Oahu Island Tour - North Shore, Turtle Watch, Kualoa Beach & Pineapple Farm
Overall Rating
4.91
We had an amazing time!!
Reviewed by: Phil H, 2022/06/14We had Jonah as our tour guide, and it was a fantastic experience! We were picked up from the front of our hotel and shared a van with two other couples, which was nice. Jonah immediately began telling us all about local buildings and other factoids as we drove to our first location. All of the locations were a lot of fun, but the stand out was the sea turtles. We were able to stay there a bit longer than planned and enjoy the several wild sea turtles who were swimming by and beginning to climb onto the sand. Everyone had a blast taking pictures of this, and Jonah was clearly enjoying himself as well and made sure to point out other turtles he saw for us to get a full experience! 10/10 would recommend!
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| Attended as: | Couples |
| Activity Date: | 2022/06/13 |
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We had a bloody awesome time!!
Reviewed by: Bloody rippa!, 2022/06/12Our guide Jonah was bloody awesome. The bloke could be a part time real estate agent! Chilled as too. His ring tone - soundtrack to Magnum PI should be Hawaii's anthem.
The minibus was clean and looked fairly new - no mucking about. Jonah had his headset so all the peeps in the backseat could hear his valuations of properties, which doughnut vans and food trucks to eat at, movies and tv shows filmed in Hawaii and places of interests. He struck a pose better than Madonna when she first donned the headset.
Lunch was at a massive gathering of food trucks. Superb tucker! Huli Huli Chicken is a must, as well as the garlic prawns (shrimps, for you Yankies) at The Bald Guy - all recommended by Jonah - he's been there done them all - how does he keep that figure?
I won't spoil it too much - we got to see turtles swimming in less than a metre away from you (3 feet) as well.
Anyway, I highly recommend this tour - avoid the bloody big buses and have an intimate one with Jonah - he's an absolute bloody legend - nuf said!
Hello Bloody Ripa,
Thank you so much for the review. I had fun talking with you and your family out here. Da Bald Guy is one of the favorites but I don’t eat it to much to keep my figure. I got to stay away from those delicious malasadas. I hope you enjoyed your time in Hawaii and hope you got to find some good sushi out here. Hopefully next time you come to Hawaii, we will have some grass tennis courts for you. Thank you for the review and maybe one day I’ll visit Australia sometime.
Mahalo
Jonah
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| Attended as: | Families with Young Children |
| Activity Date: | 2022/06/05 |
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Great guide and tour!
Reviewed by: Atlanta folks , 2022/05/14Overall pretty good tour to see a lot of Oahu. The times look short at each place but it's actually not, it's just about the right amount of time you need. We had Alan as our guide and he was awesome host. Told us all about the island and answered all of our crazy questions. We got to see sea turtles up close! Overall would def recommend to first timers if you want to see the island in one day. He was also super accommodating since we had our 1 year old with us. Never felt rushed.
Hello Atlanta Folks,
Thank you for your review. We are glad you had a good time with Alan. Thank you for all the kind words. I will let Alan know. Glad you got a chance to see the Sea Turtles as well. I hope all of you enjoyed your time in Hawaii and hope to see you again one day.
Mahalo
Fun Group Hawaii
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| Attended as: | Families with Young Children |
| Activity Date: | 2022/05/12 |
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Oahu Island Experience Tour was wonderful!
Reviewed by: A R Mak, 2022/05/05We found the Oahu Island Experience Tour on 29 Apr 22 to be very enjoyable. As always, the tour guide is critical to its success and Stephanie was terrific. She was pleasant, kind, and informative. The only issue – which I pointed out to her at our first stop – was that at times I had problems hearing her. She mentioned that she no longer was provided a microphone for her tours. As it got warmer in the afternoon, she turned up the air conditioner which made it noisier to the point I could barely hear her at all (although the van’s temperature was quite comfortable). To some extent, I was able to make up for it during stops often peppering her with questions which she patiently and knowledgably answered.
