Kona Tour: Bee Farm, Kona Coffee, And National Historical Parks

We had a good and interesting tour to the Historical National Parks, Kona coffee farm and a bee farm. Lunch and refreshments were included in the tour. Our guide, Miexia Ahloy was excellent and provided us with a wealth of information about the history of the Hawaiian islands and the national historical parks we visited. Our last stop after the Kona coffee tasting was the honey bee farm. I am mentioning this first as this was the highlight of the tour for me. We learnt all about honey bees and how honey is harvested. We saw the worker bees, queen bee, drones with bulging eyes, propolis, beeswax and honey in a hive, and a worker bee emerging from the pupa. We learnt a lot about how the Queen bee and drones mate, and were informed that the drones die by exploding when they ejaculate. Drones develop from unfertilised eggs and have half of the Queen bee’s chromosomes, whereas most of the bees in the hive are female worker bees which develop from fertilised eggs. We then tasted at least 8 different types of honey. My favourite is the Macadamia nut honey. We had a picnic lunch in kona coffee farm where we had a nice view of the sea below with papaya and coffee trees in the foreground and a refreshing breeze. This was a nice break in the itinerary after a few walks in hot, sunny weather in the National historical parks - Kaloko-Honokohau Historical Park where we saw turtles swimming in the sea, Pu’uhonua O Honaunau National Historical Park, Kealakekua Bay where we saw the Captain Cook monument across the bay. The history of these national historical parks is very interesting. After the picnic lunch, we had a short walk uphill to the shop on the Kona Coffee farm where we had the coffee tasting and I bought some 100% kona coffee. I would have liked to have learnt more about coffee bean harvesting, processing and roasting, but we did see a few small coffee trees with red coffee beans on the branches as we walked up to the kona coffee shop where we tasted 100% Kona coffee - medium roast, dark roast and Kona coffee infused with coconut, macadamia nut and chocolate flavours. All in all, I enjoyed the tour and highly commend our tour guide, Miexia.

The tour was as described. Good scenic views at the various national park stops with the history behind the areas. All interesting, apart from the Kona coffee farm, where all we got was some coffee samples and the opportunity to buy coffee and no information on how coffee was made or processed, a very cursory visit about coffee. Hence the 4-stars. The bee farm visit was very interesting though. Otherwise, the guide was informative, lunch was chicken with rice and snacks, and bottled water was provided throughout the trip.

Such a great tour. Our tour guide, Mia, was amazing. She made the tour special by sharing her knowledge of the island with us.

Tour guide Mia did an awesome job. Pick up was on time and we had a great group of 6 people. Very informative. We learned about local island history, culture and traditions. Coffee plantation and bee farm were particularly interesting. So much to learn about this spectacular biosphere. Great job Mia!

We had the pleasure of touring with Wasabi Tours for two full days while sailing on the Celebrity Edge, which had two port stops on the Big Island. As a group of friends in our 70s, we were looking for a comfortable, informative, and enjoyable way to experience the island—and Wasabi Tours exceeded our expectations! Our guide, Derek Stuart, was outstanding. He greeted us each morning just outside the cruise terminal, making everything easy and stress-free from the start. We traveled in a spacious, comfortable van, and Derek’s microphone allowed everyone to hear his fascinating stories and insights about the island, no matter where they were seated. Over the two days, we visited incredible sites including Hawaiʻi Volcanoes National Park, beautiful waterfalls, a bee farm, a Kona coffee farm, and many other scenic and interesting stops. Every destination offered breathtaking views and memorable experiences. Unfortunately, I had strained my knee while traveling to Hawaii, but Derek went above and beyond to make the tour as enjoyable as possible. He always found the closest drop-off points so I had less walking to do, and his kindness and thoughtfulness were greatly appreciated. The tours included bottled water throughout the day and a delicious lunch of chicken, rice, and chips. If I could offer one suggestion, it would be to provide two different lunch options for guests taking back-to-back tours. The meal was very good—we just would have enjoyed a little variety on the second day. Overall, we had a fantastic experience! Derek was knowledgeable, friendly, accommodating, and truly made our visit to the Big Island special. We highly recommend Wasabi Tours and especially Derek as your guide. If you’re looking for a fun, relaxing, and memorable way to explore the Big Island, you won’t be disappointed! 🌺🌋☕

