Hawaii Inter-Island Day Tours: Fly to Another Island for the Day
You can absolutely island hop on your own. Book the flight, rent a car at the far end, drive yourself to the sight, and get back to the airport in time. We’ve done it, and it works. But there’s a version where none of that is your problem. Polynesian Adventure runs ten inter-island day tours where the flight, the ground transport, the guide, and the timing are all handled. You get yourself to the airport. They do everything else, including getting you back.
A quick note: we’ve included a few affiliate links below. Booking through them costs you nothing extra and sends a small commission our way, which helps us keep writing free Hawaii guides. We only ever link to things we’d recommend to a friend. Mahalo! Read about our affiliate policies here.
Activity Overview
In August 2021, with Erica 7 months pregnant, we were invited to go on an inter-island day tour from Maui to Oahu. Our objective: visit Pearl Harbor and Historical Honolulu.
We’d been to Pearl Harbor many times before (we lived on Oahu for two years), but these island-hopping day trips are common for visitors. For example, if you’re visiting Maui, watching Kilauea erupt is a bucket-list item. You don’t want a four-day trip to the Big Island, so these Hawaii inter-island day tours are perfect to check off a life experience.
For research, we headed to Maui’s Kahului Airport at the break of dawn for a day trip to Oahu. Everything was seamless! We met our guide at Honolulu Airport. He drove us and others to Pearl Harbor, talked story, shared history, showed us where to eat for lunch, and took care of the USS Arizona Memorial entrance. He then showed us Historical Honolulu before dropping us off at the airport at dusk. We were home on Maui with our son that night.
Watch our experience on an island hopping day trip from Maui to Oahu below. We had fun, and it shows.
Why Book a Guided Day Trip Instead of DIY
We’re normally the first people to tell you to do it yourself. This is the case where we don’t.
No rental car at the far end. The counter line at Kahului or Lihue can eat an hour of a day you only have twelve hours of. Then you’re paying for a full day’s rental to use it for six.
No driving on unfamiliar roads while watching the clock. The Road to Hana and the drive up to Waimea Canyon are both genuinely demanding. Doing either while watching the clock is not how you want to spend a vacation day.
Somebody else owns the timing. This is the real one. On a DIY island hop, the return flight sits in the back of your head all day. On a guided tour, missing it is not your job to prevent.
One booking instead of five. Flight, car, admissions, parking, and a restaurant reservation collapse into a single confirmation.
What’s not included: getting to and from your home airport. That’s the one piece you still own.
When DIY is better: you want more than one stop, you want to linger, you’re going for more than a day, or you’re traveling on a tight budget. At $550 and up per person, these tours are a convenience purchase. Our Hawaii island-hopping guide walks through the DIY version if that’s the better fit for you.
Is a Hawaii inter-island day tour worth the price?
That is up to you to decide! Some readers find the price too high, since you can book your own inter-island flight for $75 to $150 per person.
For example, you can take a taxi or Uber to Pearl Harbor National Memorial for a DIY tour.
Or, you can have a tour company pick you up at the airport. See our list of favorite Pearl Harbor tour companies.
As I mentioned, we did a Maui-to-Oahu day trip to visit Pearl Harbor. It was a long day, and we were grateful to be in the hands of the local guide. Paying a premium to book an inter-island tour may be the investment you need to check off this bucket-list item.
All 10 Polynesian Adventure Inter-Island Tours
We’ve organized these by where you’re staying, because that’s the only thing that narrows the list.
Leaving Oahu for a day trip is the most popular option, as many visitors have that one sight to see on a neighbor island.
| Staying on | Tour | Goes to | Hours | From |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Oahu | Volcano Adventure | Hilo, Big Island | 5:00a to 9:00p | $550 |
| Oahu | Helicopter & Volcano Adventure | Hilo, Big Island | 5:00a to 9:00p | $805 |
| Oahu | Waimea Canyon & Koke’e | Kauai | 5:30a to 7:00p | $550 |
| Oahu | Waimea Canyon, Wailua River & Fern Grotto | Kauai | 5:30a to 7:00p | $550 |
| Oahu | Highlights & Movie Sites | Kauai | 5:30a to 5:00p | $550 |
| Oahu | Road to Hana Adventure | Maui | 5:00a to 8:30p | $550 |
| Oahu | Best of Maui: Sips, Sites & Bites | Maui | 5:00a to 7:00p | $575 |
| Maui | Pearl Harbor Deluxe | Oahu | 6:00a to 8:15p | $550 |
| Kona | Pearl Harbor Deluxe | Oahu | 6:00a to 8:15p | $550 |
| Kauai | WWII Deluxe Pearl Harbor | Oahu | 5:45a to 8:15p | $550 |
If You’re Staying on Oahu
Seven of the ten tours leave from Oahu, which makes sense: most visitors start there. With the increasing cost of trips to Hawaii, visitors are opting to visit one island and stay a shorter period.