I thought the number of stops and venues were appropriate. My friend enjoyed the “non man-made” sites the best; specifically, all the beach venues. But I liked all the stops such as the Dole facility – I appreciate its significance to the area and it’s not often I have the opportunity to enjoy a pineapple float!
My only other “complaint” was it was advertised that the return to our hotel would be between 4pm and 4:30pm while our actual return time was 5:25 pm. I understand Hawaii’s pace is somewhat different, but as a mainlander with an evening tourist schedule to maintain, this would have been helpful to know. We hit significant traffic coming back from Dole, but it also appears we fell behind early in the tour for some reason. To Stephanie’s credit, we didn’t feel rushed to make up time or short us of any activities/sites; she delivered on all that was promised. But IF the typical return time is more often, say, 5pm to 5:30pm, I think the company should be more forthright on that point in its promotion of their tours.
My issue hearing the tour guide is the only matter which kept me from rating the adventure as “outstanding” -- hopefully this is an easy issue to resolve. Keep up the good work, and thanks!
Hello Alan,
Thank you for taking your time in writing us a review. I am glad you had a good time with Stephanie and was able to enjoy your pineapple float. We are sorry about the delay going back. Traffic in Hawaii can be rough at sometime and create delays especially with all the road construction going on. But thank you for your honest comments in which can help improve in many ways. I hope you enjoy the rest of your stay on Oahu.
Mahalo
Fun Group Hawaii
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| Attended as: | Friends |
| Activity Date: | 2022/04/29 |
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Authentic, memorable and delicious experience!
Reviewed by: Rana, 2022/05/03Our excellent tour guide Jonah-guru of all things Oahu-picked us up from our Wakiki hotel
*Malasada from a little truck (custard if you're a traditionalist, or chocolate if you're a chocoholic)
*Diamond head (crater), you can see some of the trails and scenic look out point. Aina Haina and Portlock areas have higher end real estate.
*Koko head crater where you can still see the old railway trail (built by the military-steep!)
*The prettiest (in my humble opinion) lookout point is Halona Blowhole, overlooking the lava tube that creates this lovely effect. Bonus: small secluded, pristine and one of the most filmed beaches: Halona Beach (aka Eternity Beach!)
*Sandy Beach, and the lighthouse at the end of Makapuu Point lighthouse Trail.
*100's of plumeria trees in the groves at Koko Crater Botanical Garden, with a nearby ranch for horses!
*Manana Island Seabird Sanctuary (Rabbit Island, lovely profile at an angle)
*Waimanalo Beach (home to some celebrities, careful with all the road construction-expect delays!)
*Inland, you see Olamana Trail (3 challenging peaks for hiking)
*Tropical Farms Macadamia Nuts Outlet store-sampling of coffee and nuts is definitely allowed!
*Filming preserve of Kualoa Ranch, as well other activities (such as horseback riding, and ziplining)
*Outline of Chinaman's Hat (equally beautiful in real life)
FOODIE ALERT: Kahuku Sugar Mill is THE highlight of the day! Food Truck Heaven and I wish I could eat my way through here. I recommend garlic shrimp with reaper sauce, and Ry's Poke on salad. Dessert overload, and dont forget the Kuilima Farm-Fruit Stand.
*Sunset Beach for surfing contests
*Shark's Cove and Pupukea with tide pools
*Haleiwa village and Haleiwa Beach, on a sunny and clear day, you can see the turtles at the shore.
*Dole Plantation- everything pineapple rules
Heading back, can't help but think I'd absolutely repeat this journey! Mahalo for our first exhilarating and family friendly Oahu Island Experience!!
Hello Rana,
Thank you for the review. I am glad you had a good time with the family. We did a lot of touristing that day. I would love to take you around the island again if you ever get the chance to visit the Islands. The Garlic shrimp from Da Bald Guy is making me hungry now. I hope you had a great time in Hawaii and hope to see you guys one day again.
Mahalo
Jonah
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| Attended as: | Families with Young Children |
| Activity Date: | 2022/04/19 |
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Excellent Beautiful and Breathtaking
Reviewed by: Ms Stanford, 2022/05/01Our tour guide Stephane was great. She made the tour a lot of fun. We were able to capture some amazing views of the island. All the beach stops were beautiful, we saw turtles. I highly recommend this tour to anyone who wants to see the natural beauty of Oahu Island outside of Waikiki.
