Self-Launched Best of Kauai & the Big Island
7 days · Hawaii (Kauai & Big Island)
G Adventures charges £2,450
No-markup version: ~£880 per person
Estimate only, not a guaranteed price. Always verify costs independently before booking.
A 7-day self-launched island-hop through Kauai and Hawaii's Big Island: Waimea Canyon and the Na Pali Coast, 'Akaka and Kulaniapia Falls, black-sand beaches and Volcanoes National Park, then manta rays and coastal swims in Kona. This is a DIY version of G Adventures' NUKB trip — you book your own inter-island flight, hop on the Kauai and Hele-On buses or a cheap rental car, and join local day tours for the canyon and volcano. Hawaii is not a shoestring destination (beds and food are US-mainland-plus prices for a fraction of the size), so expect roughly £110–130/day at hostel/guesthouse level rather than Southeast Asia numbers. Estimated costs only — book early, especially for summer dates.
Day-by-day
Arrive Kapa'a, Kauai
Kapa'a, Kauai
Fly into Lihue Airport (LIH) and make your own way to Kapa'a — the local Kauai Bus #200 runs roughly hourly on weekdays for $2 (about £1.60), or a taxi/Uber is ~$25–30 (£20–24). Check into a hostel or budget guesthouse in Kapa'a, a laid-back east-coast town with a good supermarket and food trucks. Pick up a HI state parks pass mentality early: many trailheads and beach parks have parking and entry fees. In the evening, grab fish tacos and watch the sunset at Kealia Beach or walk the coastal path.
🚌Local bus from LIH ~£1.60, or rideshare ~£22
🛏Hostel or budget guesthouse in Kapa'a (dorm ~£45–55/night, private room from ~£85)
- →Kauai Bus #200 Lihue to Kapa'a
- →Sunset walk on Kealia Beach / Kapa'a coastal path
Waimea Canyon & Kalalau Valley viewpoints
Waimea Canyon State Park, Kauai
The canyon is the highlight of Kauai and there's no need for a private guide. Rent a compact car for 24h (~£45–55 incl. basic insurance) — it's the only practical way to cover the canyon and the west side in one day. Drive Highway 550 up to Waimea Canyon Overlook (~1h15 from Kapa'a) and continue to Pu'u o Kila Lookout, where on a clear morning you look straight down into Kalalau Valley and the Na Pali Coast. Walk a section of the Pihea Trail boardwalk for the best viewpoint access. Entry/parking fees apply at some state park lots (~$10/£8). Stop at Jo-Jo's or a Waimea food truck for shave ice and a plate lunch on the way back. Alternatively, a GetYourGuide day tour of Waimea Canyon runs ~£95–110 if you'd rather not drive.
🚌24h compact car rental ~£45–55 (or GetYourGuide canyon tour ~£100)
🛏Same Kapa'a hostel/guesthouse
- →Waimea Canyon Overlook
- →Pu'u o Kila / Kalalau Valley lookout
- →Pihea Trail boardwalk walk
Kapa'a to Hilo via 'Akaka Falls
Hilo, Big Island
Return the car, then fly Kauai to Hilo on Hawaiian Airlines or Southwest (~£60–90 one-way if booked ahead; Southwest is usually cheaper with a free checked bag — Hawaiian charges ~$25/£20 for a first bag). From Hilo Airport, take the Hele-On bus ($2/£1.60) into town or a short rideshare. Drop your bags at a Hilo hostel, then take Hele-On Route 40 north to 'Akaka Falls State Park (~$10 entry + $10 parking, ~£15 total, or walk in from the road) to see the 135m falls in the rainforest. If you have a rental car for the afternoon, Kulaniapia Falls (private farm, day pass ~$60/£48) is a lovely add-on for a swim. Otherwise stay in town and explore Hilo's bayfront and farmers market.
🚌Flight ~£75 + Hele-On bus ~£1.60 each way
🛏Hilo hostel or budget inn (~£40–55 dorm, private from ~£80)
- →Inter-island flight LIH–ITO
- →'Akaka Falls State Park loop trail
- →Hilo Bayfront & farmers market
Full free day in Hilo
Hilo, Big Island
Hilo's the wet, green side of the island and the adventure base for the east coast. Book a self-guided snorkel or dive at Richardson Ocean Park (free entry, turtles and reef fish just off the black-sand beach) or take a Klook/GetYourGuide Hilo snorkel tour (~£55–70). Ziplining over the rainforest at Umauma or Kapoho runs ~£90–110. A cheaper alternative: hike the free Kaumana Caves lava tube with a torch, or take Hele-On out to Rainbow Falls. In the evening, eat with locals at a Hilo plate-lunch spot — poke bowls, loco moco and malasadas are the ones to try.
🚌Hele-On bus ~£1.60, or shared rideshare to trailheads ~£8
🛏Same Hilo hostel/budget inn
- →Snorkel at Richardson Ocean Park (free)
- →Kaumana Caves lava tube hike (free)
- →Optional zipline ~£100
Hilo to Kailua-Kona via Volcanoes National Park
Hawaii Volcanoes National Park → Kailua-Kona
Take the Hele-On Route 1 bus from Hilo to Volcano Village (free, but check the timetable — it's limited) and enter Hawaii Volcanoes National Park on foot or via the park shuttle. Park entry is $30/£24 per vehicle or $15/£12 per person on foot/bike, valid 7 days. Walk the Crater Rim Trail, descend into the Thurston Lava Tube, and drive/hike out to the Kilauea Iki crater floor for the martian landscape. If you want to see the lava glow, plan an evening visit rather than a daytime one. Afterwards, continue to Kailua-Kona — either a Hele-On Route 1 connection or an intercity shuttle (~£10–15), a 2h drive. Check into a Kona hostel or budget hotel near Ali'i Drive.
