6 Best Oahu Circle Island Tours: What to Expect & Which One to Choose

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Ditch the need for a rental car by going on one of the best Oahu circle island tours! Take in the best stops on the island with a local guide who does the driving, talks story, and is your private photographer.

While we enjoy making Hawaii island itineraries and sharing them with you, we would be doing you wrong by not recommending an Oahu circle island tour.

Here are our reasons for doing an Oahu circle island tour during your visit:

1. Pick the Oahu circle island tour right for you! Large group, private, adventure, small group, Pearl Harbor included, etc.
2. They are a great way to see the whole island in one day and then go back to your favorite part of the island.
3. Let a local guide share their island knowledge, history, and stories. Plus, they will know the best stops based on the weather.
4. Skip a rental car on Oahu and those $50-a-night parking fees by exploring the island with a circle island tour.
5. Do the tour on your first day. You will have a better understanding of the island’s geography, where to go back, and the history of the island.
6. A photographer is included! Your guide is also your photographer to help capture those Hawaii memories

When it comes to guided tours, Oahu circle island tours are your one-stop shop for the North Shore and sights like Diamond Head and Makapu’u Lighthouse! You’ll get to see some of the best of the Gathering Place without the hassle of planning and driving, which is also great if you’re short on time. 

Ready to explore the best of Oahu? Join one of these Oahu circle island tours and get to adventuring!  Our quick list is below!

Here are the best Oahu circle island tours (in our opinion):
1. Sights and Bites Circle Island Tour will take you to the best of Oahu while you eat at classic Oahu spots!
2. Are you looking for an adventure tour? Take a private tour that you can customize with hiking, waterfall swims, snorkeling, and more!
3. A private tour of Oahu with a Pearl Harbor as an optional stop, plus lunch is included.
4. Are you staying in Ko Olina in West Oahu? This tour will pick you up at your Ko Olina resort (Disney’s Aulani, Four Seasons, Marriott, etc)
5. 4 to 8 passenger group tours (or private) with an expert guide: Ultimate Circle Island or Combo: Pearl Harbor & Circle Island
6. Pineapple Express is a small group tour (13 people) without the private tour price

When you book an Oahu circle island tour on our website, you are getting the best price, and you are booking directly with the local tour company.

Cruise Ship Passengers! Save money by booking direct with local guides. These circle island tours are a great option for you. See our curated list of the Best Excursions for Pride of America Passengers.

Exclusive Pride of America Oahu Circle Island Tour: Let this local tour operator pick you up after your cruise on Saturday morning in Honolulu. They will securely store your luggage, show you all of Oahu for 8-9 hours, and then drop you off at the airport or your hotel in Waikiki.

By booking here, you are helping us provide more quality reviews. Mahalo!

The Best Oahu Circle Island Tours

Full disclosure: we have been on some of these circle-island tours, but not all. We have thoroughly researched all of these tour companies and gotten feedback from our newsletter community.

We are confident you will enjoy these Oahu circle island tours as we looked at the following characteristics:

• Value: a quality tour at a good price
• The best online reviews and comments
• They have the best Oahu stops and activities
• Their local guides are knowledgeable, fun, and professional
• They have quality and comfortable vehicles

Watch our experience on our favorite Oahu circle island tour below to help you better understand what to expect on your day around the island.

1. Sights and Bites Circle Island Tour

Hop on this 8-hour scenic drive around Oahu with the bonus of great local food (grindz). Here are the highlights of the food and sights!

• Diamond Head Lookout and Poi Donuts
• Halona “Blowhole” Lookout
• Nuuanu Pali Lookout
• Macadamia Nut Farm visit
• Lunch at a Shrimp Truck
• Puaʻena Point turtle spotting
• Dole Pineapple Plantation

All ages are welcome, with discounts for ages 4 to 11, and lap infants (ages 0 to 3) can ride for free!

Wheelchair-accessible with 48-hour advance notice.

This tour includes round-trip transportation; they’ll pick you up from your Waikiki hotel. Note: this tour departs only from Waikiki.

Tips: Wear reef-safe sunscreen and bring cash for souvenirs and food.

Best Oahu Private Tours

A private tour of Oahu is a special treat! We love customizing our itinerary and having the flexibility of a private guide for the day. This is one of those times when splurging is well worth it!

Some of the best parts of a private tour is that you get to pick exactly what you want to see and do (or they’ll choose for you), you’ll be picked up right at your accommodation, and you have your tour guide all to yourself for any burning questions. 

