Grand Hawaii Island-Hopping: Self-Launched Four-Island Adventure
13 days · Hawaii (Oahu, Big Island, Kauai & Maui)
Globus charges £4,900
No-markup version: ~£1,355 per person
Estimate only, not a guaranteed price. Always verify costs independently before booking.
A self-launched version of Globus's 13-day Grand Hawaii Vacation, covering the same four islands — Oahu, the Big Island, Kauai and Maui — but stitched together yourself using budget flights, local buses, hostels and self-bookable tours. You'll still hit Pearl Harbor, Hawaii Volcanoes National Park, a Kona luau, Waimea Canyon, the Road to Hana and Maui's coastline, but you'll book each piece directly with airlines, GetYourGuide/Klook and local operators. Expect hostel or budget-hotel dorms/private rooms instead of resort hotels, public TheBus routes and shuttles instead of a coach, and self-guided hikes instead of a tour director. Costs are rough estimates for a solo backpacker travelling shoulder season and exclude your international flights to/from Hawaii.
Day-by-day
Arrive Honolulu, Waikiki orientation
Honolulu, Oahu
Land at Daniel K. Inouye International Airport (HNL) and take TheBus route 20 or 42 into Waikiki (~£2.50, or ~£3.50 for a HOLO day pass). Check into a hostel in Waikiki or a budget hotel a couple of blocks back from the beach. Spend the afternoon walking Waikiki Beach, grabbing a poke bowl from a local counter and stocking up on groceries at Foodland or Safeway. Pick up a HOLO card from an ABC Store or the airport for cheap bus travel all week.
🚌TheBus route 20/42 from HNL to Waikiki, ~£2.50
🛏Waikiki hostel dorm (e.g. budget hostel 2-3 blocks from the beach)
- →Waikiki Beach walk
- →Grocery run & HOLO card pickup
Pearl Harbor, Punchbowl & Historic Honolulu
Honolulu, Oahu
Do the same sights Globus covers, but self-guided. Book USS Arizona Memorial tickets free in advance on recreation.gov (released 8 weeks out, plus next-day walk-up slots — arrive early). Walk the Pearl Harbor Visitor Center and USS Bowfin/Pacific Fleet Submarine exhibits (small entry fee). Continue by TheBus route 2/13 to Punchbowl National Cemetery (free), then downtown for Chinatown, Hawaii State Capitol, ʻIolani Palace (gardens free, interior tour ~£20 if you want it) and the Kamehameha statue. Evening back in Waikiki.
🚌TheBus day pass ~£3.50
🛏Waikiki hostel dorm
- →USS Arizona Memorial & Pearl Harbor visitor centre
- →Punchbowl National Cemetery
- →Chinatown & ʻIolani Palace walk
- →Kamehameha the Great statue
Diamond Head hike & Polynesian Cultural Center
Honolulu, Oahu
Early hike up Diamond Head crater (reservation required via gostateparks.hawaii.gov, ~£4 entry) for sunrise views over Waikiki — a bus ride plus 30-minute climb. Afternoon and evening: take TheBus 55 to the Polynesian Cultural Center in Laie and book a day pass or the Aliʻi Luau package directly (~£55-90) for island villages, crafts, music and the evening show — the same optional excursion Globus sells. Cheaper alternative: sunset picnic at Ala Moana or a budget Waikiki catamaran sail (~£30).
🚌TheBus route 55 to Laie, ~£6 round trip
🛏Waikiki hostel dorm
- →Diamond Head sunrise hike
- →Polynesian Cultural Center villages & evening show
Fly to Kona & Hawaii Volcanoes National Park
Kailua-Kona / Volcano, Big Island
Book a morning Hawaiian Airlines or Southwest inter-island flight HNL-KOA (~£45-65 if booked a month or two ahead). Pick up the cheapest rental car share or catch the Hele-On bus/shuttle to Volcano (Hele-On is ~£2 but infrequent — check times). Enter Hawaii Volcanoes National Park (~£25 per vehicle / or hike-in & shuttle options), walk the Kīlauea overlooks, Crater Rim Trail and Thurston Lava Tube, and look for glow after dark if lava is active. Base yourself in a Volcano or Kona hostel.
