Tours

If a tour bus is too crowded and a bike is too slow, try cruising the streets of Honolulu in a sleek, classy limo. Limos fit up to six people, and the price of a tour is per limo, not per person. Various tours are offered, including a Honolulu City Tour that lasts 2 1/2 hours, costs USD140, and visits about ten tourist hot spots. Golf packages are also offered, as are air transfer and tour packages. You pay for the tour after it is completed. Please note that a 7 percent surcharge is added to credit card purchases.

On December 7, 1941, the battleship USS Arizona was sunk, taking 1,100 sailors with it. In 1961, a solemn white monument was erected above the midsection of the ship. The deck of the Arizona lies now six feet below the surface of Pearl Harbor and is clearly visible from the monument. Take the shuttle launch from shore to the monument and view the dark shape of a once-great ship with its silent crew. Free guided tours are offered 8am-3pm daily. Visit the Battleship Missouri Memorial afterward.

In addition to owning and operating the popular Navatek I and Atlantis Submarines, this company works in conjunction with several major Honolulu attractions to provide guests with deeply discounted tour packages. Visit Sea Life Park, splurge on a dinner cruise/show package, or take a ride in one of the submarines. Call or check the website for more details.

Book It Hawaii is a free booking service that allows you to plan all your vacation activities in one convenient place. Swim with dolphins, fly over the active volcano, cruise for whales on a whale-watching expedition, feast on a traditional Hawaiian Luau, tour historical Pearl Harbor or sail into the sunset on an elegant dinner cruise, all with tickets booked through this Web site and delivered to your home or hotel.

This company offers a variety of entertaining cruises in the waters off Honolulu and beyond. Its most popular activity is the Pacific Splash Barefoot Fun Cruise, which lasts or about three hours. Dolphin-watching cruises depart each morning and whale-watching cruises happen several times a day during the winter (December 15 through April 30). Sunset dinner cruises and extended voyages are also available.

Kick back and relax in an air-conditioned tour bus as a certified tour guide takes you around the notable points of Honolulu. There are nearly a dozen organized tours, a Waikiki Trolley day-pass, and an option to design your own tour. Popular tours include the Pearl Harbor & Punchbowl Crater Tour (USD41 for adults) and the Circle Island Beach & Dole Plantation Tour, which is a full-day excursion to all the most famous aquatic landmarks on the island. Call for more information.

Hanauma Bay boasts some of the best snorkeling in the entire world. You can see schools of exotic fish without even wading out past hip-level. However, if you're unfamiliar with the ocean or you've never tried snorkeling before, it's nice to go with an experienced guide. The price of a snorkeling tour includes transportation, instruction and equipment. Depending on which package you choose, you can spend up to four hours at the bay. Call for more information.

Take the hassle out of planning your Hawaii adventure and book tickets to activities, tours and attractions on-line at competitive prices. Popular activities sell out weeks in advance; book early before you arrive in Hawaii to avoid disappointment. Ticekts, maps, itineraries, and directions are delivered free via either e-mail or U.S. mail, to your home or your hotel. Spend your time experiencing Hawaii, and leave the work of the planning to the professionals.

If you or someone you know speaks Hungarian as a first language, this is the company best equipped to assist you. The Honolulu office can help with everything from booking a flight or a hotel to choosing the best island tour led by a Hungarian speaker. Get information on major island attractions, parks, monuments and places of interest. Please call for more information.

This is indeed a food-lover's idea of heaven! Culinary tourism in Honolulu has evolved in the form of Hawaii Food Tours, which organizes delicious trips to restaurants around the city. With rates depending on which tour you book, this is the perfect way for you get to indulge in a gamut of delicacies, most of them Hawaiian. Hawaii Food Tours offers three different tours including the Hawaiian Feast in Paradise which samples local favorites, the Hole-in-the-Wall Tour which features food from locations a little off the beaten path, and the Gourmet Trilogy Tour which allows you to taste the offerings from three of Oahu's best restaurants including wine with each course. Each location is different and unique making this a food experience you won't soon forget. For more information call the local or toll free number. Bon Appetit!

Established in 1981, this non-profit organization has the sole purpose of spreading the environmental gospel to residents and visitors of the Hawaiian Islands. Almost entirely volunteer-operated, the Center facilitates hands-on environmental education for school children, families and the general public. Particular emphasis is placed on the importance of educating children. Hopefully, with a change in the attitudes of youth toward nature, the future of the environment stands a chance. Admission is free. There is a gift shop onsite.

