KOHALA COAST BACKCOUNTRY TOUR

Duration
4-6 hrs
Audio Points
47
Tour Stops
11

About The Tour

Located on the northernmost tip of Big Island, the Kohala Coast features lush, green coastline and tree-line hills. With Shaka Guide, you’ll go on a short loop drive through this unique corner of the island stopping at historic sites, beaches and hikes along the way. Here are just a few ...

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Located on the northernmost tip of Big Island, the Kohala Coast features lush, green coastline and tree-line hills. With Shaka Guide, you’ll go on a short loop drive through this unique corner of the island stopping at historic sites, beaches and hikes along the way.

Here are just a few of the fun things you can do on the tour!

•⁠ Hike the Pololu Trail
•⁠ Visit a massive ancient Hawaiian temple
•⁠ Explore the artsy town of Hawi
•⁠ Visit the Cowboy town of Waimea
•⁠ Stop at a statue of King Kamehameha

KNOW BEFORE YOU GO
Recommended Start Time: 10:00 a.m.
Tour Starting Point(s): Waikoloa
Direction: Clockwise

All Shaka Guide tours come with customer support and a satisfaction guarantee. Tours never expire.

Sample Tour Audio

INTRO TO PUUKOHOLA HEIAU
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LAPAKAHI
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HAWI TOWN THINGS TO DO
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Tour Stops

Pololu Valley Hike
Puukohola Heiau National Historic Site
Lapakahi State Park
Statue of Kamehameha I
Anna Ranch
Kohala Mountain Scenic Lookout Point
Hawi Town
Kamehameha Rock
Waimea Town
Waimea Nature Park
Parker Ranch

Tour Route


Customer Reviews

(60678)

LOVE this Guide!

We used the Shaka guide in Maui for the Road to Hana 8 years ago and loved it. So we decided to try it again for the Big Island. We did the North island jungle loop tour today. It was so informative, easy to follow, and we all loved it. Even my impossible to please 16 year old daughter mentioned how cool it is- she was so into it, and was listening to every word and wanted to stop at all the stops. It was a great guide, we had a great day! Can’t recommend this enough. I bought the BI package, and we will be using the other tours this trip as well.

Nik Gray | 1 month ago | iOS

Great Virtual Tour Guide

We bought the Shaka audio guide to the Volcanoes National Park on the Big Island. It was a great experience. It was comprehensive and entertaining. We toured through the park and we had a better experience for having used it. The price was very reasonable.

Spicer is Nicer | 2 months ago | iOS

AMAZING GUIDE!

You will not be disappointed! This was a delightful way to experience the big island. The app works off GPS so it works and gives directions even when you’re in restricted service areas. Info is accurate and incredibly helpful… turn by turn. We LOVED the Kohala tour (STUNNING VIEWS) and listening to the history behind this beautiful island (and lovely music when Uncle isn’t talking). It made the experience really special. We’ll be using this app for the rest of our time here and can’t wait to explore some National Parks on the mainland with the Shaka Guide. Thanks for a great day!

Hummingthrulife8 | 3 months ago | iOS

Fantastic

Just finished an amazing day at Volcanoes National Park in Hawaii, and used the Shaka Guide throughout. We purchased the National Park tour and it just worked - it was really amazing and we can’t recommend it enough!

Captain Hokie | 4 months ago | iOS

After friend's recommendation, we used the app for our tour of Volcanoes National Park on Hawaii. Amazing! It turned our four our road trip into a professional guided tour! Highly recommend it for ant National Park visit!

CGF | 5 months ago | Android

Our family is in Kona for 10 days. We bought the Big Island bundle. We are very impressed with the pace, accuracy, thoroughness and historic information provided on these guides. We can travel at our leisure and visit the sites we want for as long as we want. Excited to explore the rest of the island using this awesome app. I would encourage anyone traveling to Kona and renting a car, to purchase these tours.

Lisa Jorgensen | 7 months ago | Android

fantastic guide, we used it extensively at Hawaii Volcanoes National Park and it really added to the trip. I don't usually spend money on apps but this was worth every penny!

