The Surf Bus North Shore Fun Tour - Snorkel, Bike, Kayak, SUP & Waterfall reviews, Oahu tours & activities, fun things to do in Oahu | HawaiiActivities.com

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The Surf Bus North Shore Fun Tour - Snorkel, Bike, Kayak, SUP & Waterfall

Overall Rating

4.65 4.65 / 5

Reviews

105 reviews
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The best

Reviewed by: Kora, 2023/08/10

Great experience! Very professional and knowledgeable.

Rating:
Attended as:Solo Travelers
Activity Date:2023/08/08
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North shore fun!

Reviewed by: Cara Jermstad , 2023/02/02

We had a wonderful time on this adventure to the north shore on Oahu. Cousin G was our guide and he did a great job taking care of us and keeping things lively. He was so knowledgeable of the history and the area and all the ins and outs of where to go. He was really funny, too! Waimea falls was beautiful and the next stop we opted for paddle boarding. We didn't see any sea turtles, but it was still fun and peaceful. We had a small group of 10, which I don't think is usual, but it was a treat for us because we could move around easily and quickly get in and out of places. We'd highly recommend this to anyone!!

Rating:
Attended as:Couples
Activity Date:2023/01/31
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Teenage review

Reviewed by: Anonymous , 2023/01/23

What can I say about “uncle” Kevin…he was the best! He’s filled with so much information about the island and we could sit and listen for hours. We did snorkeling and SUP. While snorkeling we saw a whale! While SUP we saw turtles…AMAZING!!!

Rating:
Attended as:Families
Activity Date:2023/01/19
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Definitely would recommend

Reviewed by: Des, 2023/01/20

Uncle Kevin was awesome. Friendly n funny great host/driver. Enjoyed our tour had a great time we did hike to waterfall n kayaking. Worth the money. I would definitely recommend to anyone wanting to enjoy north shore with some history/information. Read in other review that it was rushed but that’s not how it was at all at least not with our driver uncle Kevin.

Rating:
Attended as:Couples
Activity Date:2023/01/18
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Great to have a tour with activities!

Reviewed by: Joy , 2022/12/05

My husband and I took the North Shore Tour hoping to get a bit of everything - activities, beach, relaxation and fun. We got what we wanted and more. We had Cousin G who made everyone feel comfortable and entertained, and made the tour engaging and funny.
The tour had a good balance of free/activity time and many choices to choose from. We did the waterfall and kayaking option and was one of the highlights of our trip to Hawaii.
We also got the chance to sight see the east and north side of Oahu and had many stops for photos and breaks.
We felt like we got our moneys worth from this trip and got to see and do a lot on the island in just a 8am - 5pm timeframe.

Rating:
Attended as:Couples
Activity Date:2022/11/30
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Good tour with perfect guide

Reviewed by: Peter, 2022/11/18

Uncle Kevin was a great guide, the whole group was nice and we spent more time together than expected.
The activities were so/so - and quite short for some. Also Turtle beach stop was cancelled while other stops (unplanned) took a while.
We saw a lot and learned about Hawaiian culture and life.
4 star for the tour 5 star for the guide

Rating:
Attended as:Couples
Activity Date:2022/11/16
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Excellent day on O’ahu

Reviewed by: TSW & KLH, 2022/10/29

This was a very enjoyable experience of the North shore. It was filled with fun activities, excellent food, and good shopping. Uncle Kevin was a perfect host and tour guide, and the trip would not have been the same without him. Very wonderful experience!

Rating:
Attended as:Couples
Activity Date:2022/10/26
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Informative

Reviewed by: Kara, 2022/09/15

Surf bus instructor, Kevin was very informative- he gave us info to places that we must see and foods/places to eat at.
Enjoyed snorkeling wish we would of seen turtles though. Kayaking time was limited we had to go back to the bus to head back to Waikiki. We did get to visit the small towns on our way to North Shore that grows fresh vegetable and fruits, I think the two stops caused us to use up time on the water activities.

Rating:
Attended as:Families with Young Children
Activity Date:2022/09/08
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North Shore Surf Bus

Reviewed by: Nicole, 2022/08/13

Our tour guide Kevin was amazing! He was extremely knowledgeable about the Island and was super friendly. The activities were fun and the landscape was beautiful! We had a great time!

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

Reviewed by: Kml, 2022/07/19

A really good tour with an excellent tour guide that gave tons of Hawaiian history. The snorkeling spot was incredibly rocky and definitely not for a beginner or child. Loved all the hawaiin history and "Cap" was great but not worth the money in my opinion.

Rating:
Attended as:Families
Activity Date:2022/07/17
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Excellent service and experience

Reviewed by: Mandy, 2022/06/09

Excellent service and wonder experience, thank you Kevin

Rating:
Attended as:Families
Activity Date:2022/06/07
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North Shore tour with Calvin

Reviewed by: Carol, 2022/06/02

It’s a great experience visiting the North Shore with Calvin! He’s funny and created a relaxing environment for us!
I would recommend a tour with Uncle Calvin who takes good care of folks in the tour and gave many good advices on where to get good food in town.

