11-Nights The Best of Hawaii - Land Journey from $11,390
Tauck
OFFER ID 1494499
The Best of Hawaii
Tauck's classic four-island journey across Hawaii incorporates natural and historical sights, exclusive cultural experiences, and free days to pursue your own passions on Oahu, the Big Island of Hawaii, Kauai and Maui.
Stay in ocean-view rooms at some of Hawaii's finest oceanfront resorts; experience one of the most poignant chapters of World War II history at the USS Missouri Memorial in Pearl Harbor; enjoy a private catamaran sail at sunset on the Big Island; enjoy a pre-opening hours visit to Iolani Palace; learn about Hawaii's iconic botanical world and key product, coffee; attend a traditional luau on Maui; explore scenic Kauai by helicopter; and attend a private evening highlighted by cocktails and dinner at Queen Emma Summer Palace in Honolulu.
11 nights from $11,390 per person
Itinerary Details
Tauck World Discovery: The Best of Hawaii
Day 1 Honolulu, Hawaii, USA
Arrive Honolulu, Oahu – and a welcome to Hawaii night at a palace
Tour begins: 4:30 PM, The Royal Hawaiian, A Luxury Collection Resort.A transfer is included from Honolulu International Airport to your extraordinary resort, The Royal Hawaiian – affectionately known as the "Pink Palace of the Pacific" – set on the white sand shores of Waikiki Beach. Stay in ocean-view accommodations, and enjoy dinner with stunning views of the beach and ocean in the hotel's acclaimed Azure restaurant, overlooking Waikiki Beach. Tonight, your Tauck Hawaii tour begins with an exclusive evening – a private after-hours tour, reception and dinner at Queen Emma Summer Palace, the secluded mountain-home and summer retreat of Queen Emma of Hawaii and her family.
Meals: D
Day 2 Honolulu, Hawaii, USA
Pre-opening visit to Iolani Palace & an afternoon on Waikiki
Begin the day with an exclusive pre-opening hours visit to magnificent Iolani Palace, the opulent official residence of Hawaii's former monarchy. Built in 1882, this National Historic Landmark reigns as the only official state residence of royalty in the United States – and your guided tour provides you with an insiders perspective. Next up is an opportunity to discover more of Oahu when you circle the windward side for a tour of its southeastern beaches, bays and birds, including the beach famously featured in the film From Here To Eternity. The remainder of the day is free to enjoy Waikiki as you please.
Meals: B, D
Day 3 Honolulu, Hawaii, USA
Pearl Harbor, Honolulu and choices in Waikiki
The day begins with a visit to Honolulu and the USS Missouri Battleship Memorial in Pearl Harbor; the surrender of the Japanese on her deck brought the Second World War to an end. Further Honolulu sightseeing includes a drive through Punchbowl Memorial Cemetery and historic Honolulu, where you'll have views of Washington Place, the sumptuous state capitol building and other sites. Back on Waikiki Beach, you have a choice this afternoon: discover an ancient cultural tradition when you take a ride aboard an "outrigger canoe" – used for fishing and transport along Hawaiian shores for over 2,000 years – or accompanied by a local guide, tour The Royal Hawaiian Resort to learn about the fascinating 95-year history, firsthand. The remainder of the day is free to enjoy the pleasures of Waikiki as you please.
Meals: B
Day 4 Big Island, Hawaii, USA
Fly to the Big Island and Hawaii Volcanoes National Park
Fly to the youngest of the islands, the Big Island of Hawaii, home to Mauna Loa and Kilauea, two of the world's most active and accessible volcanoes; the gentleness of their eruptions allows visits to the edges of their active vents. In 1866, when Mark Twain saw the sizzling lava of Kilauea, he wrote, "Here was room for the imagination to work!" At Volcanoes National Park, you'll drive across the Kilauea Caldera (crater), where views vary from desert to lush tropical rainforest to alpine tundra. UNESCO named the park an International Biosphere Reserve because of its outstanding scenic and scientific values. The park protects a wide diversity of ecosystems and habitat for native Hawaiian plants and animals; it is also rich in cultural and historic sites. Your day ends at your resort on the Kohala Coast in the area once known as Kalahuipua'a, the birthplace of King Kamehameha I, who unified the Hawaiian Islands in the early 19th century. The area is crisscrossed by early Hawaiian footpaths, royal fishponds and lava formations.
