Hidden Gems Of Oahu And Waimea Botanical Garden
Hidden Gems of Oahu and Waimea Botanical Garden
Oahu, a true sightseeing paradise, awaits your exploration with its stunning lookout points, pristine white sandy beaches, vibrant cultural experiences, world-class surfing, and a remarkable array of unique wildlife. Immerse yourself in the magic of Oahu's Hidden Gems on our exclusive Oahu Circle Island Tour, guided by our friendly local experts. Join us for a day filled with unforgettable moments, including a special visit to the Waimea Botanical Garden/Waterfall.
Our first stop takes you to the elevated Amelia Earhart Lookout, perched on the eastern side of the renowned Diamond Head Volcano. From this vantage point, capture breathtaking views of Oahu's southeastern coastline, with sights extending as far as Hanauma Bay and even Maui on clear days. This location is steeped in history, known as the spot where onlookers gathered to witness Amelia Earhart embark on her pioneering solo aviation journey from Hawaii to North America.
Next, we venture to the mesmerizing Halona Blowhole, a natural phenomenon born from the molten lava tubes formed by volcanic eruptions originating from Oahu's Koko Head crater. This incredible lava tube extends into the ocean, revealing a narrow opening at the top. When the surf aligns perfectly, water pressure builds within the tube, resulting in a spectacular Hawaiian Geyser that's sure to captivate your senses.
Molten lava tubes, formed by volcanic eruptions originating from Oahu's Koko Head crater, created the natural wonder known as the Halona Blowhole. With a very small opening at the top, this lava tube extends into the ocean. When the surf is just right, water pressure within the tube builds up and bursts from the opening, producing a unique Hawaiian Geyser for you to experience.
Experience the dramatic sea cliffs of Waimanalo as we venture into Oahu's windward side, starting our journey towards the North Shore of Oahu. Gaze out over the azure blue waters of the bay, and you'll spot Oahu's famous Manana Island, also known as Rabbit Island due to its resemblance to a rabbit's shape.
Travelers can marvel at breathtaking views of Oahu's windward shore from the Pali Lookout, which is nestled amid the majestic cliffs of the Ko'olau Mountains. Rich in historical significance, this site commemorates the battleground where King Kamehameha I achieved victory in his endeavor to unify the Hawaiian Islands. Surrounded by sweeping winds and verdant landscapes, the lookout provides a mesmerizing fusion of natural beauty and cultural heritage, establishing it as a must-visit destination for any traveler to Oahu.
Following a picturesque drive along Oahu's eastern coastline, our next destination is a charming local shop nestled under aged Banyan Trees. Here, you can indulge in tastings of macadamia nuts and delicious Kona coffee, alongside an array of tempting Hawaiian chocolates and other treats.
Chinaman's Hat, also known as Mokoli'i, sits adjacent to the Kualoa Valley Mountain range. Renowned for its dramatic landscape, this location has been featured in numerous Hollywood movies, most notably the fan favorite Jurassic Park. The island earned its charming moniker, "Chinaman's Hat," due to its resemblance to the straw hats worn by Chinese immigrants during their labor on Oahu's sugar plantations in the early 1900s.
We break for lunch at a local restaurant, where you can indulge in the famous North Shore Garlic Shrimp plate and a variety of other local delicacies. Non-shellfish and vegetarian options are available, so be sure to have cash on hand for this delightful meal (lunch and beverages not included). Following lunch, we make a pit stop at a North Shore tropical fruit stand, offering ice-cold coconuts to quench your thirst, fresh mangos, and an array of other tropical delights to tantalize your taste buds, be sure to have cash on hand for this delightful snack (not included).
A departure from the bustling beaches of Waikiki, the renowned Sunset Beach on the North Shore provides tranquility and embodies the essence of a beautiful Hawaiian beach. However, don't be deceived by the summer months; during winter, swells reaching 30 to 40 feet can be observed from the safety of the shore. Waimea Valley boasts exceptional botanical collections with dozens of distinct gardens showcasing flora from various parts of the world. These include gardens representing the Ogasawara Islands, Central and South America, Fiji, Guam, and the Mascarene Islands, among others. Take a leisurely stroll through the Hawaiian collection and marvel at an assortment of plants found only in Hawai'i, including many rare and endangered species. These plants were often brought to the islands as seeds or cuttings from their places of origin. Don't miss the spectacular Waimea Waterfall, a splendid highlight of the park. Admission to the park is included in the cost of the ticket. Swimming at the waterfall is optional and allowed. If you wish to swim, please remember to bring a bathing suit and towel. Lifejackets are provided, and lifeguards are stationed on duty at all times. Guests should be aware that it is a 1.5-mile round-trip walk to and from the waterfall. Additionally, there is a $10 tram available, but this cost is not included in the tour price.
