Our group of 11 had an amazing time zip lining! The guides did a fantastic job!!! This activity was…read moreso enjoyable and the views were great! I highly recommend The Umauma Experience.

We took the deluxe Umauma ATV tour. The place is awesomely beautiful, the guides were professional…read moreand cared about our experience, and my family had a truly wonderful time. We will do this again every time we come back.

Very Friendly, knowledgeable about the Hawaii Island. If you want to have a great time, I highly…read morerecommend this tour!

Three Waterfalls Tour was a wonderful private tour with a kind spiritual woman named Dianne. She…read morehas 4 hr., 6 hr., and 8 hr. tour. I opted for the 8 hr. tour which was $200 checks or cash only. Dianne was flexible with where she took me as I'd already seen a few places on her advertised tour, so she took me to beautiful scenic parks and beaches that I didn't have on my list nor did I know about them. She is enthusiastic and enjoys people. Touring without the typical tour bus filled with people is so worth it.

My parents recently went on a Hawaii cruise and one of the ports of call was Hilo, HI. My parents…read morewere excited to see the Volcano National Park but I know that cruise lines cost a little more for book excursions compared to booking directly. I stared doing research and found Vavoom Volcano Tours. This was my best find to date! Lori was very responsive in the booking phases of the tour. I told her that my parents, in their 60s, were coming in from a cruise ship and that they wanted to explore the Volcanoes. After some discussion, she understood what my parents were looking for in a tour and gave out one of her packages as the recommended package in which my parents would do. We both agreed and my parents went on their cruise. On the day of the tour, I called my parents to see how the tour was going and I can tell you that they had a blast! Lori had originally suggested that they go down to a part of the volcano where they can roast marshmallows but it turns out that my parents were not comfortable hiking a steep incline/decline to get there. I was happy though, not because they couldn't do the hike, but because they had the option to do it and declining was my parent's choice (instead of just being restricted). The best part of this is that, I found out later that the only people that we on Lori's tour that day were my parents. This was good news from our perspective since my parents got a personalized tour but not so good news for Lori since she took a loss. She could have easily have cancelled the tour but did not simply because she knew that my parents were really looking forward to this trip and did not want to cancel at the 11th hour and disappoint them. My parents came back from the cruise and it turns out that the Hilo tour was the highlight of their vacation. THANK YOU LORI!! Thanks for NOT cancelling the tour, thanks for taking my parents to places they requested, even if it wasn't in the itinerary, thanks for awesome customer service, and THANK YOU for showing my parents a wonderful time in Hilo! We'll definitely be seeing you soon!!

Lori Alana is a great tour guide, and willing to accommodate special requests…read more My girlfriend & I wanted to spend some time at the Volcano Winery after the tour without holding up everyone else, so we decided it would be best if we drove up separately in our own car, right behind Lori's van. To ensure we didn't miss out on her explanatory narrative during the drive up, Lori allowed us to initiate a cell phone call to her and listen in on her in-van presentation. Lori is very proud of her Hawaiian heritage and it shows, as she is very eager to share her deep knowledge of Hawaii with you. After experiencing her half-day tour of the volcano, we completely understood why she's so popular in Hilo on TripAdvisor.

For more advance swimmers and more open waters this is your spot. Perfect for snorkeling and…read moreexploring the sea life swim past you. The vibrant colors shimmer at you while you take in the magic of the island as you soak up the sunshine and cold waters. During low time the waters are calmer and great for splashing around. Against the lava rocks are some crawling crabs that camouflage with the rocks so you will see them scurrying around. Parking along the road fills up quick and is rare to get the open waters without running into human feet and bodies as you are snorkel around. Added bonus the public restrooms. Remember to take care of the land and leave it better than you saw it and enjoy!

We came at sunset the first time. It was magical! We came back later to snorkel…read more It does get crowded during the day but it was such a great experience both times. Parking can be hard to find! And the waters can get rough. So be patient and a spot will open.

