Big Island tours at a glance
The Big Island is large, and where you sleep shapes which tours make sense. Kailua-Kona is on the dry west side, Hilo on the wet east side. Hawaiʻi Volcanoes National Park is about 45 minutes by road from Hilo but 2 to 2.5 hours from Kailua-Kona. Inside the park there is no public shuttle between the sights.
The offers fall into a few groups: full-day circle island tours from the Kona side, shorter volcano and waterfall tours from Hilo, shore excursions for cruise passengers in Hilo, and activity tours such as ziplining, ATV rides and coffee farm visits. Boat trips, helicopter flights, Mauna Kea and the manta ray night snorkel have their own pages.
Our picks: Big Island tours
Start with the small-group volcano day or the circle island trip if you want to see a lot from one seat. The zipline and ATV are for an active half day, and the Hilo cruise-port tour is aimed at ship passengers.
Hand-picked tours, booked through GetYourGuide and Viator. Prices are indicative starting prices in US dollars (as of October 2026). Tap a tour for live availability and the current price in your currency.
Volcanoes, waterfalls and a coffee farm in one day
- Park admissions
- Lunch and drinks
- Jackets provided
Eleven hours with park admissions, lunch, drinks and snacks covered. Jackets are provided for the cooler air at the volcano.
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Big Island in a day: volcanoes, waterfalls and sights
- Hotel pickup
- Picnic lunch
- All fees and taxes
Eleven hours in a small-group Sprinter van with a picnic lunch, snacks and drinks. All fees and taxes are covered.
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Eight-line zipline and waterfall bridge adventure
- Harness and helmet
- Free souvenir photos
- Botanical garden entry
Two and a half hours with a guide, harness and helmet, free souvenir photos and a self-guided walk through the botanical gardens.
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Full-day circle island tour from Kona
- Pickup included
- Drinks on board
A twelve-hour loop around the island with pickup and drinks on board. Ask the operator before booking where the food stops are.
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Volcanoes National Park from Hilo with park fees
- Park fees included
- Port and hotel pickup
- Professional guide
Six hours in the park and around Hilo with a guide. Park fees, a bottle of water and pickup from the port or Hilo hotels are included.
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ATV ride at a ranch near Hilo
- Helmet and boots
- Free parking
Two hours on an ATV with helmet and boots provided and free parking on site.
Check availability →Big Island tours and day trips
Circle island tours, volcano and waterfall trips, ziplining and coffee farm visits, with live prices and availability.
Big Island circle tour: the full-day loop
One long day around the island from the Kona side.
A circle island tour picks you up on the Kona or Kohala Coast and drives around the island in 11 to 12 hours. The day combines the national park with waterfalls, a coffee farm and a black sand beach, depending on the tour. Small groups travel in vans.
What is included varies more than the route. Some full-day tours include lunch, drinks, snacks, park admissions and jackets; others include drinks only, so bring your own lunch. Check this before you compare prices. A circle tour does not open closed areas: it stops where visitors may go, and lava is never part of the promise.
Volcano and waterfall tours from Hilo
From Hilo, a volcano tour fits into half a day or a long morning. The tours run 5 to 8 hours and pick up at Hilo International Airport, the Port of Hilo or hotels in the Hilo area. National park entry is included on most of them.
Typical stops are the national park, Rainbow Falls, Liliʻuokalani Gardens on Banyan Drive and, on the longer tours, ʻAkaka Falls or a black sand beach. Lunch is included on some, bottled water on most. One tour picks up only in the Hilo area, with no transfer from Kailua-Kona.
For a tour built around the park itself, see our volcano tours page; for the town and its waterfalls, the Hilo guide.
Hilo shore excursions for cruise passengers
A day in port, planned around the ship.
Pickup at the port
Several tours pick up at the Port of Hilo, so you can step off the ship and meet your guide close to the terminal.
Timed to the ship
Shore excursions work with ship arrival and departure times. Ask how the tour handles a delay before you book.
What you see
Most combine the national park and lava tubes with waterfalls and black sand, in 5.5 to 7 hours. Park admission and, on some, the Rainbow Falls fee are included.
