The Surf Bus is a fantastic tour company for the island of O'ahu. They work with locally owned businesses on the North Shore, and our guide was very knowledgeable of the island. Our group was small, and the bus picks you up right in Waikiki, and have multiple locations you can be picked up from. We excitedly chose snorkeling and kayaking for our two excursions, but they also offer to take you to Waimea Falls (short walk and swimming) and/or paddleboarding. If snorkeling, equipment rental is free, but you are charged extra for lifejackets and lockers (if needed); lifejackets are a must if you go into the small bay. We did, however, see turtles and plenty of colorful fish and coral; kayaking also allowed us to see turtles, and we loved every moment of it. Since our kayaking and the paddleboarding are on the North Shore, there was some time to walk around, so we stopped for some popular shave ice before heading back on the bus. read more

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Uncle Kevin is the person I think of when I remember my time on The Surf Bus. I'll share more about that, but the process was excellent from start to finish.  We booked our time on The Surf Bus with the concierge in our hotel, and the directions provided were spot-on. We waited at the identified hotel, and the bus arrived on time. From when Uncle Kevin greeted us as we got on the bus to when we left, I never saw someone smile so much. Uncle Kevin was as pleasant as the scenery passing us on the bus and what we saw on our island tour. Additionally, his directions were as clear as the skies and water we saw.  If you want a nice day away from the Waikiki hustle and bustle, the Surf Bus should be your choice. read more

The Surf Bus - While kayaking. - Tours Near Me - Honolulu, Hawaii

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This tour experience has been the best part of our entire vacation! "Uncle Kevin" made the entire day so amazing. Even though it rained most of the morning, he found a way of still making the best of it. He had a magical way of making the entire journey special and connected everyone on the trip so much that we felt like family by the end of the day. He went above and beyond to ensure that everyone got the best experience of the island. He was very knowledgeable about the rich history of Ohau and had a beautiful passion for sharing it with us. There was not a dull moment on the bus. The entire tour runs from about 8am to 5pm. There was a short stop at the macadamia farm. We got a chance to taste delicious coffee, sample macadamia nuts, and even feed the chickens. Our next stop gave us the option of snorkeling, biking, or hiking to a waterfall for a few hours. Our last stop gave us the option to kayak or paddle board. Each stop had the opportunity to purchase souvenirs and eat. This tour gave us the full experience of the island that we were looking for, and I would highly recommend a tour with Kevin! read more

The Surf Bus - Inside the bus. - Tours Near Me - Honolulu, Hawaii

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Surf Bus Yours was a great experience! Sam our tour guide was so nice and knowledgeable about the island! Bus was clean and cool! Great snorkeling in Sharks Cove lots of beautiful fish ! Great food trucks too! Mahalo Sam & Surf Bus for a fun time read more

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As many other people on this site have stated, we've found our long lost uncle Kevin! The tour regardless would have been great, but Kevin took it to a whole other level. Of the other tours I've taken in the last 10 days this one was the best. It never once got boring as some of the other tours have. There is a different type of stop like every 45 minutes so never stuck on the bus. We snorkeled, hiked, and kayaked and had some delicious food along the way. I highly recommend this tour! read more

The Surf Bus - Tours Near Me - Honolulu, Hawaii

We tried not to stress ourselves out and drive on vacation, we got a recommendation from our hotel concierge and booked this tour. The bus showed up a bits earlier at the pick up spot and the driver/tour guide (Kevin) made sure everyone got picked up before leaving for the day trip. We took off about 8:35 and came back to Waikiki at 5. Some spots seem very hard to find parking and also we hit some traffic at certain spots; I would much rather pay someone to drive and take care of us to relax. The tour guide took us through the north shore area and told us about the history along way.... There were a few activities you can choose to do. First would be either hike to a water fall or swim at shark cove. We decided to do the wall fall route (hike plus swim under the water fall) and the lunch time got dropped off by shark cove (we picked up some poke from foodland) and headed across to shark cove for lunch and did a little bits of swimming. Then the bus picked us up on time and headed to Haleiwa for a day...people can choose to paddle board or kayaking. After it, meet back around Matsumoto for pick up; the town is small but good to explore... read more

