Royal Star Grand Circle Island Tour - East Oahu , Pali Lookout, Haleiwa & Dole reviews, Oahu tours & activities, fun things to do in Oahu | HawaiiActivities.com

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Royal Star Grand Circle Island Tour - East Oahu , Pali Lookout, Haleiwa & Dole

Overall Rating

4.92 4.92 / 5

Reviews

87 reviews
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Best circle island tour

Reviewed by: Roxy Bentley, 2024/03/16

This was the best circle island tour I could’ve had. Our bus driver, Lola, was fabulous. There were six of us on this tour, grandparents, adult children and grandchildren. We all very much enjoyed the tour and all of the Hawaiian history that Lola presented. We saw the best of the island (Oahu), and she got us in and out of places before they were overcrowded. We had plenty of time at all stops and never felt rushed. I could not have asked for a better experience for my family on their first trip to Oahu. I’m highly recommend this tour to anyone considering a full day’s tour. Sure, you can drive it yourself, but you’ll never get the full experience of hearing the history and stories from someone who actually lives on the island. Do yourself a favor and take this tour.

Rating:
Attended as:Families
Activity Date:2024/02/23
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Great tour guide

Reviewed by: Destiny Paine, 2024/03/11

We were picked up by Dan. He is a very informative guide. After picking up everyone we preceeded to do our tour. At our first stop he served us a purple dount and water. We visited 12 places and stopped at 6 places. Just before we hit each place he gave us a lot of information plus we got to watch a video. The bus was air conditioned and had a bathroom on board. It was worth the 9 hours. We got to see some amazing sites and got to see most of Oahu.

Rating:
Attended as:Couples
Activity Date:2024/03/10
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Love!!

Reviewed by: Grace, 2024/01/20

This tour was. a great experience! I really appreciated every stop we took throughout, especially Haleiwa town. This is surely a must do experience if you were planning to only stay in Waikiki!

Rating:
Attended as:Families
Activity Date:2023/12/29
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Great Tour and Great Guide!

Reviewed by: Erik, 2023/11/04

We had a fantastic experience in the grand circle island tour. We got to see almost all the best attraction points in Oahu, with plenty of opportunities for food and souvenirs. The best part of the tour is probably that we get to really relax and pay full attention to the views, without having to worry about itineraries or directions. Coincidentally we did a self-drive over a very similar route last time we visited, and the experience is far better this time around with the tour. I think we also got very lucky with our driver and guide Kimo. He was both knowledgeable about everything in Hawaii, and great at storytelling along the way. He also dealt with a couple of unexpected issues caused by other traveler groups very fast and smoothly. Would recommend overall.

Rating:
Attended as:Couples
Activity Date:2023/10/28
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great tour with excellent our director

Reviewed by: Koon Tai, 2023/10/22

we were provided with a good narrative as we visited the various iconic sights of the Hawaiin island. Enjoyed the sights and the tour director makes it most interesting.

Rating:
Attended as:Friends
Activity Date:2023/10/01
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Loved this island

Reviewed by: Kara, 2023/10/01

This tour shows you it all and they are very personable!

Rating:
Attended as:Families
Activity Date:2023/08/25
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Best tour of Oahu

Reviewed by: Jody Rayner, 2023/09/20

This was by far the best tour I have been on in a long time. Driver Danny was a wealth of knowledge and freely shared his experience of the island in a friendly and easy manner.

A small breakfast treat by the blow hole was unexpected, but was a great way to see the blow hole and beach.

Danny's suggestion of dole whip was spot on and I hope that makes its way to Australia soon. Yummmm

  • Temple

  • View from Nu'uanu Pali

  • Halona Blowhole

Rating:
Attended as:Couples
Activity Date:2023/09/19
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A Great Learning Experience

Reviewed by: Mr.&Mrs. Trotter, 2023/09/19

This Tour was an Excellent learning experience. The Tour Guide "Kimo" was super knowledgeable and entertaining!! We would recommend this tour to any first timers coming to the Island. The Tour was very helpful and informative which allowed us to plan where we wanted to spend our time on the island; because there is so much to see. This tour helped so much!!

