Day 1: Arrive Kona — Big Island Aloha
Arrive at Kona Airport on the Big Island. Check into your oceanfront resort on the Kona Coast. Afternoon orientation: explore Kailua Village — historic Hulihe’e Palace, Mokuaikaua Church (Hawaii’s oldest Christian church, 1820), and the Kona Brewing Company for a first taste of island craft beer. Evening: the highlight — a manta ray night snorkel. Boat out to manta ray feeding grounds where underwater lights attract plankton, which in turn draws giant Pacific manta rays (wingspans up to 16 feet). These gentle giants perform graceful barrel rolls inches below you in one of Hawaii’s most extraordinary wildlife encounters. Overnight Kona.
Day 2: Kona Coffee & Kealakekua Bay
Morning tour of Kona’s legendary coffee belt on the slopes of Hualalai volcano. Visit a family-run organic Kona coffee farm — walk through orchards of coffee ‘cherries’ ripening among macadamia trees, see the wet-mill and drying platforms, and taste 100% Kona coffee with notes of chocolate, caramel, and tropical fruit. Afternoon: snorkel at Kealakekua Bay — the Captain Cook Monument marine sanctuary with Hawaii’s healthiest coral reefs, spinner dolphins, and schools of yellow tang. Evening free to explore Kona’s waterfront restaurants. Overnight Kona.
Day 3: Pu’uhonua o Honaunau & South Point
Morning: Pu’uhonua o Honaunau National Historical Park (Place of Refuge). Walk among fierce ki’i (tiki) carvings guarding the sacred grounds, explore the reconstructed Hale o Keawe temple, and learn Hawaiian kapu (sacred law) history. Afternoon: drive to South Point (Ka Lae) — the southernmost point of the entire United States, where wind-bent trees and dramatic 40-foot cliffs overlook the deep blue Pacific. Optional cliff jump at the Green Sand Beach (Papakolea, one of only four green sand beaches in the world, formed from the mineral olivine). Evening: return to Kona via Volcano. Overnight Volcano.
Day 4: Hawaii Volcanoes National Park
Full immersion in Hawaii Volcanoes National Park. Morning: Kilauea Iki Trail — descend 400 feet through a rainforest to the crater floor, where steam vents still hiss from the 1959 eruption. Walk past the massive Pu’u Pua’i cinder cone and return via the crater rim with sweeping views. Drive Chain of Craters Road to the Holei Sea Arch. Afternoon: explore the Thurston Lava Tube and Devastation Trail. Visit the Jaggar Museum and Halema’uma’u Crater overlook. Evening: Volcano Winery for a tasting of wines made from volcano-grown grapes, macadamia nut honey wine, and jaboticaba berry wine. Overnight Hilo or Volcano.
Day 5: Akaka Falls & Fly to Maui
Morning: Akaka Falls State Park — a 0.4-mile loop through bamboo groves and orchids leading to 442-foot Akaka Falls, plunging into a lush tropical gorge. Visit Rainbow Falls in Hilo and Liliuokalani Gardens (the largest authentic Edo-style Japanese garden outside Japan). Afternoon flight to Kahului, Maui. Transfer to Ka’anapali Beach. Evening sunset dinner at Whalers Village. Overnight Ka’anapali.
Day 6: Molokini Crater Snorkel & Turtle Town
Morning catamaran cruise to Molokini Crater — a partially submerged volcanic caldera forming a crescent-shaped islet, consistently rated one of the world’s top snorkel destinations. Crystal visibility (up to 150 feet), 250+ fish species, and protected waters make this an underwater paradise. Second stop at Turtle Town (Maluaka Beach) — swim alongside Hawaiian green sea turtles (honu) in their natural reef habitat. Afternoon: relax on Makena Beach (Big Beach), one of Hawaii’s most stunning undeveloped stretches. Evening free. Overnight Ka’anapali.
Day 7: Road to Hana — Full Day Adventure
The legendary 52-mile Highway 360 with 620 curves and 59 bridges. Expert driver-guide navigates while you absorb the spectacle: Ho’okipa Beach Park (wind-surfing mecca), Twin Falls waterfall pools, the Garden of Eden Arboretum (over 500 labeled plant species and Jurassic Park film locations), Ke’anae Peninsula’s taro fields where you taste Aunty Sandy’s banana bread, Waianapanapa State Park’s black sand beach and blowholes (hiding place of Hawaiian princess Popo’alaea), Hana Bay, Hamoa Beach (James Michener’s favorite), and Ohe’o Gulch (Seven Sacred Pools) in the bamboo forest of Kipahulu. Return via the back road along Maui’s dramatic southern coastline. Overnight Ka’anapali.
Day 8: Haleakala Sunrise & Upcountry Maui
Pre-dawn departure for Haleakala National Park summit. Watch the sun rise from 10,023 feet over the crater’s Mars-like landscape of cinder cones and lava flows. Optional: bike down the mountain (if still permitted) or hike the Sliding Sands Trail into the crater to see silversword plants (ahinahina) that grow only here. Afternoon: explore upcountry Maui — the lavender farm in Kula, the cowboy town of Makawao (Hawaii’s paniolo country), and the Surfing Goat Dairy for artisanal goat cheese tastings. Overnight Ka’anapali.
Day 9: Iao Valley & Farewell Luau
Morning: Iao Valley State Park and the Iao Needle (Kuka’emoku) — a 1,200-foot lava remnant rising from lush valley floor, site of the 1790 Battle of Kepaniwai. Visit the Hawaii Nature Center’s interactive exhibits. Afternoon at leisure — last beach time, souvenir shopping in Lahaina (art galleries, local crafts, Hawaiian quilts). Evening: farewell luau celebration — imu-cooked kalua pig, poi, haupia, hula kahiko (ancient hula), hula ‘auana (modern hula), and the thrilling Samoan fire knife dance finale. Overnight Ka’anapali.
Day 10: Departure
Final Hawaiian breakfast. Transfer to Kahului Airport. Mahalo nui loa — until we meet again.