Rating:
Attended as:Solo Travelers
Activity Date:2022/05/31
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Surf bus

Reviewed by: Luis, 2022/04/14

Our tour guide Ariel was awesome! Would do it again. Strongly recommend it.

Rating:
Attended as:Families with Young Children
Activity Date:2022/04/12
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Cousin G

Reviewed by: Katie, 2022/02/28

This was our first activity in Hawaii and I am so happy it was. Cousin G was knowledgeable, fun and funny! Great tour and highly recommend!

Rating:
Attended as:Couples
Activity Date:2022/02/27
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Fantastic Day on the North Shore

Reviewed by: Mark T., 2022/02/13

The tour of the North Shore was a wonderful way to see this iconic area. Our guide, Kevin, was a wealth of knowledge as he was born and raised in the area. We stopped at several locations to allow for sightseeing, shopping, eating and various activities. It was a day well spent.

Rating:
Attended as:Couples
Activity Date:2022/02/09
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ABSOLUTELY AMAZING!!!

Reviewed by: Alesia C, 2021/12/02

I had the best time!!! The staff was so friendly and nice and we even got a little special guitar performance on the way back to the island. The lunch was spectacular and if there are any leftovers, they will be given! But it is very filling! I can’t imagine what I’d do if I came to Hawaii and missed this tour! I wholeheartedly recommend this!!!

Rating:
Attended as:Solo Travelers
Activity Date:2021/11/28
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Loved this!!

Reviewed by: Awesome day!, 2021/10/02

Cousin G was awesome! We had a great day. The morning activity we chose snorkeling. Unfortunately for others, the falls were closing on Monday’s starting THAT day due to covid restrictions, so everyone had to do snorkeling. Had some food from shrimp truck, it was okay. We stopped at a macadamia nut and coffee tasting place, that was really cool. We did kayaking for our afternoon activity- not a lot of shade so definitely bring sunscreen or wear a long sleeve top, we roasted on the river. Then we stopped in town. Was a great day on the north shore, thanks again cousin g!

Rating:
Attended as:Couples
Activity Date:2021/09/13
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North Shore Tour

Reviewed by: Hannah McKinney, 2021/08/04

This was an amazing experience for our girls trip. If you are looking for fun activities that are self guided this is the tour for you. We did the snorkeling and paddle boarding both were extremely fun and we had plenty of time to do both. The price was great and included everything we needed. We got to see 2/3 of Oahu, which was beautiful. Our tour guide was Sam he was helpful and funny. Would recommend this tour/activity day to anyone!!

Reply from activity provider

We are very happy to hear that you had an amazing trip! And that Sam was helpful and funny! We hope to see you again on the surf bus, the original north shore tour!

Rating:
Attended as:Friends
Activity Date:2021/08/02
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Surf bus on North Shore

Reviewed by: Civitastours.com, 2021/07/29

Cousin G was a wonderful driver and guide. He provided great local information and the activities were so fun that everyone was exhausted! This is a great addition to any first timer and well worth it!

Mahalo,

Civitas Tours

Rating:
Attended as:Families
Activity Date:2021/07/27
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Could be better

Reviewed by: Remy, 2021/07/01

First time taking the Surf Bus. Driver was on time. He was knowledgeable. Didn't like his attitude at first because he had a way of making you feel foolish but at the end, he turned out to be a nice guide. My family and I did the waterfall hike and kayaking. The waterfall hike was timed for three hours. It was a beautiful hike through Waimea Valley seeing tropical plants and birds. To my surprise, the waterfall was smaller than I thought. There were too many people swimming already and it was only 10am. My kids did not want to swim because of the amount of people in the water. Even after the hike, and the waterfall and even ate lunch at the cafe, three hours was too much. It could've been spent doing other activities. We went kayaking in the afternoon. My family enjoyed that even though we didn't see any turtles. We were disappointed that we couldn't walk to town and get shaved ice because the line was too long. All in all, my family had a decent time.

Rating:
Attended as:Families with Young Children
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Had so much fun!

Reviewed by: Christy, 2021/06/12

This was so much fun! We got to see part of the island. I got to SUP for the first time. Learned a lot while on the bus. The driver was telling us about the scenery and where certain movies were filmed.

Rating:
Attended as:Couples
Activity Date:2021/05/23
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The north shore surf bus.

Reviewed by: Roy Barnes, 2021/04/18

Kevin made the entire trip outstanding. He was funny, on time, very knowledgeable, even though I've been to north shore before, this was the first time I felt like it was not only fun but informative. He was very accommodating. I am telling my friends and family to put this on their list . Thanks Uncle Kevin!!

Rating:
Attended as:Solo Travelers
Activity Date:2021/04/16
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A wonderful adventure

Reviewed by: Kellie, 2021/04/13

Sam was our tour guide and did a great job. It was the perfect balance between plenty to do and downtime. We did the falls and then paddle boarding up the river, where we saw sea turtles. The entire day was perfect. I would highly recommend it.

