Big Island Circle Island Tour with Pickup from Royal Kona Resort
Pickup 8:00–8:15 am | about 10 hours door to door | $245 per person | Max 14 guests
With its unmistakable terraced silhouette rising over the south end of Kailua Bay, the Royal Kona is one of the town's landmarks — the kind of place where you fall asleep to surf hitting the seawall and wake up to outrigger canoes crossing the bay. From the Don the Beachcomber history to the saltwater lagoon, it's classic Kona through and through.
It's also perfectly placed for our Circle Island Tour. Pickup at the Royal Kona's porte cochère runs 8:00–8:15 am — the relaxed end of our morning, since Kailua-Kona sits directly on the route south. The night before, your guide calls to confirm your exact time.
What your day looks like from Aliʻi Drive
Minutes after pickup you're climbing out of town through the coffee belt, with Kailua Bay shrinking below. The morning works down the South Kona coast — expect around 90 minutes to two hours of touring, with stops, before Punaluʻu black sand beach — then into Hawaiʻi Volcanoes National Park, the day's headliner. The afternoon rolls through Hilo and up the Hamakua Coast to Akaka Falls before crossing the island home.
Ten hours after you left, you're back at the Royal Kona with time to claim a mai tai at the oceanfront bar — you'll have earned the sunset.
Included from the Royal Kona
The Full-Day Circle Island Tour is $245 per person, about 10 hours door to door, in a luxury Mercedes Sprinter van capped at 14 guests. Your fare includes the lunch stop, bottled water, snacks, and free pickup and drop-off at the resort. Plans change? Cancellation is free up to 24 hours out.
What's included
- Free hotel pickup and drop-off
- Lunch stop, bottled water, and snacks
- Volcanoes National Park, Akaka Falls, black sand beaches, and more
- Owner-led guiding in a luxury Mercedes Sprinter van (max 14 guests)
- Free cancellation up to 24 hours
Your guide phones the night before to confirm your exact pickup time. Staying outside our pickup corridors? Meet us at Queens' Marketplace on Waikoloa Beach Drive.
$245 per person — Book Now
Questions from guests at Royal Kona Resort
What time is pickup from the Royal Kona Resort?
Between 8:00 and 8:15 am at the main entrance. Kona-corridor hotels get the later window because the town sits right on the tour's route south — and your guide confirms the exact time by phone the evening before.
Is the tour too long for kids?
It's a full 10-hour day, but the rhythm helps: no single drive segment is very long, stops are frequent, and snacks and water are on board. Families with school-age kids do it regularly; bring entertainment for the road stretches.
Do we visit a black sand beach on this tour?
Yes — Punaluʻu, the island's most famous black sand beach, where Hawaiian green sea turtles often haul out to rest on the warm sand. It's one of the first major stops of the morning from Kona.
Can friends staying at a condo on Aliʻi Drive join our pickup?
If their condo isn't on our pickup list, the simplest option is to have them meet you at the Royal Kona a few minutes before your window, or at Queens' Marketplace in Waikoloa. Mention it when booking and we'll sort the details.