Oahu is the most popular island to visit, thanks to Waikiki Beach, well-priced hotels, Pearl Harbor, Jurassic Valley, and the Polynesian Cultural Center. But, visitors still crave to see more of the Hawaiian Islands. These island hopping tours are your ticket to a neighbor island for the day!
Volcano Adventure (Hilo, Big Island)
The tour: A full day at Hawai’i Volcanoes National Park, flying into Hilo. You see the caldera, the lava landscapes, and the parts of the Big Island that look nothing like anywhere else in the state. Rainforest and waterfalls on the Hilo side round out the day.
Best for: first-time visitors who only booked Oahu and are now realizing the Big Island is a different planet. Also anyone who wants Hawaii’s most dramatic landscape without rearranging their trip.
Included: round-trip flight to Hilo, ground transport, guide, park admission, and lunch.
Price: from $550 per person. 5:00 AM to 9:00 PM, so budget a full 16 hours.
Helicopter & Volcano Adventure (Hilo, Big Island)
The tour: The same volcano day with a helicopter flight added over the volcanic landscape and the Hamakua Coast waterfalls.
Best for: anyone already planning to book a Big Island helicopter tour separately. Bundling it here saves you a second logistics problem. Also the right pick if this is a milestone trip.
Included: everything in the Volcano Adventure plus the helicopter flight.
Price: from $805 per person, the most expensive tour in the lineup and the only one over $600. 5:00 AM to 9:00 PM.
Waimea Canyon & Koke’e (Kauai)
The tour: The “Grand Canyon of the Pacific” and the lookouts up at Koke’e State Park, which, on a clear day, give you the Kalalau Valley view people fly to Kauai for.
Best for: landscape and photography people. Also the strongest argument for a guided version, because the drive up to Waimea Canyon is long, winding, and exactly the kind of road you don’t want to rush.
Included: round-trip flight to Lihue, ground transport, guide, park access, short hike at Koke’e, Kauai Coffee Plantation tasting, Spouting Horn Blowhole, and Hanapepe plantation town.
Price: from $550 per person. 5:30 AM to 7:00 PM.
Waimea Canyon, Wailua River & Fern Grotto (Kauai)
The tour: Waimea Canyon plus a riverboat cruise up the Wailua River to the Fern Grotto, a lava rock amphitheater draped in ferns.
Best for: anyone who wants variety in one day rather than a single big landscape. The riverboat is a genuinely relaxing change of pace in the middle of a long day, and it’s the better pick for mixed-age groups.
Included: round-trip flight, ground transport, guide, the Wailua riverboat cruise. Meals are not provided.
Price: from $550 per person. 5:30 AM to 7:00 PM.
Highlights & Movie Sites (Kauai)
The tour: The Kauai locations used in Jurassic Park, Jurassic World, and dozens of other films, along with the island’s signature scenery.
Best for: families with teens, film buffs, and anyone who finds a canyon lookout less compelling than standing where the helicopter landed in Jurassic Park. Also the shortest day of the three Kauai options, ending at 5:00 PM.
Included: round-trip flight, ground transport, guide, and lots of movie sites! Meals are not provided.
Price: from $550 per person. 5:30 AM to 5:00 PM.
Road to Hana Adventure (Maui)
The tour: The Road to Hana, with the driving handled for you. Waterfalls, rainforest, black sand, and the 600-plus curves.
Best for: anyone who gets carsick, anyone who doesn’t want to spend the day white-knuckling a rental, and anyone who’s read enough about the Hana drive to be slightly nervous. This is the tour on the list where the guided version is most obviously better than DIY.
Included: round-trip flight to Kahului, ground transport, a guide, all the best Road to Hana stops, and a light breakfast and lunch at an organic farm.
Price: from $550 per person. 5:00 AM to 8:30 PM, the longest day in the lineup.
Note for DIY Travelers: We share our favorite Road to Hana Tours here. A private tour will pick up and drop off at Kahului Airport.
