Cornelius Amann
October 06, 2026
5/5
Hawaii Four-Island Escape
12 days from Honolulu to Kauai, January to April: Oahu, the Big Island, Maui and Kauai, with three inter-island flights, small-group touring, whales and free time on every island.
12 days · Honolulu to Lihue · up to 14 guests
Waikiki Beach and Diamond Head, Honolulu Photo: Daniel Ramirez from Honolulu, USA, CC BY 2.0, via Wikimedia Commons (https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:View_towards_Diamond_Head_from_Waikiki_(5216373638).jpg)
The facts
At a glance
- Length
- 12 days, 11 nights
- Start and end
- Honolulu to Lihue
- Group size
- 6 to 14 guests
- Where you sleep
- HotelsA real bed every night, no tents
- Activity level
Easy
Little walking: small-group day tours by vehicle with short walks at each stop, three long touring days of about 9 to 11 hours, mostly seated, a two-hour boat trip and a night snorkel in open water for confident swimmers aged 10 and over (or a free evening). Haleakala's summit, if you choose it, is over 3,000 metres and cold.
- Meals included
- Meals on your own
- Season
- January to April
Highlights
Why this trip
- Pearl Harbor and the USS Arizona Memorial, then a full day around Oahu to the North Shore in big-surf season
- Hawaii Volcanoes National Park, Punaluu's black sand and Hilo in one day around the Big Island
- Manta rays at night off the Kona coast, or the Maunakea stars instead
- The Road to Hana or Haleakala, your choice, and a whale watch for six in peak humpback season
- Waimea Canyon, the Grand Canyon of the Pacific, to finish on Kauai
- Three nonstop inter-island flights and every transfer arranged, from Honolulu to Lihue
What makes this trip different
Free time is part of the plan
Free time and choices are marked on the days they fall.
Day by day
Itinerary
Tap any stop on the map to open that dayClick any stop on the map to open that day
Arrive in Honolulu
Honolulu airport (HNL) to Waikiki
- Stay: Hyatt Place Waikiki Beach or similar
- Drive about 30 min
Fly into Daniel K. Inouye International Airport (HNL) in Honolulu at any time today. A prearranged transfer takes you to your hotel in central Waikiki, about 30 to 40 minutes away depending on traffic, and the rest of the day is yours.
Evening
Waikiki makes an easy first evening: the beach runs along Kalakaua Avenue, and at Kuhio Beach stands the bronze statue of Duke Kahanamoku, the Olympic swimmer who carried surfing to the world. Walk the sand towards the outline of Diamond Head, swim inside the breakwater where the water is calm, or find a table for dinner close to the hotel. Most guests flying in from the mainland or from Canada wake early on their first morning in Hawaii, which suits tomorrow's start at Pearl Harbor.
Included
- Transfer from Honolulu airport (HNL) to your Waikiki hotel
Free time: Afternoon and evening free
Pearl Harbor and Waikiki
Pearl Harbor National Memorial, then a free afternoon
- Stay: Hyatt Place Waikiki Beach or similar
- By boat
Morning
This morning a small-group tour collects you in Waikiki for Pearl Harbor National Memorial, the site of the attack of 7 December 1941 that brought the United States into the Second World War. A short film sets the scene, then a Navy boat carries you across the harbour to the USS Arizona Memorial, the white span built over the sunken battleship, where 1,177 of her crew died; drops of oil still rise from the hull. Back on shore there is time for the museums and the waterfront. Bags are not allowed at the memorial, so bring only what fits in your pockets.
Evening
You are back in Waikiki around midday, with the afternoon and evening free for the beach, a surf lesson or a walk up Diamond Head. If you would like a luau or a Hawaiian cultural evening, we can book one for you; it is optional and not in the price.
Included
- Small-group morning tour of Pearl Harbor National Memorial
- Boat to the USS Arizona Memorial
Optional experiences
- Luau or Hawaiian cultural evening
Free time: Afternoon and evening free
Activity: Bags are not allowed at Pearl Harbor National Memorial.
