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!

The OK Farm tour is a great way to learn about post sugarcane agriculture in Hawaii. Cassie was…read moreour tour guide and was very informative of the OK Farm history teaching us about all the crops growing on the farm. The in season fruit and macnuts were a nice treat as we overlooked the best view of Rainbow Falls!

One of the most interesting, informative tours I've ever been on. If you're a foodie or like to…read morecook this is a great place to visit! Ala and Cassie were great tour guides, driving us on a tour bus and stopping a few times to show us different fruit crops, but my favorite was spice road. Tasting, smelling and learning about the harvesting process. Don't misunderstand this was not at all a boring tour, it was just enough information and then we would move on while sipping seltzers,beer, and trying unusual fruits of the island not to mention snacking on macadamia nuts by some beautiful waterfalls. They also have a store where they sell some of their products and produce.

This was a very fun experience. Be prepared to walk on uneven, rocky terrain and very dark caverns…read more It is recommended to wear good shoes, specifically hiking shoes, that will give you good ankle support and good traction. It is also recommended to wear long sleeves and pants to protect your arms and legs from accidental scratches and bruising. But most importantly, bring a headlamp so your hands are free to hold walls in order to maintain good balance. Do not bring a camera other than your phone and any extra things because that can hinder you when you're walking. If you complete the cave to the left after the stairs, it will spit you out near where the the parking lot, but you have to walk through the forest and brush which is very cumbersome and you can receive the most scratches compared to walking in the caverns. It also gets very muggy in the caverns despite water dripping from the ceiling. Is an incredible experience and it was super fun. There is no parking fees or no park fees. It is a feee experience with bathrooms at the top.

Very cool experience to walk through 2 caves…read more Bring a flashlight / headlamp. Your phone flashlight won't be as strong but can work if you have no options. Ideal shoes would be hiking boots but gym shoes will work. There are steep steps going down and then uneven rocks until the cave. The cave is uneven as well. Parking: maybe room for 10 cars, so parking could be difficult. When we went around 1pm on a Saturday, we didn't have a problem. Park and walk across the street to enter. Bathrooms: I did see some. Didn't use them though.

We went on the Ahiu guided lava tour about a month ago during a trip to the big island. We knew…read morethat the active lava areas were not visible from the volcano national park. so we wanted to get up close and personal with the lava. From what we could tell, this was the best, and it didn't disappoint. They take care of all the arrangements on the phone and when you show up they have a backpack, light, snacks, water, gloves, and poncho ready for you. The tour starts at 2 pm, but it's a little drive out to the start of the hike. The guides will help you find a walking stick to help you keep your balance. Now, the hike itself is totally insane, and not for the faint of heart. It's about 3 hours of hiking through the rainforest, where there is ankle deep mud, fallen trees, puddles, and a lot of up/down and switchbacks. I've got to be honest with you, this is a pretty hard hike and not for the faint of heart. We were somewhat ill-prepared, as we only had regular sneakers. I'd definitely recommend real hiking boots. Then it's about another mile on the cooled lava fields to get to an area where the lava is actively coming out. All in all, you arrive at the lava around or just after dusk. The lava itself is one of the most amazing experiences of my life. It is so hot, that once you get within about 10 feet it starts to scorch your face and arms. You can stick your walking stick in the actively flowing lava, and the tip immediately catches on fire! Amazing, just to dip a stick in liquid rock and watch as it cools to a solid. The guide themselves are totally legit. We had 2 guides for a group of about 13, with one leading the way and another bringing up the rear. We spent a fair amount of time talking to one of the guides, Tomas, a native Hawaiian who is pretty much an all around badass. When he isn't guiding tours, hunting boar, surfing, or other stuff with the company, he does mixed martial arts training and fighting. At the time of our tour, he was still undefeated. Big ups to Tomas. The worst part is the hike out. Because you're starting at about 8 pm, and it's another 4 hours of hiking, you don't get back until midnight or so. I can safely say that it was one of the most exhausting experiences I've ever had. Well worth it though. Overall, Ahiu provided us with one of the more amazing moments in my life. I'll always remember it, and I don't say that in many reviews on Yelp. Definitely do it, but bring hiking boots!

The experience of this was truly once in a life time. The front office however is jacked up. First…read morethey called us on the wrong day and said we were late. We had to email them the reservation they sent us in the first place. Then they told us the hike was about 2 hours when it was more than double that one way. I was totally fine with that, but just be honest about it. I would like to give them less stars just for the way the front office handled the whole thing. The tour was a long hike through a rainy jungle. Then you come up to the lava fields and hike to the spot where the current flows are coming up out of the ground. This tour was an absolute must and I was extremely happy that I did it. We were definitely worn out in the end, but it was all worth it. The guides were extremely friendly and polite. You could ask for anything better. I would have given this five stars if it were not for the front office.