We went on the One-Day Neighbor Island Tour, from Oahu to Big Island It was amazing! Yes, it was a full day from 6am to 8pm but it was well worth it because of our driver Henry! So professional, friendly, energetic, and very knowledgeable. I love when he tells stories about the Hawaii legends, you just wanna hear more! Too bad the Volcano wasn't active, but it was still incredible to see in person. We learned so much more about the island and we took so many beautiful pictures. Highly recommended if you don't want to stay overnight but want to see everything what Big Island offers, this is perfect! ☺

My family and I booked with Wasabi and our guide Derek was great! Derek picked us up at the meeting point and off we went. We started out at Kaloko-Honokohau National Historical Park and wish we could have stayed longer, it was that good. We had opportunities to visit a local bee farm the honey is outstanding and sent some home. The same for the local coffee farm, it was good and sent some home. We wrapped up at Pu’uhonua O Honaunau National Historical Park and it was fantastic. Big thanks to Wasabi Tours and Derek for making Kona a great place on our stay. Thank you, Michael

Amazing time miexia was so great very easy to talk to and so knowledgeable. We were concerned that we would get cancelled due to the number of people on the tour but we didn't and it was just us! The historical sites are amazing and easy to walk to. The coffee farm the ladies are so sweet and the coffee was amazing The big island bee farm was definitely the highlight hopefully you will have Joe because he is not only hilarious but also so knowledgeable about bees and native plants in the islands and states to help native bees

We had an amazing tour with Miexia. We got lucky and ended up being the only two on this tour and it could not have gone better. The tour was relaxing informative and super fun. Miexia was the best guide and we had an excellent experience thanks to him.

Excellent tour! Guide was amazing! Knowledge,friendly, and full of energy. Highly recommend. If you are looking to see the main attractions of the big island

What a fun experience!!!!! Our guide was so knowledgeable and it’s was fantastic. The only thing was that apparently the rules at where we were supposed to see the petroglyphs must have changed because the park ranger would not show us where the petroglyphs are. When I let the company know about it, they had great customer service and gave me a partial refund of the tour. This company is made of great people and they gave us great times. I would do it again!

Unfortunately we were unable to complete this tour due the Pride of America cruise ship canceling the port call on the scheduled day. We were on the tender boat at the pier in Kona when the ship canceled the port call due to high swells and called the tender back to the ship. We were deeply disappointed as we were looking forward to the experiences offered by this tour. I contacted the tour operator immediately to explain the situation. While I completely understand the operator's refund policy this cancelation was totally beyond our control. We were given a small refund but were charged for the majority of the tour which was not provided for five adults. Use caution when booking with Viator and this operator as there will be no consideration for circumstances beyond the traveler's control. While i always prefer to book shore excursions separate from the cruise line offerings I was burnt on this one. In contrast, the ship offered full refunds for all excursions booked through them for this missed port. Overall, an unfortunate circumstance in Kona.

Book last min and was the best tour I have ever been on Brett the tour guide knew so much and made the tour fun and enjoyable and was in a very nice Mercedes van the was clean and new

Our day in Kona was a great mix of fun and peaceful contemplation. Dreu, our guide, has a lot of great information about the early Hawaiians and how they made the most of their knowledge of the island. I am still in awe of the intricate fish ponds at Kealakekua Bay and the tranquil sanctuary of Kaloko-Honokohau National Historical Park. The bees are fascinating to watch, and tasting the different honeys that come from blossoms in the region was amazing. Because we were a smaller group and moved relatively quickly, Dreu offered us a bonus stop at St. Benedict's Painted Church which he also knew a great deal about. It is another example of someone using the island's resources to create something beautiful since the paints come from what is on the island. As a coffee drinker, it was very cool to see the shrubs where it grows and the drying floor. The plantation was a stunning place for lunch. In the midst of all of this serenity, Dreu injected the right amount of humor and fun throughout. Give this awesome tour a try!