If you're staying/operating/visiting the Hilo area and are looking for a beach, this one is…read moreprobably as good as it gets. A few things to keep in mind: No such thing as big sandy beaches. They don't exist here. You've got a few patches of sand mixed with a lot of volcanic lava rocks (some smooth but most are different degrees of sharp). We visited twice on weekdays arriving in the late morning time frame. There is a good bit of parking here between along Kalanianaole Street and the main lot on Keauhaha Road. Each time when we arrived overall things weren't that busy but a few hours later, it was quite busy. I can't imagine what a weekend would look like? Trash, toilets and a lifeguard are here. We never saw any turtles but there were plenty of fish hanging out. IME, if you come during high tide and if you're in a deeper part of the water, you can get knocked around a little bit which with all of the jagged rocks... The scene itself is beautiful. The water is crystal clear, you can find some ok shade under one of the trees and overall it's very peaceful and serene. www.lovebigisland.com/big-island-beaches/carlsmith-four-miles/

This Beach park happened by accident when my niece was looking for a place for us to eat lunch in…read moreKona. This happened to be the closest picnic area that we could come to, thanks to a little tik- tok video she watched. If you're looking for a traditional beach with sand, this isn't the place. But what you'll get instead are the famous black lava rock formations Kona is known for that spill into several lagoons full of crystal clear water. As for eating, there are plenty of places to lay down a blanket in the grass, picnic and relax. The park has several trash cans for you to use as well and I did happily notice that the park was clean. I did not have to use the bathroom here so I can't comment on that. What impressed me the most was that they had built in stairs for you to walk into the ocean. In my entire life of traveling, I've never seen a beach park with built in stairwells to walk into the lagoons. This was a treat for me. If I have one big tip, it's to remember to have your water shoes because the rocks are sharp to walk on and can easily cut you if you're not careful. I also did read that they do have outdoor showers but I didn't see them when we were here. Lots of folks brought their own snorkeling gear because there were a lot of fish, not to mention at least 3 turtles that I saw swimming around. As I'm writing this review, I'm already missing Kona and the uniqueness of this island. If you plan on going to Kona, you must come and enjoy this place. It's truly special and I would recommend it to anyone.

Amazing experience! The best part is that we've got footage from all the great spots we went with…read moreKai. It is great to have a passionate and experienced person who genuinely takes an interest in you. Just tell Kai what your special diet requirements are and/or expectations like we did... he made a memorable experience happen beyond our imagination. Mahalo for the Hawaiian history lessons too!

Everyone dreams of having a once in a lifetime experience! When you book a tour with 808tourz, you…read moreget that and those dreams become a reality!!! I would consider myself an adventure seeker and with Kai (the tour guide) it's nothing short of an incredible adventure. It's the type of adventure you can't wait to tell all your friends about and can't wait to share your experience with everyone around you. These are among many other reasons that I have booked several times with Kai!! I have the most amazing time. Kai is so accommodating to everyone's needs and it's genuinely shown through his actions that he truly cares about the experience that you will have. Kai is also very thoughtful and willing to basically give you the shirt off his back if needed. I was on a tour with Kai and we were hiking, during the hike one of my flip flops broke and I was left with a broken slipper, so essentially left me barefoot. The terrain we were hiking through was rocky and uneven. It basically did not feel good on the feet... Kai without question handed me his flip flops and did the rest of the tour barefoot!! Talk about a super nice guy!! So if you have dreamed of chasing waterfalls, swimming/snorkeling with sea life, hiking up mountains, seeing lava, sunsets, sunrises, learning about everything hawaii has to offer and as an extra bonus having it documented, then book a tour with Kai!!!! I promise you will not regret it!! Aloha

Huaka'i guide services showed me a part of Hawaii I normally wouldn't see. Going hiking is out of…read moremy element but you only live once right? I gave Kehau a call and worked out a hike with a group of friends that wouldn't be too rigorous but still challenging. With steady encouragement and the message "it will be worth it at the top" and on the way he filled me in with awesome history and an authentic hawaiian perspective which was informative. Once at the top of the ridge I was at a loss for words we were mesmerized, it was completely worth it. We ended up scheduling another hike before the trip was over. Highly recommend Huaka'i guide services for an awesome authentic Hawaiian adventure.