Around Oahu to the North Shore
Circle island tour: the southeast shore, the windward coast, the North Shore and Haleiwa
- Stay: Hyatt Place Waikiki Beach or similar
Today is the big day on Oahu: a full-day small-group tour around the island. Leaving Waikiki, the road passes the slopes of Diamond Head and follows the rugged southeast shore, with stops such as the lookouts above Hanauma Bay and the Halona Blowhole. On the windward coast the fluted green cliffs of the Koolau range rise behind small towns and the offshore islet of Mokolii.
Evening
Then comes the North Shore, which in winter takes the biggest swells in the Pacific: at Sunset Beach, the Banzai Pipeline and Waimea Bay the waves can reach 6 metres (20 feet) or more on the biggest days, and surfers come from around the world to ride them. There is time for lunch in Haleiwa, the old plantation town known for its shave ice, and a stop at the Dole Plantation on the way back through the middle of the island to Waikiki by early evening.
Included
- Full-day small-group circle island tour
- Diamond Head area and southeast shore viewpoints
- Windward coast
- North Shore surf beaches and Haleiwa
- Dole Plantation
Activity: Stops vary with traffic and the surf.
Fly to the Big Island
Waikiki to Honolulu airport, flight to Kona (KOA), transfer to your hotel
- Stay: Courtyard King Kamehameha's Kona Beach Hotel or similar
- Drive about 1 h
A lighter travel day.
Morning
After breakfast your transfer takes you back to Honolulu airport for the nonstop flight to Kona on the Big Island, about 45 minutes in the air; there are many flights a day, so we pick a convenient time for your date. Kona airport sits on a lava flow from the volcano Hualalai, and the short drive to your hotel in Kailua-Kona or Keauhou, your base for three nights, crosses fields of black rock.
Evening
The afternoon and evening are free. In Kailua-Kona, walk along Alii Drive past Hulihee Palace, built in 1838 as a royal summer home, and Mokuaikaua Church, whose lava-stone walls date from 1837. Beside the pier, the restored Ahuena Heiau marks the place where King Kamehameha the Great spent his last years. Sunsets on this dry west coast are usually clear, so find a seat facing the sea.
Included
- Transfer to Honolulu airport
- Flight from Honolulu (HNL) to Kona (KOA) with one checked bag
- Transfer to your Kona or Keauhou hotel
Free time: Afternoon and evening free
The Big Island Grand Circle
Around the island: coffee country, Punaluu, Hawaii Volcanoes National Park, Hilo and Waimea
- Stay: Courtyard King Kamehameha's Kona Beach Hotel or similar
A full day of about 10 hours around the island, with pickup at your hotel. The road climbs into the Kona coffee belt, where small farms grow coffee on the slopes of Hualalai and Mauna Loa, then crosses the lava fields of the south to Punaluu, a beach of black sand made where lava met the sea. Green sea turtles often rest on the shore here; give them plenty of room. In Hawaii Volcanoes National Park you stand at the rim of Kilauea's summit caldera and walk among steam vents. Kilauea is one of the most active volcanoes on Earth and has erupted often in recent years, so you may see a plume or a glow, but what it is doing on the day is up to Kilauea. In Hilo, on the wet and green side of the island, there is a waterfall stop such as Rainbow Falls, then the drive home crosses the north of the island through the cattle country of Waimea.
Evening
Evening free.
Included
- Full-day small-group Grand Circle tour from your hotel
- Kona coffee country
- Punaluu black sand beach
- Hawaii Volcanoes National Park and the Kilauea caldera
- Hilo and a waterfall stop
- Waimea
Free time: Evening free
Activity: About 10 hours, much of it seated in the vehicle.
Free day, manta rays at night
Kona at leisure, then the manta ray night snorkel
- Stay: Courtyard King Kamehameha's Kona Beach Hotel or similar
- By boat
Afternoon
A free day in Kona, with nothing booked until late afternoon. Swim or snorkel at Kahaluu Beach near Keauhou, where green sea turtles graze on the reef, visit a coffee farm, or take a taxi south to Puuhonua o Honaunau, a national historical park that was once a place of refuge for those who broke sacred law.