The trip was very good but what made it a 5/5 experience was the tour guide named Drew. Super nice guy whom was down to earth and funny.

My family went on this tour a few days after the volcano/stargazing tour. In addition to many of the local landmarks, we were treated to a tour of the local coffee farm and the local bee farm. We had been at the coffee farm before on the volcano/stargazing tour, but this time we took a bit more time to enjoy the environment. The bee farm was also great! Both the tour guide, Derek, and the staff at the bee farm were the highlight of the day. Derek was very polite and was able to tell us a lot about the area and the history behind the landmarks and about the places we visited. The staff at the bee farm also showed us up close about how they care for and handle the bees on the farm, and were very knowledgeable about most of everything when it came to bees, beekeeping, and how both interact with the local environment. Overall, this tour was a very fascinating and relaxing experience.

I just returned from a two-week trip to the Hawaiian islands, and easily one of the highlights was the "Kona Tour" I booked with Wasabi Tours Hawaii. I'm a history buff and it isn't easy to find a tour on the Big Island of Hawaii with that as a key focus. So, I was thrilled to discover Wasabi's offering, and delighted that the tour far exceeded my expectations. A big reason was Wasabi Tour Guide Mia, who was knowledgeable, entertaining, enthusiastic, and passionate about Hawaii. She had an engaging presentation style, was an excellent storyteller, provided a running commentary of fascinating island history and facts throughout the day, and took the time to discover her guests' interests to be sure the tour catered to them. The tour itinerary was perfect, too. My priority was to walk around the Pu'uhonua o Honaunau National Historical Park seaside refuge and sacred grounds, which I had ample time to do. Additional historic tour stops were made at the Kaloko-Honokohau National Historical Park archaeological site, and Kealakekua Bay to view the Captain James Cook monument and the ancient Hikiau Heiau (temple). But, this tour offered so much more. A visit to Big Island Bees included honey tastings plus a not-to-be-missed hilarious and educational presentation about organic honey production (thanks for the laughs, Beekeeper Joseph!). A secluded beach revealed multiple sightings of sea turtles surfing just beneath the waves. Stunning coastline vistas were featured throughout, and the drive into charming Kailua-Kona included views of historically significant Hulihee Palace and Mokuaikaua Church. For Kona coffee fans, the stop at Bay View Farm was informative, included a tasting, had a beautiful coastline overlook, and was a peaceful pause for lunch also provided as part of the tour. It was a day full of incredible sights, experiences, and unforgettable memories. Great job, Wasabi Tours!

Drew was fantastic. A wealth of knowledge, enthusiastic, incredibly bright personality, and without giving away everything in this review, he incorporated his own unique hilarious elements into the tour that kept us laughing for the entire 12 hour trip.

Henry was awesome in engaging the entire family in this tour. He kept us all fully engaged and provided history, folk lore, facts, and many other interesting facts about Hawai’i, the language, and the spirit of Aloha. By the end of the tour, we felt that he was Ohana with us. I would strongly recommend this tour and especially Henry as your guide. Malabo nui lao, Henry.

Mia was amazing at here job. She went above and beyond to make sure we where happy at all times. She was super knowledgeable and passionate about the things she was showing/ teaching us. She had a good relationship with all the people that ran the different areas we visited. It felt like one big family that we where being welcomed Into

Tour with Brett was great!!! Great tour guide. Wonderful suggestions. Great view along with knowledge of the island

The tour guide (Aaron) tried to pick a fight with our teacher, but the experience was good and Aaron was very knowledgeable.

AMAZING TOUR! Wow, this was one of the best days of my our honeymoon. You get to see so many breathtaking places and our tour guide Mia was extremely friendly and informative. She answered all of our questions and provided so much history about the island as well as tips and suggestions for places to visit. She went above and beyond to provide us the best experience possible. The bay was gorgeous, we saw lots of tropical fish, bright blue water, and unbeatable views. The Kona tour was spectacular, my husband and I LOVE coffee and this was the best we have ever had. You end at the Apiary where you get to taste the most delicious honey, we recommend ALL of them but especially the chili and Christmas berry. The tour itself is amazing but it was really most enjoyable because of Mia’s warm and caring energy, as well as all of the extra island information she was able to offer. Mahalo, Mia!