I cannot say enough good things about this tour. Our driver was Sam and he was phenomenal. We chose the Waimea Botanical Gardens with the waterfall walk through the gardens for our first activity and then we kayaked and saw a bunch of sea turtles for our second activity. Both activities were covered by the tour company, and we thought that was a steal. I definitely recommend this tour for anyone wanting to explore the north shore and have a magical time! read more

Uncle Kevin was a breath of fresh air, funny, full of information, and a great host. Tons of fun facts on the ride and a perfect amount of time at each stop. To note: I was under the impression surf lessons was an option as activity two but apparently you have to pay extra for that and book the evening before. BRING CASH FOR LOCKERS I do think that bus could use an A/C update for the back seats- we were pretty toasty. Maybe having a map of the route we take on bus would be handy as well, charging outlets would be great. Other than that wonderful day! read more

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Unforgettable Day with the Surf Bus Tour and Uncle Kevin! We had an absolutely amazing experience on the Surf Bus Tour, and a huge part of that was thanks to our tour guide, Uncle Kevin! He was incredibly knowledgeable, sharing so much interesting history and culture about the island of Oʻahu in a way that was both meaningful and fun. His passion for the island truly shined through and made the whole day feel special. Not only was he informative, but he had us laughing the whole time with his great sense of humor and warm personality. You can tell he genuinely cares about his work and wants everyone to walk away with a deeper appreciation for Hawaiʻi -- and we definitely did! We loved every part of the tour and would highly recommend the Surf Bus to anyone looking to explore the island in a fun, laid-back, and enriching way. Mahalo, Uncle Kevin! read more

Top shelf service! It was a full day, 7:30 - 5:30 with a break for lunch about 1:00p.m. A great value for the $$. Cousin G was our guide and driver, born and raised on the north shore and had real local knowledge and insight. His commentary mixed information with humor in a great way and made the day exceptional. Our bus was full (27 people I think) but not crowded, and very comfortable. When we stopped he secured the bus so we could leave our bags on the bus without worrying that something would be missing. If you want to see the island and learn a little about the people, culture, and history, take the island tour with Cousin G and the Surf Bus!! read more

My husband and I were in Waikiki last month to celebrate our anniversary. We selected this tour because I really want to go swim in the waterfall at Waimea. Sam was our tour guide and he was amazing. Wonderful personality, very knowledgeable about the islands rich culture and history. I like how he incorporated some local music for the ride. Highly recommend. read more

Uncle Kevin!!! I mean what more can we say besides the fact that he made us feel so comfortable and had the best knowledge of the island! He wasn't kidding when he said we were about to become a dysfunctional family either haha. Uncle Kevin made sure to make this trip memorable by cracking jokes and answering any questions anyone had. On the way to the North Shore he made a stop at the Tropical Farms macadamia nut shop for yummy samples and a restroom break. From there we continued on and stopped at a fruit stand which he recommended. Both spots were amazing and he was so awesome for taking us there! Finally we got to our first activity and that's where we decided between snorkeling or the waterfall hike. My husband and I chose snorkeling for our first activity of the day, as it did come highly recommended. It was my first time snorkeling so it was definitely fun and lots to see. You are also given all the snorkeling gear, some things did need to be paid separately though, prices varied about $5-$7. They also provided the option of a locker, it was $5 for the locker. Afterwards my husband and I had lunch provided across the street by some food trucks. Super yummy! Uncle Kevin was on time when it came to pickup and made sure everyone was good before going onto the next stop. We went over to the next town for paddle boarding/kayaking. After you could explore the town and get some of the famous Matsumoto shaved ice! Pretty long line but worth the wait and overall quick. The website confused us a bit considering that my husband and I thought we'd have the option to do both the waterfall hike and snorkeling, but you get the option between the two. Overall Uncle Kevin made this tour what it was! Fun, safe, comfortable, and gave us lots of knowledge of the island. We appreciated all of his hard work and had a blast! So glad we decided to go with this tour! read more

