The Best of Hawaii
Explore 4 stunning islands on The Best of Hawaii escorted tour. Breathtaking natural and historical sights, exclusive cultural experiences and some free days to enjoy as you choose on Oahu, the Big Island of Hawaii, Kauai and Maui await. Some highlights include sightseeing in Honolulu, Hawaii Volcanoes National Park, touring a Kona coffee plantation, a cooking lesson and Pearl Harbor.
12 Days • fr. $11,490
Tour Includes
- PRIVATE evening with cocktails and dinner at Iolani Palace in Honolulu
- DISCOVER an ancient Hawaiian cultural tradition cruising the shores of Waikiki aboard an outrigger canoe
- VISIT the USS Arizona Memorial, built over the remains of the fallen WWII battleship in Pearl Harbor
- STAY in ocean-view rooms at stunning beachfront island resorts all 11 nights
- PARTICIPATE in a hands-on gourmet cooking experience
- ENJOY an evening of exotic flavors at a traditional Hawaiian luau with song and dance
- EXPLORE Hawaii Volcanoes National Park
- TOUR a coffee farm on the Big Island complete with Kona coffee tasting
- PRIVATE catamaran sail at sunset
- GUIDED TOUR of sacred sites on the Big Island of Hawaii
- LEARN with an informative presentation on the unique ecology of Pacific islands
- DRIVE-THROUGH Punchbowl Memorial Cemetery
- VISIT the Painted Church overlooking Kealakekua Bay
- SEE the famed Iao Needle
- EXPLORE the10,023-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
- Airport transfers upon arrival and departure as noted
- All customary gratuities for hotel and restaurant staff and local guides are included.
Not Included
- The customary gratuities for the Tauck Director and local drivers are not included. We ask that gratuities be extended on a voluntary, individual basis and not as a group.
- All items of a personal nature (room service, beverages, telephone charges, laundry, dry cleaning, special food requests, etc.) and meals not specified on the tour itinerary are not included and must be paid by the client.
- Airline excess luggage charges, vaccinations, visa fees and services, airport arrival and departure taxes, individual airport transfers (when applicable), and other optional or incidental extras are not included.
- All rates exclude airfare unless expressly noted.
Meal Inclusions
Hotel Details
- The Royal Hawaiian in Honolulu (3 nights)
- Fairmont Orchid in Waimea, Hawaii (3 nights)
- Grand Hyatt Kauai Resort and Spa in Kauai (2 nights)
- Fairmont Kea Lani, Maui in Maui (3 nights)
Day 1
ARRIVE HONOLULU, OAHU Location Information Description
Honolulu, United States
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.
Dinner
The Royal Hawaiian
Day 2
PEARL HARBOR REMEMBERED & A NIGHT AT A PALACE Location Information Description
Honolulu, United States
Visit the USS Arizona Memorial at Pearl Harbor, a tribute to the military personnel who lost their lives in the December 7, 1941 attack, called the "Date of Infamy." 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.
Tonight, your Tauck Hawaii tour begins with an exclusive evening – a private after-hours tour, welcome reception and dinner with entertainment at 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.
Breakfast, Dinner
The Royal Hawaiian
Day 3
MEET AN OAHU "BEACH BOY" & RIDE AN OUTRIGGER Location Information Description
Oahu, United States
Circle the windward side of Oahu this morning for a tour of its southeastern beaches, bays and birds, including the beach featured in the film From Here To Eternity.
Location Information Description
Honolulu, United States
Back on Waikiki Beach, 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. The remainder of the day is free to enjoy the pleasures of Waikiki as you please.
Breakfast
The Royal Hawaiian
Day 4
THE BIG ISLAND & HAWAII VOLCANOES NATIONAL PARK Location Information Description
Volcano National Park, United States
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.
Location Information Description
Hawaii, United States
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.
Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner
Fairmont Orchid
Day 5
BIG ISLAND RELAXATION... OR ADVENTURE Location Information Description
Hawaii, United States
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.
Or you can indulge in other optional activities offered by your resort (some at additional cost). Toward evening, join us for a catamaran sail along the Kohala Coast as the sun sets on another perfect day.
Breakfast
Fairmont Orchid
Day 6
HAWAIIAN COFFEE & MORE ON THE KONA COAST Location Information Description
Kailua/Hawaii, United States
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!).
