Big Island Zipline: The Full Kohala Canopy Tour Above Hāwī

The Kohala zipline is the Big Island zipline done properly, a true canopy tour: you clip in at the first tree and stay up in the forest, zipping from platform to platform, crossing sky bridges and finishing with a rappel to the ground. It sits in a towering forest on private land above Hāwī, in the green, quiet north end of the island that most visitors only see on the way to the Pololū lookout.

This page covers what the course is like, what it costs, the weight and age rules that catch people out, and when the full-day Zip & Dip is the better buy.

Why this made our list

There are a handful of ziplines on the Big Island, and most of them are long lines strung across a gulch, with walks or stair climbs between each ride. That is fun, but it is not a canopy tour. The Kohala course is built tree to tree, so once you are up you stay up. The operator bills it as the only full canopy tour on Hawaiʻi Island, and from what we have seen that description holds.

The setting is the second reason. North Kohala is wetter and cooler than the resort coast, and the forest here is tall and green, with views out to the Kohala Coast, across the channel to Maui on a clear day, and down over the terraces of old Hawaiian farmland. Parts of the course run beside waterfalls.

The third is the way it is run. Two certified guides go with every group, groups are capped at nine, and the course follows the safety standards of the Association for Challenge Course Technology, the industry’s international standards body. Guests come back talking about the guides, which is why it holds a 4.9 rating over 784 reviews.

Why this operator

We weighed this against the Hāmākua-side ziplines near Hilo, which are built around big waterfall views, and against the line-and-stairs courses elsewhere on the island. If you are staying in Hilo, the Honomū side makes more sense, and our Hilo waterfall hike page covers that area. If you are staying in Kona or Waikoloa and want a true canopy course rather than a few big rides, this is the one we book. It pairs well with a day in Hāwī.

What the Kohala zipline is like

Plan on about two hours from check-in to the last line. Here is how it goes.

1. Check in at the Hāwī headquarters. Arrive 30 minutes early at 55-515 Hāwī Road, in the historic yellow sugar company building. Everyone is weighed and fitted with a harness, helmet and gloves.
2. Safety briefing. The guides walk you through the gear and how the course works before anyone leaves the ground.
3. Up into the canopy. A spiral staircase built around a tree trunk takes you to the first platform. From here you move tree to tree without coming back to the ground.
4. Zip lines. The lines run through the forest canopy at up to about 45 mph. The longer ones have views out over the Kohala Coast.
5. Sky bridges. Between lines you cross cable suspension bridges, including one right beside a waterfall.
6. The rappel. The course includes a controlled rappel back down toward the forest floor, with a guide managing the rope.

A note on the course layout: the operator’s description lists eight lines, six sky bridges and a rappel, and its newer listings also advertise five lines and two sky bridges with a zip and bridge to a waterfall. Check the booking page to see which version runs on your date.

Prices and what you get

The canopy tour is from $210 per person plus tax and booking fees. That includes about two hours on the course, two guides, all safety gear, rain gear and water. GoPro rentals and a guide photo package are available at extra cost, and a tip for the guides is customary. A portion of each ticket supports ʻIole, a North Kohala nonprofit working to restore a traditional ahupuaʻa land division.

The Zip & Dip is the full-day version, from $325. It adds an off-road drive across private land, a walk to secluded waterfalls, a swim under a private waterfall and a picnic lunch with coastline views, and it runs 8 to 9 hours with pickups at the Four Seasons, Queens’ Marketplace and the Shops at Mauna Lani. If you do not want to drive to Hāwī yourself, it is the easy answer.

Who it’s for (and who should skip it)

Families with kids 8 and older, couples, groups of friends and first-time zipliners. You do not need to be fit; you need to be able to walk over uneven ground and climb a short set of stairs.

Skip it if you are pregnant, have a neck or back injury or recent surgery, or weigh under 70 lb or over 270 lb. The weight check happens at the counter, and there are no refunds for guests outside the range, so be honest when you book. If you are nervous about heights, tell the guides at check-in; the tour is rated easy to moderate and they set the pace.

Where to check in and how to get there

Headquarters is at 55-515 Hāwī Road, in Hāwī town. From Kailua-Kona, take Highway 19 north past the airport and the resorts, turn left onto Highway 270 toward Kawaihae, and continue about 21 miles to Hāwī; turn right on Hāwī Road and look for the yellow building on the left. Allow about an hour and 15 minutes from Kona and about 45 minutes from Waikoloa.

Hāwī has cafés and small shops, so you can eat before or after. See our Big Island areas map for how North Kohala fits with the rest of the island.

Best time to go

Time of day. Morning, so you have the afternoon for lunch in Hāwī and the drive out to the Pololū Valley lookout at the end of the road.

Time of year. It runs year round, rain or shine. Winter is wetter in North Kohala, which means fuller waterfalls and a slicker forest; rain gear is provided. Our best time to visit the Big Island guide covers the seasons in more detail.

Local tips before you book

• Check your weight honestly. The 70 to 270 lb range is enforced at check-in with no refunds.
• Wear pants or capris. Short shorts and a harness do not mix.
• Bring a layer. It is often noticeably cooler, and sometimes raining, in Hāwī when the resorts are sunny.
• Book the GoPro or the photos. You will want both hands free on the lines.
• Make a day of North Kohala. Zip in the morning, eat in Hāwī, and drive to the Pololū lookout in the afternoon.
• Short on time? Take the Zip & Dip with resort pickup and skip the drive altogether.

The verdict

If you want a zipline on the Kona side of the Big Island, make it this one. It is a true canopy course, tree to tree in a tall forest, with sky bridges, a rappel, two guides and no more than nine guests. Book the morning tour, wear closed-toe shoes and long shorts, and turn the rest of the day into a North Kohala road trip. Or book the Zip & Dip and let someone else drive.