Oahu Circle Island Tour: Swim with Turtles, Dole Plantation

Nine hours around Oahu: volcanos, sea turtles, and the island's working farms

A full-day guided circle island tour of Oahu with hotel pickup and professional narration covering scenic lookouts, cultural landmarks and natural formations. The tour includes a local guide and driver, air-conditioned vehicle, and stops at Dole Plantation, Tropical Farms Macadamia Nut Farm, Halona Blowhole, Makapuu Lighthouse, and a turtle beach where swimming and snorkeling are optional. Lunch is at a local shrimp stand on the North Shore. Tropical fruit stands and Dole Whip ice cream are additional stops.

Step-by-step itinerary

Stops and time at each

1. Waikiki Beach30m
2. Diamond Head15m
3. Halona Blowhole25m
4. Eternity Beach10m
5. Makapuu Lighthouse10m
6. Tropical Farms Macadamia Nut Farm30m
7. Mokolii Island15m
8. Kualoa Ranchpass by
9. Waimea Baypass by
10. Dole Plantation40m · entry included

Full day Oahu island tour

• Pick up at Waikiki hotels
• Visit Diamond Head Lookout
• Pass Hanauma Bay and Koko Head Crater
• See Halona Blowhole
• Stop at Eternity Beach
• Visit Makapuu Lighthouse
• Drive through Ko'olau Mountains and Waimanalo beach
• Tour Tropical Farms Macadamia Nut Farm
• View Mokolii Island at Chinaman’s Hat beach park
• Pass by Kualoa Ranch Valley
• Lunch at North Shore jumbo shrimp stand
• Stop at tropical fruit stands
• Pass North Shore surfing beaches
• See Waimea Bay
• Visit secret turtle beach for swimming/snorkeling
• Drive through historic Haleiwa town
• Visit Dole Plantation and enjoy pineapple ice cream

The experience

The day starts with pickup from your Waikiki hotel at 7:30am, then heads straight to Diamond Head Lookout on the south shore. From there the route traces the volcanic eastern edge of the island: past Hanauma Bay and Koko Head Crater to the Halona Blowhole, where waves crash into a lava tube and spray over 50 feet high. You'll stop at Eternity Beach, a secluded cove below the highway, then continue to Makapuu Lighthouse at the island's southern tip, where cliffs drop thousands of feet and Rabbit Island sits offshore.

The windward side brings lush rainforest and white sand beaches. At Tropical Farms Macadamia Nut Farm, complimentary Kona coffee and free macadamia nut samples come with views of the Ko'olau Mountains. Mokolii Island (Chinaman's Hat) appears next, shaped like a hat and framed by the mountain range. The tour passes Kualoa Ranch Valley, the filming location for Jurassic Park, Jurassic World, King Kong and Lost. Lunch happens at a local shrimp stand on the North Shore's Kahuku, where you can order jumbo shrimp scampi or garlic butter varieties, with other food options available. A tropical fruit stand follows: ice-cold coconuts, dragon fruit, mangoes, whatever is in season.

The North Shore brings Waimea Bay and its famous winter swells, then a stop at a turtle beach where wild green sea turtles live and feed. Swimming and snorkeling are optional here. The route passes through Haleiwa, the laid-back gateway town to the North Shore, before ending at Dole Plantation. You'll walk the pineapple gardens, see how varieties are cultivated, and finish with Dole Whip pineapple ice cream. Your guide narrates the history, culture and folklore of each location throughout the day, and the air-conditioned vehicle keeps you comfortable during the nine-hour loop.

What’s included

• Professional guide and driver.
• air-conditioned vehicle.
• hotel pickup and drop-off.
• complimentary Kona coffee and macadamia nut samples at Tropical Farms.
• cooler for the day.
• all fees and taxes.