Evening
Around sunset you board a boat in a harbour near Kona for the manta ray night snorkel, with all gear provided. Holding on to a floating light board at the surface, you watch reef manta rays, which can be wider than 3 metres, rise out of the dark to feed on the plankton the lights attract, often passing just below you. The snorkel is for confident open-ocean swimmers aged 10 and over. If it is not for you, choose the Maunakea sunset and stargazing tour instead, at extra cost, or keep the evening free.
Included
- Manta ray night snorkel with gear
Optional experiences
- Maunakea summit sunset and stargazing, instead of the manta snorkel. Age and health limits apply at the summit
Easier option: Skip the snorkel and keep the evening free.
Free time: Free until late afternoon
Activity: Snorkellers must be 10 or over and confident in open water.
Fly to Maui
Kona to Kahului (OGG), transfer to Kaanapali
- Stay: Outrigger Kaanapali Beach Resort or similar
- Drive about 1.5 h
Another lighter travel day.
Afternoon
Your transfer takes you to Kona airport for the nonstop flight to Kahului on Maui, about 40 minutes; there are fewer flights on this route, mostly between morning and early afternoon, so we fix the time when we book. From Kahului the road crosses Maui's flat central isthmus and follows the coast past Maalaea and the West Maui Mountains to Kaanapali, about an hour away, your base for three nights. Kaanapali Beach runs for nearly 5 km of golden sand, with a paved beach walk in front of the hotels and Puu Kekaa, known as Black Rock, at its north end, a favourite place to snorkel.
Evening
At sunset a cliff diver lights torches along the rock and leaps into the sea, recalling the 18th-century Maui chief Kahekili. Lahaina, a few minutes south, is rebuilding after the wildfire of August 2023; please respect closed areas.
Included
- Transfer to Kona airport
- Flight from Kona (KOA) to Kahului (OGG) with one checked bag
- Transfer to your Kaanapali hotel
Free time: Afternoon and evening free
Choose your Maui day: the Road to Hana or Haleakala
The Road to Hana, or Haleakala summit and Upcountry Maui
- Stay: Outrigger Kaanapali Beach Resort or similar
Today you choose one of two full days, both included at the same price. The Road to Hana starts early, with pickup at Kaanapali at about 6:40 am, and follows the Hana Highway along Maui's wet northeast coast: hundreds of bends and dozens of narrow bridges past rainforest, waterfalls and views down to the Keanae peninsula. Stops include waterfalls and the black sand beach at Waianapanapa State Park, where entry is by advance reservation, before you reach the quiet town of Hana; you are back at about 5 to 6 pm. Or take the later-starting day on Haleakala, the volcano that forms most of east Maui, driving to the summit area at more than 3,000 metres (10,000 feet) to look across its crater of red and grey cinder cones, then down through Upcountry, the farming country of Kula and Makawao on its slopes. Bring a warm layer: the summit can be near freezing.
Included
- Your choice of a full-day small-group Road to Hana tour or a daytime Haleakala summit and Upcountry tour
Your choice: Road to Hana, full day from Kaanapali / Haleakala summit and Upcountry Maui, daytime Included in the price.
Activity: Road to Hana pickup is at about 6:40 am; the Haleakala day starts later.
Whale watching off Maui
A small-boat whale watch, then a free afternoon
- Stay: Outrigger Kaanapali Beach Resort or similar
- By boat
Every winter thousands of humpback whales travel about 4,800 km from their feeding grounds off Alaska to the warm, shallow water around Maui to mate, give birth and nurse their calves, and the channels between Maui, Lanai, Molokai and Kahoolawe are among the best places in the world to see them.