Reply from activity provider

Aloha Kellie, we're super stoked that you had a great time with Sam! He is truly a cool and informative tour guide! Mahalo and a Hui ho!

Rating:
Attended as:Families with Young Children
Activity Date:2021/04/11
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Fina and amazing time!

Reviewed by: Denisse, 2020/12/17

Had a wonderful time w uncle Kevin!! He showed us a lot of places and haves the background story! Very knowledgeable and happy to share his experience and love for his Hawaiian culture.

  • Old train from Waimea

Rating:
Attended as:Solo Travelers
Activity Date:2020/12/15
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Uncle kevin was the best!!!

Reviewed by: Kate , 2020/02/25

Uncle Kevin was truely an amazing bus driver/tour guide! Made the day feel as though you were a local :). Amazing commentary and local facts. A whole range of activities to choose from and by far was the best taking a surf lesson on the north shore!

Reply from activity provider

Aloha Kate, yes we are truly blessed to have uncle Kevin as part of our ohana! Hope to see you again on the Original North shore tour!

Rating:
Attended as:Friends
Activity Date:2020/02/22
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Better the first time

Reviewed by: Dassh, 2019/12/17

I had fun hiking to the waterfall and going swimming but the water was freeeezing!! I felt like the first time I did this activity we had a lot more time. I was able to snorkel, eat, stand up paddle and walk the town. This time I felt like going to the nut farm wasted a lot of time to do the activities. That part should be taken out and the time should go towards the actual activities. But all in all is was fun.

Rating:
Attended as:Couples
Activity Date:2019/11/23
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Great time again!

Reviewed by: Lisa H, 2019/07/26

This is our 2nd time on the surf bus. Cousin Kevin was great! He catered to all families. Gave us great info on what to look at and eat. I like this tour because I can relax and enjoy rather than driving and having to find parking, buy tickets, and do all the work that I usually have to do!

Rating:
Attended as:Families
Activity Date:2019/07/23
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Creepy Uncle Kevin

Reviewed by: JJ and Che, 2019/05/17

We had a great tour with (creepy) Uncle Kevin today on the North Shore of Oahu! We've been touring all around the world and can seriously rank Uncle Kevin as one of the best tour guides. The Surf Bus has the right equipment, the right itinerary and an excellent attitude. The bus was on time at every stage and Kevin had good solid connections at every stage. He took the time to work with each group on tour to insure they had the right experience. Some of the stops had multiple options and he was able to call ahead to report those options to the vendor. Kevin recommended great food and knew how important this is to an all day tour. One unmistakable clue that Kevin really knows what he is doing is that he knew so many of the other folks involved with the tour on a personal level. He's a local. He knew all of the answers because he grew up here.

Great attention to detail makes for a great tour. Uncle Kevin obviously knows what he is doing and we look forward to going on another Oahu tour with him soon. Also, kudos to the bus company. They had the right equipment and marketing to make Kevin's expertise shine.

Thanks to my creepy uncle Kevin from Oahu. Mahalo!

Rating:
Attended as:Couples
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Great experience!

Reviewed by: Abigail, 2019/04/04

This was a great tour! The driver was very good & had a lot of knowledge about the island! We stopped at a Macadamia nut farm & we didn’t even know that it was a scheduled stop! It was pretty cool! We snorkeled & went kayaking as well! They were all exciting activities! You definitely don’t want to rush the experience!

Rating:
Attended as:Couples
Activity Date:2019/04/03
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Good Time

Reviewed by: Fatima , 2018/06/24

My daughters and I had a great time The tour bus picked us up on time . The tour guide /driver provided us a lot of information and history about the island, restaurants and all important sites we drive by . He was was funny too . He answered every ones questions.He allowed us enough time for breaks and photos. We had an amazing time at the Waterfall, my youngest had a foot surgery last year and she can’t walk too fast , we where having a great time swimming in the waterfall pool that we lost track of time . We had 15 minutes to make back to the bus , knowing my youngest can’t walk too fast or run my oldest said “ I’ll have him wait mom “ and took off running ( she runs track and cross country) . We had to be back by 12pm , we ( my youngest and I) made by 12:05 , My oldest daughter was happy the driver waited for us , we all were :). Then we drove to the snorkeling site , the tide was low and it was too rocky, I have never snorkel and I’m not a great swimmer, so we walked up to do some shopping and had a fresh coconut. We made our last stop at Haleiwa, the driver recommended some restaurants . The girls and I had a wonderful time , we ate and did some shopping. He was on time to pick us up . On the way back to the hotel we were tired and feel asleep. Overall we had a great time, we visited a few places and I didn’t have to drive through all that traffic I feel bad I forgot the drivers name , He was knowledgeable and I felt safe with him behind the wheel while the girls and I enjoy the activities and sites . The only reason I didn’t rate outstanding is because the snorkeling was not fun , the waves were too strong and the tide was too low , too rocky, but no one can really control that :)

Rating:
Attended as:Families with Young Children
Activity Date:2018/06/19
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