🚌HNL-KOA flight ~£55; shared car or Hele-On bus ~£10
🛏Kona or Volcano hostel dorm
- →Hawaii Volcanoes National Park entry
- →Kīlauea overlooks & Crater Rim Trail
- →Thurston Lava Tube
Kona coffee farm & luau night
Kailua-Kona, Big Island
Self-drive or bus to a Kona coffee farm — several small farms offer free or cheap self-guided tastings and tours (Greenwell Farms is free). Spend the afternoon snorkelling at Kahaluʻu Beach Park (free, rentals ~£10) or relaxing on Aliʻi Drive. In the evening book a luau directly online (Island Breeze Luau or Voyagers of the Pacific at the Royal Kona, ~£85-110) for Hawaiian food, hula lessons and Polynesian performance — equivalent to Globus's Feast & Fire Luau.
🚌Local bus or shared rental car ~£10
🛏Kona hostel dorm
- →Kona coffee farm tasting
- →Kahaluʻu Beach snorkelling
- →Luau dinner & Polynesian show
Kealakekua Bay snorkel day
Kailua-Kona, Big Island
Book a Kealakekua Bay snorkel cruise via GetYourGuide or Klook (~£90-110) for dolphins, spinner fish and the Captain Cook Monument reef — the same optional excursion on the Globus itinerary. Budget alternative: hike the Kaʻawaloa Trail down to the monument (~£0, steep 4km return) or kayak across the bay with a rental (~£35). Evening: cheap plate lunch in Kona town.
🚌Local bus ~£5
🛏Kona hostel dorm
- →Kealakekua Bay snorkel cruise or Kaʻawaloa Trail hike
Fly to Kauai: Kilohana & ʻŌpaekaʻa Falls
Līhuʻe / Kapaʻa, Kauai
Morning flight KOA-LIH (~£55-70). Kauai buses are thin — consider a shared Kauai Bus route or a cheap rental car (splitting costs with hostel mates). Visit Kilohana Plantation for the narrated plantation railway (~£20) and lunch at the plantation's casual counter, then drive/bus to ʻŌpaekaʻa Falls viewpoint (free) and Wailua Falls. Check into a Kapaʻa or Līhuʻe hostel.
🚌KOA-LIH flight ~£60; Kauai Bus or shared car ~£15
🛏Kapaʻa hostel dorm
- →Kilohana Plantation train ride
- →ʻŌpaekaʻa Falls & Wailua Falls viewpoints
Waimea Canyon & Spouting Horn
Waimea / Poʻipū, Kauai
Full-day self-drive (or join a shared shuttle tour if car-free) to Waimea Canyon — the 'Grand Canyon of the Pacific' — with stops at the main lookouts and short hikes like the Canyon Trail. Continue to Hanapepe Valley for the swinging bridge and galleries, then Spouting Horn blowhole near Poʻipū for sunset. Book a shared Waimea Canyon shuttle tour via GetYourGuide (~£95) if you don't want to drive.
🚌Shared rental car ~£20 or GetYourGuide shuttle tour ~£95
🛏Kapaʻa hostel dorm
- →Waimea Canyon lookouts & Canyon Trail
- →Hanapepe Valley & swinging bridge
- →Spouting Horn blowhole
Kauai coastal trails & optional helicopter
Kapaʻa, Kauai
Hike the free Kalalau Trail section to Hanakāpīʻai Beach (permit required for beyond, day-use permit ~£10 via gostateparks.hawaii.gov) or the gentler Kapaʻa Coastal Path. Splurge option: a doors-off or standard helicopter flightseeing tour over the Nā Pali Coast (~£200-280 via GetYourGuide/local operators — Globus's optional extra). Budget alternative: a Nā Pali snorkel boat from Port Allen (~£120) or just beach-hopping at Hanalei Bay.