Touted as the best adventure tour on O'ahu, this day-long outing includes hiking, snorkeling, and boogie boarding. Start your morning with a leisurely mile hike through a rain forest to 200-foot Manoa Falls, where you can swim or relax and enjoy the magnificent scenery. Next, you'll visit several notable sights including Diamond Head Crater. After a lunch stop at a local cafe, it is off to the beach for the afternoon. Hotel pick-up and drop-off is included in the tour price.

Look out for the firecar! Believe it or not, railroad signs in Hawaii used to sport this warning, instead of the standard 'Railroad Crossing.' At the time, though, the signs were all in Hawaiian. The railway was once the island's main mode of transportation, but this is the only operating branch that remains. It offers charter rides throughout the week as well as two scheduled rides on Sunday. The train holds up to 200 people and a separate parlor car can be attached for your privacy. Tour the former Ewa Plantation, ghost towns and other island landmarks. Call for prices and reservations.

Your flight starts by flying over the harbor and past rows and rows of cruise ships. Then you start down the coast of Waikiki Beach. You see numerous famous hotels such as the Royal Hawaiian and the Ilkai. Once you reach the end of the beach you fly over Diamond Head. Then you circle back over the city, enjoying views of downtown Honolulu and Pearl Harbor.

Oahu's balmy weather makes it the perfect place for an evening stroll;or better yet, a romantic carriage ride. This company offers carriage rides through Waikiki nightly, from 6:30p-11p. Each ride is approximately 20 minutes and passengers may choose to be dropped off anywhere they choose (as long as it is convenient to the route). All day rentals are also available for special occasions; contact the office for details. The location for the rides change in December.

Built in 1882 by Hawaii's last king, David Kalakaua, this stately old three-story building is a real treat to tour. After the overthrow of the King's sister Queen Liliuokalani in 1893, the structure served as the territorial and state capitol until 1969. The Palace Galleries showcases jewels and regalia from the days of Hawaiian royalty. Guided tours are offered every 30 minutes and reservations are suggested. Admission for Grand Tour is USD20 for adults and USD5 for children aged 5-17.

Located just adjacent to Honolulu International Airport, this service allows visitors to see Honolulu and the island of O'ahu from high above. Owner/Pilot Pat Magie and his wife Debbie own two sturdy DeHavilland "Beavers." They take off and land in beautiful Ke'ehi lagoon, providing views of the Koolau and Waianae mountain ranges, the exquisite beaches on all sides of the island and dramatic Diamond Head reigning over Waikiki Beach. Prices start at USD119 per person for a 1/2 hour flight and USD220 per person for a one hour tour. A complimentary van services several stops in Waikiki.

This place is above and beyond modern body-beautiful boutiques such as Sephora and the Body Shop. Not only does it offer handmade natural products, it also allows people to observe as the products are made. Watch highly trained craftsmen hand-pour candles and bars of soap. Other products for sale include shower gels, floral water, massage oil and lotion. Everything is natural, unique, and possessed of an intoxicating island fragrance. This is a perfect place to purchase a gift for a loved one or for yourself.

This patch of wetlands is home to four of Hawaii's endangered waterbirds and an essential wintering ground for many migratory species. It is open to visitors during the non-breeding season for the endangered Hawaiian Stilt approximately October thru Februaryirds. During this time, visitors can participate in a free, 90-minute guided tour of the fresh water marsh. This protected fresh water marsh has benefited from volunteer projects which assist staff in improving the habitat for the endangered birds that nest here. It's also a popular destination for school field trips. The refuge is located about two miles southeast of the Turtle Bay Resort.

Picture yourself paddling your way over the crystal blue waters of the Hawaiian islands with the sun bathing you in its soft light and bouncing off the water. Well, with Kailua Sailboards and Kayaks you don't need to imagine it. You can just do it. This rental place offers guided tours by kayak or sail boat or even paddle boat to the nearby Mokulua Islands. If a group tour isn't your thing, you can always rent out a Kayak and go adventuring on your own. This rental shop offers various eco tours or rentals to choose from — windsurfing, kayaking, kite surfing, snorkeling etc. So take your pick and take the plunge.

Primarily catering to Japanese tourists, Kato Golf Tours arranges golfing packages at the many renowned courses in Oahu. Whether you're a businessman with a few extra days on the island or a newcomer to the zen of golf, Kato Tours can arrange your perfect day on the green. The company takes all the hassles out of setting up tee times, arranging partners and coordinating transportation. It also provides information on all of the golf courses on the island.

This company specializes in cultural eco-tours trips to wahi pana (legendary places) or wahi la'a (sacred places) in remote areas of O'ahu. Local native Dominic Aki imparts a wealth of folklore and esoteric history while guiding you to little known petroglyphs, ancient temples, shrines and even a traditional birthing stone. Half-day and full-day tours are available.