Best of Maui: Sips, Sites & Bites (Maui)
The tour: A food-and-drink day on Maui, paired with the scenery. Tastings and stops rather than one big drive.
Best for: couples, adults traveling without kids, and anyone who has already seen the postcard sights and wants a day built around eating and drinking well.
Included: round-trip flight, ground transport, guide, tastings. This tour takes you to the famous Hali’imaile General Store for lunch, then to distillery tastings afterward.
Price: from $575 per person, slightly above the standard rate. 5:00 AM to 7:00 PM.
If You’re Staying on Maui, Kona, or Kauai
All three of these go to Oahu for Pearl Harbor. It’s the one sight that consistently makes people fly islands for a day.
The Pearl Harbor tours from Kona, Maui, and Kauai include the following stops in Pearl Harbor, all part of the Polynesian Adventures’ Deluxe Tours.
- USS Arizona Memorial is located directly above the USS Arizona battleship that was sunk during the attack on December 7, 1941. The ship is the final resting place of many of the 1,177 officers and crewmen who were lost, and a powerful reminder of those who gave their lives for their country.
- USS Missouri Battleship, where you’ll walk in the footsteps of General Douglas MacArthur, Admiral Chester Nimitz, and officers of the Allied Powers in 1945, when the instruments of surrender were signed on the ship, signaling the end of WWII.
- “Mighty Mo” fought in WWII, the Korean War, and Desert Storm in the Persian Gulf, supporting the cause of freedom.
USS Bowfin Submarine, also known as the “Pearl Harbor Avenger”, played an epic role in the battles of the Pacific. You’ll walk through the remarkable vessel docked in the harbor. - The Pearl Harbor Aviation Museum (PHAM), housed in two WWI hangars and bearing bullet holes from the December 7, 1941 attack, spans 105,000 square feet. An impressive array of wartime aircraft is displayed, including an authentic Japanese Zero, the type used in the attack.
- Pearl Harbor Visitor Center, you’ll view actual film footage of the attack, view historic displays, and gain firsthand insight into WWII in the Pacific and beyond. You’ll see several galleries displaying artifacts, photos, and dramatic evidence of the surprise attack.
- Pearl Harbor admissions, and lunch in the hangar at PHAM.
If you’re not looking to spend the whole day at Pearl Harbor, or just want to explore more options, read all about visiting Pearl Harbor on your own or check out our other Pearl Harbor tour recommendations!
Pearl Harbor Deluxe from Maui
The tour: Fly to Honolulu for the USS Arizona Memorial and the Pearl Harbor historic sites, with a guided Honolulu component.
Best for: anyone staying on Maui for whom Pearl Harbor is non-negotiable but a second Oahu hotel stay isn’t. This is the tour we’ve done.
Included: round-trip flight from Kahului, ground transport, guide, meals.
Price: from $550 per person. 6:00 AM to 8:15 PM.
This is the tour we went on! Our highlight was having so much time to explore the historical parks at Pearl Harbor. The USS Arizona was sombering, and the museums were enlightening.
Pearl Harbor Deluxe from Kona
The tour: The same Pearl Harbor day, departing from Kona on the Big Island.
Best for: Big Island visitors staying on the Kona side. Note: This leaves from Kona, not Hilo, so if you’re staying in Hilo or Volcano, you’ve got a long drive before a 6:00 AM flight.
Included: round-trip flight from Kona, ground transport, guide, Pearl Harbor admissions, meals.
Price: from $550 per person. 6:00 AM to 8:15 PM.
WWII Deluxe Pearl Harbor from Kauai
The tour: The Pearl Harbor day from Lihue, with a WWII-focused itinerary. All the best Pearl Harbor Historical Sites.
Best for: Kauai visitors and history-focused travelers who want more than the Arizona Memorial alone.
Included: round-trip flight from Lihue, ground transport, guide, admissions, meals.
Price: from $550 per person. 5:45 AM to 8:15 PM.
Which Hawaii Inter-Island Tour Should You Book?
- Most dramatic landscape: Volcano Adventure from Oahu
- Best splurge: Helicopter & Volcano Adventure
- Best for families with teens: Kauai Highlights & Movie Sites
- Best if you hate driving: Road to Hana Adventure
- Best for couples: Best of Maui: Sips, Sites & Bites
- Best for history: any of the three Pearl Harbor tours
- Shortest day: Kauai Highlights & Movie Sites, back by 5:00 PM
- Longest day: Road to Hana, 5:00 AM to 8:30 PM
What to Know Before You Book
These are long days. The shortest is 11.5 hours. Most run thirteen to sixteen. Don’t schedule one the day you land or the day you fly home, and don’t book dinner on the other end.
