Star of Honolulu Cruises and Events · Waikiki pickup
A narrated deluxe-bus day from Waikiki that takes you around Oahu: the Halona Blowhole, the Pali Lookout, Byodo-In Temple, Haleiwa and Dole Plantation. Book it for the overview and the driver-guides, who get named in review after review.
Star of Honolulu sells this listing in two versions, and the difference matters more than anything else on this page. The half day (about 6.5 hours, from $100) drives straight to the North Shore for Dole Plantation and free time in Haleiwa Town. The full day (about 9 hours, from $140) is the real circle: the southeast coast, the Pali, the windward side, then Haleiwa and Dole. Several complaints in September and October 2026 came from guests who paid $100 and expected the whole island.
On the full day, the stops are short and the bus does the rest. The listing gives about 10 minutes at the Halona Blowhole, 10 at the Nuuanu Pali Lookout, 20 at Byodo-In Temple, 20 at Tropical Farms for coffee and macadamia nut samples, 1 hour 30 minutes in Haleiwa and 30 minutes at Dole Plantation. Diamond Head, Kahala, Hanauma Bay, the North Shore beaches and downtown Honolulu go past the window. The listing marks Byodo-In admission as free.
The bus seats up to 50 and has a restroom, which is a bigger deal than it sounds on a nine-hour day. You get a snack and bottled water; lunch is on you in Haleiwa. Dole's train and maze cost extra: Dole Plantation's own price list shows $15 for an adult train ride and $10 for the maze. If you want lunch and Waimea Falls in the price, the Majestic tour is built for that. For a swim with turtles, look at the small-group snorkel tour.
Full-day buses collect guests at the Hilton Hawaiian Village Grand Islander bus depot, Hokulani Waikiki on Lewers Street, the Hyatt Regency back entrance on Koa Avenue and the Waikiki Beach Marriott on Paoakalani Avenue. Half-day pickups run about an hour later.
Diamond Head, Kahala and Hanauma Bay roll past first. At Halona, waves push through a lava tube and spray up from the rocks.
The windward coast and the Koolau cliffs from the top of the Pali, and the story of the role this spot played in Hawaiian history.
Koi ponds and the bon-sho bell at the temple, then coffee and macadamia nut samples at the farm outlet.
The longest stop: lunch at your own cost, shave ice and the surf shops of the North Shore's main town.
Pineapple fields and Dole Whip, then the drive back through central Oahu and downtown Honolulu to your hotel.
★★★★★The tour is good for 1st time visitors. Pick up and drop off were smooth. Our guide Tony was amazing! We learned so much from him about Hawaiian history, culture, and the fascinating local stories and legends. [...]
★★★★★Great way to see the island beyond Waikiki. Our tour guide was Marlon, and he was informative, entertaining and kept the tour moving. Despite the rainy day we still had a great time.
★★★★★This tour was fantastic. Pick-up was on time. Our driver, Lola was fun, provided interesting facts, so very knowledgeable of the island & state. We had island donuts & water as a snack. [...]
Read next:
No. $100 is the 6.5-hour half day to Dole Plantation and Haleiwa. The full circle with the Blowhole, the Pali, Byodo-In and Tropical Farms is the Full Day option, from $140 per person.
No. Both are seen from the bus on the way out of Waikiki. The first stop on the full day is the Halona Blowhole, just past Hanauma Bay.
No. You get a snack and bottled water on the bus and buy lunch during the 90 minutes in Haleiwa. See our Haleiwa guide for where to eat.
Yes. Children 3 to 11 pay about 30% less than adults, infants up to 2 ride free on a lap, and the bus takes strollers. It is a long day of sitting for small kids.
Ready to book
The full circle from Waikiki: Halona Blowhole, the Pali, Byodo-In, Haleiwa and Dole, with a narrating driver-guide and free cancellation up to 24 hours before.
Majestic Circle Island with Waimea FallsLunch, Byodo-In and Waimea Valley entry included, in a mini-bus for up to 28. The only tour here with all three.★ 4.9 · 9 hours · from $186
Hidden Gems of Oahu with Byodo-In TempleEleven stops around the coast, from Diamond Head to Sunset Beach, with Byodo-In Temple entry included.★ 4.9 · 9 hours · from $159
Grand Tour Around the Island with SnorkelingTwelve stops in 8 to 10 hours, snorkel gear, snacks and soft drinks, for the lowest price of the guided loops.★ 4.8 · 8 to 10 hours · from $89