We went on an almost 100% full (flower) moon. It was special to see the terminator line on the…read moreCelestron telescope - it had such great definition! The color of Mauna Kea with the moon shining on it was so magical all around us. There were some clouds that cleared pretty well by the end of our star gazing. We were the last ones up there so it got dark enough to see more than you'd expect with the moon. Jeff, our awesome tour guide, used a laser pointer to help us see the constellations we usually can't back at home. The images on the digital telescope like nebulas, the moon & star clusters were an amazing addition to have as keepsakes. My husband and I felt he made the tour a great balance of learning and fun. He had the group feeling like family before we even left from the pickup lot. Things to consider: I do recommend following the moons cycles booking this tour/your trip if this is especially important for you to see as many stars as possible. The sunset and views of the observatory's make it awesome anyways :) I struggled with altitude sickness around 12,000 ft. Jeff had made sure to let us know beforehand if we experienced any issues to speak up. I was hesitant as I know it would mean turning the whole tour around, but some tingling turned to dizziness and then a brief fainting. He immediately stopped the bus and helped ground me and make sure I was completely okay & coherent before letting me know our options for the tour. We made it up to the top with 2 more (included in tour) stops and I felt better with each one having more time to acclimate :) Thank you Jeff!! You handled this so professionally and I appreciate your check-ins for the rest of the trip. It's cold even with parka and gloves. It's so worth packing warm shoes and layers. The bus had ac and heat so that was great! Do it if you can! Awe-inspiring! Such an unreal environment that makes you wonder about so many things. Just take the precautions seriously, move slow and breathe deep.

Beautiful Scenery, but a Disappointing Experience…read more I really wanted to love this tour, and there were certainly some positives. Our guide was clearly very educated and knowledgeable, and his passion for nature was undeniable. You could genuinely feel his excitement about the flora and fauna (a word he was particularly fond of using!). It was refreshing to see someone so enthusiastic about the natural world. Unfortunately, the experience itself left much to be desired. My biggest disappointment was the waterfall. This was one of the highlights we were most looking forward to, yet we were given less than five minutes to actually enjoy it. We were hurried back to the van because the chocolate farm was apparently going to close its gates. I completely understand that the rain prevented us from hiking, and I certainly wouldn't fault anyone for making decisions based on safety. However, rushing us away from one of the main attractions was incredibly frustrating. What made this even more disappointing was that throughout the day, we were given approximately 15 minutes at farmers markets and an additional chocolate shop. It was difficult to understand why there was time for these stops but virtually no time to enjoy the waterfall. We spent approximately 10 hours on this tour, much of it sitting in the van. To make matters worse, the atmosphere was frequently uncomfortable. My husband and children were repeatedly chastised by our guide, and there were several interactions that felt unnecessarily rude. At one point, he asked a woman to roll down her window because she was occupying what he considered his spot, then proceeded to comment that people were "friggin idiots." Regardless of the circumstances, that kind of behavior felt unprofessional and made the experience unpleasant. I truly appreciate our guide's knowledge and love of nature, but enthusiasm and expertise don't necessarily translate into a great guest experience. For the amount of money we paid, I expected a much more enjoyable and thoughtfully paced day. We technically got to "see" a waterfall, but spending less than five minutes there hardly felt like experiencing it. Ultimately, we spent far too much time in a van, too little time enjoying the natural beauty we came to see, and too much of the day feeling uncomfortable. Sadly, I cannot say this tour was worth the cost.

Ryan, Jordan, (forgetting the lady drivers name,) were awesome guides…read more They were great for our elderly mother and kids alike (youngest being 7 year old.) It's worth the price people - it really is memorable and bucket list worthy. (Will upload pics once we receive them.)

Set in the heart of a beautiful rainforest, Botanical World Adventures' Zipline tour is truly one…read moreof the most scenic excursions! Nick, Kavahi, Lish, and Heno are the dream team who helped guide us through the adventure, offering fun insights on the local flora and fauna along the way, as well as some some stellar "dad" jokes and banter! You truly can't go wrong with the ziplines at Botanical World--the team is communicative, enthusiastic, and safety conscious, while the location is unmatched!

We booked the 6 1/2 hour volcano tour and it was fantastic! We got to see most of the island. It…read morewas super scenic and just breathtaking! We got to visit the volcano national Park, see the steam vents, see the volcano, went to the volcano house, and drove through Hilo. Our guide, Chris was amazing and gave us such great information about the island and all the facts! He was very friendly, fun, and professional! It was just an enjoyable drive! Even my six-year-old ,who I did not know how he was going to do because this was his first tour and being in the car for so long , he did Fantastic.! We also made a special stop and got some delicious treats and picked up lunch for later, which was really good! He also provided us with water, juice, soda, snacks, and a cold towel. Also very accommodating for dietary restrictions like myself who is gluten-free. The booking process was super easy and they confirmed details the evening before your reservation date. They will call you and then send you a text. Pick up was on time so be ready! The shuttle is super comfortable ride with AC. I highly recommend booking this tour if you're visiting the big island.