Our journey culminates at the historic Dole Pineapple Plantation, home to a delightful array of pineapple-inspired souvenirs, including magnets, t-shirts, keychains, and the irresistible pineapple ice cream known as Dole Whip. It's the perfect way to conclude your adventure and bring back a taste of Hawaii for friends and family.
Please Note: Tour stop destinations and times may vary to ensure maximum customer enjoyment and experience.
About Shore Excursions Group
Learn More About Shore Excursions Group
ABOUT US
Shore Excursions Group was created with one goal in mind: to provide exceptional travel experiences to cruise passengers in the ports they visit around the world. To accomplish this, we have compiled an exceptional array of tours delivered by local experts with decades of experience serving travelers and delivering excellent tours. Our owners and management team are comprised of seasoned travel industry executives who leverage their considerable experience to deliver memories of a lifetime.
We are experts in providing exceptional shore excursions. We understand that in today's fast paced world, vacations have become an increasingly important way to relax, reconnect with family and friends, and experience new and interesting places. With this in mind, we provide the highest quality tours by performing extensive research, and detailed reviews. While other companies also offer excursions, we strongly believe our expertise and approach set us apart. The large cruise lines sell shore excursions - typically in very large groups visiting high traffic sites. We focus on smaller groups visiting more interesting and authentic locations using more personalized local operators. While the cruise lines are experts in delivering cruises, we are experts in delivering shore excursions.
Our Approach
We believe quality service is not only highly valued by customers, but ultimately leads to better experiences and higher satisfaction. Unlike the cruise lines and other tour companies that rely almost entirely on websites, we encourage customers to call us. We want to invest our time answering your questions, providing input, and selecting the excursions that best meet your needs.
Our Tours
Our goal is to provide customers a wide array of exciting, appealing, and enriching tours. For those customers who prefer to travel in smaller groups with more personalized service, we offer a wide variety of small group tours around the world. These tours generally range in size from 2-12 people compared to larger tours which can number up to 50 people. While exploring the destinations and ports on this website, feel free to search for these "Small Group Tours". For those customers interested in private tours, we offer many outstanding excursions that allow you to travel with your party alone and, in many cases, to fully customize your tour. Search for "Private Tours" if you are interested in this experience. Our "Scenic" tours provide up close and personal access to some of the most spectacular natural environments on Earth from majestic glaciers in Alaska to spectacular reefs in the Caribbean. Our "Cultural" tours allow customers to experience local customs, entertainment and culinary delights ranging from tribal dances in Alaska to an outstanding local meal in Santorini, Greece. Our "Active" tours offer a multitude of exciting and adventurous ways to experience our destinations. Our customers can kayak the turquoise waters of the Caribbean, hike to a spectacular waterfall in Hawaii, or bicycle through quaint villages in France. Our "City" tours allow travelers to see the highlights of great cities around the world with unique insights provided by our expert tour guides.
Our People
In our experience, exceptional travel experiences are almost always delivered by exceptional people. With that in mind, we utilize a comprehensive approach to select and employ the leading tour guides and tour providers around the globe. We hold our people to very high standards which we measure by our comprehensive Quality Control process and, most importantly, by our customer feedback, which we will actively seek from each of our customers.
Our Owners
Shore Excursions Group is owned by seasoned travel executives possessing extensive experience across many sectors within the travel industry.
Bradford J. Miller
Mr. Miller is the former Executive Vice President and Chief Development Officer for Abercrombie & Kent, the World's leading luxury travel company. In that role, Mr. Miller was responsible for contributing to Abercrombie & Kent's international growth through the development and acquisition of tour products and travel experiences around the world with a specific focus on cruising and land based experiences. Prior to joining Abercrombie & Kent, Mr. Miller held a variety of executive positions with Royal Caribbean International and Celebrity Cruises for more than a decade. These positions included Vice President of Guest Sales & Service, Vice President of Brand Development, and Vice President of Onboard Revenue (which included shore excursions). Mr. Miller also led Celebrity Expeditions, a collection of outstanding and unique tours around the World.
Michael Bonner
Mr. Bonner has over a decade of experience working in the cruise industry in a variety of roles for both Royal Caribbean Cruises Ltd. and Viking River Cruises. Most recently, Mr. Bonner was the Chief Operating Officer for The Scholar Ship, a Royal Caribbean program aimed at providing college students onboard educational programs in conjunction with enriching shore excursions around the world. Mr. Bonner also helped co-manage Viking River Cruises U.S. Operations, and he ran the corporate, strategic, and deployment planning functions at Royal Caribbean. While at Royal Caribbean, Mr. Bonner was responsible for forming Royal Celebrity Tours, Royal Caribbean's land-based tour operation in Alaska, which takes cruise passengers on multiple day tours through the interior of Alaska either before or after their cruises. Prior to working at Royal Caribbean, Mr. Bonner was a consultant for Booz Allen & Hamilton.
