Hawaii Casual Bike Tour

DAY 1: Meet in Kona

We meet in Kona on a Sunday morning (public shuttle is available from the Kona airport) and cycle half of the Ironman bicycle leg to Hawi on the north end of the island. There we hike into a remote and roadless valley choked with lush vegetation, exotic flowers, swaying palm trees, and high waterfalls. We have lunch near the birthplace of King Kamehameha, the head of a dynasty that ruled the Hawaiian Islands for more than a century. After lunch we cycle back to Hawi and the Kohala Village Inn, where we spend the night. The inn has an authentic Hawaiian feel to it; you’ll enjoy its casual ambiance. The art galleries of Hawi are nearby and well worth a visit.

DAY 2: Ride from Waimea to the Waipio Valley and Akaka Falls.

Monday morning we offer a choice: a coastal route along the old highway, a road with hardly any traffic as it winds through rolling pastureland to a dramatic viewpoint overlooking Waipio Valley, or more challenging ride over the Kohala Mountains that also finishes in Waipio. Here, thousand-foot cliffs covered with green vegetation rise from a sky-blue sea. Ancient Hawaiians settled in Waipio Valley and grew taro to make poi. Small communities still inhabit this area, practicing the ancient ways. We’ll ride to a tropical park and walk to spectacular Akaka Falls, then cycle farm roads through banana and papaya plantations, and along the rocky coast. We watch surfers catching big waves, then cruise into Hilo and our lodging for the night at the Hilo Hawaiian Hotel. Hilo was the center of commercial activity on the Big Island for decades and boasts fine Victorian homes, world-class botanical gardens, and the busiest fish market in all the islands.

DAY 3: Ride through Pahoa’s ancient, curving banyans and peek-a-boo views of the sparkling Pacific.

Tuesday we ride through the remote Puna District, through stands of banyan and eucalyptus beside the rocky coast and tossing surf. We’ll see black sand beaches, surfers, and pods of spinner dolphins. We have lunch at Lava Tree Park, where lava flows engulfed trees, leaving tall volcanic shells in their place. In the afternoon, we'll stop for a soak in a thermal hot spring. This is a portion of the island the locals love, but tourists seldom visit. You’ll enjoy our guides’ in-depth knowledge of the area. We spend the night at a lodge located high on Kilauea, not far from the entrance to Volcanoes National Park.

DAY 4: Hike the Thurston Lava Tube and Kilauea Iki Crater.

Wednesday morning we’ll hike into the Thurston Lava Tube and Kilauea Iki Crater. After lunch, conditions permitting, we'll cycle 11 miles around the rim of the Kilauea, the world’s longest continually erupting volcano. Kilauea began its most recent eruption in 1983 and hasn’t stopped flowing since (its lava flows have added 500 acres of new land to the Big Island since that time.) We enjoy a delightful 25-mile descent down the gentle slope of the volcano to lunch at Punalu’u, a beautiful black sand beach frequented by giant sea turtles. We’ll spend the next two nights at the wonderful Keauhou Beach Resort in Kona, next to a great snorkeling beach and not far from the shops and restaurants along the waterfront on Alii Drive.

DAY 5: Ride to the fascinating City of Refuge.

On Thursday we cycle south through the famous Kona coffee plantations, stopping for some free tastings at Greenwell Farms. We continue past mango, banana, and avocado trees, then down to the ocean and the haunting City of Refuge, a national historic park. Long ago, Hawaiians who had displeased their king fled here for their lives. We have lunch on its white sand beach and stroll through the ancient ruins. In the afternoon we cycle past a famous painted church and head back to our hotel.

DAY 6: Snorkel Kahalu’u Bay, one of the island’s best snorkel spots.

On Friday we head to the Kona coffee plantations and enjoy their panoramic views of the Kona coastline. We stop at a coffee farm for a tasting and tour. We finish the trip with lunch and snorkeling on Kahalu’u Bay, hailed as the best snorkel beach on the island. Bicycle Adventures provides all the snorkel gear. Basking in the warm sun and water, and paddling among the colorful fish and sea turtles, you’ll feel it’s a great ending to a memorable week. We conclude with a shuttle back to our Kona hotel and the Kona airport.