Morning
This morning you head out on a premium whale watch of about two hours on a small boat that carries at most six guests, so everyone has a place at the rail and the crew can move quietly. Expect blows, tail slaps and, with luck, a full breach. Boats must stay at least 100 yards from the whales, and in peak season sightings are frequent but never guaranteed. These waters are protected as the Hawaiian Islands Humpback Whale National Marine Sanctuary.
Evening
The afternoon and evening are free for the beach, the pool or a sunset walk.
Included
- Premium whale watch, about 2 hours, at most 6 guests
Free time: Afternoon and evening free
Fly to Kauai
Kaanapali to Kahului airport, flight to Lihue (LIH)
- Stay: Outrigger Kauai Beach Resort and Spa or similar
- Drive about 1.5 h
The last flight of the trip.
Afternoon
After a slow morning at Kaanapali, your transfer drives back to Kahului airport, about an hour, for the nonstop flight to Lihue on Kauai, about 45 minutes; schedules on this route favour midday and afternoon departures. Kauai is the oldest of the main islands and the greenest, known as the Garden Isle, and a long-standing rule keeps its buildings no taller than about four storeys. Your hotel for the last two nights is in Lihue or on the East Shore, the Coconut Coast around Wailua and Kapaa, close to the airport and central for the whole island.
Evening
The evening is free: walk the beach at Kalapaki Bay, watch the Wailua River meet the sea, or have dinner in Kapaa, a small town of old wooden storefronts.
Included
- Transfer to Kahului airport
- Flight from Kahului (OGG) to Lihue (LIH) with one checked bag
- Transfer to your Lihue or East Shore hotel
Free time: Evening free
Waimea Canyon and the South Shore
Small-group tour: the South Shore, Waimea town and Waimea Canyon
- Stay: Outrigger Kauai Beach Resort and Spa or similar
Your small-group tour heads west along the South Shore. Near Koloa a tunnel of eucalyptus trees arches over the road, and at Poipu the Spouting Horn blowhole throws seawater into the air through an opening in the lava shelf. In Waimea town, Captain James Cook made the first recorded European landing in Hawaii in January 1778. Then the road climbs to Waimea Canyon, about 16 km long and up to about 1,100 metres deep, cut by rivers into walls of red, green and ochre rock; it is often called the Grand Canyon of the Pacific. Several lookouts show the canyon from different angles, and after rain, waterfalls stream down its far side. If you would rather see Kauai from the sea, you can swap this tour for a catamaran trip along the Na Pali Coast, subject to winter sea conditions and availability.
Evening
Tonight is your last evening in Hawaii.
Included
- Small-group Waimea Canyon and South Shore tour
- Spouting Horn at Poipu
- Waimea town
- Waimea Canyon lookouts
Optional experiences
- Na Pali Coast catamaran trip, instead of the canyon tour. Subject to winter sea conditions and availability; any price difference is confirmed when you book
Free time: Evening free
Depart from Lihue
Free time, then Lihue airport
- Drive about 15 min
Morning
Your last morning is free and unhurried, with the time set by your own flight home. Have breakfast near the water, take a final swim, or visit somewhere close to Lihue: the Kilohana plantation estate, the Wailua River valley and Opaekaa Falls, or the shops of Kapaa. When it is time, your transfer takes you to Lihue airport (LIH), usually 10 to 20 minutes from the hotel, and our service ends there. Lihue has nonstop flights to several cities on the US mainland, and from Canada you will usually connect on the West Coast, so ask us before you book your flight home. Because the trip ends on Kauai, you never fly back to Honolulu to leave, and you finish on the island many visitors save for last, with the sound of the surf still in your ears.
Included
- Transfer to Lihue airport (LIH)
Free time: Free time until your transfer
- Honolulu3 nights
- Kona3 nights
- Kaanapali3 nights
- Lihue2 nights
- Overnight stop
- Day trip
- By boat or train
Wildlife and weather: January to April is Hawaii's winter: about 26 to 28 C (high 70s to low 80s F) by day on the coast, cooler at night, with more showers on the north and east sides, which keeps Hilo, Hana and Kauai green. Big swells reach the north shores, so the North Shore surf is at its most dramatic and some boat trips, including the Na Pali Coast, can be cancelled. Humpback whales are in Hawaiian waters from about December to May, most numerous from January to March. The summits of Haleakala and Maunakea can be near freezing.
