The Best Of Hawaii

Depart the UK on your chosen scheduled flight to San Francisco. Upon arrival, transfer independently to the Fairmont, located on prestigious Nob Hill, your base for the next two nights whilst you explore this wonderful city.

Your escorted tour does not begin until you arrive into Hawaii, so today you are free to explore this enchanting city. There are a myriad of attractions to enjoy, but be sure to visit the Golden Gate Bridge, Lombard Street, Alcatraz and Union Square. San Francisco boasts an eclectic mix of neighbourhoods, including Chinatown and Little Italy, so you are sure to find delectable cuisine to suit your palate. A visit to Fisherman’s Wharf allows you to peruse Pier 66 and taste the local seafood.

Today you make your own way back to San Francisco Airport for your chosen flight to Honolulu. Upon arrival, you’ll be transferred to The Royal Hawaiian which will provide your base for the next three nights. This evening enjoy a sumptuous dinner at Azure Restaurant.

Today your exploration begins! Visit the USS Arizona Memorial at Pearl Harbor, a tribute to the military personnel who lost their lives in the December 7, 1941 attack, called the ‘Day of Infamy’. Further Honolulu sightseeing includes a drive through Punchbowl Memorial Cemetery and historic Honolulu, where you’ll have views of Washington Place, the sumptuous state capitol building and other sites. Tonight, you’ll enjoy an exclusive evening – a private after-hours tour, welcome reception and dinner with entertainment at Iolani Palace, the opulent official residence of Hawaii’s former monarchy. Built in 1882, this National Historic Landmark reigns as the only official state residence of royalty in the United States.

Circle the windward side of Oahu this morning for a tour of its southeastern beaches, bays and birds, including the beach featured in the film ‘From Here To Eternity’. Back on Waikiki Beach, you’ll meet a beach boy who will advise on the water skills required for this coveted job; before hopping on board a traditional outrigger canoe to catch the waves for an exhilarating ride – a true highlightr!

Leaving Oahu, you’ll fly to Kona on Big Island, Hawaii. This island is home to Mauna Loa and Kilauea, two of the world’s most active and accessible volcanoes; the gentleness of their eruptions allows visits to the edges of their active vents. In 1866, when Mark Twain saw the sizzling lava of Kilauea, he wrote, ‘Here was room for the imagination to work!’ At Volcanoes National Park, you’ll drive across the Kilauea Caldera (crater), where views vary from desert to lush tropical rainforest to alpine tundra. UNESCO named the park an International Biosphere Reserve because of its outstanding scenic and scientific values. The park protects a wide diversity of ecosystems and habitat for native Hawaiian plants and animals; it is also rich in cultural and historic sites. Your day ends at your resort on the Kohala Coast in the area once known as Kalahuipua’a, the birthplace of King Kamehameha I, who unified the Hawaiian Islands in the early 19th century. The area is crisscrossed by early Hawaiian footpaths, royal fishponds and lava formations.

Spend the day doing whatever interests you most on the Big Island of Hawaii. You can set off on an optional two-hour helicopter excursion for a thrilling view of Kilauea’s fiery lava vents and the Big Island’s coastal rainforests (available at an additional cost). Or you can indulge in other optional activities offered by your resort. You’ll join a catamaran sail along the Kohala Coast as the sun sets on another perfect day.

To get the day started just right, you’ll head to a Kona coffee plantation and living history farm. Kona coffee is prized the world over; see how a typical coffee farming family of the early 20th century lived and worked, and learn the secrets of cultivating the bean, from the coffee tree to the freshly brewed coffee cup. Later, visit the Painted Church overlooking Kealakekua Bay; built in 1899, this historic Roman Catholic church features extensive hand-painted scenes throughout its interior. Back at your Fairmont resort, have dinner tonight at your choice of restaurants.

Today you fly to the Garden Isle of Kauai, where the landscape is lush with orchids, hibiscus and plumeria. You’ll have lunch as you enjoy the scenic views of Hanalei Bay in Princeville before setting off to take in a multitude of natural wonders around the island. Pass through the Tunnel of Trees – formed by walls of eucalyptus trees towering above the road – and see Spouting Horn, a fascinating volcanic blowhole, en route to your beachfront resort.

Start your day with an optional 45 minute helicopter flightseeing adventure (additional cost) over the rainforests and mountains of the lush ‘Garden Isle’. Then the day is yours to enjoy as you wish. You may want to swim, snorkel, sunbathe, spot the island’s abundant marine life from monk seals to green sea turtles, or simply enjoy all your resort has to offer. Your afternoon includes an informative interpretive lecture on the ecology of the Hawaiian Archipelago before dining à la carte at your hotel.

On your eleventh day you fly to Maui, named for an ancient god. Travel through the mist-shrouded Iao Valley to see the famed Iao Needle, then past sugar cane fields to the historic port of Lahaina, an old whaling center and former island capital. Following some time on your own to explore Lahaina as you please, it’s off to the The Fairmont Kea Lanai, your beachfront resort home for the next three nights, set on the Wailea Coast.

You’ll be free to spend the early morning hours indulging at the resort before discovering the secrets of island cuisine. Maui chefs take delight in the abundance of locally raised beef, tropical fruits and vegetables grown in fertile volcanic soil, and fresh fish – often preparing them with a fusion of Asian, Californian and Hawaiian flavors. You’re invited for a look behind the kitchens attracting Maui foodies during a hands-on gourmet cooking experience with chefs during lunch at a well-known local restaurant. The remainder of the day is yours to explore or relax as you please on this island known for wildlife-rich waters and perfumed gardens.

Today, you’re taken to the 10,023-foot-high rim of Mount Haleakala (meaning ‘house of the sun’), the world’s largest dormant volcano and a UNESCO Biosphere Reserve. The crater is more than seven miles across, and hosts two endangered species, the nene (Hawaiian wild goose), and the silversword, a specially adapted plant. After enjoying extraordinary views from the mountaintop, learn about island agriculture as you descend through Maui’s upcountry farmland and return to your oceanfront resort for an afternoon spent as you wish. This evening, join your new friends for a farewell feast of authentic Hawaiian culture at a private luau.

Today you leave the Hawaiian Islands behind and travel independently on your chosen flight to Los Angeles. Your base for the next two nights is Mr. C Beverly Hills, which holds a great location for exploring the delights of this renowned city.

We’ve allowed a full day for you to discover ‘The City of Angels’. You may choose to hit the tourist trail and visit Hollywood’s Walk of Fame, Rodeo Drive or the Hollywood sign. Alternatively, you could try the beaches of Santa Monica, Huntington and Venice, all offering a very different atmosphere than those you’ve enjoyed in Hawaii. Whatever you choose, you are sure to sample some wonderful food and experience the relaxed California lifestyle.

Perhaps enjoy some last minute sunshine or souvenir shopping, before returning to Los Angeles Airport for your flight back to the UK.