Here are two of our favorite companies for private tours of Oahu.

2. Mahina Hawaii Adventure Tours: Private

Mahina Hawaii offers completely private 8-hour tours of Oahu, allowing you to choose between a full Circle Island Tour and a more focused experience in a specific area. The entire tour is tailored to what your group wants to see, and locations are chosen based on both your preferences and current weather conditions. 

Although the itinerary is fully customizable, options include snorkeling, hiking to waterfalls, cliff jumping, local food tastings, and traditional sightseeing at destinations such as the Byodo-in Temple. Because this tour is just for you and your group, you can stop anywhere along the way, whether it is planned or spur of the moment.

Your private guide, transportation, snacks, water, snorkel equipment, and GoPro photos and videos are all included. Although lunch isn’t provided, they have many delicious recommendations along the way.

If you have more than 7 in your group, you’ll need to let them know when you book the tour. They can get more vans and local guides to fit your group size. 

We went out with them on one of our Oahu trips and had a blast!

3. Private with a Pearl Harbor Add-On

Visit a tropical farm, parks, Pali Lookout, drive through North Shore towns, and make a treat stop at the Dole Plantation. What about lunch? They will take you to a great food truck on the North Shore (included in the price!). Let a guide do the driving as you experience much of what Oahu has to offer.

Oahu Private Circle Island Tour Highlights

• 8 to 10 hour duration, approximately 7:30 to 5:30 (pickup times will vary)
• 85-mile tour of the island (guide may change the route based on weather and traffic)
• Sites include downtown Honolulu’s historic sites, Pali Lookout, Dole Plantation, Haleiwa Town (with lunch included in the price), Sunset Beach, local fruit stands, Kualoa Beach Park, a Macadamia Nut Farm, and more, with plenty of drive-by sites you won’t want to miss.
• Optional Pearl Harbor add-on stop
• Honolulu hotel pickup
• Expert guide and driver in an A/C, modern shuttle van
• All ages welcome!
• Bonus! Pride of America cruise ship passengers can book an Oahu Circle Island tour that holds their luggage and drops them off at HNL Airport or their hotel in Waikiki. The tour departs on Saturday upon the ship’s arrival in Honolulu. Learn more and book here.

4. Best Oahu Circle Island Tour from Ko Olina

Most group tours on Oahu leave from Waikiki. If you’re staying in Ko Olina Resort (Disney’s Aulani, Marriott, Four Seasons), E Noa is your best option! Offering a 9-hour, group circle island tour for up to 25 guests, this group size feels a little less “big box” than the large tours and allows for plenty of time to truly experience all of the wonderful Oahu highlights along the way. 

You’ll avoid Honolulu traffic, stopping at sights like Nu’uanu Pali Lookout, Byodo-In Temple, Tropical Farms for macadamia nut cultivation, Waimea Valley, and end at the Dole Plantation.

Lunch and all of your admission fees are included in the price which makes this a great value. You’ll also be riding in style in a mini-bus with A/C and pick up and drop off from your hotel. Don’t forget to bring along your bathing suit and comfortable walking shoes.

Reminder, this tour departs from Ko Olina on the west side of Oahu.

Undecided about where to stay?
Which Part of Oahu Should You Stay: Waikiki or Ko Olina or North Shore
Where to Stay on Oahu: the Best Locations and Hotels
Hawaii Hotel vs Airbnb: How to Decide What’s Best For Your Hawaii Vacation

Best Small Group Oahu Circle Island Tours

Small group tours at a reasonable price, see which one is best for you!

5. Ultimate Circle Island, or Circle Island with Pearl Harbor Combo

I couldn’t decide which of their Oahu circle island tours to include, so here are both of them! One tour is a full tour of Oahu (an 85-mile tour of the island).

The other also tacks on 2 hours to start the day at Hawaii’s most visited attraction — Pearl Harbor

Both tours feature the following highlights. Click the buttons below to learn more about each option.

• Duration: 8-9 hours (or 10-11 hours with Pearl Harbor)
• Starts between 7:30 and 8:15 am daily (or 6:30-7:15 am with Pearl Harbor), depending on pickup location
• Small Group Tour: 4-8 guests maximum for a small, intimate tour
• Free pickups from virtually all lodgings in Waikiki / Honolulu. The most common lodgings can be selected from the drop-down list at checkout.
• All ages are welcome
• More details on the tour and all the stops are at the booking button below

6. Pineapple Express Tour

Pineapple Express’s small group circle island tour is the perfect option for those who want a more intimate experience without the private tour sticker shock.

