(All Reviews) Page 7) Black Sand Beach (Top Big Island Attractions), Big Island tours & activities, fun things to do in Big Island | HawaiiActivities.com

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All Reviews for Black Sand Beach in Big Island

Overall Rating

4.90 4.90 / 5

Reviews

190 reviews

Deluxe Big Island Day Tour, Volcanoes National Park & Dinner at Kilauea Lodge

WOW! What a wonderful way to start your vacation!

Reviewed by: Randy C., 2016/03/22

WOW! We totally enjoyed our 11 am to 11 pm volcano trip on the Big Island, learning about the island's history, Hawaiian stories and the beautiful and amazing sights! Our passionate, energetic tour guide Jim Carey was extremely knowledgeable and prepared for everything (umbrellas, warm jackets, water, hot chocolate and so much more). Jim prioritized in our safety, comfort and having great fun! He hit many of the items on our Hawaii "bucket list" from lava tubes, volcano sights both day and night stargazing, waterfalls, stream vents and so many more stops. I loved being able to sit back and enjoy the whole trip without worrying about directions or driving. As we drove home in the dark in the comfortable Mercedes van, Jim played a wonderful video with the history footage of volcanos eruptions on the island.

Comments from activity operators

Aloha! Mahalo for joining us on our Deluxe Volcano Experience. We are so happy to hear that you had such an amazing day with Jim. He is a wonderfully knowledgeable guide whose hospitality really helps our guests connect with our island while on tour. It's always great to hear that we are helping people check off items from their "bucket list"! That's why we love what we do. Mahalo for your glowing review and we hope to see you on your next visit to the Big Island!

Rating:
Attended as: Couples
Activity Date: 2016/03/15
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Deluxe Big Island Day Tour, Volcanoes National Park & Dinner at Kilauea Lodge

This was a totally awesome tour! I would absolutely recommend it to anyone!

Reviewed by: L. Estrada, 2016/03/21

From the pick-up to the drop off 11 hours later, this was an absolutely fantastic tour! Our guide and driver, Jim Carey was so considerate of everyone from kids to seniors, he was totally accommodating and made excellent use of every minute. The van was clean and comfortable and he had anticipated every scenario. He was prepared with umbrellas, binoculars, flashlights, warm coats, hot chocolate and cookies and warm towels to freshen up after a day of adventures and beautiful sights. Jim was so knowledgeable about all things Kona, plants, birds, stars and he even played the Ukuele for us. Volcano National Park was truly awesome and especially at night. I really can't say enough about this tour from reservation to follow up - I could not ask for more. The lunch and dinner were great! So much thought and effort has obviously gone into this tour and Jim's enthusiasm was the icing on the cake. The concierge at the hotel said she could not even touch this tour and highly recommended Kailani Tours. This is a 10 star for sure!

  • Jim telling us about the lava tube.

  • Rainbow Falls

  • The lava glow at night as we walked through the park.

Comments from activity operators

Aloha! Mahalo for joining us on our Deluxe Volcano Experience. We are so happy to hear that you had such an awesome day with Jim. He is a wonderful, knowledgeable guide with so much Aloha to share! His Hawaiiana stories and ukulele playing have quickly become a favorite amongst our guests. We love hearing that you enjoyed all of our stops and treats along the way! Mahalo for the fantastic recommendation and we truly hope to see you on your next visit to the Big Island!

Rating:
Attended as: Couples
Activity Date: 2016/03/15
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Deluxe Big Island Day Tour, Volcanoes National Park & Dinner at Kilauea Lodge

Top-Notch Kilauea Volcano Experience

Reviewed by: Kate, 2016/03/20

What a wonderful tour experience to Kilauea Volcano with Kailani Tours and Chris.  My husband and I greatly enjoyed the entire day and would recommend the tour to anyone seeking a rewarding day with Volcano viewing!  From start to finish, the tour was very well-planned and enjoyable.  Chris was a veritable encyclopedia of knowledge about sites, plants and the best times and places to enjoy Kilauea.  The food, both at lunch and dinner, was first-rate and could accommodate any dietary preference.  All the little touches -- like hot cocoa and cookies and an evening tour of the Thurston’s Lava Tube – made the day even more special.  Our group was lucky enough to see a great view of the glow at the Volcano on a misty night and stars on the trip home. The van is quite comfortable and we were never more than 45 minutes between bathroom opportunities. Count on Chris and Kailani for a tour to exceed your expectations on the Big Island.

Comments from activity operators

Aloha and Mahalo for joining us on our Deluxe Volcano Experience! We are so happy to hear that you had such a wonderful day with Chris. We'd agree that he is a wealth of knowledge whose attention to detail and hospitality are truly Top-Notch! To hear our tour even exceeded your expectations is so incredible to us. Mahalo for your excellent review and recommendation! We hope to see you on your next visit to the Big Island.

Rating:
Attended as: Couples
Activity Date: 2016/03/16
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Deluxe Big Island Day Tour, Volcanoes National Park & Dinner at Kilauea Lodge

Amazing tour! A cultural, historical and geological journey from sea to sky and back!