You get yourself to the airport. Every other piece of transport is handled, but the first and last leg is on you. Factor in parking or a 4:30 a.m. ride.
Check-in is early. A 5:00 AM tour start means a genuinely early alarm. See our rental car page if you’re driving yourself to the airport and need to sort parking.
Bring a layer. Volcanoes National Park and Koke’e both sit at elevation and run much cooler than the beach. See our Hawaii packing list.
Book ahead. These run on set schedules with limited seats, and the Pearl Harbor departures in particular fill in peak season. The cancellation policy for all of these tours is 168 hours’ notice required for a full refund; no-shows incur a full charge.
Hawaii Inter-Island Day Tours FAQ
What’s the cancellation policy?
168 HOURS’ NOTICE OF CANCELLATION before airport meeting time for 1-day tours is required for a full refund; no-shows will incur a full charge.
Can I just island hop on my own?
Yes, and plenty of people should. Inter-island flights are short and frequent. The tradeoff is that you’re booking the flight, renting a car, navigating, and managing your own return timing. Our Hawaii island hopping guide covers the DIY version in full.
Are flights included?
Yes. Every tour includes round-trip inter-island airfare and all ground transportation on the far island.
How do I get to the airport?
That part is on you. It’s the one piece not included, so plan for parking or a ride at a very early hour. Driving your rental car is the frequent solution. You can park for the day at the local airport. Daily airport parking is $29 a day at Honolulu Airport.
How long are these tours?
Between roughly 11.5 and 16 hours door to door. The shortest is the Kauai Highlights & Movie Sites tour, back by 5:00 PM. The longest is the Road to Hana Adventure at 5:00 AM to 8:30 PM. Flights leave every 30 to 60 minutes, which adds variability to the total tour duration.
Which islands can I visit for the day?
From Oahu, you can day trip to the Big Island (Hilo), Kauai, or Maui. From Maui, Kona, or Kauai, you can day trip to Oahu for Pearl Harbor.
Is there a Pearl Harbor tour from Maui?
Yes, the Pearl Harbor Deluxe departs Kahului Airport (Maui’s main airport) at 6:00 AM and returns by 8:15 PM, from $550 per person, including the flight.
Is there a Pearl Harbor tour from Kona?
Yes, departing Kona at 6:00 AM. Note: It leaves from the Kona side, so factor in the drive if you’re staying in Hilo or Volcano.
Is there a Pearl Harbor tour from Kauai?
Yes, the WWII Deluxe Pearl Harbor tour departs Lihue at 5:45 AM.
How much do Hawaii inter-island tours cost?
From $550 per person for nine of the ten tours. The Best of Maui food tour starts at $575, and the Helicopter & Volcano Adventure starts at $805.
Are these good for kids?
These are long days out and an extreme travel day. If your kids are great at traveling, these island-hopping tours are a great family adventure. If airplanes and local guided tours aren’t their thing, then consider doing a different experience.
Planning the Rest of Your Trip
Doing it yourself instead? Start with our Hawaii island hopping guide.
Island guides: Oahu, Maui, Kauai, Big Island.
Browse all our Hawaii tours and activities, or skip the planning with one of our Hawaii itineraries.
About Polynesian Adventure
Polynesian Adventure Tours, a family-owned and locally operated company, was founded in 1977 by Bob George and Don Brown, starting with a small fleet of vans. Over 45+ years, they have earned a stellar reputation for an unwavering commitment to operational excellence, exceptional driver-guides, modern, comfortable vehicles, and a genuine “Spirit of Aloha” that greets every traveler.
Today, Polynesian Adventure Tours stands as a highly respected operator of sightseeing tours across the four main Hawaiian islands.
We are affiliate partners with Polynesian Adventure, which means we receive a small commission for each completed booking made through this site. This is done without any additional cost to you. You can read more about our affiliate policies here. Know that we only recommend tour operators that we know and trust. Your positive experience and your trust in us mean more than any affiliate commission. By booking tours through our website you help us to provide free information and videos to help you and other readers plan their perfect Hawaii vacation. Thank you so much for your support — you are amazing!