Had great time on this tour. Derek and other guides on van friendly and gave great education. Loved the bee stop

The time spent with the bee keeper was terrific. We thoroughly enjoyed his knowledge and humor. Also, our guide Oni Oni was delightful. We enjoyed all the stories and information he shared with us. He is a real gem.

Awana was a lovely tour guide. The locations were great and it was a relatively easy tour. The man at the bee farm was particularly engaging. Good times for sure.

Derek was our guide and he was terrific. The entire tour was good, from the early morning looking for turtles to the bee farm at the end of the tour. My family group of 9 all enjoyed the activities. Derek was knowledgeable and able to fill us in on Hawaiian history and culture. He related well to all of us from grandparents to teens.

My husband and I really enjoyed our day with Dreu. He was extremely knowledgeable about Hawaii and it’s history. This entire trip was jam packed with stories and interesting facts about all things on Big Island. I learned so much about the culture of the people of Hawaii and all the traditions that are still practiced today. Because of this, I have a great respect for the people of Hawaii. Dreu made sure we were comfortable on the tour bus at all times and the drive to and from all the places we went to was very pleasant. I would highly recommend a tour with Dreu and if we come back and he’s still doing tours I would definitely request him to be our guide. Mahalo, Dreu!

Great tour; Dreu was fantastic! I highly recommend this tour to everyone. We learned so much about Hawaii and Hawaiian culture.

This was our second tour this week with Wasabi and was excellent too! Our guide Dreu was knowledgeable, funny, and enthusiastic and kept us entertained the entire time. I especially liked the honey farm and the painted church. Would definitely recommend.

We booked this tour specifically to learn more about Kona, a bigger slice of the Big Island outside of our limited experience with Hawaii Volcanoes National Park. The number and variety of stops caught our eye. We were blown away with the amount of Hawaiian history, lore, culture, and “insider” detail our tour guide, Dreu, presented us about each of our destinations and the islands and people as a whole. Dreu absolutely took our experience to a whole new level of fun and information; he clearly cares about and enjoys sharing his knowledge with a contagious enthusiasm. Thank you!! We would love to book another tour with Dreu next time we travel out there.

Awesome tour would recommend. Beautiful place to see and the culture. Tour guide was awesome and was very knowledgeable

Great trip. Dreu was very great! He has a lot of good information on all the places he took us. Dreu. This was a very fun turn. Kathy

Wow what an awesome tour, I’m traveling to the big island solo and was looking for a way to see some off the sights and this tour did just the trick. Our guide, Drue, was hilarious and extremely knowledgeable pointing out different plants and birds and peppering in history lessons with local legends. This definitely is one of the shorter tours but is worth every penny especially if you want to squeeze in some night life or beach time afterwards.

I was so amazed by this tour lead by Dreu. He took us on the tour from the perspective of the local culture. I learned more about the island on this one tour than any other trip to the islands. Taking us the King’s Cove and laying down an offering was very respectful. Ending at the Bee hive plantation was perfect. Thank you Dreu for a fantastic day!

We had Dreu and he has gone to great lengths to educate himself about the entire tour, so he can share a fountain of details that made this tour the best I’ve had anywhere! He thought about taking care of us with knowledge that would take years to acquire, but his “Tree” best qualities were patience, passion and drive for making his version of the tour the most memorable and rewarding to us!

Dreu was the beat tour guide we have ever had. He was super accommodating and made sure everyone was having maximum fun. His knowledge of the Big Island was beyond amazing. What a great tour! Highly recommend this one!