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Uncle Kevin is the best! He's a gifted storyteller, a comedian, and an awesome historian too! There wasn't a question he did not know the answer to, and our family learned so much about historical sites, buildings, and landmarks as we made our way up to the North Shore. We stopped at the Macadamia Nut farm for complimentary Kona Coffee and samplings, then we headed to a fruit stand to purchase delicious chicharrónes and the sweetest papaya I've ever tasted. What I loved most about the tour was how accommodating Kevin was. The activity options were separated into two groups: morning and afternoon. We were asked to choose one from each category; however, the two we really wanted to participate in were both morning activities (Waimea Falls and snorkeling at Shark's Cove). Kevin timed it so that we could do both in the morning and have the afternoon free to eat lunch, enjoy shave ice, and shop in Haleiwa. We loved this tour so much that we rented a car the next day so we could further explore some of the beaches he pointed out. The shuttle was convenient and arrived on time. My only disappointment was that we only had about 40 minutes to snorkel. We could have easily spent an hour and a half there because there was so much to see! It was a hassle to get the snorkeling equipment and a safety briefing, put our valuables in a rented locker, cross the street to the beach, put our gear on, snorkel, then return the equipment and catch the bus on time. I wish this activity were an afternoon option. Other than that, we made memories to last a lifetime, and I highly recommend booking the tour with Kevin. He is extremely knowledgeable, punctual, and so much fun! read more

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This tour is phenomenal! Cousin G is FANTASTIC, so much information & history, along with some truly funny dad jokes, and an overall super chill vibe. Snorkel, kayak, shop, eat, take pics, enjoy it all! Best tour everrrrr!!!, , read more

Thank you uncle Kevin, the tour was awesome, you are really knowledgeable and I enjoy the trip a lot, great experience read more

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Uncle Kevin is THE BEST! Had a blast during this tour. Did some snorkeling and got to try some great food! Definitely recommend for anyone looking for activities. read more

The Surf Bus - North shore beach where we got dropped off to go snorkeling. - Tours Near Me - Honolulu, Hawaii

Sam was the best travel advisor, he is so knowledgeable about Hawaii and has amazing facts to share during the ride. The surf bus is so fun and it allows you to get in a lot of activities and see beautiful things along the way. Highly recommend!!! read more

The Surf Bus - The bus - Tours Near Me - Honolulu, Hawaii

What an amazing experience and great tour. Highly recommend especially with Uncle Kevin. This dude is amazing far beyond his job. Just overall great person who clearly loves what he does. He wants to ensure people truly enjoy their time and does everything possible to make everything happen. After seeing him after almost 11 years it's cool to see he hasn't changed the passion he had even back then for the beautiful Hawaii you get to experience with him. We had a lovely time and would only do it with Uncle Kevin. read more

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Had an amazing time with Uncle Kevin as our tour guide!! Learned so much about the island of Oahu with the emphasis on the history of the North Shore. Was nervous bringing my 1 yr old daughter along this tour since it was from 8am-5pm but she did great. Uncle Kevin made sure my family was comfortable and had fun interacting and with my daughter. He was also super accommodating during times she was napping and let us stay in the bus with AC if needed while everyone was doing their activities. We got to choose 2 activities. Everything was straight forward, no hassles or anything. Plus, I really enjoyed the information presented and Uncle Kevin made learning super fun! Ask any questions about Oahu, he will have an answer for ya! Definitely going to recommend this tour for my parents when they decide to visit in August. read more

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Uncle Kevin was the best tour guide I have ever had on an eight hour tour. He made the drive to North Shore so entertaining that the time just flew by. His knowledge of the island and his jokes along the way made the trip so much fun. I would highly recommend his services, we all had such a great day with him. read more

We have located our long lost Uncle Kevin ! And he knows Oahu like the back of his hand and better than google . We had an awesome time exploring the north shore and are grateful we located the surf bus to get us there. Highly recommend the surf bus instead of renting a car . We did way more and learned way more if we had gone on our own . read more

If you're short on time or don't want to plan island exploration on your own, Surf Bus is a must. Cousin G was incredibly knowledgeable and witty, making for a great guide. He even carved out some extra time on our tour to stop by a beach where he knew there would likely be sea turtles (all my daughter wanted to see that day was a sea turtle in the ocean. Would definitely recommend Surf Bus for your daily excursion around the north shore. read more