Hello Rosie,
Thank you for writing a review for us. We are glad you had a good time with Stephanie. I am glad you got to see the turtles. Sometimes there are there sometimes not.I will let Stephanie know about your comments. Enjoy the rest of your stay in Hawaii.
Mahalo
Jonah
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| Attended as: | Couples |
| Activity Date: | 2022/04/29 |
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Amazing island tour!
Reviewed by: Emily, 2022/04/26This was the highlight of our time on the island. We loved seeing different parts of the island and the tour guide was so knowledgeable about everything we saw. Everything was beautiful and the activities we did were super fun. The guide also adjusted the activities based on what we were most interested in. I would highly recommend this tour!
Hello Emily,
Thank you so much for the review. We are glad you had a great time with Stephanie. She really knows the Island well. I hope you enjoy the rest of your stay on Oahu.
Mahalo
Fun Group Hawaii
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| Attended as: | Couples |
| Activity Date: | 2022/04/25 |
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Great tour to explore the whole island
Reviewed by: Jennifer, 2022/03/27We had a great time on the tour with John and would highly recommend this experience for those looking to explore the island. He was very knowledgeable and funny and adjusted the stops based on the interests of the group. There were many stops but there’s a great variety of things to see and you are given the perfect amount of time at each one! Thank you John :)
Hello Jennifer,
Thank you for the review. I am glad you had a good time on the tour with John. He really like to take care of his customers. I hope you enjoyed your time in Hawaii and hope to see you again.
Mahalo
Jonah
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| Attended as: | Friends |
| Activity Date: | 2022/03/24 |
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North Shore Experience
Reviewed by: ilene, 2022/03/22The tour started with a prompt and convenient pickup from our hotel by our driver and guide, Jonah. It was nice that we stopped for malasadas from a Leonard’s bakery truck since we had such an early breakfast. As we made it out of the city our guide gave us local facts and insights about the different neighborhoods we passed through.
It was interesting to learn about an abandoned tramway used by the military in WW II that is now a hike trail near the Koko Head Crater. There were plenty of photo-ops at the Makapuu and Halona blowhole lookout and the Ka Iwi Scenic shoreline.
Although we ran into some traffic due to road construction, we still made it on schedule for the Macadamia Nut farm stop for shopping and the KuaLoa Park for more photos. Lunch at the Kahuku Sugar Mill was one of the trip’s highlights where we even got to chat with some local folks. We chose Da Bald guy food truck-- the fried ahi tuna and garlic shrimp plate combo was the best!
Next, we watched surfers catch waves and spotted turtles near Haleiwa shores. We then enjoyed driving through a stretch of farmland leading to the last of the trip stop which was the Dole Plantation.
I was happy to have chosen this “smaller group-size tour” in a smaller but comfortable van rather than being in a bus tour with fifty or more people. Our guide was personable…He offered to take our photos, gave us bottled water, and had a small stool ready for petite folks like us. We were even impressed by his knowledge of all Hawaii-Five-O and CSI Hawaii trivia! Overall, we got a grasp of life in the North shore. I would recommend this tour if you like a relaxed pace tour or for first time visitors.
Hello Ilene,
Thank you for the review. I had a good time taking you guys around the Island. Da Bald Guy is one of the best food trucks out there. I was glad you got to experience the other side of the Island. Hope to see you guys again.
Mahalo
Jonah
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| Attended as: | Friends |
| Activity Date: | 2022/03/18 |
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Personable and friendly tour guide
Reviewed by: Rebecca D, 2022/03/15Jonah picked us up promptly at 8 and let us finished our breakfast that we picked up from the ABC store. We then went to pick up the other party and then followed the itinerary. He was very conversational and knew a lot about the island and all the best places to eat. He was a very honest person and shared personal stories about him and his family. We learned a lot about Hawaii and the north shore and was able to spot some crabs and sea turtles! He was a very safe driver and was very humorous. Definitely recommend as a first day experience on the island!
