Seventeen trips, ranked by what guests rave about. Filter by the kind of day you want or by the side of the island you are staying on. Prices are "from" rates before tax and booking fees.
Keauhou · Kona
The manta ray night snorkel off Keauhou, three minutes by boat from the bay, with 17 guests max and guides in the water the whole time. You float on a lighted board while mantas feed a few feet below your mask.
Hawaiʻi Volcanoes National Park · Volcano
A full day from your Kona or Waikoloa hotel to Hawaiʻi Volcanoes National Park and back, with a coffee farm and a black sand beach on the way. You reach the park toward dusk and stop for stars on the drive home.
Keauhou · South Kona
Two and a half to three hours on a Navy-SEAL-style Zodiac from Keauhou Bay to the Captain Cook Monument reef in Kealakekua Bay. Sea caves and lava tubes on the way, spinner dolphins most days, and whales in winter.
Hilo · Maunakea
Sunset from the 13,803-foot summit of Maunakea, above the clouds and among the world's largest collection of research telescopes. Then hot drinks and a private star show through a professional telescope on the way down.
Honomū · Hāmākua Coast
A 2.5-hour guided hike to waterfalls on private land in Honomū, 20 minutes north of Hilo and a few minutes from ʻAkaka Falls. Rainforest, waterfall views without the crowds, and ages 4 and up.
Waipiʻo Valley · Hāmākua Coast
A 10-hour day from your Kona or Waikoloa hotel to the Waipiʻo Valley lookout, a swim at a private waterfall and a tropical garden. The easy way to see the Hāmākua Coast while the valley road stays restricted.
Kona Airport · Kona
Two private hours in the air from the Kona airport: Kīlauea's summit crater, Hilo, the waterfall-streaked Hāmākua Coast and the deep valleys of Kohala. Just your party aboard, and everyone gets a window seat.
Hāwī · North Kohala
About two hours zipping tree to tree through a towering private forest above Hāwī, with sky bridges, a rappel and views to the Kohala Coast. Two certified guides, nine guests at most, and no long walks between lines.
Hōlualoa · Kona
A small-group brewing class on a working coffee farm in Hōlualoa, high in the Kona coffee belt. You brew with French press and pour-over, cup four coffees side by side, and leave knowing how to make a better cup at home.
Kawaihae · Kohala Coast
Two hours on a small raft-style boat from Kawaihae, straight into the humpback nursery off the Kohala Coast. Low to the water, a hydrophone to hear the whales sing, and the harbor is minutes from the Waikoloa resorts.
Hilo · Hilo
A relaxed afternoon cruise from Hilo along the Onomea sea cliffs, where waterfalls pour straight into the ocean. Small group, stories of old Hawaiʻi and the sugar era, and dolphins on many trips.
Honokōhau Harbor · Kona
Ninety easy minutes on the water off Kona as the sun goes down, with a full bar and light bites. It leaves from Honokōhau Harbor just north of town, and there is a beach departure from Waikoloa too.
Honokōhau Harbor · Kona
A two-tank morning dive out of Honokōhau Harbor along the Kona coast, with lava tubes, arches, turtles and some of the clearest water in Hawaiʻi. The crew holds a perfect 5.0 rating across more than 7,700 reviews.
Mountain View · Puna
Two hours on ATVs across a working family ranch in Mountain View, between Hilo and Volcano. Green pasture, rainforest edges and plenty of mud, with free cancellation and ages from 3 up.
Hilo · Hilo
An electric bus ride through the cacao orchards in the hills above Hilo, with fresh cacao fruit straight from the tree and a look at how beans become chocolate. Short, easy and rated 4.9 by more than 2,500 guests.
Kaloko Mauka (above Kona) · Kona
A 2.5-hour guided walk through misty montane jungle high on Hualālai, above Kona. Native birds and plants, cool air and a small group of no more than 16.
Hawaiʻi Volcanoes National Park · Volcano
Three hours on fat-tire e-bikes through Hawaiʻi Volcanoes National Park, covering many miles with little effort while a volcano-savvy guide explains the geology. Ages 15 and up, groups of up to 12.
We list one operator per activity, and it has to be the one we would send our own family out with. We weigh verified review scores (every pick is 4.7 stars or better, and most are 4.9 or 5.0), the crew's safety record and Coast Guard or FAA certification, how the trip actually feels on the day, and value for what is included. The manta ray night snorkel is number one because nothing else on earth is quite like it. The volcano and Maunakea are next because they are why the Big Island is different from every other Hawaiian island. We cover the Hilo side properly, because most guides do not. We update prices and seasons every few weeks. If an operator slips, it comes off the list.