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Before you book
Right for you?
Good for you if you want
- Couples and small parties who want four islands without planning the logistics
- Travellers who like guided days balanced with free afternoons and evenings
- A winter escape in humpback whale season
Not for you if you want
- Travellers who want a tour leader with them every day
- Anyone looking for all-inclusive meals
- Travellers who want to drive themselves and set their own pace on every island
Book flights after we confirm your seat.
11 nights
Where you'll stay
Named stays, or similar where we are still confirming.
3 nights · Days 1, 2, and 3
Hyatt Place Waikiki Beachor similar
Honolulu (Waikiki) · Hotel
Central Waikiki, upper-midscale. Shortlist: Hyatt Place Waikiki Beach, Queen Kapiolani Hotel or Courtyard Waikiki Beach.
3 nights · Days 4, 5, and 6
Courtyard King Kamehameha's Kona Beach Hotelor similar
Kona · Hotel
Kailua-Kona or Keauhou, upper-midscale. Shortlist: Courtyard King Kamehameha's Kona Beach Hotel, Royal Kona Resort or Outrigger Kona Resort and Spa.
3 nights · Days 7, 8, and 9
Outrigger Kaanapali Beach Resortor similar
Kaanapali · Hotel
Kaanapali, upper-midscale resort. Shortlist: Outrigger Kaanapali Beach Resort, Royal Lahaina Resort and Bungalows or Aston Kaanapali Shores.
2 nights · Days 10 and 11
Outrigger Kauai Beach Resort and Spaor similar
Lihue · Hotel
Lihue or the East Shore, near the airport. Shortlist: Outrigger Kauai Beach Resort and Spa, Hilton Garden Inn Kauai Wailua Bay or Kauai Shores Hotel.
One price
What's in the price
Included
Accommodation
- 11 nights in upper-midscale 3.5 to 4 star hotels, double occupancy: 3 in central Waikiki, 3 in Kona or Keauhou, 3 at Kaanapali and 2 in Lihue or on Kauai's East Shore
- Hotel taxes and mandatory resort or destination fees
Transport
- Three nonstop inter-island flights, Honolulu (HNL) to Kona (KOA), Kona to Kahului on Maui (OGG) and Kahului to Lihue on Kauai (LIH), each with one checked bag
- All eight airport and hotel transfers in Hawaii, shared or prearranged
Activities
- Pearl Harbor National Memorial and the USS Arizona Memorial, small-group morning tour
- Oahu circle island and North Shore, full-day small-group tour
- Big Island Grand Circle with Hawaii Volcanoes National Park, full day from your Kona hotel
- Manta ray night snorkel off Kona, with gear
- Your choice of the Road to Hana or Haleakala and Upcountry Maui, full day
- Premium whale watch off Maui, about 2 hours, at most 6 guests
- Waimea Canyon and the South Shore of Kauai, small-group tour
Meals
- Meals that come with a tour, such as lunch on some Road to Hana tours
- Hotel breakfast where your confirmed hotel rate includes it
other
- Trip planning and pre-trip help from See Sight Tours
Not included
- Flights to Honolulu and home from Lihue
- Most lunches and dinners
- The Maunakea upgrade, and any price difference for the Na Pali Coast boat
- Optional luau or cultural evening on Oahu
- Travel insurance
- Tips and personal expenses
When you can go
Dates and prices
Pick your start date when you request to book. We check that date and confirm it in your quote.
Prefer to travel without a group or guide? Ask us about arranging hotels, transport and city tours for you to travel independently.
Before you book
Booking terms
Nothing is charged now. Full terms and the cancellation schedule come with your quote, before you accept.