Ziplining on the Big Island, ATV rides and hikes
Active half days.
Zipline with waterfall views
An 8-line zipline course with a suspension bridge and waterfall views takes about 2.5 hours. Check-in is at a botanical garden. Harness, rigging and helmet are included, with souvenir photos and a self-guided walk through the garden.
ATV tours
An ATV tour runs 2 hours on a ranch south of Hilo, with helmet and boots provided and free parking on site. You meet at the ranch, so you need your own transport.
Waterfall hike with a Native Hawaiian guide
A 3.5-hour cultural and historical hike near Hilo ends with a swim in the waterfalls of Waiʻale. Food, drinks and hotel pickup are not included.
Big Island excursions with coffee, chocolate and culture
Shorter visits that fit into a beach day.
Kona coffee farm tours
Coffee grows in North and South Kona on the slopes of Hualālai and Mauna Loa. Farm tours take about an hour, with a walk through the orchards, roasting and a tasting. One adds a brewing class and goat feeding. Coffee cherries ripen from August to January, so you will not see a harvest on every visit.
Kailua-Kona and coffee →Chocolate farm near Hilo
A 3.5-hour craft chocolate farm tour with tasting starts just outside Hilo.
Luau evening
A lūʻau is a feast with music and cultural performances. Luau shows include a buffet dinner and a bar.
Big Island luau →Big Island day tours compared
By starting point and length.
| Tour type | Starts | Length | Good for |
|---|---|---|---|
| Circle island tour | Kona and Kohala Coast, pickup | 11 to 12 hours | Seeing the whole island in one day without driving |
| Volcano and waterfall tour | Hilo, pickup | 5 to 8 hours | Visitors staying in Hilo |
| Hilo shore excursion | Port of Hilo | 5.5 to 7 hours | Cruise passengers |
| Zipline | Botanical garden check-in | About 2.5 hours | An active half day |
| ATV ride | Ranch south of Hilo | 2 hours | Drivers with their own car |
| Coffee farm tour | Kona coffee area | About 1 hour | A short stop on a west side day |
For most visitors staying on the Kona side without a plan to drive across the island, a circle island tour is the most practical way to see the volcano and Hilo in one day. If you stay in Hilo, a half-day volcano tour leaves you time for the waterfalls on your own.
What to check before you book
Long days need careful reading.
Pickup area
Pickups are tied to an area, such as Kona and Kohala hotels or Hilo only. Confirm your exact pickup point and time when you check availability.
Admissions and meals
Park entry is $30 per vehicle (2026) if you go alone; many tours include it. Lunch is included on some full days and excluded on others.
Tips and extras
Tips are not included on most tours. Alcohol is not allowed on one van tour.
Pearl Harbor
Pearl Harbor is on Oʻahu, not on this island; see Pearl Harbor on Oʻahu.
More tours by theme
Each with its own guide.
Volcano tours
Day and evening tours to Hawaiʻi Volcanoes National Park.
Helicopter tours
Volcano and coast flights from Hilo and the west side.
Boat tours
Whales, dolphins, a submarine dive and sunset sails.
Mauna Kea
Summit sunset and stargazing tours.
Manta ray night snorkel
The night trip off the Kona Coast.
Luau
Feast, music and hula on the Kona side.
Big Island tours: frequently asked questions
Can I see the whole Big Island in one day?
A circle island tour covers the main areas in 11 to 12 hours, with stops at the national park, waterfalls and a black sand beach. It is a long day in a van, not a slow visit.
Is national park entry included on volcano tours?
On many tours, yes. Check the tour details; if you go alone, a private vehicle pays $30 (2026).
Are there tours for cruise passengers in Hilo?
Yes. Hilo shore excursions pick up at the port and are timed to the ship, with the national park, lava tubes and waterfalls in 5.5 to 7 hours.
Will I see lava on a Big Island tour?
That cannot be promised. Check the current USGS and park updates before you go, and see the national park guide.
Will I see the coffee harvest on a farm tour?
A farm tour is a visit to the farm, not a harvest event. The harvest window is August to January, so outside it you see the trees and the roasting rather than picking.