Not only will you have plenty of time to stop and truly experience each place but your guide will be more readily available for questions and to drop some knowledge.

You’ll travel around Oahu with up to just 13 other vacationers on this 9-hour journey. Just some of your stops along the way are popular sights like Diamond Head State Monument, Byodo-In Temple, Makapu’u Point, Haleiwa Town Center, Dole Plantation, and North Shore Macadamia Nut Company. You’ll also stop at a few places that some of the other tours don’t, such as Secret Turtle Beach and the Halona Blowhole.

Transportation to and from your hotel, water, snorkeling equipment, and Dole Whip are all included and all ages are welcome. You’re also gifted a Hawaiian pineapple at the end! How awesome is that? 

Don’t forget to bring your bathing suit, comfy walking shoes, and reef-safe sunscreen!

Thinking of staying on the North Shore?
The Best North Shore Oahu Hotels and Vacation Rentals
21 Amazing Things to Do on Oahu’s North Shore
A Local Resident’s 10 Free Things To Do on North Shore Oahu

What to Expect on an Oahu Circle Island Tour

Oahu Circle Island Tour Itinerary (Sample)

Wondering what you’ll see on an Oahu Circle Island Tour? Here’s an idea of what you can expect… 

• Tours typically start in Honolulu and head east in a counter-clockwise direction around the island. 
• First stops are often Diamond Head Crater and Makapu’u Point, continuing north to Byodo-In Temple and one of the macadamia nut farms (yum!). 
• You’ll then explore the North Shore including the town of Haleiwa and Waimea Valley. 
• Most tours finish up at the Dole Plantation for a sweet treat on your way back to Honolulu.

We highly recommend saving Pearl Harbor for a day of its own. Circle island tours that include a stop at Pearl Harbor are exceptionally long and it takes up a good chunk of the day that could be spent seeing other sights on Oahu.

We have a separate list of Pearl Harbor Tours if you’re interested in a guided option or you can easily visit on your own.

How long is an Oahu circle island tour?

Plan to be gone for an entire day on one of Oahu’s circle island tours. Most options range anywhere from 8 to 10 hours in total, with the majority of tours taking around 9 hours on average. Tours typically pick you up from (or near) your hotel early in the morning and drop you off just in time for dinner.

What is the best way to tour Oahu?

Hopping on a circle island guided tour is one of the best ways to see Oahu. These tours include most of the famous sites on the island, so you can tick off a bunch of different activities in one go. You’ll also have the added benefit of a professional guide, who can give you background on local history and culture, and you won’t have to worry about any planning.  

If you’re thinking about DIYing the same route with a rental car, we highly recommend following our Oahu itinerary! Keep in mind that renting a car can be a little bit of a hassle and comes with some “hidden” fees like overnight parking at your hotel.

What is the most scenic part of Oahu?

We couldn’t give the award for the most scenic part of Oahu to just one place. The whole island is very beautiful! 

Our two favorites for scenery on the island are the North Shore and Windward Oahu. 

The North Shore is a must for its more down-to-earth, local vibes and lush scenery. Winter brings big waves and surfing competitions that are exciting to see. A visit in summer means you can enjoy the stunning beaches from both the sand and the water. 

Windward Oahu has a truly stunning stretch of coastline between Kualoa and Kailua. The Ho’omaluhia Botanical Garden also makes for an incredible stop and is one of the most scenic spots we’ve found on Oahu. Picture 400 acres of gardens to explore with plants from around the world, all with the backdrop of Oahu’s jagged, Ko’olau Range.

Keep exploring:
Is There a Best Time to Visit Oahu? The 4 Best Months
40 Things to Do on Oahu, Hawaii (we will surprise you!)
10 Best Beaches on Oahu: Secluded, White Sand, Find It All
34 Great Things to Do in Honolulu (that are actually IN Honolulu)

If you love the idea of a circle island tour so you don’t have to worry about planning, then you are going to love our itineraries. The best beaches, restaurants, hotels, vacation rentals, tours, and fully planned excursion days are at your fingertips. Skip the countless hours of research and planning, leave it to us, and go have an amazing vacation!

we are very very pleased with the itinerary you have put together. Well worth the money as I think this would have taken days and days to research ourselves. 

You two do a great job putting this together and it’s much appreciated.

Robert K.