Rating:
Attended as:Couples
Activity Date:2023/09/16
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An AMAZING tour

Reviewed by: Aryanna, 2023/08/31

This was probably one of my most favorite things I did while visiting the island. Everything was so smooth and the driver/tour guide took care of us the entire time. We saw all the sites we wanted to see on one simple tour, well worth it!! A special shout-out to our tour guide, Kalani who made the experience super amazing. DRIVER OF THE YEAR FOR SURE. Also stopping at the city was a great idea as it gives everyone a chance to do something different and have a different meal should they so choose. Overall I would definitely do this again.

Rating:
Attended as:Friends
Activity Date:2023/08/24
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Informative & Fun Time!

Reviewed by: Rosalba J, 2023/08/12

Reserved this tour online a day before the event and was pleasantly impressed by the prompt response by the staff confirming my reservations. The driver, Lola, arrived on time & full of positive energy! The bus was so comfortable and clean with excellent accommodations & great temperature! Lola was such a great & fun host, very informative & had a lot of historical knowledge about each destination. She really made it so fun & enjoyable for all of us! I also felt safe on her bus. She brought us all a Hawaiian poi "donut" - which was absolutely delicious, and water! Lola is very personable & likable. She is very proud of her heritage & studied cultural history at the University which explains her great speaking skills & knowledge. I felt very entertained & a bit more informed of Hawaiian culture. The tour itself drove us by many beautiful beaches on the North Shore, rich & famous neighborhoods, gorgeous landscapes, saw many rock formations such as the Chinaman hat, alligator, rabbit popping out & the lion rock. Did some coffee & a variety of macadamia nuts tasting, visited the Dole Plantation, the Byodo-In Temple, saw a black goose, 2 huge turtles and a seal relaxing on the beach! Enjoyed the quaint beachside town of Haleiwa & the various food trucks! We ate coconut shrimp from one of many good trucks in the area, which I highly recommend and then stopped by a new Mexican restaurant for a drink. I highly recommend this tour, you will gain so much knowledge, there's shopping at each stop, food & drinks! Be sure to try an ice cream cone at the Dole plantation too! Again, Lola was an excellent host and she kept us on schedule!

  • Chinaman’s Hat

  • Shrimp truck

  • Turtle on the beach

  • Black goose

  • Buddah

  • Beautiful landscapes

  • Buddah Temple

  • Halona site

  • Dole Plantation

  • Nut & coffee farm visit. Jurassic Park car onsite!

  • Blowhole

Rating:
Attended as:Couples
Activity Date:2023/08/10
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Fantastic Tour

Reviewed by: TravelGoddess , 2023/07/15

On July 14th, 2023 I went on the Grand Circle Island Tour. It was more than a grand experience! We stopped at places I've never been before like the Pali lookout and Byodo-in Temple. Our tour guide Lola was so funny, and extremely knowledgeable of the island. She even gave us a Poi Donut that was so yummy. Her enthusiastic energy, and experience on island made me feel safe and comfortable riding on her bus all day.

Each stop we had plenty of time to take picture, and learn all about these special places. The tour was extremely diverse making it an experience I'll never forget. The bus was so comfortable with amazing air conditioning, and even had a foot rest. The bus being so high up gave an advantage of seeing sights that you couldn't see in a regular car.

We were given plenty of time in Haleiwa to eat lunch and shop. Lola had many great recommendations for lunch there was so many options it was hard to choose! Stopping at the Dole Plantation was the perfect way to end the tour getting a well deserved sweet treat.

I would recommend this tour to everyone visiting the island whether it's your 1st or 50th time on island. Something for everyone!

Rating:
Attended as:Friends
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Loved this tour!

Reviewed by: Grace, 2023/07/05

Overall really loved the Circle Island Tour. This day exceeded my expectations and provided a wonderful layout of the island of Oahu!