Bigger of an operation now compared to back when I was growing up in Hilo. But they have always…read morekept the fact that you can walk in and see the workers hand dipping cookies and whatnot. They've not changed much besides having newer items here and there. They've classic chocolate dipped shortbread cookies are always a winner. Best part about visiting is that you get samples of their products if you just ask kindly! The staff are always so friendly and helpful. I wish they would bring back the Peanut Butter Crunch Bars!

Make sure to check this place out if you're in the area! We stopped by around 8:30 AM and honestly…read moreweren't even sure it was open at first--the building looks pretty dark from the outside because of the tint. But as soon as we walked in, we were warmly greeted by the wonderful staff, and the whole vibe completely changed. Inside, the space is bright, inviting, and thoughtfully set up. We were offered samples of their Kona coffee along with a couple of treats of the day, which was such a nice touch. As you walk around, you can actually watch them making their delicious goodies, which makes the experience even more fun and tempting. The shop was beautifully decorated for the upcoming Easter holiday, and they also had some really lovely gift boxes--perfect if you're looking to bring something home for family or friends. There's also a small area where you can grab drinks (and possibly ice cream too). I ordered a green tea latte, and it was absolutely wonderful. Overall, such a cozy, welcoming spot with great treats and friendly service. Definitely worth stopping by--whether you're craving something sweet or looking to pick up a thoughtful gift!

This tour was great and the employees were fantastic. They made everything very easy and we're…read moresuper good to work with. This was our first time to Hilo and we enjoyed every minute of it. The driver was very informative and gave us points of history from the locations of which we stopped. The candy shop stop was the absolute best. We had time to go downtown on our own and had lunch, which was fantastic. We caught the shuttle back at the drop off point and returned to the pier. The whole process was a breeze. Highly recommended !

This was a reasonable priced way to see the few attractions of Hilo. At the end of the tour, the…read morebus drops you off at the farmers market in town which makes it a nice shopping spot you can purchase from locals. You can get on and off on any hoppa bus which come by every 20 minutes. Very convenient. Takes you to a couple of beaches too! Our driver was very informative about the island and Hilo itself. Highly recommend.

I highly recommend this as one of the best chocolate tours!…read moreWe took the two hour tour with our family - it was a nice small group of six in total. Mike was not only an expert in all things chocolate, but he is easy to understand, he takes time to teach you and answer any questions and he has a great personality! It was pouring down rain the day we went, yet the tour was still a great success. We started out at the farm and then concluded down at the shop. You get to taste fresh cacao, nibs, cacao tea and kakao brew - of course at the shop are the full chocolate bars. Mike clearly loves what he does and enjoys sharing that love with his customers. The only down side is that after listening to Mike you will be ruined forever on eating any other general retail chocolate. So long Hershey and friends!

Experienced the VIP cacao tasting tour and enjoyed every last second of it! Mike was an amazing…read moretour guide. He built his cacao farm from the bottom up and it was amazing to witness his progress ever since 2017. He walked us through the seed germination process, the growing process, the fermentation process and everything before, in between and after that.. from seed all the way to chocolate bar. This tour is meant to expand your knowledge and change your perspective on how you think about, taste, and experience chocolate. At the end of the farm tour, you drive down to the gift shop (about a 3 min drive from the farm) to make any potential purchases as well as taste even more chocolate! What an amazing and unique experience in Honaka'a and 100% recommend adding this tour to your Big Island itinerary. P.S. my favorite chocolate bar is the barrel aged bourbon bar!! Notes of dark cherry with a bourbon finish :)

Booked a tour with friends and what a great experience to have a small group and to have a quality…read moreexperience. I highly recommend this service! Lee is very knowledgeable and accommodating. He took us to places that were off the beaten path and gave great insight to the wonders of the Big Island. You will do yourself a favor by using Lee instead of one of the big tour companies. Found this site that says it all about these folks! https://www.peek.com/hawaii/big-island/activity/sightseeing-tours/

From the owner: Our company specializes in private eco tours on the Big Island of Hawaii. From the Hamakua Coast,…read moreto the Hilo/Puna area, and to the Volcanoes National Park. We offer variety of excursions to small groups such as : families, couples, friends. Catered to your needs our tours provide separate cars with certified guides for each party.