Options for this experience

4 options

Pickup from ABC Store #83 at 7:30 amGuide in English · Available from 6 Oct 2027Meeting point: ABC Stores #83, 1831 Ala Moana Blvd, Honolulu, HI 96815, USA

Pickup from Hyatt Regency Hotel at 7:30 amGuide in English · 07:30Meeting point: Hyatt Regency Waikiki Beach Resort and Spa, 2424 Kalākaua Ave, Honolulu, HI 96815, USA

Pickup from Ka Lai Waikiki Hotel at 7:30 amGuide in English · 07:30Meeting point: Ka La'i Waikiki Beach, LXR Hotels & Resorts, 223 Saratoga Rd, Honolulu, HI 96815, USA

Pickup from Hyatt Place Waikiki at 7:30 amGuide in English · 07:30Meeting point: Hyatt Place Waikiki Beach, 175 Paoakalani Ave, Honolulu, HI 96815, USA

You see the exact price of each option when you check availability.See dates & prices

Before you book

Days and timesEvery dayDeparts at 07:30

Book up to11h before

AgesAdult (13 and older) · Child (3 to 12 years) · Infant (under 3): free

GroupUp to 48

Live guideEnglish

Meeting point and pickupNo hotel pickup: you go to the meeting point. Ends back at the starting point.

Cancellation and refundsFree cancellation up to 24 h before the start. After that, no refund.It may be canceled due to bad weather or if the minimum number of travelers isn't reached. If that happens, you're offered another date or a refund.

Prices and times updated 10 days ago

Good to know

Easy physical levelPublic transport nearbyNot for heart conditionsInfants must sit on laps

Operated by Oahu Best Tours

Is this one for you?Choose this if you want a narrated full-day loop around Oahu's volcanoes, beaches, and farms with a local guide explaining history and culture at each stop, rather than navigating the route yourself.

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Top questions

Can children come?

Yes. Ticket types: Child (3 to 12 years); Infant (under 3): free.

What happens if it rains?

It may be canceled due to bad weather. If that happens, you're offered another date or a refund. Free cancellation up to 24 h before the start.

What is the Halona Blowhole and how does it form?

The Halona Blowhole is a natural formation on Oahu's southeastern coast where molten lava from Koko Crater flowed down and created a lava tube thousands of years ago. When ocean waves crash onto the volcanic rock, the tube forces the water upward like a geyser, sometimes spraying over 50 feet high. From the scenic overlook you can also see layers of past volcanic activity in the cliffs.

Can I swim or snorkel with the sea turtles?

Yes, swimming and snorkeling with the wild green sea turtles at the turtle beach are optional parts of the tour. The beach is a natural habitat where the turtles live, eat and rest. They are an endangered and protected species in Hawaii, so the experience is observational and respectful of their space.

What's included in the lunch stop?

Lunch takes place at a local shrimp stand on the North Shore in Kahuku, where you can order fresh jumbo shrimp prepared scampi or garlic butter style. Other food options are available if shrimp is not your preference. The tour also includes stops at tropical fruit stands and Dole Whip ice cream at the end, but lunch itself is not included in the tour price.

Which Waikiki hotels offer pickup for this tour?

Pickup is available at Hyatt Place Waikiki, ABC Store #83, Hyatt Regency Hotel, or Ka Lai Waikiki Hotel, all departing at 7:30am. You'll choose your pickup location when you book.

What is Kualoa Ranch and why does the tour pass by it?

Kualoa Ranch is a valley on Oahu's windward coast that has been the filming location for major movies and TV shows including Jurassic Park, Jurassic World, King Kong, Lost, Hawaii Five-O, Magnum P.I. and 50 First Dates. The tour passes through to show you the iconic landscape and explain its cultural and entertainment significance.

What happens at Dole Plantation at the end of the tour?

Dole Plantation is the only pineapple plantation in North America. At the end of your tour you can walk through the gardens and see how different pineapple varieties are cultivated, then finish with Dole Whip pineapple ice cream at the welcome center before returning to your hotel.