Meals: B, L, D
Day 5 Big Island, Hawaii, USA
Big Island relaxation... or adventure
Spend the day doing whatever interests you most on the Big Island of Hawaii. You can set off on an optional two-hour helicopter excursion for a thrilling view of Kilauea's fiery lava vents and the Big Island's coastal rainforests, available at an additional cost per person (details can be found by clicking on any date in Pricing & Availability) – or you can indulge in other optional activities offered by your resort (some at additional cost). If you wish, late morning you have an opportunity to learn more about Hawaii's beautiful botanical world with a guided walk around the resort's renowned gardens. Toward evening, join us for a sunset catamaran sail along the Kohala Coast as the sun sets on another perfect day on Tauck's Hawaii tour.
Meals: B
Day 6 Big Island, Hawaii, USA
Hawaiian coffee, gardens & more on the Kona coast
Begin your day with a visit to the Painted Church overlooking Kealakekua Bay; built in 1899, this historic Roman Catholic church features extensive hand-painted scenes throughout its interior. To get the day started just right, head to a Kona coffee plantation and living history farm. Kona coffee is prized the world over; see how a typical coffee farming family of the early 20th century lived and worked, and learn the secrets of cultivating the bean, from the coffee tree to the freshly brewed coffee cup (tasting included!). Have dinner tonight at your choice of the resort's restaurants.
Meals: B, D
Day 7 Kauai, Hawaii, USA
Fly to Kauai for a plantation lunch and a beachfront resort
Fly to the Garden Isle of Kauai, where the landscape is lush with orchids, hibiscus and plumeria. Travel to Kilohana Plantation, where you'll have lunch; translated from Hawaiian, the name Kilohana means "not to be surpassed" – and that was what sugar baron Gaylord Wilcox had in mind when he built this legendary plantation estate in 1935. Throughout the years, the plantation was a working homestead as well as the site for extravagant parties, social gatherings, diplomatic meetings and ceremonies; a luau demonstration reveals Hawaii's rich historic heritage. This afternoon, discover why Kauai is known as the "garden isle" when you visit Allerton Garden, a member of the National Tropical Botanical Garden, a non-profit institution that's dedicated to conservation and preservation, as well as the restoration of endangered habitats. The garden is stunning, and its history is rich, intertwined with the history of Hawaii. Arrive late afternoon at your beachfront resort; the remainder of the day is free.
Meals: B, L
Day 8 Kauai, Hawaii, USA
Helicopter flightseeing and time to enjoy Kauai as you please
First up this morning – an amazing experience that truly immerses you in all that Kauai is about – a 45-55-minute helicopter flightseeing adventure* over the rainforests and mountains of the lush "Garden Isle" – an amazing helicopter adventure that introduces you to a world of lush tropical rainforests, jagged mountains, sea cliffs, beaches and craters. Music and narration combine as you view the best of the island, including spectacular Waimea Canyon and views of the Na Pali Cliffs. Then, the day is yours to enjoy as you wish – you may want to swim, snorkel, sunbathe, spot the island's abundant marine life from monk seals to green sea turtles, or simply enjoy all your resort has to offer. Dine at your leisure at the resort tonight.
Meals: B, D
Day 9 Maui, Hawaii, USA
Fly to Maui and the Maui Ocean Center
Fly to Maui, named for an ancient god. Travel through the mist-shrouded Iao Valley to see the famed Iao Needle, then on to the Maui Ocean Center for a guided visit. Marine biologists introduce you to a unique ecosystem populated by rare species that exist nowhere else – an undersea community that is a captivating world unlike any other. Mid-afternoon, it's off to the The Fairmont Kea Lani, your beachfront resort home for the next three nights, set on the Wailea Coast. The remainder of the day is free; dine at your resort at your leisure tonight.
Meals: B, L, D
Day 10 Maui, Hawaii, USA
Maui at your leisure
The entire day is free to explore as you please on this island known for fabulous beaches, wildlife-rich waters and perfumed gardens. Your resort, Fairmont Kea Lani Maui, is just steps from scenic Polo Beach on the Wailea coast – and the many amenities include a 24-hour fitness center and classes, boutiques, three swimming pools, two activity pools connected by a 140-foot water slide, various beach activities and nearby championship golf.