Our tour guide Thia was fantastic. Super knowledgeable of the island and very genuine. Highly…read morerecommended this tour for anyone who would like to learn about the island and have a fun experience.

Phenomenal Fishing Trip!! Captain Jerry and first hand Shibu are great. They make for an awesome…read morefishing trip. We did the 6 hours trip and we were able to get a bit of everything! 3 tunas, 2 mahi mahi and 1 Ono. It was a lot of fun to reel in the big fish. Also what is great is that once you are back to shore, they will fillet you the fish and give it to you to bring it home so you can have plenty of fish for many days.

This was such an amazing experience! We took our son for his birthday and the captain and first…read moremate made him feel so special. They truly made this a once in a lifetime birthday. Thank you so much for the amazing time!

We had this on the list of a must do in Hawaii. We caught the last tout of the day. When you…read morearrive, you meet at the outdoor coffee shop where we were greeted and welcomed. If this area is also where you can sample the different blends. When the tour started we gathered outside and there were quite a large number of people. We have one guide and she was very nice a knowledgable about the farm and the coffee making process. She spoke about the family, how it was started, the amount of different types of trees that is grown: mango, lychee, papaya, avocado, and bananas. They even have black peppercorn which we were able to sample and how it tastes different. Their roasting process was well explained. Bottom line, to be deemed Kona Coffee - it needs to be grown on Kona soil. It is too bad we couldn't get close to the coffee trees cause the bride was damaged due the bad flooding that occurred early in the year. The campus is beautiful and of course we bought some coffee. When we return to Hawaii, I would like to go back here if the bridge is repaired.

Caught the last tour of the day on 9/2/26. Even after having run through several tours, our tour…read moreguide was a delight. She engaged with a multi-national (and multi-generational, and multi-linguistic) group with energy and humor and we had a blast listening to her. I learned quite a bit! I admit that sampling hot coffee on a 90-degree day under direct sun was perhaps not ideal, but I'd never had a chance to try peaberry coffee and I'm glad I did. The tours run every half hour and take about 45 minutes or so. They travel down, and then up, a modest incline. Since the farm is on the west of the island, tours later in the day will experience more direct sun. It was very hot and very humid, but there are shady stops in the first part of the tour. Sunscreen, a hat, breathable clothing, and plenty of water will see you through it. I might consider going back once they've repaired the bridge washed out by the March 2026 floods. The coffee itself is pricey, as you might expect, but it's the real deal.

We got an email from these guys ONE MINUTE AFTER POSTING HERE THAT THEY DON'T EXIST and that they'd…read moreSTILL TAKEN OUR PAYMENT that we'd somehow "fallen through the cracks" and were getting refunded. This was AFTER their site advertised they were open, AFTER their site accepted our payment, AFTER we got a pre-trip confirmation email that we were good to go, AFTER we *wasted a tank of gas driving 4.5 hours round trip from Kona on our last day in Hawaii*, and AFTER a next-day "thanks for riding with us" email from them. So ... they only realized we'd "slipped through the cracks" and refunded us when they somehow learned they'd been rumbled here on Yelp. Not pretty stuff. I'd give them the benefit of the doubt, but I'm now sure how we can or what explanation could possibly point toward mere negligence.

The electric bikes from Hawaii Lava Bikes are by far the best way to see the active lava flows…read more Even though it's only a ~4 mile ride out to the lava, after you hike 4-5 miles over rough terrain to see the lava (3-4 hours of hiking on tough terrain!), you will be SO HAPPY that you have an electric bike to get your tired legs back to your car. We flew past so many people on regular bikes who looked at us with jealous and envy as we used minimal effort and got there much faster. The guys who run the company are also INCREDIBLY nice and down to earth. Bikes are in excellent condition, and they give you backpacks, headlamps, and water. Would 100% use this company again.