🚌Hele-On bus ~free–£2 + onward shuttle ~£12
🛏Kona hostel or budget hotel (~£50–65 dorm, private from ~£95)
- →Hawaii Volcanoes National Park Crater Rim Trail
- →Thurston Lava Tube
- →Kilauea Iki crater hike
Kona: manta rays and coast time
Kailua-Kona, Big Island
Kona is the adventure capital of the Big Island. The signature experience is the evening manta ray snorkel — book direct or via GetYourGuide/Klook (~£95–115, operator boats leave from Honokohau Harbor) and you'll float above feeding mantas with a dive light. Cheaper daytime options: snorkel at Kahalu'u Beach Park (free, turtles and reef fish, rent gear ~£20), rent a kayak at Kealakekua Bay (~£30), or drive out to the black sand and sea turtles at Punalu'u. A seahorse farm tour runs ~£30. Finish with a sunset on Ali'i Drive and a final kalua pork plate or poke bowl.
🚌Local bus ~£1.60, rideshare to harbor ~£10
🛏Same Kona hostel/budget hotel
- →Manta ray night snorkel ~£105
- →Snorkel Kahalu'u Beach Park (free)
- →Kayak Kealakekua Bay (optional ~£30)
Depart Kailua-Kona
Kailua-Kona, Big Island
Check out and head to Kona International Airport (KOA) — Hele-On bus #2 runs to the airport for $2/£1.60, or a taxi/rideshare is ~£20. If you have a late flight, squeeze in a final morning swim at Magic Sands or Old Airport Beach Park. Flights back to the UK typically route via Honolulu or the US mainland — book as an open-jaw (LHR–LIH in, KOA–LHR out) to avoid backtracking.
🚌Hele-On bus ~£1.60 or rideshare ~£20
🛏—
- →Morning swim at Old Airport Beach Park
- →Hele-On bus to KOA airport
Self-launched vs. G Adventures
| This itinerary (self-launched) | G Adventures | |
|---|---|---|
| Price per person | ~£880 | £2,450 |
| Duration | 7 days | 7 days |
| Who books it | You and your group, direct | Tour operator, guided group |
| Savings | £1,570 per person (64%) | |
Estimate only, not a guaranteed price. Always verify costs independently before booking.
Want to see more G Adventures-style trips? Check them out here.~£880
estimated per person
You never pay Travel Crew for this — you pay hostels, transport, and activity providers directly, the same as if you'd booked it all yourself.
This publishes your dates so other travellers can find and join you — no tour operator needed.
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Frequently asked questions
How much does Self-Launched Best of Kauai & the Big Island cost?+
Doing it yourself with this self-launched itinerary costs an estimated £880 per person for 7 days in Hawaii (Kauai & Big Island). This is an AI-generated estimate based on typical budget-traveller prices — actual costs will vary by season and how you book.
Is this cheaper than booking with G Adventures?+
Yes — G Adventures charges around £2,450 per person for a similar tour. Doing the same route independently, using the same standard of accommodation and activities, costs an estimated £880 — a saving of roughly £1,570 (64%) per person.
How long is the Hawaii (Kauai & Big Island) trip?+
This itinerary runs 7 days, covering 7 day-by-day stops through Hawaii (Kauai & Big Island).
How do I join this trip?+
You can join an existing open departure using this itinerary if one is scheduled, or launch your own departure with your own dates and invite other travellers to join you — no tour operator required.
Isn't it easier to just use a tour operator?+
Well, yes, a tour operator will book all the individual parts of your travel for you and provide a guide. That's obvious, but doing this has the potential to save the group thousands, which can in turn improve your itinerary substantially or save you huge amounts of money. Also, when you launch a departure, Travel Crew has tools in place to help you book the individual sections of the trip or make it easier for you to do this as a group. Really, you do not need a middle man. If you are more comfortable paying more and using a middle man, then you should certainly do this.
Is it safer to book through a tour operator?+
Arguably, there isn't much difference. A self-launched trip runs on the same principle as a group travel crew: collective responsibility, everyone looking out for each other, the same way it would if a group of friends organised the trip themselves — because that's exactly what's happening. You should always take out travel insurance before you go, self-launched or not; that doesn't change either way. Every open departure is published publicly with real dates and a real trip organiser, so it's never an anonymous arrangement, and our support team is reachable any time you need help, including in an emergency while you're away. Longer-term, we're building direct relationships with ground DMCs in popular destinations, offered as an optional paid add-on for extra on-the-ground support. Ultimately, though, the group is responsible for its own conduct and safety on a self-launched trip, same as on any trip you plan yourself.
What kind of trip is this?+
This is a adventure, beaches, hiking trip through Hawaii (Kauai & Big Island), self-launched rather than run by a tour operator — you organise it with a group you find or bring yourself.
Would you like to name the operator, name the trip, or have any suggestions about how to improve this itinerary?
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