North Shore Shark Adventures will fulfill your thrill-seeking fantasies. After an initial safety instruction briefing, the tour sets sail. If you're lucky, you might spot Hawaiian Green Sea turtles, humpback whales and dolphins. Then the piece-de-resistance, being lowered in the water from the safety of a cage and getting a glimpse at sharks ranging from 5 to 15 feet in length. It's also a good leap of faith for those who have a phobia of sharks. Tourists are encouraged to bring their snorkels, masks and underwater camera. As safety is a priority, the boats are limited to 6 passengers, so make your reservations early. They have variable rates and discounts. And if you notice the word Kailolo on the boat, it just means "water crazy"!

Guide Michael Walther has spent his life studying local flora and fauna, and he imparts his knowledge during these interesting eco-excursions. Invigorate yourself with an early morning hike to the 763-foot summit of the Diamond Head Crater. Visit magnificent waterfalls during the afternoon rainforest excursion in the Ko'olau mountains. There are five tours in all, as well as two combination tour packages.

For spectacular bird's eye views of Oahu, book a seat on this charter helicopter. The Honolulu Waterfront Flight lasts only 10 minutes, and flies over Waikiki, Ala Moana and Honolulu Harbor. Longer flights visit Magic Island and Olomana. Sunset and night flights are available. Private charters and private flight lessons are offered. Call for pricing and availability. Round-trip hotel transportation is included in all tours. Tours are offered in Japanese and English.

The Pacific Aviation Museum, located in Hangars 37, 54 and 79 of Pearl Harbor's Ford Island, offers visitors a chance to relive the heinous Pearl Harbor attack in a safe and comfortable museum setting. An introductory film depicts the event in graphic (albeit black and white) detail. Then revelers are ushered into row upon row of dioramas and other exhibits that shed more light on the intricacies of what actually happened on that fateful day. Outside, the experience continues. A replica debris field, complete with smoking wrecks, is on view, as well as actual shrapnel marks and an actual bomb crater. A stable of historical aircraft completes the museum's collection. See website for proposed additions, museum news, online souvenir shopping and more. Admission: Adults $14, children $7, guided tour $7.

Touted as a Barefoot Fun Cruise, this adventure is perfect for just about any age. It starts off with a mellow ocean cruise. Later in the day, the ship moors in a secluded cove. Passengers can snorkel and swim in the blue ocean waters; a waterslide and water trampoline are provided. Hamburgers, hot dogs, teriyaki chicken, vegetables and fruit are served during the lunch cruise. The morning cruise, which features a full American style breakfast, is less expensive.

Enjoy the sights, sounds and sensations of the O'ahu coastline on this tour company's luxury ships, the Starlet I & II and the Star of Honolulu. The Diamond Head Odyssey Cruise is appropriate for families. The half-day cruise takes passengers to the bay by Diamond Head, where they can snorkel with sea turtles, float on rafts, sunbathe on the deck, or waterslide into the ocean. This cruise costs USD50 for each adult, not including transportation. The Sunset Grill Cruise departs at sunset, and includes dinner and live entertainment. It is USD32 per adult, and lasts for two hours.

Visit top O'ahu attractions with this well-known tour company. The Arizona Memorial and USS Missouri Tour visits Pearl Harbor, the battleship USS Missouri and the National Memorial Cemetery of the Pacific. The Polynesian Cultural Center Tour takes you through Oahu's most scenic areas. See the natural beauty that makes the Islands famous: tropical forests, seaside villages, championship surfing spots and world-renowned beaches. Prices run USD20-61.50 per adult and USD15-31 per child. Meals are not included.

In approximately 15 activity packed hours, this charter company flies passengers to one of four neighboring islands (Maui, Hawai'i, Kaua'i or Moloka'i) for a day of sightseeing and exploring. The price is $177 per person or, if you wish to go by helicopter, $290 per person. At least five major attractions are visited in each tour. The most unique adventure is the Kalaupapa Mule Ride, which takes place on the tiny island of Moloka'i and costs $290 per person.

Various day tours and inexpensive neighbor island fly-drive or overnight packages can be booked through Roberts Hawaii. This tour company is a giant on the islands and a subsidiary of national giant Gray Line. Booking a fly-drive package with Roberts can be about 20 percent cheaper than booking directly through airlines and car rental companies. Any activity broker that offers inter-island packages is probably booking with Roberts. The company also represents a half-dozen of Hawaii's most popular attractions.

