Best coffee and volcanoes

Hi all. I'll be doing the Carnival Hawaiian cruise where we will visit Honolulu, Maui, Kauai, Kona, and Hilo.

Can anyone recommend a good tour of the volcanoes on any of the above islands? What about a good tour of the coffee plantations on Kona?

Thanks!!

The only "active" volcano is on the Big Island....Maui has Haleakala....it's been dormant forever, but they have sunrise and sunset tours, or you can go anytime. Bring WARM clothes! It's about 20 F. there!!!!! Cold and windy!

As far as coffee...google it...a couple places pop up!

I can personally recommend Mary Lou's Big Island Tours on Hawaii. They operate tours both at Hilo and Kona. Each includes coffee tours and Hilo includes Volcanoes National Park. If you have a group of 6 or more, you can book a private tour that they will tailor to your wants. We booked with them in January and are booked again next January. [emoji106][emoji106][emoji106]

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I can personally recommend Mary Lou's Big Island Tours on Hawaii. They operate tours both at Hilo and Kona. Each includes coffee tours and Hilo includes Volcanoes National Park. If you have a group of 6 or more, you can book a private tour that they will tailor to your wants. We booked with them in January and are booked again next January. [emoji106][emoji106][emoji106]

 

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A big second for Mary Lou's Big Island Tours. Her son Kyle was already conducting tours along with Mary Lou and husband Ken ( each tour is @ 6 people and family conducted only ), now Kyle has his own company Island Wide Tours and we used him in Kona, but we actually booked it with Mary Lou, so they still work closely together as needed based on demand and whether Hilo or Kona. Their website will give a long list of possibilities. Email them with interests and they will let you know if it is possible. So semi customizable even if you do not pay for a "private tour". Book very early.

In Hilo, we got a tour of the VNP, Thurston Lava Tube, Rainbow Falls, a stop at an orchid warehouse, a huge Mac nut store, a black sand turtle beach and a coffee "processor". The coffee processor was interesting, included tastimgs, but it was not a coffee plantation. For that, you need to do the Kona tour with Kyle or possibly Mary Lou or Ken. Many have said it and I agree, it's like being toured by family.

In Kona, Kyle also offers a snorkel tour from two-step, a very popular site next to the National Park where you simply step off the rocky ledges, thus the name. He actually goes into the water with you, which is great if you are not a strong swimmer and are worried about currents, etc. We took the "land tour" which included the National Park, Captain Cook monument, went up into the mountains with gorgeous views, visited, I think it was Green's Plantation, which I loved! Fascinating to me. A beautiful little church high up, and a cafe stop for lunch. Also a honey bee operation owned by a very young woman where we watched her inside at the hives and then had a "tasting" of different varieties of honey based on the flower which was in season at the time it was made. I always assumed honey was honey, but just like wine, not so. Mac nut blossom was my favorite.

On Maui, I highly recommend a drive through "up country" in your own car, and then up to the Haleakala summit. Many pulls offs to see spectacular views. This is a "dormant" volcano, very lush and green.

A big second for Mary Lou's Big Island Tours. Her son Kyle was already conducting tours along with Mary Lou and husband Ken ( each tour is @ 6 people and family conducted only ), now Kyle has his own company Island Wide Tours and we used him in Kona, but we actually booked it with Mary Lou, so they still work closely together as needed based on demand and whether Hilo or Kona. Their website will give a long list of possibilities. Email them with interests and they will let you know if it is possible. So semi customizable even if you do not pay for a "private tour". Book very early.

 

In Hilo, we got a tour of the VNP, Thurston Lava Tube, Rainbow Falls, a stop at an orchid warehouse, a huge Mac nut store, a black sand turtle beach and a coffee "processor". The coffee processor was interesting, included tastimgs, but it was not a coffee plantation. For that, you need to do the Kona tour with Kyle or possibly Mary Lou or Ken. Many have said it and I agree, it's like being toured by family.

 

In Kona, Kyle also offers a snorkel tour from two-step, a very popular site next to the National Park where you simply step off the rocky ledges, thus the name. He actually goes into the water with you, which is great if you are not a strong swimmer and are worried about currents, etc. We took the "land tour" which included the National Park, Captain Cook monument, went up into the mountains with gorgeous views, visited, I think it was Green's Plantation, which I loved! Fascinating to me. A beautiful little church high up, and a cafe stop for lunch. Also a honey bee operation owned by a very young woman where we watched her inside at the hives and then had a "tasting" of different varieties of honey based on the flower which was in season at the time it was made. I always assumed honey was honey, but just like wine, not so. Mac nut blossom was my favorite.

 

On Maui, I highly recommend a drive through "up country" in your own car, and then up to the Haleakala summit. Many pulls offs to see spectacular views. This is a "dormant" volcano, very lush and green.

The coffee stop was probably Greenwell Farms. They offer free tours every day for tourists. It's in Kealakekua. Big Island Bees is most likely where you did the honey tasting. This setup, also past the church, is pretty standard for tour operators.

Our coffee stop was Greenwell farms. It completely ruined my husband...I am now ordering their 100%Kona decaf every 6 weeks. [emoji106]

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One of my favorite places on the big island (Hawaii) is the Thurston Lava Tube. I've been there twice, and find it very fascinating.