourself the money and drive up to Mauna Kea on your own…read more To be fair, the staff were friendly, knowledgeable, and did a good job getting everyone safely to the viewing location. We also lucked out with excellent weather. Unfortunately, those were the highlights. The experience itself was surprisingly chaotic. While the lead astronomer, Dylan, was trying to give his presentation, the photographer was constantly lining groups up for Milky Way photos just a few feet away. Between the photography, people talking, and others getting up for pictures, it was difficult to hear or stay engaged. If you're expecting a peaceful evening learning about the night sky, this isn't it. Dylan was clearly knowledgeable, but his presentation felt more like a stand-up comedy routine with astronomy mixed in than an actual guided stargazing experience. Instead of focusing on the stars and constellations we were actually looking at, much of the discussion revolved around black holes, nebulas, and other astronomy topics that had little connection to what was visible in the sky that night. It was entertaining at times, but not what we signed up for. The telescope felt especially misleading. The website advertises that one is provided, but guests never actually get to use it. Instead, we were shown images on an iPhone that were presented as if they had just been captured, only to later discover they had been taken weeks earlier. That left a bad taste and felt unnecessarily deceptive. By the end of the night, we genuinely couldn't figure out what our nearly $300 had paid for. The viewing location was on public land just minutes off the highway with no special access, we never looked through the telescope, and the astronomy portion rarely focused on the sky above us. In the end, it felt like we paid hundreds of dollars for hot chocolate, a folding chair, and two professionally taken Milky Way photos. Mauna Kea is breathtaking and absolutely worth experiencing. This tour, however, added very little value and actually detracted from what should have been a memorable, peaceful night under the stars.

Located above the Waikoloa Resort area, about a 10-15 min. drive, in what looks like a newer built…read moreshopping center. We went for our anniversary dinner and were so glad we decided to celebrate here. Very nice relaxed atmosphere, there are tables inside and out side on like a large open air lanai area with festival lights strewn across the ceiling and arches to view the sunset. Our server was Courtney who was very friendly and attentive. She made great recommendations! We tried everything she recommended. We started with a the Brussel Sprouts that were served in a cast iron skillet, crispy and tender with a balsamic glaze and the Caesar's Salad which was so fresh and coated with the perfect amount of dressing. We ordered the garlic Focaccia with melted cheese served with the most delicious marinara sauce for dipping. Then we ordered the Vodka Pasta with Shrimp, 4 large shrimps in a creamy tomato vodka sauce and house made fresh pasta. For dessert we had the Cannoli, the best Cannoli I ever had! The shell was crispy the filling was light, sweet and just delicious! Courtney gifted us the Cannoli for our anniversary and the entire staff signed an anniversary card for us. They also have a full bar and my husband was pleased with the whiskey selections and their reasonable prices. What an amazing dinner that delighted all of our senses. We will definitely have this place on our must go to list whenever we visit Hawaii Island.

Went for nice dinner tonight all was going well until the check. 1) ordered eggplant pharm. food…read moredelivery I asked the person to bring Tabasco, our service person Darcy no I will bring her chili, no mentioned that there was $2.00 charge of half teaspoons of chili. As we get the check very surprised of the extra charge. I'm very unhappy that restaurant charges for any additional charge that I did NOT asked for, she Darcy failed to mention of the extra charge. We like coming for happy hour and dinner, but I'm very unhappy tonight. I believe that restaurant is out of control in adding unnecessary charges.

We celebrated my Mom's birthday in Hawaii last year and ordered from Linda. She was fantastic to…read morework with and the cake was beautiful! We ordered gluten free chocolate cake with macadamia nut filling and it tasted amazing! Can't wait to order from Linda again in the future!

Chef Linda was great and her cupcakes were fantastic. We were visiting during my brothers birthday…read moreand Linda make vegan cupcakes for our birthday celebration. On top of that she delivered the cupcakes to where we were staying! The cupcakes were especially good - those at the party that were not vegan couldn't believe the cupcakes were vegan! She went the extra mile and put several eatable flowers on the top of each cupcake! If you are looking for fantastic bakery goods go with Linda at LLR Cake Design - she will over deliver!

Lovely Plumeria suite Bed and pillows very comfy…read moreWhole hotel well appointed Loved the chaise lounge area for reading and morning coffee Use of kitchen a plus Pool area nice Easy walk into town

This place is absolutely amazing! It's a large home with every detail taken care of. You can rent…read moreone room or the entire house. Inside includes a huge kitchen, TV, piano, multiple cozy seating areas, and lots of games. The grounds are full of fun wildlife, including a variety of birds, beautiful and chatty chickens and roosters, cats, and geckos. Be sure to visit the pool, orchid house, and yoga studio too. Hawi town is a short walk from the Inn, where you'll find lovely shops and galleries, plus truly excellent coffee. The hosts of Hawi Sugar Plantation Inn are super accommodating, kind, and readily available for questions and suggestions of things to do on the island. Do it. Go there. And prepare to fall in love with Hawi Sugar Plantation Inn.