Location Information Description
Hawaii, United States
Later, visit the Painted Church overlooking Kealakekua Bay; built in 1899, this historic Roman Catholic church features extensive hand-painted scenes throughout its interior. Back at your Fairmont resort, have dinner tonight at your choice of restaurants.
Breakfast, Dinner
Fairmont Orchid
Day 7
FLY TO LUSH KAUAI FOR A PLANTATION LUNCH & A BEACHFRONT RESORT Location Information Description
Kauai, United States
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 prior to departing for your beachfront resort and an afternoon arrival; the remainder of the day is free to spend as you please.
Breakfast, Lunch
Grand Hyatt Kauai Resort and Spa
Day 8
LEISURE TIME ON LOVELY KAUAI Location Information Description
Kauai, United States
If you wish, you may start your day on an optional 45-55-minute helicopter flightseeing adventure* over the rainforests and mountains of the lush "Garden Isle" (available for an additional charge). 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.
Early this evening, your Hawaii tour continues with an informative interpretive lecture on the ecology of the Hawaiian Archipelago; dine at your leisure at the resort tonight.
Breakfast, Dinner
Grand Hyatt Kauai Resort and Spa
Day 9
FLY TO MAUI AND EXPLORE THE "VALLEY ISLE" Location Information Description
Maui, United States
Fly to Maui, named for an ancient god. Travel through the mist-shrouded Iao Valley to see the famed Iao Needle, then past sugar cane fields to the historic port of Lahaina, an old whaling center and former island capital.
Following some time on your own to explore Lahaina as you please, 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.
Breakfast, Dinner
Fairmont Kea Lani, Maui
Day 10
GOURMET COOKING ON MAUI Location Information Description
Maui, United States
Feel free to spend the early morning hours indulging at the resort before discovering the secrets of island cuisine. Maui chefs take delight in the abundance of locally raised beef, tropical fruits and vegetables grown in fertile volcanic soil, and fresh fish – often preparing them with a fusion of Asian, Californian and Hawaiian flavors.
You’re invited for a look behind the kitchens attracting Maui foodies during a hands-on gourmet cooking experience with chefs during lunch at a well-known local restaurant. The remainder of the day is yours to explore or relax as you please on this island known for wildlife-rich waters and perfumed gardens... a favorite stop on any Hawaii tour.
Breakfast, Lunch
Fairmont Kea Lani, Maui
Day 11
MOUNT HALEAKALA, MAUI LEISURE & A LUAU Location Information Description
Maui, United States
Today, your Hawaii tour takes you 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 your companions for a farewell feast of authentic Hawaiian culture at a private luau.
Breakfast, Dinner
Fairmont Kea Lani, Maui
Day 12
SAY "MAHALO" TO HAWAII Location Information Description
Maui, United States
Your Tour ends in 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.
Breakfast
Important information:
Important Information
Cancellation Policy
- 60 days or more before departure: $350.00 per person
- 59-8 days before departure: $600.00 per person
- 7-1 days before departure: $900.00 per person
- On departure day and later: 100% of total price
- Any changes or cancellations to airline reservations made through Tauck either before or after departure are subject to the cancellation / change policies of the individual airlines. In n some instances these cancellation / change fees may be up to 100% of the ticket price.
- Cancellation fees may also apply to any additional services, including extra night accommodations, independently supplied services, and optional excursions reserved prior to, during, and after the tour. If flight changes, including, but not limited to, flight cancellations or name changes, are requested after full land and air deposits are received, revision fees, change fees, or airline cancellation fees will apply.
- All cancellations must be received in writing prior to tour departure. The cancellation policy will apply according to the date that the cancellation notification is received. The MINIMUM cancellation penalty is the deposit amount.
- The purchase to trip cancellation insurance is strongly recommended.
Terms and Conditions
- Land only “from price” is per person based on two people sharing a room together and does not include airfare unless expressly stated.
- All prices are in US Dollars.
- A $350 non-refundable, non-transferable, per-person, per-vacation deposit is required to reserve space for you. Payment of the deposit indicates you have read and accepted all Terms & Conditions. Your booking is not confirmed until the deposit payment is processed and you receive a confirmation invoice.
- Final payment is due 75 days prior to departure. Within the final payment date, payment in full is required at time of booking to reserve space. Reservations (land, cruise, and air) are canceled if final payment is not received by the due date.
- Additional deposits or payments are required for international air added to the start and/or end of your vacation.