The past week I had called JP Taxi for a ride to the airport. We had been taking Ubers in the past…read moreand for an early morning ride and the XL Ubers in the past few years were somewhat a horror story. Like twice my ride was coming to do my pickup and all of a sudden was canceled. Twice we had driver if a older Toyota forerunner once the rear area had so much dog hair that my luggage had so much hair on it and I was a bit worried to bring it into the house before I had to brush off the hair and hoped didn't have bugs. Same driver picked us up and the inside was so messy with rubbish from candy wrappers and all kinds of paperwork in the doors and just looked like it hadn't been cleaned for sometime, plus no A/C. I had called JP taxi and told him what time to pick me up and he was exactly on time. Taxi was clean and he was very friendly also. He told us to call him when we got back into town and we did. Very friendly and prompt on pickup times.

Jerry is such a sweet man, very friendly and talkative. He's always our ride to wherever we gotta…read morego and makes our day each time. He's also very honest, we left our phone and he returned it without hesitation. He accepts apple pay and square.

We chose Makaio Tours because it seemed like a good length tour that covers a lot of the popular…read moretourist destinations around Hilo, and boy, did Justin deliver! He was prompt, great at planning, and exceptionally personable and professional throughout the entire trip. It is clear that he has a wealth of knowledge regarding the islands of Hawaii and regaled us with tons of interesting fun facts. I would recommend this tour to anyone looking for a great comprehensive and interactive adventure around the Big Island. Justin, thanks for being our host for the day! We have learned a lot from this Hawaii Volcanos, Waterfalls, Beaches, and Hilo tour. We would highly recommend Makaio Tours

From the owner: Aloha! We are a Native Hawaiian guided touring company that specializes in the Ultimate Hilo day…read moretours which consists of everything from Volcano's, blacksand beaches, waterfalls and many hidden gems that the locals know of which stands us out from the rest!

My husband, 1yr old son, and I spent the day touring the big island with Savannah and Keola. We…read morewere greeted with leis and smiles! Really felt the "Aloha Spirit" with them. We were so grateful to find a tour that was kid friendly and they made it so easy with accommodating our son and potty/diaper changing stops. The van was very clean and comfortable with a tv screen that showed educational videos about where we were about to visit. Both Keola and Savannah would chime into the videos and tell different stories that connected with the video, felt very interactive. We had a blast and would 100% recommend!

From the owner: Exploring a new Island may lead to unneeded stress. Don't worry leave it to us your Hawaii Local…read moreConnection to take care of you like ohana (family). All of our tours are done Hawaiian local style full of ALOHA. Lots of fun and laughter will be shared during your tour. We will assure your safety is our #1 priority. Then let the fun times roll. These tours are suited for all ages and fitness levels. If weather is not ideal, we got you covered. We will provide umbrellas and alternat sites to visit if needed. We will provide snacks nonalcoholic drinks and lunches. You will also be driven around in a luxury mercerize sprinter van equipped with a large tv. We will be featuring rare Hawaii videos of Historic lava events, Hawaiian Legends of the lava/fire goddess Pele, Hula dancing and the connection to Pele, and much more options. You will be able to kick back and relax on "Hawaiian time" while we drive you around to visit some of Hawaii's most breath-taking sites. Let us take care of you and show you true Aloha. About Hawaii Local Connection Tours LLC Hawaii Local Connection tours is a 100% local, family-owned company, operating on the big island of Hawaii. Our tours specialize in a fully customizable authentic local island experience. We can take you almost anywhere you want to go on the island with a variety of epic scenic locations available to choose from, with native guides bilingual in Hawaiian-Pidgin and English. We are here to serve you as your Hawaii local connection.

I truly thing this place is amazing and should be on your list as a stop as you explore the Big…read moreIsland It's the only place that we found clean bathrooms. Not just one but 4 of them with in a beautiful art gallery filled with art by the Resident / Owner and Artist They have the most amazing macadamia nuts and cookies we have found on the Island. They literally have you try and sample everything they have COFFEE HONEY SHORTBREAD COOKIES & Macadamia nuts Salted and in some of the most amazing flavors as well as delicious chocolates..... The property is beyond peaceful and tranquil and is educational. There was a pizza vendor and he is from Italy..... we tried 2 of the pizzas and it's the best we have eaten in a very long time. The staff is inviting and friendly and go out of their way to have you try their delicious goodies. MAKE IT A MUST ON YOUR TRIP TO THE BIG ISLAND

This is a must-see stop on the way to South Point. Admission is free, and you can wander the…read moregrounds filled with lush plants, birds, and an art gallery. Grab a bite from the food truck or enjoy the samples in the store. The macadamia nuts are absolutely addictive, and the thoughtfully crafted honey is just as incredible. We left a generous tip for our sample guru and went home with bags of macadamia nuts and a variety of honey. Everyone was so friendly and knowledgeable, and I loved learning how the honey develops its unique flavors. Best of all, it feels great to support local farmers!