Hawaii Volcanoes National Park Experience Departing From Maui

Mel was our guide. He was very knowledgeable on the geography and the volcano. He is a true local and shared a lot of his Hawaiian culture. He was there waiting for me to get off the plane and has my contact ready on hand. I appreciate his energy and enthusiasm to make the group journey great. Every seat on our van was filled. There were some changes to the original itinerary due to Hurricane destroyed the south bound coastal highway. But the new logistics were planned smoothly. Overall, it was a full day of activities with Mel’s clear directions of when, where, duration, and how. I did wish that we have more time in Volcano National Park. I think that is the highlight of my trip.

Fantastic experience. Our guide, Jim, was amazing - his genuine love for local culture was infectious, and his never-ending stories were so much fun. He gave us an authentic insight into Hawaiian history and modern everyday life.

The tour is fantastic! Kevin was an excellent guide & driver! We had my parents (in their 70s) and my 7 & 9 year old & everyone had no problems doing all of the things😁

You have to connect through Honolulu to get there, so plan for a 6:00 am-ish flight to get over there, getting back around 9:00 pm. The experience itself was amazing. Mel was a fantastic tour guide who explained everything in detail to us, along with fascinating stops around Volcanoes park. Highly recommend this tour, and recommend asking for Mel as the tour guide! We had stops at Greenwell Coffee farm which was really interesting and then we went to Punalu’u bakery for lunch before heading into the park. The best Hawaiian sweet bread ever, and the best malasadas too (said after having malasadas on both Oahu and Kauai). Highly recommend this tour experience. In the park, we stopped at the welcome center, the Kileuea viewpoints (5 of them), the steam vent areas, and then drove Ring of Craters and saw many different types, different flow fields and even made it back to the flow that goes all the way down to the ocean (because our entire group got back on time at each stop). We also got to walk through the lava tube (tube formed when the lava cooled). The family loved it (2 adults and an 18 yr old). Small children may not handle this tour as well as older kids.

Our experience with this excursion to Hawaiʻi Volcanoes National Park was nothing short of incredible and easily one of the most memorable parts of our trip. From start to finish, coordination by Aloha Sunshine Tours was seamless. They handled booking all four flights for us (two per person), which made what could have been a complicated itinerary feel effortless. We opted to “splurge” on this excursion—approximately $1,200 total including flights—and it was absolutely worth it. The day began very early with a flight from Maui to Honolulu, followed by a second flight to Kona. Upon arrival, we were promptly picked up by our guide, Jim C, whose energy and storytelling truly defined the experience. Traveling with a small group of 11 guests in an air-conditioned van, the entire 11-hour day felt engaging and well-paced thanks to his enthusiasm and knowledge. Our first stop was Greenwell Farms for coffee, followed by Punaluʻu Black Sand Beach, where we were fortunate enough to see several green sea turtles basking in the sun. We then stopped at Punaluʻu Bake Shop, where we enjoyed delicious malasadas and picked up sandwiches to bring along for a picnic later in the day. The highlight, of course, was exploring Hawaiʻi Volcanoes National Park itself. We visited multiple gift shops, hiked approximately one mile along a volcanic crater, and even had the chance to view the bubbling lava of Kīlauea through Jim’s personal telescope—an unforgettable moment. We also walked through a massive lava tube, adding to the sense of adventure and scale of the landscape. Additional stops included sightseeing in Hilo, with visits to Big Island Candies and Rainbow Falls, both of which were great additions to an already full itinerary. The tour concluded with drop-off at the airport for our return flights (Hilo to Honolulu, then Honolulu to Maui), wrapping up what was the longest excursion we’ve ever done—but also one of the most rewarding.