My husband and I booked this tour through our hotel, it came highly recommended as the best way to make your way around all of the island highlights. We had doubts about whether or not we should do it, and boy are we glad we did. Our tour guide, uncle Kevin, was knowledgeable about so much on the island and Hawaii at large. We had a great time chatting, and he made sure everyone was able to see and do everything they wanted to do. He's even friends with a local peacock bird named Fred! All of the reviews on this page are spot on, you will have the best day and get lots of tips and idea on how to spend the rest of your trip. At the end of our tour, Uncle Kevin asked if we'd see him again before he retires in a few years and I know we plan to! Mahalo Uncle Kev, for sharing your Hawaii with us. See ya next time! PS: we took your advice for Pearl Harbor and made it to breakfast at Legend Seafood! read more

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It was a great tour. Enjoyed the tour and the activities. Standard tour so it did the job.

Had a lot of fun today! Did swimming at the waterfall at Waimea Falls, kayaking, loved the choices we had, Kevin was full of constant information on the history, towns, beaches, mountains, and everything else you can think of, sprinkled in with his unique sense of humor. The food truck choices were difficult to make, we choose Seven Brothers which did not disappoint with the Blu Burger. read more

We visited Oahu on a cruise on February 5 and knowing that usually meant big waves on the North Shore, I really wanted to get there and back from the cruise ship w/o renting a car due to lack of parking at North Shore. This was just an option to do that but turned out to be so much more! Cousin G was our driver and we sure loved his sense of humor and knowledge of the island. We stopped for Kona coffee, a roadside stand for some friend bananas, a couple of great spots for pictures, a sudden endangered Monk Seal sighting, the Banzai Pipeline. We caught a bit a a huge surf competition as the waves were all I'd hoped. Then, with the option of snorkeling, hiking or biking, we biked back to watch the surfers. The huge waves were mesmerizing! Despite a light rain falling for about 30 minutes, it didn't dampen the fun we were having. After over 2-1/2 hours of biking we met back at the surf bus and stopped to do some kayaking. Again- amazing! We spotted 14 sea turtles in the calm waters of the river. After that it was a visit to a quaint village and some shave ice. Cousin G was even gracious enough to drop us off at the cruise pier so we didn't need to Uber back from our original pick up point! We got back to the ship and both said it was a perfect day! Thanks, Cousin G! read more

The Surf Bus - Surf contest - Tours Near Me - Honolulu, Hawaii

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I'm currently booking some time in HNL and it reminded me of our last time out. Uncle Kevin made sure everyone had a great time! He made sure to keep us entertained and informed during the drive up to the North Shore and between activities. Both my SO and I chose snorkeling and kayaking for our two activity options. The snorkeling in Shark's Cove is fantastic (even though we were met with a few light rain showers). The kayaking was also a pleasure. What really set this your apart from other tours is the way the day progressed. It never felt like Uncle Kevin was simply herding cattle and moving them around the island. We were given ample time to complete each activity and to do a little exploring of the surrounding areas. I really felt like this tour gave us a good sample of what the North Shore had to offer. So much so that we rented a car a couple days later to explore even more! read more

My mom and I booked this excursion 2 days prior to going. Sam was the fantastic tour guide that kept us entertained and taught us lots of interesting history as we rode around. The views to and from were incredibly beautiful! We stopped at a Macadamia Nut farm and had plenty of time to snorkel and kayak on our two stops. The bus was comfortable and music was great. Highly recommend this tour as the day goes by at a chill pace and you get lots of fun activities in without the hassle of driving or reserving equipment ahead of time. read more

The Surf Bus - The surf ‍ bus . It's super cozy in there! - Tours Near Me - Honolulu, Hawaii

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We had a fantastic time on our North Shore tour. Uncle Kevin was an amazing host and driver. He made the tour so enjoyable and shared so much of his local knowledge, being born in Hawaii and living there his whole life. Definitely worth the cost. read more

