Best of the Hawaiian Islands — Self-Launched Island Hop: Oahu, Big Island & Maui
10 days · Hawaii (Oahu, Big Island & Maui)
Globus charges £4,150
No-markup version: ~£1,090 per person
Estimate only, not a guaranteed price. Always verify costs independently before booking.
A self-launched, solo-traveller-friendly version of Globus's 10-day "Best of the Hawaiian Islands" coach tour. Instead of a guided motorcoach group, you'll fly between Honolulu (Oahu), Kailua-Kona (Big Island) and Maui on cheap inter-island hops (Southwest, Hawaiian or Mokulele), base yourself in hostels and budget guesthouses, and book the same headline experiences yourself: Pearl Harbor, Kilauea, Punalu'u black sand beach, Kona coffee country, 'Iao Valley and the Road to Hana. All costs are per person, approximate, and exclude international flights to/from Hawaii (the original tour excludes them too). Budget travellers should note Hawaii is one of the most expensive parts of the US — the savings here come from hostels/shared rooms over first-class resorts and public transport/self-drive over private coach, not from rock-bottom prices.
Day-by-day
Fly in, settle into Waikiki
Honolulu, Oahu
Land at Daniel K. Inouye International Airport (HNL) and get to Waikiki by public transport — TheBus route 20 or 42 to Waikiki runs every ~20-30 mins and costs about £2 (no airport transfer needed, unlike the tour). Check into a hostel in Waikiki (e.g. Polynesian Hostel Beach Club or Waikiki Beachside Hostel — dorm beds from roughly £45-60/night, which is normal for Hawaii). Spend the afternoon acclimatising on Waikiki Beach, watching sunset toward Diamond Head, and stocking up at a supermarket for breakfasts. Orientation walk along Kalakaua Avenue in the evening — the free Friday-night Waikiki hula show at Kuhio Beach is a nice intro to Hawaiian culture.
🚌TheBus #20/#42 from HNL to Waikiki, ~£2
🛏Waikiki hostel dorm (Polynesian Hostel Beach Club / Waikiki Beachside Hostel)
- →Waikiki Beach sunset
- →Free Kuhio Beach hula show (seasonal)
Pearl Harbor, USS Arizona & downtown Honolulu
Honolulu, Oahu
The tour's included guided sightseeing day becomes a self-driven DIY loop. Book your free USS Arizona Memorial program ticket in advance at recreation.gov (limited slots released ~8 weeks out and again 24h before — set an alarm, it sells out fast). Take TheBus #20 from Waikiki to the Pearl Harbor National Memorial (~£2.70, 45 mins) and allow 3-4 hours for the memorial, museum and the USS Missouri/Bowfin if you want (extra entry ~£25). Afterwards take TheBus #20/#40 into downtown: Punchbowl National Cemetery (free, view over the city), Chinatown for cheap poke and dim sum lunch, then a self-guided walk past 'Iolani Palace ($27 guided interior tour or free exterior/grounds), Hawaii State Capitol and the Kamehameha the Great statue. Bus back to Waikiki in the evening.
🚌TheBus day pass ~£5.50
🛏Waikiki hostel dorm
- →Pearl Harbor National Memorial & USS Arizona Memorial (free, reserve online)
- →Punchbowl National Cemetery
- →Chinatown food stop
- →'Iolani Palace grounds & downtown Honolulu walk
Diamond Head hike & optional sunset cruise
Honolulu, Oahu
Free morning at leisure, then walk or catch TheBus to the Diamond Head crater trailhead (~£2.70, or reserve the $5/£4 entry pass online — slots are timed and small). The 1.6km switchback hike to the summit takes about 1 hour return and gives the classic Waikiki coastline view. Spend the afternoon on the beach at Waikiki or explore the free Waikiki Aquarium-adjacent shoreline. For the tour's optional sunset dinner cruise equivalent, book independently via GetYourGuide or directly with Star of Honolulu / Makani Catamaran — sail-and-sunset catamaran trips run from about £55-75 per person; or skip it for a £10 plate lunch and sunset from the sand.
