Big Island ATV Tour: Southpoint Lava Flows & Green Sea Turtles

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Free cancellationTravelers' pick

1/39

Duration3h

GroupUp to 17

LanguagesEN

Mobile ticketAccepted

Ride across the Big Island's untouched southernmost lava fields to hidden bays and sea turtle cliffs

You ride a top-of-the-line CF MOTO quad through lava tubes, Kiawe forest, and coastal cliffs over three hours, with lunch at Paakea Bay and a hike to see green sea turtles at Pulehua Island. Helmets, gloves, goggles, and dust masks are provided. The route covers roughly two and a half hours in direct sun, so sun protection matters.

Step-by-step itinerary

ATV tour of Southside Big Island

Ride rugged trail to lava tube
Learn history at lava tube
Drive 4WD lava flow to lookout
Enjoy photo ops and history
Drive through ancient Kiawe forest
Travel lava flow to Paakea Bay
Lunch/snack under shade tree
Visit Ka'alualu Bay green sand
Drive cliffside to Pulehua Island
Hike to see turtles and fish
Return ride and clean up

The Experience

The tour starts early on the southern edge of the Big Island, where the landscape shifts from anything you've seen on the main roads. You'll be on a CF MOTO Cforce quad — automatic shifting, power steering, the kind of machine that handles the terrain without fighting you — and the first stop is a Hawaiian lava tube about 15 minutes into the ride. The trail gets bumpy and dusty; you're out in direct sun for roughly two and a half hours of the three-hour tour, so long sleeves or pants matter if you burn easily. The guide walks you through the history of the lava tube and the area around it, then you head back on the quads to a scenic overlook where the view opens up and the photo ops are real.

After that lookout, the route drops into an ancient Kiawe forest on a dirt trail, then across a massive lava flow toward Paakea Bay. You'll stop there for 20 to 30 minutes in the shade to eat lunch and snacks — this is where you actually sit still and let the dust settle. Then it's a quick 10-minute stop at Ka'alualu Bay to see the green sand, another photo moment, before the ride heads up onto the ocean cliffs. This is the part people talk about: a cliff drive along the water that ends at Pulehua Island, where you hike out onto a peninsula to see green sea turtles and tropical fish in the water below. If you're lucky, you might spot Mr. Blue, a resident parrot fish that shows up regularly. Spend about 15 minutes there, then it's the ride back up the trail and a hose-down at the end.

The Big Island ATV tour works because it takes you to places that don't show up on the main tourist loop — the Southpoint area where Hawaiians originally landed, the rugged coastline with crashing waves, and those sea turtle cliffs. Winter tours sometimes bring whale sightings from the water. You need a driver's license to verify you're 16 or older to drive the quad, and closed-toed shoes are non-negotiable.

What’s included

Your tour includes a top-of-the-line CF MOTO Cforce quad (single or double seating), helmet, gloves, goggles, and dust mask. Lunch and snacks are provided at Paakea Bay, and a hose-down is included at the end of the ride to rinse off the dust.

Good to know

Moderate physical levelNot for pregnant travelersNot for heart conditionsNot for back problems

Operated by Big Island Southside Tours

Is this one for you?Book this if you want to see the Big Island's untouched southern coastline and don't want to navigate the terrain yourself — the guide handles the route and the history, and the quads do the work on the lava and forest trails.