Business addresses
See Sight Tours Trips (USA): 3172 N Rainbow Blvd, Las Vegas, NV 89108, United StatesSee Sight Tours Trips (Canada): 5305 50 Avenue, #1091, Red Deer, AB T4N 4B6, Canada+1-888-961-6584Guest reviews
What guests say
Reviews from guests on our day tours.
Jane
October 06, 2026
5/5
Susan
October 06, 2026
5/5
Tom L
October 05, 2026
5/5
MandL83
October 05, 2026
5/5
Darren O
October 05, 2026
5/5
Good to know
Questions
What does the trip include?
Eleven nights in upper-midscale hotels with taxes and resort fees, three nonstop inter-island flights with a checked bag each, all eight airport transfers in Hawaii, and seven guided experiences: Pearl Harbor, the Oahu circle island tour, the Big Island Grand Circle, the manta ray night snorkel, the Road to Hana or Haleakala, a six-guest whale watch and Waimea Canyon. Most lunches and dinners are your own.
Is there a guide with us for the whole trip?
No, and that is by design. Each sightseeing day is a small-group tour led by a local Hawaii guide, and transfers and flights are booked for you between islands. The rest of the time is your own, with free evenings on every island and a free day in Kona.
How do we get between the islands?
By three nonstop flights: Honolulu to Kona, Kona to Kahului on Maui, and Kahului to Lihue on Kauai, each about 40 to 45 minutes with one checked bag included. Exact times depend on your date. The route never doubles back through Honolulu.
Which airports do I fly into and out of?
Fly into Honolulu (HNL) on day 1 at any time, and home from Lihue on Kauai (LIH) on day 12, at a time that suits you. Flights to Hawaii and home are not included. Lihue has nonstop flights to several US mainland cities; from Canada you will usually connect on the West Coast.
Can I choose what we do on Maui?
Yes. On day 8 you pick one of two included full days: the Road to Hana, with an early pickup at about 6:40 am, or a later-starting day on Haleakala and in Upcountry Maui. Both are the same price, and you tell us which when you book.
Who can join the manta ray snorkel?
Confident open-ocean swimmers aged 10 and over. Gear is included, and you hold a floating light board at the surface while the mantas feed below. If you would rather not snorkel, you can take the Maunakea sunset and stargazing tour instead at extra cost, or keep the evening free.
When is the best time to go?
The trip runs from January to April. It is humpback whale season off Maui, most active from January to March, and the North Shore of Oahu has its biggest surf. Winter brings more showers to the north and east sides of the islands and can cancel boat trips, which is why the Na Pali Coast is an alternative, not a fixed part of the plan.
Will we see lava?
Maybe. Kilauea has erupted often in recent years, and when it is active you can see a plume or a glow from the caldera rim in Hawaii Volcanoes National Park. Eruptions start and stop without notice, so we cannot promise lava, but the caldera, steam vents and lava fields are worth the day on their own.
How big are the groups?
The sightseeing tours run with about 6 to 14 guests, and the whale watch takes at most six. You share each tour with other small-group travellers rather than riding a large coach.
Where do we stay?
Upper-midscale 3.5 to 4 star hotels in central Waikiki, Kona or Keauhou, Kaanapali, and Lihue or the East Shore of Kauai, chosen from a shortlist for each island. We name your hotels when we confirm your dates.
Can we travel privately or on our own?
Yes. Besides the small-group trip, it comes as a private trip for your party only, on a date you choose, with private guides and vehicles on the touring days. If you would rather travel on your own dates without guided days, ask us from the dates section: we can book the same hotels, flights and transfers for you.
How much does it cost?
Prices are per person sharing a room, with taxes and resort fees, and differ by style: small group or private. The small-group trip starts from USD 7,095 per person; a room of your own is priced on request. Pick your start date when you request to book, and we confirm your trip within 24 hours. Nothing is charged until then.
See Sight Tours has been providing travel services across North America since 2006. Operating in 20 cities across Canada and the USA, the company specializes in small group tours that offer personalized, high-quality experiences for travelers.
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