Uncle Kevin was phenomenal and made the tour enjoyable! He was friendly, informative, and great at recommending food and shopping. Very knowledgeable! As for the activities.... When we booked we were told you get 2 activities or 1 and a meal. The activities list 6 different things. However it did not mention that that the activities for 3 choices at one stop and then you had the option of kayaking or paddle boarding or shopping at the 2nd shop. With that said we chose to snorkel. Unfortunately the tide pool where one snorkels is very rocky and full of sharp reefs ( beautiful but sharp)... there was no disclaimer when we booked. It was fun, don't get me wrong ... but just beware if you are expecting smooth water and sand. Even with water shoes it is uncomfortable out there. For the 2nd stop you could paddle board or kayak. When booking we were told if you chose to shop a instead a meal would be included. It was not. I mean you could get a meal.. but it wasn't included in the cost of the tour. If I had opportunity I would Not book this tour again. However, I yet again want to state that Uncle Kevin is a phenomenal guide. read more

The Surf Bus - The tide pool where we snorkel - Tours Near Me - Honolulu, Hawaii

Thank you Uncle Kevin! Uncle Kevin kept us entertained during the drive to North Shore, where all the activities were planned, also ask him many questions about where to eat and other places to go during your stay. If you plan to do water activites without all the people, this is your trip. There are 4 activity options to choose from, but need to choose 2. We did the hike and beach, which I thought was better. You get the overall feel of what is there as you see all the activites so go back another day and do the activites you want to spend more time at, like snorkling or paddle boarding, which we did. He really treats you like ohana(family). Tip, bring water slipper/shoes, the thin ones to save space in your luggage, these will save your feet. read more

We had an AMAZING time with The Surf Bus. Uncle Kevin is an incredible tour guide with so much intimate knowledge of the island. We learned a ton during our time with him and held high spirits throughout the day, mostly due to him. To whoever owns and operates The Surf Bus, Kevin is truly a diamond level tour guide - funny, personable and genuinely invested in making sure his guests have a great time. My one piece of feedback is to ensure concierge desks at various Waikiki resorts have the correct information on what to expect during the tour - especially for having lunch covered by the tour company. The Outrigger told us lunch was included, however the truth is this is with the caveat that you skip the second activity included with the tour. We prioritized a few hours in Haleiwa over the kayaking so we were reimbursed for lunch, however many on the bus were under the impression that lunch was included without the caveat. This is less a comment on The Surf Bus (and certainly not Kevin's fault) and more on the misinformed concierge desks at local resorts. Shouts out to Uncle Kevin and THANK YOU for making our day one to remember :) read more

The bus was comfortable Kevin was a very knowledgeable and entertaining guide is wealth of knowledge was amazing. I would highly recommend this tour to the North Shore to everyone. read more

The Surf Bus - Tours Near Me - Honolulu, Hawaii

3.5 stars really It was a great day seeing the North Shore. Eric was our guide. He was very friendly, and a clear history buff and great storyteller. I really enjoyed listening to him and wished he told even more stories/history. He drove very safely the entire journey. It started with a short stop at a coffee shop. We then drove through Haleiwa and then nearby to kayak (you could also paddle board). We were given 2 hours for this portion. While kayaking, we saw a turtle which was pretty exciting! It was fun, but you could probably enjoy this for an hour-1.5 hours. I would recommend taking 30-45 min of this time to see the town (Haleiwa) to make the most of your experience (this idea was not given to us). After this, we stopped at Turtle Beach. Eric stayed in the van to keep our belongings safe so it was up to us to figure out where to see the turtles. We saw a couple swimming but it wasn't really what we expected. By this time it was past 1 and we were hungry. There was no real talk about lunch or lunch options but we ended up eating at our next stop-Waimea Falls Park. There was the option to snorkel and do the park but Eric stated this would not be enough time (which I agree) but then discouraged those that wanted to snorkel the entire time from doing so as the majority wanted to stay at the park. Some were very unhappy about this which effected the energy of the group as a whole. Waimea Falls was amazing-but not because of the falls. It was the gardens/vegetation that was unbelievably gorgeous. Truly one of the most beautiful places I have ever seen with so many options to hike off the path and into the vegetation. Lovely! I could have spent hours there. The actual waterfall wasn't that big likely due to lack of rain and consisted of a lagoon type area that was crammed with people. It felt a bit dirty and wasn't all that enjoyable. We eventually had lunch in the park. The shrimp bowl was outstanding, but it did take 20 minutes standing in line to order then another 30 minutes to get it as there were many people dining there. Last, we headed to an impromptu visit to a fruit stand but no one wanted to get out as we were exhausted. Some disappointments: We did not stop to see any of the beaches, lack of lunch options or time allotted for lunch, the vehicle-I thought we were going to be on the spacious/clean/fun looking mini tour bus that was shown on the website. Instead, we were in a dilapidated van with a front door that couldn't open. Everyone was packed in like sardines (glad we've been vaccinated!). I was comfortable sitting in the front but I would imagine others were not. There was not even a place to put our belongings for the day. People had them on their laps or under their feet. I would suggest doing the falls/snorkeling first and letting people know they can eat at the park, if already hungry, or wait a bit and have many eating options in town before kayaking or paddle boarding. I also think it's important to make little stops at the beaches (or even just one) as isn't this what the North Shore is famous for? We didn't visit any beaches during the day. (Note: if you are wanting to bicycle, double check that it's still an option. This was not a possibility on our tour.) read more