🚌TheBus ~£2.70 each way
🛏Waikiki hostel dorm
- →Diamond Head summit hike ($5 entry)
- →Waikiki Beach
- →Optional sunset catamaran cruise (~£60 via GetYourGuide)
Fly to Kona: salt farm & luau under your own steam
Kailua-Kona, Big Island
Fly Honolulu (HNL) to Kona (KOA) with Southwest or Hawaiian Airlines — book 4-8 weeks out and fares typically land around £50-90 one way including a bag (the tour charges $430/£340 on top for internal airfare; self-booking is usually cheaper, especially on Southwest's free-bag fares). Arrive in Kailua-Kona and check into a hostel or budget guesthouse in town (Kona is pricey — dorm beds from £50-70, budget studios slightly more; sharing a two-person guesthouse via a hostel booking platform is a good value play for solos who pair up). Afternoon: visit the Kona Sea Salt Farm just south of town for a walk-up guided tour and tasting (about £20, book direct). Evening: book a luau independently — Island Breeze Lu'au at King Kamehameha's Kona Beach Hotel or Voyagers of the Pacific at the Royal Kona Resort, roughly £90-120 per person direct or via GetYourGuide, including buffet and Polynesian performances with hula lessons beforehand.
🚌Flight HNL–KOA ~£70 (Southwest/Hawaiian); local bus/shuttle from KOA to town ~£2-5
🛏Hostel or budget guesthouse, Kailua-Kona (dorm or shared room)
- →Kona Sea Salt Farm tour & tasting (~£20 direct)
- →Luau with hula lesson & Polynesian show (~£100 via GetYourGuide or hotel direct)
Volcanoes National Park, black sand & coffee country
Kailua-Kona / Hawaii Volcanoes NP
This is a big day and the single best reason to rent a car for the Big Island legs. Pick up a compact rental in Kona (about £35-45/day all-in; split between two solos it's very reasonable). Drive south via the Kona Coffee Living History Farm in Captain Cook (~£15 entry, self-guided walk-through of a working coffee farm with tastings). Continue to Punalu'u Black Sand Beach — free, and you'll almost certainly see green sea turtles hauled out on the sand. Then climb to Hawaii Volcanoes National Park ($30/vehicle entry, valid 7 days) for the Kilauea caldera overlooks, steam vents and the Thurston Lava Tube; if lava is actively flowing at Halema'uma'u the after-dark glow is spectacular. Lunch at a simple plate-lunch spot near Volcano Village (Kilauea Lodge is lovely but pricey — a cafe lunch is ~£12). Return to Kona in the evening, roughly 2.5 hours of driving each way.
🚌Rental car ~£40/day + fuel ~£12
🛏Hostel or budget guesthouse, Kailua-Kona
- →Kona Coffee Living History Farm (~£15)
- →Punalu'u Black Sand Beach (free)
- →Hawaii Volcanoes National Park ($30/vehicle, ~£8pp split)
Kealakekua Bay snorkel & Kona town
Kailua-Kona, Big Island
The tour's optional snorkel cruise to Kealakekua Bay is easy to book yourself: morning catamaran and kayak-and-snorkel trips to the Captain Cook Monument marine reserve run from about £90-130 per person direct with operators like Sea Quest or via GetYourGuide — spinner dolphins and coral gardens are near-guaranteed. Budget alternative: drive to Two Step (Honaunau Bay) or Kahalu'u Beach Park and snorkel straight off the shore for the cost of a rental car and borrowed gear (~£15 rental). Afternoon back in Kona: Hulihe'e Palace and Mokuaikaua Church (free to view from outside, small fee for the palace), a shave-ice at Scandinavian Shave Ice, and a stroll on Ali'i Drive for sunset.
🚌Rental car ~£40/day or local trolley/bus ~£2
🛏Hostel or budget guesthouse, Kailua-Kona
- →Kealakekua Bay snorkel trip (~£100 via GetYourGuide) or free shore snorkel at Two Step
- →Kona town & Ali'i Drive sunset
Fly to Maui: 'Iao Valley & Ka'anapali
Kahului / Ka'anapali, Maui
Fly Kona (KOA) to Kahului (OGG) with Southwest or Hawaiian — typically £50-80 one way, book early. Pick up a rental car at OGG (essential on Maui; ~£40/day) and check into a hostel or budget guesthouse — options include the Banana Bungalow Maui Hostel (dorms from ~£55) or a Wailuku/Kahului guesthouse. Drive the short hop to 'Iao Valley State Monument ($10 entry + $10 parking, timed reservations online) for the short paved walk to the 'Iao Needle lookout — 30 minutes of walking, enormous scenery. Then head west along the coast for sunset at Ka'anapali Beach and a walk on the beach path past Black Rock. Dinner from a food truck or plate-lunch spot in Lahaina (~£15).