Reviewed by: Barry Zeve, 2016/03/15

Our tour started at 11:00 AM and ended at 11:00 PM. Our guide, Jim, gathered us together into what felt like a family outing, not a tour with strangers. He sang to us, played the ukulele, chanted and prayed in Hawaiian. He told stories he learned directly from “kahunas,” the gurus of the Hawaiian culture. And his stories had messages beneath the messages that elucidated the world the ancient Hawaiians inhabited when they reached the Hawaiian Islands in 1200 AD that mysteriously still affected me this day. When we arrived at Rainbow Falls, which is more than 75 feet high, I didn’t expect to react that way I did. The falls and turquoise pools beneath them were so majestic that they didn’t seem quite real. I kept looking for the frame around the picture.
“Pele,” the goddess of the volcano, has shimmering black hair that sometimes looks like smooth volcanic rock that oozes out of the craters. Her fiery eyes smoke by day, but they become visible at night. When we returned to the craters to meet her on her terms, at night, suddenly, modern science merged with ancient magic and mysticism, and Jim’s stories took on a haunting inference I hadn’t heard in the light. After several short excursions to the perimeter of Hawaii’s Volcanoes National Park that even included a walk through a lava tube, Nahuku, we stopped for a scrumptious dinner in an inn reminiscent of a European, mountain lodge. As the sun set on a day filled with new information that caressed my mind and opened my imagination, I was ready to return to the smoking, lava flows to see Pele’s fiery eyes shooting glances back at me at night, asking me to question the beauty and truth of this world we live in – asking me to quietly contemplate the meaning of my life and whether paradise could actually be something real – whether promises do get fulfilled for those who learn to make a difference.

  • Rainbow Falls

  • Steam Vents near Kiluea

  • Kiluea Crater

  • Dinner at Kiluea Lodge

  • Kiluea at Night

Comments from activity operators

Aloha! Mahalo for joining us on our Deluxe Volcano Experience. We are so happy to hear that you had such an amazing day with Jim. He is such a wonderfully knowledgeable guide who truly exudes the Aloha spirit and helps our guests connect with our beautiful island home! His Hawaiiana stories have quickly become a guest favorite and it is so humbling to hear how deeply it all resonated with you. That's exactly why we LOVE what we are able to do! Mahalo for the incredible recommendation and we truly hope to see you on your next visit to the Big Island!

Rating:
Attended as: Couples
Activity Date: 2016/03/14
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Deluxe Big Island Day Tour, Volcanoes National Park & Dinner at Kilauea Lodge

The Most Relaxing Informative Tour on the Island

Reviewed by: Casey, 2016/03/01

My husband and I recently took a Kailani Tours Hawaii trip to Kilauea Volcano. It was a very pleasant experience and probably one of the best tours we’ve ever done.

After driving about 90 minutes, we stopped to have a very nice box lunch at a rest stop near the military base. The lunches were prepared by a nice restaurant in Kona. Place mats were even provided to put on the picnic tables!

This was a tour in itself, as we were able to sample many different treats. We were even able to watch the employees preparing the cookies through a large glass wall. Everything we tasted was delicious except for the chocolate dipped squid that we thought was coconut!! I think one needs to develop a taste for the combination of chocolate and squid.

As we got closer to the volcano, the weather got progressively worse. Chris, our driver, was very adept at adjusting our schedule so that we took best advantage of the time we had. We stopped at the Rainbow falls lookout and took a short walk along the falls til we got to the huge banyan tree.

We went to the Kilauea Lodge for dinner. This looked to me to be a five star hotel and restaurant just outside the park. We were allowed to choose between a New York steak, fresh catch of the day, or a vegetarian dish.

After dinner we went back to the volcano to see it after dark. Thankfully, Kailani Tours provided very comfortable and warm Lands End parkas. Even though we were told to bring jackets, the ones we took were not warm enough as the winds were blustery, making the 45 degree weather seem much colder. We went to the lip of the Calderra where the view of the glowing lava was awe-inspiring.

As a final treat, we were given a short stargazing opportunity when we were about halfway home. The entire experience lasted from approximately 10:00 am to midnight. Our tour guide was very knowledgeable about everything on the island, the volcano, and constellations and was very good at passing that knowledge along to us.

Comments from activity operators

Aloha! Mahalo for joining us on our Deluxe Volcano Experience. We are so happy to hear that you had such a wonderful time with Chris. He is an awesome guide whose attention to detail really allows our guests to just indulge in the experience! He always makes sure that everyone has the best time possible. What an experience the chocolate squid must have been! I don't believe I've quite developed a taste for that either, but what a story to tell! Hopefully, the amazing dinner at Kilauea Lodge made your taste buds happier. Mahalo for the excellent review and we hope to see you next time you visit the Big Island!

Rating:
Attended as: Couples
Activity Date: 2016/02/18
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Grand Circle Island Tour - Volcano, Black Sand Beach, Waipio Valley & Waterfalls

Amazing!