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Great tour of the island.... No hassles... no pressure... very punctual and informative.... Forget the "bigger" tours. These guys know what they're doing.... Full day of pleasure and fun.... Amazing tour guide Sam.... Super chill yet professional.... Several activities to choose from, and get awesome information about the island during the drives... Thanks Surf Bus!! read more

Let me start off by prefacing I hate guided tours, I hate being shuttled around to spots, people choosing what I do and not really getting a cultural experience. My main main "uncle Kevin" absolutely made this thee most enjoyable guided tour I have ever experienced. He even brought us to this spot that had sea turtles just hanging out on the beach, which my wife loved. Can thank that man enough for changing my views on guided tours. It was a pick you own adventure, brought his A game with local knowledge And even gave us recommendations on what to grab by our hotel. If you take one of these tours hopefully uncle kevin is your guy, he knows his stuff and made the experience one to remember read more

I would like to grade 3.5. We took the north shore tour. Ordinarily I would have rented a car for this journey but the rental car situation right now is stupid. The tour covered quite a bit and our guide was very informative. However the cycling option was fake news. The lunch voucher never materialized and the bus was a bit of a beater. I did not have a plan b for this tour and am glad I did it but there is some room for improvement. read more

We booked our trip to Hawaii last minute and was fortunate that our hotel was able to book this excursion for us. To be honest, going to the North Shore was an afterthought, but they highly recommended it so we added it to our itinerary. When I tell you that this was one of the (if not) top highlights of my trip; I mean it! Uncle Kevin was so much fun (I thought his humor was hilarious) and I was impressed by how knowledgeable he was and how much he could share about Hawaii, it's culture, and history. I loved the macadamia farm and food stand and were very happy to support smaller businesses. If weather permits, definitely pick snorkeling! We were fortunate that we had a great day for snorkeling at Shark's Cove and I was blown away by all of the fish/marine life (even a turtle very close to me!) we saw in that one bay. Visiting Haleiwa was also such a wonderful experience; we're glad we were able to see Hawaii out of Waikiki. I, personally, loved Matsumoto and am glad Uncle Kevin recommended it. A definite MUST-GO, especially if you're just staying in Waikiki - quite affordable (especially for all that you get to do) and an incredible way to see Hawaii! read more

The Surf Bus - One of the beaches we passed by driving to North Shore - Tours Near Me - Honolulu, Hawaii

We had the driver Kevin! He was such a friendly tour guide and told us so much information about Hawaii history throughout the drive. He arrived early and blessed us with an unforgettable day! He pointed out the best places to get shaved ice and recommended that we snorkel and it was a blast and we were able to see a turtle! read more

Sam was great! He had so much information about the island and its history. We went mainly for the activities but he made it that much better! He was very informative on how our day was going to go so no stress at all. We chose to do two activities, we started off with the snorkeling which was an amazing experience as it was also my first time. Then we decided to try kayaking which I hadn't done before either, turns out I'm a natural lol. While kayaking I saw a turtle and almost ran in to him so make sure to be on the look out for the beautiful sea life. Overall we had a full day of fun AND relaxation. I highly recommend this for anyone visiting Hawaii and wanting to really enjoy yourself whether it be with your family or alone this tour was the best! read more

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