Our experience with this excursion to Hawaiʻi Volcanoes National Park was nothing short of incredible and easily one of the most memorable parts of our trip. From start to finish, coordination by Aloha Sunshine Tours was seamless. They handled booking all four flights for us (two per person), which made what could have been a complicated itinerary feel effortless. We opted to “splurge” on this excursion—approximately $1,200 total including flights—and it was absolutely worth it. The day began very early with a flight from Maui to Honolulu, followed by a second flight to Kona. Upon arrival, we were promptly picked up by our guide, Jim C, whose energy and storytelling truly defined the experience. Traveling with a small group of 11 guests in an air-conditioned van, the entire 11-hour day felt engaging and well-paced thanks to his enthusiasm and knowledge. Our first stop was Greenwell Farms for coffee, followed by Punaluʻu Black Sand Beach, where we were fortunate enough to see several green sea turtles basking in the sun. We then stopped at Punaluʻu Bake Shop, where we enjoyed delicious malasadas and picked up sandwiches to bring along for a picnic later in the day. The highlight, of course, was exploring Hawaiʻi Volcanoes National Park itself. We visited multiple gift shops, hiked approximately one mile along a volcanic crater, and even had the chance to view the bubbling lava of Kīlauea through Jim’s personal telescope—an unforgettable moment. We also walked through a massive lava tube, adding to the sense of adventure and scale of the landscape. Additional stops included sightseeing in Hilo, with visits to Big Island Candies and Rainbow Falls, both of which were great additions to an already full itinerary. The tour concluded with drop-off at the airport for our return flights (Hilo to Honolulu, then Honolulu to Maui), wrapping up what was the longest excursion we’ve ever done—but also one of the most rewarding.

Was executed as advertised...on target Driver was well versed and knowledgeable...flights allworked as exoected

The guide (Brandon) had a good sense of humor and was well able to convey his knowledge. He knew the natural history as well as the local history. He frequently checked in with us to see how we were doing - he was very considerate.

The tour guide was excellent. I would recommend Henry to be the tour guide, excellent information, very knowledgeable and interesting.

Definitely pack a rain/warm jacket. We started out in the high 80s and it was in the mid 60s in the volcano park. Henry was an awesome tour guide and we thoroughly enjoyed our experience and our “family” for the day!

The tour of the island was enjoyable and Mel, our driver/guide was very knowledgeable and easy going. The stops along the way opened our eyes to the Big Island, we hadn't been there before this trip. That said, we would have liked to have had more time to explore Volcano National Park. We were a little rushed for time once we arrived. Having to make a 7pm flight back to Maui didn't help, either.

Very nice tour! Mel was very informative and explained everything very well. He answered all of our questions!

great trip to see volcano and black sand turtle beach Great tour guide very informative and mad as a box of frogs , in a good way

We had a great time. Seeing a live Volcano was amazing. Our guide was knowledgeable and took us to see more than we imagined.

Our tour guide, Brandon, exceeded all expectations. He was very knowledgeable about volcanoes and plants in particular and kept my 12 and 17 year old kids engaged the entire time.

We started our trip in Maui at 6 am. We flew on two different flights to get to the big island. We were met by our tour guide at the airport. We rode in a van with 13 people. It was extremely crowded and uncomfortable during the day-long trip. I rode in the back seat shoulder-to-shoulder with three other passengers. The ride was extremely bumpy throughout the day. Our tour guide was friendly and extremely knowledgeable. He stopped at numerous locations through throughout the day. The scheduling of our trip made for a difficult day. Since we had to leave at 6 AM, we were unable to find any place that was open to eat in either airport in the morning. So, we did not eat until lunchtime. On the way back, we were not able to eat anything either because the first airport only had vending machines and we had no time to stop at the second airport. We did not make it back to Maui until around 10 PM. It was an exhausting experience. Overall, considering the cost, I would recommend booking your own flight and renting a car. You would be more comfortable and not starving.

Aloha Sunshine arranged our flights from Maui to the island of Hawaii where we were picked up by our driver/tour guide, Chris. Chris was a wealth of information. His great sense of humor made for an excellent and engaging day. Highlights for us were the farms, black sand beach, nesting sea turtles, the views, and the volcano park. Chris also delivered us back on time to the airport. It was truly an incredible day! A big thank you to Chris for a fabulous tour!!

We were fortunate to observe Kileau erupt! Mel the tour guide was knowledgeable and friendly. Great tour.