Rating:
Attended as:Families
Activity Date:2023/07/02
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Great fun day

Reviewed by: Kara, 2023/05/29

Loved the dole plantation and the gorgeous beaches away from Waikiki fun to see the island

Rating:
Attended as:Couples
Activity Date:2023/01/08
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Very Hawaii

Reviewed by: Grace, 2023/01/29

We love the Oahu circle island tour! It was a great activity, I would definitely consider booking if it is your first time visiting the island.

Rating:
Attended as:Couples
Activity Date:2023/01/29
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Amazing tour

Reviewed by: Carol, 2022/10/13

Kalani was an awesome tour guide. He kept us informed and entertained while showing us the sites. I would do it again if I had time. I learned so much about the Hawaiian culture.

Rating:
Attended as:Couples
Activity Date:2022/10/11
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In Love

Reviewed by: Kara, 2022/10/12

You have to get up to the NS if you are on Oahu, and this was an easy way to do it! You get time to explore Haleiwa, while seeing all the beautiful NS beaches!

Rating:
Attended as:Friends
Activity Date:2022/09/29
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Take a trip with Kalani

Reviewed by: Chuck G, 2022/09/03

We started our trip in this fantastic, beautiful bus. Our driver Kalani was the most knowledgeable and personable guide we could ever want. He knew all about the sites. The history, the traditions, and the Hawaiian language for everything. He also knew how to keep us on a schedule but with plenty of time to enjoy each stop. I can’t express how much more having him for a guide made a difference but wouldn’t want anyone else and you will be lucky if you get Kalani.

Rating:
Attended as:Families
Activity Date:2022/08/11
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North shore tour

Reviewed by: Wendy , 2022/07/23

Friendly driver, clean bus, delicious malasadas!
Got to see all the good stuff and not have to drive.
I wish we had more time at the temple that is my only complaint.

  • Pali lookout

  • Bonding temple

Rating:
Attended as:Families
Activity Date:2022/07/03
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We saw everything!

Reviewed by: Jacqueline , 2022/06/02

This tour really showed the best of the island and some of the best spot on Oahu!

Rating:
Attended as:Families with Young Children
Activity Date:2021/08/05
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Fabulous way to see it all in one day!

Reviewed by: Pam Wightman , 2022/05/23

Lola was our guide. She was fabulous. We had just adopted our daughter - who happens to be named Lola, too.

The sights were perfect. Time at each perfect. I’d recommend highly.

Rating:
Attended as:Families with Young Children
Activity Date:2022/05/01
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magnificent trip

Reviewed by: Jonathan Wu, 2022/04/27

He is very professional, warm hearted tourist guide. My wife and I enjoyed very much. Definitely we will recommend to other friends.

Rating:
Attended as:Couples
Activity Date:2022/04/03
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Best bang for the buck!

Reviewed by: Deb N., 2022/04/10

This all day long tour was the absolute best. Our tour guide was super knowledgeable and shared a ton off information about all the stops.
Halaiwa town was very quaint, but expect to do a bit of walking, and waiting in line for good, if that's what you decide to do.
Overall, this trip was great, definitely worth the price paid.

Rating:
Attended as:Couples
Activity Date:2022/03/31
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Great tour of the island

Reviewed by: Mitch, 2022/03/31

I've been to the island dozens of times over the last 50 years and this tour was one of the highlights of all the visits.

Our pickup time was 6:40am from the Ala Moana Hotel. This is right next to a major shopping mall with ample parking. After a few more pickup locations, at various hotels, we were on our way.

Our driver, Danny (Driver of the year), was outstanding. He not only provided us with island history, but his own personal experiences growing up on the island, while pointing out many points of interest as we spent the day traveling around the island. As we approached each of the stops throughout the day, Danny played a brief video describing the highlights of the next destination.

The bus was clean and comfortable, with an onboard restroom. Bottled water was available throughout our entire tour.

We made our way out of Waikiki, traveling east through the neighborhoods to our first stop at the Halona Blowhole where Danny provided us with a tasty taro poi malasada (a purplish colored glazed donut that was outstanding). We spent about 15-20 minutes taking in the sights, before heading off to our next stop.