Meals: B, D
Day 11 Maui, Hawaii, USA
Mount Haleakala and a farewell private luau
Join us for a trip to the 10,023-foot-high rim of Mount Haleakala (meaning "house of the sun"), the world's largest dormant volcano (it's been two centuries since its last eruption) and a UNESCO Biosphere Reserve. The crater is more than seven miles across, and hosts two endangered species, the nene (Hawaiian wild goose), and the silversword, a specially adapted plant. After enjoying extraordinary views from the mountaintop, learn about island agriculture as you descend through Maui's upcountry farmland and return to your oceanfront resort for an afternoon spent as you wish. This evening, join us for a farewell feast of authentic Hawaiian culture at a private luau.
Meals: B, D
Day 12 Maui, Hawaii, USA
Journey Home
Tour ends: Maui. Fly home anytime; a transfer is included from The Fairmont Kea Lani to Maui's Kahului Airport. Allow a minimum of two hours for departure flight check-in at the airport.
Meals: B
Kauai is a magnificent natural setting for golf. Kauai is home to many top-ranked courses as Golf Digest rates four of the championship golf courses among the top seven in the State of Hawaii and Wailua Municipal Golf Course consistently ranks in the top 100 municipal courses in the country.
Maui's prime resort areas are Kapalua, Kaanapali, Kihei, Wailea and Makena. Strung like jewels on the sunny western and southern shores of Maui, they offer pristine beaches and a wide range of hotel and condominium accommodations. At serene, secluded Hana, you'll discover Hawaii the way it used to be.
The best golf in paradise is yours to enjoy on Maui. There are challenges for players of all skill levels and incredible views no matter where you play, from the public courses to the championship layouts of Maui's Golf Coast. Plus, nowhere else in the world will you find the array of oceansports and activities that Maui offers.
Then there are the 42 miles of world famous beaches, ranging Only on Maui... from the little jewel of Red Sand Beach to the black sand beach at Waianapanapa State Park. The best snorkeling is at Honolua Bay or the small islet of Molokini, a submerged crater.
For the nature enthusiast, Maui has breathtaking hiking trails. The Hawaii Nature Center in Iao Valley is a good starting place. The rangers at Haleakala National Park lead free nature walks, both at the 10,000 foot summit of Maui's awe-inspiring, long-dormant volcano and at Oheo Gulch with its famous Seven Pools.
One of the best ways to experience Upcountry Maui is on horseback. The green pastures and sweeping vistas will remind you of range land in Wyoming. And Makawao town provides a taste of the "Old West."
Discover the fascinating artifacts of Maui's ancient culture at the Bailey House Museum or explore the island's heiau ruins (Hawaiian religious temples). If you get a chance, don't miss the performance of hula kahiko (ancient hula) by one of Maui's hula halau (hula schools).
Honolulu is sophisticated, lively, and breathtaking. It has more in the way of arts, culture, and entertainment. It has an abundance of galleries, nightclubs, and museums, a major zoo, aquarium, Iolani Palace (the only royal palace on U.S. soil), Pearl Harbor, the Arizona Memorial... the list goes on and on.
The day-time high temperatures in Honolulu during the summer range from an average of 85 to 87 degrees F (29.4-30.6 C) with night-time lows of 70 to 74 (21.1-23.3 C). Winter day-time high temperatures in the city are 70 to 74 degrees F (21.1-23.3 C) and night-time lows are 65 to 69 degrees (18.3-20.6 C). Travelers may want to pack a light jacket and pants for strolling on the cooler winter evenings. Hikers planning to trek through some of Oahu's higher elevations should be aware that there is a 3.5 degree drop in temperature for every thousand foot rise above sea level. Its a good idea then to carry along a couple of layers of light clothing for these higher elevations, especially in the winter months.
No other American city could offer you the opportunity to surf the world's biggest waves, snorkel a lagoon, hike into a dormant volcano, golf at a dozen championship courses, and catch the sunset from a five-star restaurant. All within an hours drive of your hotel room.
The key to enjoying Oahu, as with most of the islands, is mobility. The Bus circles the island for only a dollar. Or rent a car and get out to see the 'real' Hawaii... the gentle waterfalls, and the craggy peaks. Discover the 'undiscovered' beaches. Boogey board at Makapuu. Ride a horse at Turtle Bay. Watch the surfers at the Pipeline. Or sample a little fresh pineapple juice. Have fun! Get wet! This is Hawaii. It's an adventure!
Vacation Details
* This departure has been designated a guaranteed departure by the operator, meaning that the minimum number of guests has been met, although still subject to weather and other conditions.
All fares are quoted in US Dollars.
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