The staff at this company are wonderful. I called a few times with various questions before the tour, and the office staff were always incredibly kind and patient in addressing all my questions and concerns. The tour was full of great activities and scenery, and is organized so that almost anyone can participate and enjoy it. The real star of this experience though was the guide Melvin. He is amazing, and just know that if you have the good luck of having him as your guide, you are in for a really great day.

The tour was great. The guide knows his stuff but needs to know when to get off his script and listen. Don’t expect to speak with anyone at the tour company unless they call you. Your calls will go to recording and not be answere. Attitude is an issue too I expected more for $5k. But the tour itself and narration was excellent. Oh and did I mention almost missing by our flight back to HNL? I kept telling guide we had boarding at 5:30 and takeoff at 6. He insisted I was wrong and he knew better thst the flight took of at 6:30 and we had plenty of time to stop at and close some bakery at 5 then a waterfall and a slow ride to the airport. 7 of us made our flight by 2 minutes. Two of us had to take the next flight.

Mel was the best. It was not only a scenic but extremely educational experience. Mel met us at the airport and made sure we got to him. With 10 years as a tour guide, a lifetime resident, and a family history going back 100s of years, he was an endless source of information. A scholar of Captain Cook, he shared the European discovery of the Hawaiian Islands in great detail, melding it with the culture Captain Cook encountered. He also provided a thorough, detailed explanation of the geology associated with the Hawaiian Islands and volcanoes. With only 2 couples on the tour, we had his undivided attention and he through in a quick visit to the beautiful Rainbow Falls in Hilo before taking us to the airport. I must admit that I was getting a little concerned about time, but he got us to our flight on time - as he promised. I had a lot of questions in preparation for the tour, and Jason was amazing. He even provided information and tips on sites and activities we weren't doing with Aloha Sunshine Tours. Definitely a quality, customer service oriented business.

The tour guide Mel was great. The roaches in rhe van ...not so much. It really ruined our day. My son was "bugging" out the entire day. We had to carry out bags out of the van at every stop. Instead of enjoying the beautiful island of Hawaii, we were worrying about the roaches getting into our stuff. Not worth the money or stress...very disappointing

We did the Hawaii Volcanoes National Park Experience from Maui, and it was INCREDIBLE!!! Mel was our tour guide for the day on the Big Island, and he was so knowledgeable and thorough!! His love for his island and people made the excursion so special!! He was so genuine and kind to me and my family. He was patient with our 9 year old and almost 4 year old daughters and their questions. He told us a lot of the history of the island and the science behind volcanoes and the formation of the islands. He was AWESOME & we had the BEST DAY touring Hawaii and the volcano national park!! The black sand beach was awesome too!! The flights from Maui to Oahu and then to Hawaii were seamless and set up by Aloha Sunshine Tours for us. Thank you for an incredible excursion on our vacation. We will never forget the awesome memories we made on July 6, 2023!!

Henry was excellent. Had a great time, learned a lot. Henry engaged with participants, pointed out highlights and took lots of photos for us. Was very knowledgeable and made our experience a great one! Would highly recommend

We highly recommend this tour to couples and families. Our tour guide and driver was Mel, talk about the right guy for the job! Very knowledgeable, humorous & a very well spoken storyteller. He really made the trip for us among all of the sites that we saw. We were lucky enough to the the volcano erupting. More than half of the time is spent comfortably on the shuttle with entertainment from Mel. Water was provided on the shuttle, however snacks were not. Be prepared. We took 2 PB&Js each and we're glad we did. The lunch spot was pretty decent but very busy. Overall, enjoyed and money well spent.

The Big Island tour departing from Maui was awesome! Mel the tour guide is one of the best tour guides we have ever had in our many travels! We hit every place listed on the itinerary and never felt rushed for time. This was an amazing experience for all of us! Thanks Mel for making this a great day for us!

