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Tour |
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12-Day |
Day 1 – MAINLAND/KONA
Depart home city on flight to the
topical region of Kona on the "Big Island" of Hawaii, where
our adventure begins. Upon arrival, greeted with a beautiful flower
lei (traditional island greeting) and transferred by our WWCT
representative to our hotel for a good night’s rest.
Day 2 – KONA/HILO/KONA
This morning begin full day
260-mile Grand Circle Island tour which includes viewing recent lava
flows, black sand beaches of Punaluu, macadamia nut farms, Kona
Coffee Hillsides, and the City of Refuge National Park, traveling up
the chain of Craters Road to view the wonders of the mighty
volcanoes, forests of giant fern trees, and steaming craters in
Hawaii Volcanoes National Park. Walk through the Thurston Lava Tube,
a 450-foot conduit which once carried molten lava, and see Kilauea
Crater, a two and one-half-mile by two-mile crater containing
Halemaumau Fire Pits and legendary home of Madame Pele, the Hawaiian
goddess of fire. See magnificent Liliuokalani Park, awesome Banyou
Drive, and breathtaking Rainbow Falls before returning to hotel in
Kona. As an option this evening, you may want to attend a traditional
Hawaiian luau & Polynesia Show, a feast complete with Kaulua pig,
Lomi-Lomi salmon and Poi—the wallpaper paste-like staple of the
Old Hawaiian diet, singing & traditional dances with all the
pageantry of the South Pacific.
Day 3 – KONA
A full day to explore Kona on our
own. Return to hotel for overnight.
Day 4 - KONA/MAUI
Transferred to the airport for our
flight to Maui, for a day exploring the "Valley Island".
Upon arrival in Maui, a stop at Maui Tropical Plantation including
tram ride & lunch before arriving hotel. Visitors are drawn to
Lahaina’s National Historic District, a picturesque 19th-century
seaport that was once the whaling capital of the world. Also popular
is a drive along the 55-mile road to the verdant hamlet of Hana, on
the eastern end of the island, which winds past waterfalls, lava
cliffs, and ocean vistas. To one side of Maui is the 5,788-foot
volcano Puu Kukui; on the other side is Haleakala, a 10,023-foot
dormant volcano. You don’t want to miss Haleakala National Park,
where you can drive to the rim of the Manhattan-sized crater to get a
glimpse of its multi-colored lunar landscape.
Day 5 – MAUI/KAUAI
Transfer to the airport for a brief
flight to Kauai "the Garden Isle" this morning, to enjoy
the Fern Grotto River Cruise, viewing subtropical vegetation and
legendary sites. See the festoon of growing ferns at the beautiful
Fern Grotto and listen to the Hawaiian Wedding Song—this is
truly one of the great wonders of these beautiful islands. Continue
to Waimea, where Captain Cook first came ashore and where the first
missionaries landed on Kauai in 1820; see Waimea Canyon, Grand Canyon
of the Pacific. Remainder of day is ours to explore Kauai on our own.
Other sites of interest are: the Temple of Refuge; Opaekaa Falls;
Hanapee Valley; Port Allen and the site of the Old Russian Fort;
Kalalau Lookout; Spouting Hom, Hawaii’s first sugar plantation;
lovely Olu Pua Gardens. Return to hotel for overnight.
Day 6 – KAUAI
A full day to explore Kauai at our
leisure. Return to hotel for overnight.
Day 7 – KAUAI/OAHU
Transfer to the airport for our
flight to Honolulu (15th largest city in the U.S.) on "the
Capital Island" of Oahu known as "the Gathering Place",
and transfer to our hotel near Waikiki Beach, with sightseeing
enroute. Balance of the day free to become familiar with our new surroundings.
Day 8 – HONOLULU
Time on our own until we embark our
Pearl Harbor cruise—view Ford Island, Hickman Airfield, hear a
vivid description of the sneak attack on December 7, 1941, that sent
the USS Arizona, USS Utah, and other battleships to the ocean bottom,
and view the memorial atop what remains of the USS Arizona. Enjoy a
marvelous view of Honolulu on the return cruise, with Diamond Head
and Oahu’s great volcanic mountain ranges. Return to hotel for overnight.
Day 9 – HONOLULU
This morning time to explore Oahu on our own. Maybe to take off for the North Shore to learn about pineapples, viewing some of Hawaii’s surfing beaches along the way. This afternoon we enjoy a drive to the Polynesian Cultural Center to see authentic reproductions of six different South Sea Islands (Samoan, Hawaiian, Maori, Tahitian, Fijian, and Tongon), and the Pageant of Long Canoes. Also, we’ll enjoy the Center’s dinner & show, taking in the best of Hawaii’s feasts and Polynesian shows, This Is Polynesia. Return to hotel for overnight.
Day 10 – HONOLULU
A morning walk down to Kapiolani
Park to see the beautiful and colorful Kodak Hula Show. Here you will
find authentic Hawaiian and Tahitian entertainment, have a great
opportunity to photograph the lovely hula dancers, and have a chance
to lean to hula. Remainder of day on your own&ldots;maybe to do some
shopping, sightseeing, beachcombing, or relaxing. Return to hotel for overnight.
Day 11 – HONOLULU/MAINLAND
Time to packup, relax, do some last
minute shopping or sightseeing, maybe to see some places you
haven’t had a chance to visit yet, before transferring to the
airport for our late afternoon flight back to the mainland, as the
gentle island breezes whisper aloha!
Day 12 – BACK HOME AGAIN
Continue in flight to home
cities—armed with photographs full of unforgettable memories of
delight in an exquisite island paradise and the vast hidden treasures
it holds.
TOUR
COST & DEPARTURE DATES:
Nov 7 '05, Feb 13 & Mar 14 '06
$2,999.00
Jul 10 '05
$2,799.00
(price is person, based on 15
paying passengers,
double occupancy; single
occupancy—add $750.00)
roundtrip air from most cities (for
some cities a supplement or reduction may apply)
Not Included:
air departure taxes & other
taxes not specified meals
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All Tours Escorted |