This is a 5 Star Tour and Dreu Basaldua is a 6 Star guide. The tour should be named Kona Historical Tour. Our guide gave us a fantastic experience. He provided a history of the area you can’t get just driving around. The best stops are a state park and national park. It’s easy to tour these on your own but our guide was passionate about having his group experience the parks and learn about local culture and history. The bee farm is excellent, especially if you’ve never seen bee hives up close. The coffee farm was a bit of a let down but you get great unlimited samples. The lunch was very good. They give you some local style food instead of boring sandwiches. After taking this tour I wish we had time to rent a car for the next day. I would revisit some stops and make other stops the guide pointed out.

Wonderful day tour. Awana was a great tour guide and showed us Aloha. We really enjoyed the honey farm.

Went with husband April 2021, tour was limited to 10 people Our tour guide was Dreu, very knowledgeable and accommodating. My favorite part of the tour was the City of Refuge and the painted church. The painted church wasnt part of the tour but Dreu made an extra stop for us. We had so much fun

This tour was totally worth it. Our guide, Drew, was incredibly knowledgeable, upbeat, and fun. I would definitely recommend this tour. It would be a bit much for small kids and for anyone who has trouble walking. Otherwise, great tour and great tour guide!

Amazing tour of Hawaii! We stopped at two national parks, Greenwell Farms Kona Coffee, and Big Island Bee Farm. We were picked up and driven back, which was so convenient. Our guide, Tommy, was so knowledgeable and kind. He answered every question to the best of his ability and seemed to know each person on our stops as friends. The best way to start off our stay :) thanks for the tour, Tommy!

This tour was amazing! Our tour guide Kahikina was so informative,friendly and so much fun! Learned so much about the island.Took us to beautiful parks a bee farm,( so much to learn about bees) coffee farm ( really delicious coffee to sample and buy)and the painted church( art work was amazing) Very scenic drive from our hotel! Our lunch at the park was so delicious! Teriyaki chicken,Maui Maui,rice and sweet potato And a added bonus some Wonderful pineapple! Lots of cold drinks too!This is a must tour!👍

This was a nice sampling of several different locations throughout the island: the coffee farm, painted church, bee farm, beach/wetland, and City of Refuge. Dreu was our guide, and he taught us a ton about Hawaiian history along the way. He is deeply connected to the island and is so friendly. Overall, our tour was personal, educational, beautiful, and highly enjoyable from start to finish.

Dreu was an outstanding guide. He provided an enormous amount of interesting detail about the geology and history of this island.

We absolutely enjoyed every part of the tour. The knowledge and flexibility of Mr K was over the top. He was able to avoid crowds and give us specialized trip. I The pick up from our cruise ship was seamless, the van was new and comfortable, not crowded. Mr K took us to an beautiful park by the ocean to have a delicious homemade lunch. We loved that during the whole tour we didn’t feel like tourists but locals out for a drive.

We did this tour on the day our cruise was docked at Kona. Kahikina was an incredible guide with deep and thoughtful commentary on his home. He was also hilarious and a joy to travel with. He was even able to accommodate a short extra stop we wanted to take that wasn’t on the original agenda. He worked around the weather and other massive tour buses to make sure we were hitting each place at the best time. The lunches were fresh and delicious, even my vegan meal! The stops were interesting and a good mix of history an agriculture, which was a nice break from all the snorkeling. He had us back to the boat with plenty of time to spare.

Excellent service. I had to make a last minute change in my reservation and they were very accommodating and helpful. Haven’t taken the tour yet however.

This by far was one of the best tours we have been on. We started our day at Kaloko-Honokohau Park seeing turtles swim in a beautiful inlet. Then made our way to Big Island Bees which was a very interesting presentation with a tasting afterward. Next, was Kealakekua Bay, where we saw where Cook first landed on the island. Next, was a stop at the painted Church, where Father Jean painted the inside of the church. We made our way to the Greenwell Farms Coffee Plantation and had lunch here out of a bento box filled with goodies from the island made by the owner. Lastly, we visited the Pu`uhonua O Hōnaunau National Historical Park and Dru really brought home the importance of the site and just how amazing it is to visit a place like this. Throughout the day Dru made this tour exceptional, his energy, his desire for us to learn and experience each site, and to love his home came through. I highly recommend this tour.