🚌Kauai Bus ~£5
🛏Kapaʻa hostel dorm
- →Hanakāpīʻai Beach hike or Kapaʻa Coastal Path
- →Optional Na Pali helicopter or snorkel boat
Fly to Maui: farm distillery & ʻĪao Valley
Kahului / Lāhainā, Maui
Morning flight LIH-OGG (~£55-70). Rent a shared car or use Maui Bus. Visit a local organic farm and distillery for a sustainable-farming tour and mixology tasting (e.g. Ocean Organic Vodka in Kula, ~£20-30), then head to ʻĪao Valley State Monument (~£4 entry + reservation) for the ʻĪao Needle lookout. Check into a Wailuku or Kīhei hostel; evening beach stroll at Kāʻanapali or Kīhei.
🚌LIH-OGG flight ~£60; Maui Bus or shared car ~£15
🛏Wailuku or Kīhei hostel dorm
- →Kula farm & distillery tour
- →ʻĪao Valley & ʻĪao Needle
Road to Hāna self-drive
Hāna Highway, Maui
Do the Road to Hāna yourself — a shared rental car (~£25-35 per person splitting costs) or a GetYourGuide/Klook Hāna tour (~£110). Start early (before 7am) to beat traffic: stop at Hoʻokipa Lookout, Keʻanae Peninsula, Waiʻānapanapa black-sand beach (reservation required, ~£8), Hāna town, and the Seven Sacred Pools/ʻOheʻo Gulch if open. Bring snacks and water — food stalls along the way are cheap.
🚌Shared rental car ~£30
🛏Wailuku or Kīhei hostel dorm
- →Road to Hāna drive
- →Waiʻānapanapa black-sand beach
- →Hāna town & waterfalls stops
Maui Ocean Center & Kāʻanapali sunset
Maʻalaea / Kāʻanapali, Maui
Visit Maui Ocean Center aquarium in Maʻalaea (~£32 via GetYourGuide or direct, cheaper late-afternoon tickets sometimes available), with its shark tunnel and Hawaiian reef exhibits. Afternoon: snorkel at Kāʻanapali's Black Rock (free, rentals ~£10) or just relax on the beach. Sunset dinner at a casual Kāʻanapali or Kīhei spot — food trucks and plate lunches keep costs low.
🚌Maui Bus ~£5
🛏Wailuku or Kīhei hostel dorm
- →Maui Ocean Center
- →Black Rock snorkelling at Kāʻanapali
- →Sunset beach walk
Depart Maui
Kahului, Maui
Final morning swim or brunch in Kīhei, then head to Kahului Airport for your onward or international flight home (Maui Bus route 40/35 to OGG ~£2). If you're routing home via Honolulu, book the short OGG-HNL hop (~£45) and connect. Factor one buffer night if your international flight is tight.
🚌Maui Bus to OGG ~£2; optional OGG-HNL hop ~£45
🛏—
- →Final beach morning
- →Departure
Self-launched vs. Globus
| This itinerary (self-launched) | Globus | |
|---|---|---|
| Price per person | ~£1,355 | £4,900 |
| Duration | 13 days | 13 days |
| Who books it | You and your group, direct | Tour operator, guided group |
| Savings | £3,545 per person (72%) | |
Estimate only, not a guaranteed price. Always verify costs independently before booking.
Want to see more Globus-style trips? Check them out here.~£1,355
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 Grand Hawaii Island-Hopping: Self-Launched Four-Island Adventure cost?+
Doing it yourself with this self-launched itinerary costs an estimated £1,355 per person for 13 days in Hawaii (Oahu, Big Island, Kauai & Maui). 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 Globus?+
Yes — Globus charges around £4,900 per person for a similar tour. Doing the same route independently, using the same standard of accommodation and activities, costs an estimated £1,355 — a saving of roughly £3,545 (72%) per person.
How long is the Hawaii (Oahu, Big Island, Kauai & Maui) trip?+
This itinerary runs 13 days, covering 13 day-by-day stops through Hawaii (Oahu, Big Island, Kauai & Maui).
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 (Oahu, Big Island, Kauai & Maui), 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?
Drop your comment below — if you've done a similar route, tell us what worked, what you'd add, or what you'd skip.
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