First of all, how am I the first to write a review of this place that has been here since 1990?…read more Owned and operated by the same family since its establishment. Yes I did my homework before arriving! Now that I'm here, wow! Just wow! Located close to ITO airport and the beautiful beach, this property has a little or a lot of everything for every traveler! From incredible house/lodge style accommodations (think barndominium - I live in Tennessee) to basic hotel style rooms and suites, even onsite camping for travelers! I was immediately greeted by concierge Lauren who took her time, walking me around the grounds even though I'm just here for the night. I arrived late, but just before sunset. Ok ok, let me go back.... I was flying in from HNL and as my flight departed at 5:00pm, I received a text from Arnotts confirming my arrival. This personal touch started my journey to this review. Being only 12 minutes from the ITO airport, a taxi ride is about $15.00. The drive is beautiful, scenic, and the view of the ocean pretty much the entire drive in reaching the resort. The atmosphere is green, lush, and quiet. Many common areas, so if you're traveling alone, not to worry, this Lodge makes you feel like you're among friends! Check in and be ready to be escorted around the property with a personal tour of all the amenities and your room! Although there are no TVs or phones in the rooms, WiFi is strong and the air conditioner is cold! What more do you need? You're in Hawaii! Go enjoy the sights! The Lodge has its own tour company, excursions! No need to leave your accommodation to find things to do, this place has its own all. 10/10 for sure! Listen, if you want the beach, close to the airport (without noise, I literally heard chirping birds only), excursions, friendly people, beautiful lush grounds, a clean room, and peace! This is your place! Thank you Lauren! You made my first visit to Hilo one I won't forget! ~ Kerry Kirchenberg K9comfortpaws.com

Finally had the chance to do a Mauna Kea Sunset Adventure tour in August 2023, and after doing a…read morelot of research and figuring things out, I am so thankful and glad I went with Arnott's Lodge & Hiking Adventures! Their staff is so awesome overall in experience, communication, and knowledge. The prices are very competitive and reasonable compared to other similar tour companies. And even though Arnott's Lodge & Hiking Adventures is based in Hilo, they are able to meet up with those of us who are staying in Kailua-Kona (or anywhere on the west coast) at the Mauna Kea Visitor Information Station (VIS). Andraes was our tour guide for this particular adventure I was a part of and he definitely shared a lot about the history behind Mauna Kea as well as other great stories! He also had our jackets as requested in our initial reservation bookings, and one thing to keep in mind that even during the summer months, it can and does get cold and freezing at the higher altitudes. I've been told that the summer months are much better in terms of making it to the summit of Mauna Kea than any other times of the year because of the weather conditions. And on that particular stretch, it was the best weather conditions they have had in a while. You do have to spend at least 30 minutes at the VIS to acclimate to the higher altitudes prior to going to the summit. Best to bring plenty of water and snacks along with a beanie cap and mittens. You don't want to be like some crazy hikers whom we saw at the summit with only shorts and a shirt on (and barely any hiking gear on them)! Anyways, it was very clear once we reached the summit and such beautiful views! And a very nice sunset to close out the day! At that high an altitude, you don't want to move around too quickly due to lower levels of oxygen, and you might feel light-headed and a bit dazed at times. Also loved the stargazing show after sunset. Even though I could not get photos, just seeing it with my own eyes was great enough! I don't have an iPhone, but from what others were telling me, it's easier to do it on those kinds of smartphones versus an Android. Overall, excellent Mauna Kea Sunset Tour by Arnott's Lodge & Hiking Adventures and I hope to be back for a daytime tour down the road!