Shangri La is a very interesting place in a gorgeous setting created by the late Doris Duke. Influenced by Islamic and other prevalent cultures from all across the globe, Duke decided to conceptualize this abode so as to house the myriad references to the countries she visited with her husband—the actor James Cromwell. Tour the place and visit the in-house artists working there on the conservation projects which are fueled by the Doris Duke charitable foundation. A highly informative website answers a lot of questions.

The Hawai'i chapter of this world-famous environmental organization was formed in response to the environmental threat caused by tourism and urban development throughout the islands. It is involved in all aspects of island ecology, with a mission to assist in the preservation of flora, fauna and ocean creatures. Sierra Club's mission and policy statements are extensive and thorough, and can be read on the Sierra Club Web site. Call or check the site for information on upcoming hikes and other events.

Operated by Roberts Hawaii, this company books package tours of any of Oahu's eight most popular excursions. Activities include the Grand Circle Island Tour, Ali'i Kai Catamaran Dinner Cruise and the Pearl Harbor Coastal Cruise. Itineraries can last between one and five days. The two-day "Best of Oahu" package costs USD65 and includes the Grand Circle Island Tour and Ali'i Kai dinner cruise. The Wiki Wiki is USD149 and includes the Grand Circle Island and Stars and Stripes tours as well as the dinner cruise and cocktail show.

Hula dancers greet each sunset sailor as passengers depart on the largest of the local cruise ships, The Star of Honolulu. Visitors cruise off Oahu's leeward shore as the sun sinks below the horizon and the twinkling lights of Honolulu and Waikiki emerge in the dusk. There is always a live band and singers. Dine on a feast of steak and crab legs with a complimentary tropical cocktail. Prices for The Sunset Dinner cruise start at USD66 for adults and USD33 for children.

Surf n Sea is a staple on the North shore landscape, built in 1921 and housing the premiere surf shop since 1965, SurfnSea has it all. Surf gear and apparel for most ocean activities, not to mention tours, lessons, sales and rentals, plus plenty of souvenirs. They specialize in Surfing, Scuba Diving, Bodyboarding & Snorkeling. The look, feel, and location of the building makes it easy to envision the past. Surf legends and current top professionals from around the world have set foot inside this historic shop. To this day it sits alone on the World Famous Haleiwa coastline and you couldn't ask for a better place to find what you need for a great day at the beach. In the winter, ask about their prize patrol program where they give out a free sticker and you can win prizes if seen sporting the sticker around town. -Rex Davidson

The best of Oahu's attractions are at your fingertips. Low rates are offered on submarine dives, city tours and other popular activities. Day tours to other islands are also available. Visit Maui (The Valley Isle), Kaua'i (The Garden Isle) or the Big Island. The highlights of each island are included in the tour, along with airfare. Single-day tour costs start at around $15 (Pearl Harbor and City Tour) and go up to about $149 (Big Island Circle Tour). Overnight packages are also available. Call for details.

Nestled between two mountain ranges—the Waianae and Ko'olau—this 27-acre garden is considered the "tropical jewel" of Honolulu's botanical gardens. Its history dates back to a 1920s attempt by sugar planters to create an experimental arboretum. Tours through the garden reveal a stretch of land devoted to plants that thrive in a humid, cool tropical climate. Both guided and solo tours are available. Explore a magical, lovely, sweet-smelling rainforest, in which exotic tropical blooms flourish. Entrance to the garden is free.

There are four lines to this trolley system and they travel to most of the major attractions in the city. The Honolulu City Line comes every 20 minutes and stops at the Royal Hawaiian Shopping Center, Chinatown and a dozen other places. The Shopping & Dining Line makes its first stop at the statue of Duke Kahanamoku and continues on to Nike Town and Ala Moana. A one-day pass costs USD20 for adults; USD14 for teens (12-18); USD10 for kids(4-11). Discounts and multi-day passes are available.

Waimea Valley Audubon Center's mission is to preserve the botanical, cultural and ecological resources of the prosperous Waimea Valley. It is a non-profit organization, which offers visitors various opportunities to discover the valley through elaborate guided tours, educational programs and mountain trails. Nature lovers keen to catch a glimpse of rare birds, flowers and butterflies are up for a treat in this Hawaiian paradise.

All kinds of excursions can be arranged through this company. Almost every excursion operates as a charter. Dolphin swims, whale watches, sailing charters and snorkel adventures are all available. The company allows a maximum of six passengers on each charter, and the minimum is only two! It's a world apart from the crowded catamaran tours and whale watches offered by many companies. Excursions take place off Oahu's Leeward shore. Call for more information or to get a price quote.