We arrived at our next stop, the Pali Lookout, about 20 minutes later. The views down to Kaneohe Bay were amazing. Again we had 15-20 minutes to enjoy the view and take photos.

A short time later we arrived at the Byodo-In Temple. After ringing the bell for luck, you can walk thru the Temple and around the grounds and koi ponds.

After leaving the Temple, we enjoyed an hour long drive along the coast, including amazing views of the North Shore, before arriving in Haleiwa town.
Here you'll have 90 minutes to enjoy lunch from one of the many food establishments.

The final stop in the tour was the Dole Pineapple Plantation, before returning to Honolulu where we got to view the Iolani Palace, and the King Kamehameha Statue.

The nine and a half hours flew by and was time well spent.

Rating:
Attended as:Families
Activity Date:2022/03/27
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Best way to get an overview of the island

Reviewed by: Elizabeth , 2022/03/30

We were lucky to be the first pick up of the day and got front row seats! The views out the windshield and side windows really enhanced the experience. We were also lucky to get Driver of the Year “Danny”. Danny shared personal stories, island folklore, history and lots of other informational tidbits that kept the passengers interested and engaged in between stops. Although it was overcast most of the day and we did get rained on, the stops and views did not disappoint. I would recommend this tour for those wanting to get a good overview of the island, take in the sights and to help plan where to visit or explore for a longer period of time. Our 15 year old son and friend also really liked it.

Rating:
Attended as:Families
Activity Date:2022/03/27
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Amazing Tour!

Reviewed by: A. Vergara, 2022/03/29

- Our guide Marlon is the best! Super friendly, knowledgeable, and funny!
- The schedule for the stops were perfect.
- Overall had a great experience.
- Recommendation: Schedule the tour Wednesday to Sunday if you'd like to see Hanauma Bay. Hanauma Bay is closed Mondays and Tuesdays due to ongoing preservation efforts. We didn't mind at all. Our guide added more time to the other tour spots

Rating:
Attended as:Couples
Activity Date:2022/03/28
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Great Introduction to Oahu

Reviewed by: Nikki T., 2022/03/24

Overall, this was a great tour for a first time visitor to Oahu. We liked the variety of sights and experiences. Our guide was also very knowledgeable and funny. The tour was well paced and we didn't feel like we needed any extra time at any of the spots. The complimentary water bottle and malasada were a nice touch!

Rating:
Attended as:Couples
Activity Date:2022/03/23
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Excellent tour!

Reviewed by: Heather, 2022/03/23

We had the best time on this tour. Our driver, Lola had a wealth of information to provide during the tour. Her fun personality made the trip worth while. There were so many Beautiful views to see. We were given poi donuts in the morning. I was nervous to try it, but let me tell you... they were so good! This is a must do experience and you will be lucky if Lola is your tour guide!

Rating:
Attended as:Families with Young Children
Activity Date:2022/03/22
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Great Tour 10/10

Reviewed by: Darryl S, 2022/03/23

Our tour was amazing, perfect amount of stops and perfect amount of time spent at each stop. Our tour guide Lola was awesome. She got us yummy donuts to start the tour off and she was super knowledgeable about everything throughout the tour. Could not have asked for a better experience, and would definitely recommend to anyone that is looking to site see or get to experience Hawaii.

Rating:
Attended as:Families
Activity Date:2022/03/22
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Perfect Hawaiian Experience

Reviewed by: Jennifer , 2022/03/23

Overall the experience was amazing and very enjoyable. The tour guide named Lola was very passionate about what she was talking about and it was easy to tell that she enjoys her job. She tries to make the extra effort to make the experience that much more fun, knowledgeable, and enjoyable. All of the stops were very enjoyable and the experience is unforgettable.

Rating:
Attended as:Families
Activity Date:2022/03/22
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Highly Recommend!!

Reviewed by: 50andFabulous, 2022/03/19

This was definitely worth the experience. Lola is a wealth of knowledge and very entertaining. Her knowledge of the island history history is great. I highly recommend taking this tour. You won't be disappointed!!

Rating:
Attended as:Friends
Activity Date:2022/03/17
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