The day started out a bit rough. had to fly from Maui to Honolulu, the catch a connecting flight to Kona. Well, we missed the connection. We got the next flight over. Henry picked us up and we got going. We packed a lot into a shortened tour. Henry knew a lot about the island and it's history. We got to learn so much along the way. The volcanoes were amazing. They were the main reason for hopping over to the Big Island. One of the highlights of our vacation this time. The east side of the island is pretty great. Not very touristy. I felt like we got to know the area a bit. Loved it. By the way, I had one of the best burgers ever at the Fairway Grill in Hilo. The 19th hole burger. Wow! Thanks Henry!

What a terrific experience. Mel was our guide and not only did we go everywhere, but Mel was a terrific guide who gave us the cultural history of the native Islanders. Awesome experience.

The sites and itinerary were great. Unfortunately the ride was not up to par. The booking said we would have snacks and water provided which there was none thru the whole day. Also our van was invective with roaches. We spent most of the ride killing them at our feet while we drove.

Mel was an amazing tour guide. He was passionate about the island and all of the history it holds. This tour hits a lot of parts of the island, with our day filled with fun activities: black sand beach, chocolate shop, waterfalls, volcanoes, and more.

Fabulous tour, Mel did a great job and absolutely rocked it! He was exceptionally knowledgeable, friendly and made sure we were comfortable so make sure you ask for him; whatever they are paying him is not enough!!! The only annoying thing was a front window that constantly rattled which should be addressed immediately but other than that it was a PERFECT DAY!

Was a little hesitant about taking a day to travel to the Big Island from Maui but so glad we did! We did the Volcano National Park tour which left from Kona and ended in Hilo. My husband, 18 yr old son, and I all considered it one of the best experiences here in Hawaii. We loved our tour guide, Mel. He was a wealth of knowledge which he shared in such a fun and interesting way. His love for the island was evident and we enjoyed seeing things through his eyes. Plenty of stops, small group. Especially liked the black sand beach, sea turtles, and Volcano National park

My wife and I were treated to a private tour of the big island and volcano national park. Our guide was well prepared and made us feel comfortable, filled us with tons of knowledge of the island and history, and most importantly made sure we had fun and saw what we wanted too.

Everything was really interesting and our tour guide Neil was awesome!! He was very well informed and provided us with a diverse experience. We loved seeing all the different things and he kept us right on time without feeling rushed. The only downside, which was not in anyone’s control, is that we really hoped to see some hot lava flow. We understood that was unlikely though and he took us to several older, hardened lava flows. Definitely the best experience possible!! We really didn’t need to bring anything either. He was well prepared. Had a great time!

Excellent tour of the big island. Our guide, Mel, was fantastic. Very friendly and knowledgeable, and a good sense of humor. He patiently answered all our questions and kept us on a good schedule. We learned so much about the island and it's people, in addition to the volcanoes themselves. The view over the crater was an amazing capstone to the whole trip. The tour company was friendly and helpful through it all, from arranging the date on the phone, getting the flight information to us and of course, driving us to all the locations on the island and educating us about the history of the island, the flora and fauna and facilities along the way. As far as pandemic prep, the vehicle was spotless, disinfectant available and masks were used, so we felt comfortable the entire time. Make sure you listen to the suggestions of the tour and guide, as it was pretty cool in the upper areas so jackets were a must, along with other suggestions on where to eat and what to look for at each site. Definitely hope to return some time and do it again, maybe making a couple different stops along the way (flight schedules and volcano park restrictions can effect the specific stops on the tour)

Wir hatten eine Volvanoe-Tour (9 Stunden) gebucht. Gleich vorweg: Nicht überrascht sein, wenn man keine flüssige Lava sieht. Dies geschieht nur ca. alle 15 Jahre und auch kleinere Erupionen gibt es nur rund 3 mal im Jahr (ist also Zufall). In Melvin (Mel) hatten wir einen fantastischen Tour-Guide, der wahnsinnig viel und spannendes über die Insel Big Island, ihre Bewohner, ihre Geschichte, Ihre Lebensweise und ihr Selbstverständnis wusste und dies kurzweilig geschildert hat. Die vielen Eindrücke waren überwältigend und wir können die Zour nur jedem empfehlen! Jede Minute war ein Erlebnis und Mel hat uns an die richtigen Orte geführt.