🚌Flight KOA–OGG ~£65; rental car ~£40/day
🛏Banana Bungalow Maui hostel dorm or Kahului/Wailuku guesthouse
- →'Iao Valley State Monument & 'Iao Needle ($20 vehicle + entry)
- →Ka'anapali Beach & Black Rock sunset
Maui Ocean Center & south/west Maui beaches
Ma'alaea / Kihei, Maui
Self-book the Maui Ocean Center aquarium at Ma'alaea (adult tickets about £35-40 direct or via GetYourGuide — arrive at opening, the jellyfish and open-ocean exhibits are the highlight and it takes about 2 hours). Follow it with a swim at nearby Kihei beaches: Kamaole I/II/III and Wailea's free public beach access points (Ulua, Makena — parking is limited, go early). Optional add-on: a Molokini crater snorkel boat from Ma'alaea harbour (~£100-130 via GetYourGuide) if conditions suit. Evening: cheap eats in Kihei or a sunset walk on Sugar Beach.
🚌Rental car ~£40/day + fuel ~£10
🛏Banana Bungalow Maui hostel dorm or guesthouse
- →Maui Ocean Center (~£38 via GetYourGuide or direct)
- →Kihei & Wailea beach hopping
Road to Hana & farewell dinner
Road to Hana, Maui
The tour's optional Heavenly Hana tour becomes a self-drive classic. Leave Kahului by 7am with a full tank (the loop is ~220km and takes a full day with stops). Hit the highlights: Twin Falls, Waikoloa/Ke'anae Peninsula lookout, Wailua Valley, the black-sand lava beach at Wai'anapanapa State Park (reserve the $10 timed entry online in advance — it sells out), Hana town for lunch, and the Ohe'o Gulch (7 Sacred Pools) end of Haleakala NP. Swim at Hamoa Beach on the way back. Note the road has ~600 curves — if you'd rather not drive, small-group Hana tours via GetYourGuide run about £110-140. Farewell dinner yourself at a Kahului or Kihei spot (~£25-30) — Monkeypod Kitchen or a local plate-lunch-and-poke place.
🚌Rental car ~£40/day + fuel ~£15
🛏Banana Bungalow Maui hostel dorm or guesthouse
- →Road to Hana self-drive (Wai'anapanapa entry $10)
- →Wai'anapanapa black sand beach
- →Ohe'o Gulch / Hamoa Beach
Last morning & departure
Ka'anapali / Kahului, Maui
Final morning free — early swim at Ka'anapali or a last poke bowl in Kahului before returning the rental car to OGG and flying home or onward. If you're continuing solo travel, OGG has direct connections to the US mainland west coast; inter-island flights to Honolulu are frequent and cheap (~£50). Check the US ESTA is valid before flying and keep the $250-ish budget aside for airport meals and baggage if you're on a legacy carrier.
🚌Rental car return + OGG airport shuttle/fuel ~£10
🛏— (departure day)
- →Ka'anapali Beach morning swim
- →Souvenir shopping in Kahului
Self-launched vs. Globus
| This itinerary (self-launched) | Globus | |
|---|---|---|
| Price per person | ~£1,090 | £4,150 |
| Duration | 10 days | 10 days |
| Who books it | You and your group, direct | Tour operator, guided group |
| Savings | £3,060 per person (74%) | |
Estimate only, not a guaranteed price. Always verify costs independently before booking.
Want to see more Globus-style trips? Check them out here.~£1,090
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 Best of the Hawaiian Islands — Self-Launched Island Hop: Oahu, Big Island & Maui cost?+
Doing it yourself with this self-launched itinerary costs an estimated £1,090 per person for 10 days in Hawaii (Oahu, Big Island & 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 £4,150 per person for a similar tour. Doing the same route independently, using the same standard of accommodation and activities, costs an estimated £1,090 — a saving of roughly £3,060 (74%) per person.
How long is the Hawaii (Oahu, Big Island & Maui) trip?+
This itinerary runs 10 days, covering 10 day-by-day stops through Hawaii (Oahu, Big Island & 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, culture, beaches trip through Hawaii (Oahu, Big Island & 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?
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