Hello Rebecca,
I am glad you had a good time with John. I will let him know about the good things you said about him. I hope you enjoy the rest of your stay in Hawaii.
Mahalo
Fun Group Hawaii
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| Attended as: | Couples |
| Activity Date: | 2022/03/14 |
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This was an amazing tour! Jonah was a knowledgeable tour guide.
Reviewed by: Jpe, 2022/03/11Jonah was one of the most accommodating tour guide hosts we have had. He was on time picking us up, he added additional stops for us and tried to point out every point of info he could find. He is very sincere and proud of being a family of Hawaii. We enjoyed the smaller vehicle which was clean. He offered hand sanitizer, water and a step to get into his vehicle. He allowed eating Hawaiian donuts. Told us not to worry about the sand. Said if you didn’t have sand on your feet he didn’t do his job. He provided local insight to the stops and along the way. I would give this tour with Jonah a must do for anyone visiting Oahu. The pace was relaxed and flexible. The sights will be forever lasting. Jonah provided information for future sightseeing and tips for travel. The cost of the trip was a value for that was seen and experienced. It exceeded our expectations. I typically don’t write reviews but this trip and Jonah made it a must.
Hello John and Sally,
Thanks again for the review. It was a fun tour yesterday. Bobbleheads are in the process of being done as well as my hair products. I hope you guys enjoy the rest of your trip out here. Hope your sons like the $50 pineapples.. But thanks again.
Mahalo
Jonah
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| Attended as: | Couples |
| Activity Date: | 2022/03/10 |
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North Shore Tour
Reviewed by: Chris Yankton, 2022/02/26We had a great time with our tour. Our host Jonas was awesome. He shared tons of information about history and sites we visited. We definitely recommend this tour.
Hello Chris,
Thank you for your review. I am glad you had a great time on the tour. I hope you got to try Maguro Bros for poke. I hope you guys are enjoying your time in Kauai and hope to you are able to visit the Islands again.
Mahalo
Jonah
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| Attended as: | Couples |
| Activity Date: | 2022/02/23 |
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Amazing Island Tour with a great guide!!
Reviewed by: Delbert, 2022/02/21My first time to Hawaii and I wanted to experience and see all the island has to offer and this tour was exceptional! Our tour guide Jonah was awesome, and he took the time to answer all our questions as he drove us around the island. He also took pictures of us at all the stops and was accommodating to our needs and let me charge my phone while driving as well as offered us complimentary waters. He gave us ample time at each stop to enjoy the beautiful island and scenery. Would definitely recommend this tour to anyone who is looking to explore all the islands have to offer. He picked us up and dropped us off at our hotel and navigated the tricky traffic situations with ease which made it nice to stay on track with the time. The van also was nice that it was a small enough group that it felt personalized, and we became friends with the other couples in our tour group as well.
Hello Delbert,
Thank you for your review. I am glad you had a great time on the tour with your Dad. Glad you got to see some of the surf contest at Sunset. I hope you had a great time in Hawaii and hope you can visit our islands again.
Mahalo
Jonah
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| Attended as: | Families |
| Activity Date: | 2022/02/18 |
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Great day trip! Highly recommended
Reviewed by: Mike C, 2022/01/11Jonah was awesome! Very knowledgeable and patient. He takes his time to answer your questions. He goes above and beyond for his clients. Definitely recommended
Hello Mike,
Thank you for spending your time your review. We really appreciate it. I hope you have a great rest of your trip and hope you found a good Korean Restaurant. I am glad you had to good time and hope you enjoyed seeing the big waves on the North Shore. I hope you enjoy the rest of your trip and hope you have a safe trip back with the family to Calgary.
Mahalo
Jonah
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| Attended as: | Solo Travelers |
| Activity Date: | 2022/01/09 |
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Hello Phil,
Thank you for the kind words. I am glad you had a good time yesterday. The turtles were definitely out yesterday. Today, there wasn’t as much. I hope you had a good time with your diving and hope you guys enjoy the rest of your stay out here.
Much Mahalo
Jonah