5 Must-Do Activities on the Big Island

An incredible number of amazing must-do activities on the Big Island await you and your family on your next vacation in Hawaiʻi.

If your vacation is infinite and your wallet bottomless, feel free to do them all. But if not, here’s some help for the rest of us who need to prioritize our time and hard-earned money.

We at Kailani Tours Hawaiʻi have narrowed it down to our Top 5 must-do activities on the Big Island (and a few others). Mahalo!

What to do on Big Island

1. Must-do activities on the Big Island: go on a helicopter ride! 

As a past concierge and a guide, I have always heard guests talk about their experiences with Blue Hawaiʻian Helicopters. From Waikoloa, it’s the ultimate circle island 2-hour experience.

Expect to pay a lot, but if it’s still too expensive, their flights leaving Hilo will cut the trip and the price in half. Paradise Helicopters in Hilo does a “Doors-Off” Experience just in case you feel too safe inside the cockpit.

No joke, this is an unforgettable thrill ride and one of the must-do activities on the Big Island! Truly an okole squeezer! Soar above Kilauea Volcano

2. Visit the Volcano

The Big Island is the only island in the state with an active volcano and it has been putting on a show for over 3 decades! Our favorite tour company for Volcano trips is…surprise! Kailani Tours Hawaiʻi! 

We pride ourselves on exceptional vehicles, service, and food!  It’s quite a long drive to Volcanoes National Park so let us do the driving and we’ll be sure to make it the best Volcano Experience possible! The Ultimate Hawaiʻian Adventure!

3. See the Mantas and enjoy one of the best activities on the Big Island 

Go see the mantas at night! The Big Island’s calm waters and abundant sea-life are a scene to behold.

One of the most unique and unforgettable experiences of your life will be swimming with mantas. These incredibly docile and curious creatures feed off the plankton at night and Big Island Divers’ dive masters will show you what they look like up close, but we love Sea Quest guides as well! Both companies are first-class. Pictures and videos online are amazing, but nothing comes close to the real thing. This can’t be real! Oh, it is!

4. Planning a trip to the Big Island? Swim with Dolphins! 

This was tough: mantas or dolphins. Both experiences are incredible and both are must-do activities on the Big Island.

Most dolphin tours start in the morning and they’ll mix in some additional snorkeling along the reef and add in whale watching on the way to snorkeling.

The best boat tour on the island is Alii Ocean Tours. Their guides and captains do an incredible job of putting you in the perfect spot every time! “Sharky” and the boys will provide Four Seasons level service on a boat that is the envy of all the other groups.  It’s all worth it! The best crew on the island – Alii Ocean Tours!

5. Visit Mauna Kea and experience the best stargazing on the planet

The highest mountain in all of Polynesia is Mauna Kea. Sitting nearly 14,000 ft. high above the Big Island is a place to view 360 degree sunsets and experience the best stargazing on the planet.

Plan ahead for a night when there’s no moon and spend the day at altitude with Mauna Kea Summit Adventures! Pioneers of Mauna Kea tours, their guides know the stars and mountain like no one else on the mountain. See where land meets sky on Mauna Kea. But call ahead because seating is very limited!

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Great Tour Guarantee

At Kailani Tours, our top priority is delivering unforgettable Big Island experiences. We’re confident that you’ll find our tours enriching and well worth your time. If for any reason you feel otherwise, please tell us. We’ll make it right, whether that means inviting you on another tour, issuing a refund, or providing a voucher for a future visit. Your time is precious, and we’re honored that you choose to spend it exploring the Big Island with us.

Here’s what we cannot guarantee:

You will see active lava flows

Mother Nature has her own schedule, and while we wish we could promise a spectacular lava show, it’s truly up to the forces of the earth.

You’ll have full access to every part of the parks.

Volcano National Park areas are subject to closures based on safety assessments by park officials. As always, safety is our top priority and we can easily adapt our itinerary to make sure you get the best experience possible.

You’ll experience perfect weather

The Big Island’s weather can be as unpredictable as it is beautiful. We can’t guarantee sunshine and clear skies every day, but the dynamic weather is part of the island’s charm.

We value your decision to discover the Big Island with us, and we’re committed to making your tour a highlight of your Hawaii visit.

FREE CANCELLATIONS

With Trip Protection (Highly Recommended)

For a small fee (15%), Trip Protection allows you to cancel or reschedule your tour at any time – for any reason – up to 1 hour prior to trip departure. You will be reimbursed for the FULL amount of each ticket, less the cost of trip protection and processing fees. 

You may opt in or opt out of Trip Protection at the time of booking, either online or over the phone.

Without Trip Protection

You may cancel or reschedule your tour up to 48 hours before your tour’s scheduled departure to avoid fees or penalties. 

Refunds are not possible within 48 hours of your tour’s departure time, however, we will make every effort to accommodate rescheduling your booking to another date, if you so desire.

Please Note: Our tours operate rain or shine, though itineraries may be adjusted in response to severe weather conditions. Access to certain parts of Hawaiʻi Volcanoes National Park, including during events like active lava flows or eruptions, may be restricted or closed by park officials without notice. In such cases, Kailani Tours does not offer partial refunds for any part of the tour affected by these restrictions.

With our vast experience navigating these occasional closures, you can trust that we will make the absolute most of your day with us, no matter the conditions.

Lowest Price Guarantee

We guarantee the absolute lowest price on all experiences we sell. If you find the same product cheaper within three days of booking or while you’re in your destination, we’ll refund the difference.

It’s Easy To Do: 

Gather your information

Assemble your Kailani Tours receipt and the proof of the lower price you found.

Send it to us

Email [email protected] with the documents, your name, and your home address. 

We’ll review 

We’ll examine your materials and get in touch as soon as we can. 

Receive your refund 

If everything checks out, we’ll refund you the difference between the two prices.