Reviewed by: vcb, 2015/08/25

Amazing tour and very informative. A great way to see the whole island.

Rating:
Attended as: Couples
Activity Date: 2015/08/22
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Grand Circle Island Tour - Volcano, Black Sand Beach, Waipio Valley & Waterfalls

Awesome Tour

Reviewed by: MaryKL, 2015/07/20

What a great day on the Big Island. If you travel to Kona make sure to put this tour on your itinerary.
Our guide was Nickels and he was the most knowledgeable young man and very patient and pleasant too. He took us to all of the places you should see on the island and even managed an unscheduled stop to the southern most bakery in the US. Even our teenagers we're attentive and even asked questions. It's a long day(@ 12hours)but I didn't want it to end. We truly enjoyed this tour.

Rating:
Attended as: Families
Activity Date: 2015/06/24
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Grand Circle Island Tour - Volcano, Black Sand Beach, Waipio Valley & Waterfalls

Wonderful Tour and Tour Guide, Exceeded Expectations!

Reviewed by: Justine Z, 2015/05/03

It was my first vacation to the Big Island of Hawaii and I booked a full day circle tour with Wasabi Tours with my boyfriend, in order to get acquainted with the island's landscape and popular destinations. Our tour guide, Kala, was absolutely phenomenal! Not only did he show us all of the beautiful sights and landscapes that the island has to offer but he was also an encyclopedia of information! You could ask Kala almost anything about the island and he would almost certainly have the answer. Kala was a historian, a geographer, a geologist, a horticulturalist and even a sociologist all in one! He was a great story teller! Kala was also extremely hospitable, professional, warm, and inviting--right from the start to the end of the tour!Somehow he managed to keep enthusiastic for the 10+ hour long day. Kala mentioned he used to work in the high end resorts in the North Shore and you can really tell that he did, as he provides extremely professional service. He really went out of his way to make sure the guests were all getting the most out of the experience. When we learned the lava was really high in the Volcanoes National Park, Kala made a few separate attempts to return to the site, as the grounds were extremely steamy that particular day. He REALLY wanted us to see the lava, but it is so sad to say the weather did not cooperate that particular day despite Kala's greatest efforts. Despite this bad luck, we were fortunate enough to see all the other beautiful sites that Wasabi tours promises to take you! Finally, to top the day off, Kala knew how much I wanted to see some of the Hawaiian Honu (sea turtles), and he found me some of those as well! Overall, Wasabi Tours does a really great job preparing a fun and informative day for guests. Ultimately, a big thank you to Kala for keeping us entertained and showing us around the tropical paradise of Hawaii!

Mahalo!

Justine & Sam.

Rating:
Attended as: Couples
Activity Date: 2015/04/26
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Grand Circle Island Tour - Volcano, Black Sand Beach, Waipio Valley & Waterfalls

Excellent Big Island Tour!

Reviewed by: James, 2014/11/26

We were out in Honolulu on our first trip to Hawaii. My girlfriend and I purchased the Small Group Circle Island, Waipio Valley & Volcanoes National Park out of quite a few similar guided tours around the Big island. It was a fun experience that helped us learn quite a lot about the Big Island, geographic facts, ancient legends, etc. This drive is about 10 hours or so and is on and off the beaten path. Different from Honolulu and Oahu, this mostly rural island has its own culture, farmers’ markets, tropical rain forests, and black, green, and white sand beaches. Our tour guide was awesome (and I totally forgot his name) and a great story teller. He was punctual in picking us up from the Kona airport. Although the weather didn't really cooperate that particular day, it was rain and cold, our tour guide made it fun with providing us all kinds of great information as well as a really smooth ride. It was obvious he loves what he does and where he lives. The sights and landscapes were incredible - black, green and white sand beaches, lava fields, waterfalls, etc. Our approximately 250 miles tour (long but fascinating) touched at first the Parker Ranch in Waimea the bay-side town of Hilo and an orchid nursery. We stopped at the Waipio Valley Lookout, a must see location. The lookout offers sweeping views of the valley, which is breathtakingly beautiful even though the weather was very cloudy and it probably took away from the experience. We stopped at the Mauna Loa a macadamia farm and packaging place for lunch and snacks. We stopped at the Rainbow Falls very close to Hilo. It is a shorter visit with great photo ops. An absolutely fabulous view and yes, we did see a rainbow. At the Volcano National Park we saw smoke but no lava flows from the viewing area but walked through a lava tube. The black sand beach is one that is different to anything else we saw so far. We counted 12 turtles resting on the beach. My girlfriend and I highly recommend this guided tour.

Rating:
Attended as: Couples
Activity Date: 2014/11/19
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Grand Circle Island Tour - Volcano, Black Sand Beach, Waipio Valley & Waterfalls

Awesome experience

Reviewed by: Yim, 2014/10/22

I had Paul as my tour guide and had an amazing experience. Got to see a lot of cool places and Paul was very knowledgeable and very friendly. Will definitely book another tour when I come back to visit the big Island.

Rating:
Attended as: Solo Travelers
Activity Date: 2014/10/21
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