About Shore Excursions Group
ABOUT US
Shore Excursions Group was created with one goal in mind: to provide exceptional travel experiences to cruise passengers in the ports they visit around the world. To accomplish this, we have compiled an exceptional array of tours delivered by local experts with decades of experience serving travelers and delivering excellent tours. Our owners and management team are comprised of seasoned travel industry executives who leverage their considerable experience to deliver memories of a lifetime.
We are experts in providing exceptional shore excursions. We understand that in today's fast paced world, vacations have become an increasingly important way to relax, reconnect with family and friends, and experience new and interesting places. With this in mind, we provide the highest quality tours by performing extensive research, and detailed reviews. While other companies also offer excursions, we strongly believe our expertise and approach set us apart. The large cruise lines sell shore excursions - typically in very large groups visiting high traffic sites. We focus on smaller groups visiting more interesting and authentic locations using more personalized local operators. While the cruise lines are experts in delivering cruises, we are experts in delivering shore excursions.
Our Approach
We believe quality service is not only highly valued by customers, but ultimately leads to better experiences and higher satisfaction. Unlike the cruise lines and other tour companies that rely almost entirely on websites, we encourage customers to call us. We want to invest our time answering your questions, providing input, and selecting the excursions that best meet your needs.
Our Tours
Our goal is to provide customers a wide array of exciting, appealing, and enriching tours. For those customers who prefer to travel in smaller groups with more personalized service, we offer a wide variety of small group tours around the world. These tours generally range in size from 2-12 people compared to larger tours which can number up to 50 people. While exploring the destinations and ports on this website, feel free to search for these "Small Group Tours". For those customers interested in private tours, we offer many outstanding excursions that allow you to travel with your party alone and, in many cases, to fully customize your tour. Search for "Private Tours" if you are interested in this experience. Our "Scenic" tours provide up close and personal access to some of the most spectacular natural environments on Earth from majestic glaciers in Alaska to spectacular reefs in the Caribbean. Our "Cultural" tours allow customers to experience local customs, entertainment and culinary delights ranging from tribal dances in Alaska to an outstanding local meal in Santorini, Greece. Our "Active" tours offer a multitude of exciting and adventurous ways to experience our destinations. Our customers can kayak the turquoise waters of the Caribbean, hike to a spectacular waterfall in Hawaii, or bicycle through quaint villages in France. Our "City" tours allow travelers to see the highlights of great cities around the world with unique insights provided by our expert tour guides.
Our People
In our experience, exceptional travel experiences are almost always delivered by exceptional people. With that in mind, we utilize a comprehensive approach to select and employ the leading tour guides and tour providers around the globe. We hold our people to very high standards which we measure by our comprehensive Quality Control process and, most importantly, by our customer feedback, which we will actively seek from each of our customers.
Our Owners
Shore Excursions Group is owned by seasoned travel executives possessing extensive experience across many sectors within the travel industry.
Bradford J. Miller
Mr. Miller is the former Executive Vice President and Chief Development Officer for Abercrombie & Kent, the World's leading luxury travel company. In that role, Mr. Miller was responsible for contributing to Abercrombie & Kent's international growth through the development and acquisition of tour products and travel experiences around the world with a specific focus on cruising and land based experiences. Prior to joining Abercrombie & Kent, Mr. Miller held a variety of executive positions with Royal Caribbean International and Celebrity Cruises for more than a decade. These positions included Vice President of Guest Sales & Service, Vice President of Brand Development, and Vice President of Onboard Revenue (which included shore excursions). Mr. Miller also led Celebrity Expeditions, a collection of outstanding and unique tours around the World.
Michael Bonner
Mr. Bonner has over a decade of experience working in the cruise industry in a variety of roles for both Royal Caribbean Cruises Ltd. and Viking River Cruises. Most recently, Mr. Bonner was the Chief Operating Officer for The Scholar Ship, a Royal Caribbean program aimed at providing college students onboard educational programs in conjunction with enriching shore excursions around the world. Mr. Bonner also helped co-manage Viking River Cruises U.S. Operations, and he ran the corporate, strategic, and deployment planning functions at Royal Caribbean. While at Royal Caribbean, Mr. Bonner was responsible for forming Royal Celebrity Tours, Royal Caribbean's land-based tour operation in Alaska, which takes cruise passengers on multiple day tours through the interior of Alaska either before or after their cruises. Prior to working at Royal Caribbean, Mr. Bonner was a consultant for Booz Allen & Hamilton.