Jake Carolan | 9 months ago | Android

We really loved using this app because of all of the history and stories we learned. I especially liked the navigation and recommendations on where to stop and what to skip. It also made our trip to the Hawaii Volcanoes National Park way more interesting for my preteen!

Nina Vaccaro | 10 months ago | Android

Hawai’i Day trip

Used the Shaka guide during our day trip on the big island. We knew we wanted to do volcano national park but were able to add great stops along the way from Kona thanks to the Shaka Guide. Highly recommend.

clsargeant8 | 1 year ago | iOS

Shaka required for exploring!

I can’t rave enough about SHAKA guide. We have used Shaka for Maui, THE BIG ISLAND, Kauai, Yosemite, Sequia National Park, and Kings Canyon. The audio tour genuinely makes 8-10 hour exploring trips worth every minute. I have kids that are 8 and 10 years old, they love Shaka too. We landed in Kona and immediately turned on Shaka to start our Hawaiian vacation. It blows my mind that people still walk up to the ranger desk and ask what they should see when visiting a national park. All you need is Shaka! Can’t recommend enough!

Robin Barker Fox | 1 year ago | iOS

Where is the Kohala Coast?

Kohala Coast is located on the northwest coast of Hawaii's Big Island. It’s known for its luxury resorts, beautiful beaches, historic spots, and lava landscapes. Explore this unique corner of the Big Island on Shaka Guide’s Kohala Coast Backcountr...

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How to get to Kohala Coast?

From Kona International Airport, the Kohala Coast is about 40 miles and 50 minutes away. On Shaka Guide’s Kohala Coast Backcountry Tour, you’ll make a clockwise loop along the coast starting and ending in Waikoloa.

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What to do on the Kohala Coast?

The Koahal Coast may be small, but it packs a lot in! This historic corner of the Big Island features Puukohola Heiau, Lapakahi State Park, Polulu Valley, and Waimea Town - all stops on Shaka Guide’s Kohala Coast Backcountry Tour.

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What is an Audio Tour Guide?

Think of us as your personal tour guide in an app. Our tours provide everything a guided tour does, but with the freedom to explore on your terms. Here's how it works:

  • GPS triggers audio narration to play automatically as you drive or walk.
  • Listen to stories, get local insights, visit must-see stops and get turn-by-turn navigation.
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Tour FAQs

Where does the Kohala Coast Backcountry Tour start from?
The Kohala Coast tour begins in Waikoloa and makes a clockwise loop around the north west coast of the Big Island. You'll end the tour near where you began! 
How long will the Kohala Coast Backcountry Tour take?
The Kohala Coast Backcountry Tour only takes about 2-3 hours depending on how long you spend at each stop. Remember this tour only drives around the northern tip of the island and starts and finishes in Waikaloa. If you find that you would like to explore more of the north side of the Big Island, like Hamakua and Waipio,  download our north loop tour.
What should I bring on the Kohala Coast Backcountry Tour?
Bring enough clothing to handle all possible variations in weather. Expect sunshine and rain. What you might need:SwimwearSunglassesRain JacketHiking ShoesSnacksWater
How much money should I bring on the Kohala Coast Backcountry Tour?
Bring cash $$How much you spend really depends on the size of your party, and the activities you would like to do. Our goal is to make your vacation as affordable as possible, so we will tell you about the activities along the way, and you can decide whether or not they interest you. That being said, here are a few things you may/will spend on:Gas Food WaterPuukohola admission: free, $2/person for group tour of 10+SouvenirsSunscreen
Can I join the Kohala Coast Backcountry Tour en route?
Yes! Feel free to join the tour along the route. Just make sure that you follow the numbers in chronological order from where you are starting from.  If you don’t begin at one of the tour starting points you’ll miss a few stories, but you’ll still have a great experience. 
Can I take the Kohala Coast Backcountry Tour in the opposite direction?
No, this tour can only be done in one direction.
Other Questions? Contact Us!
Do you have other questions that we didn’t list here? Feel free to message us through the in-app chat box, Facebook Messenger, our email, or give us a call at 1-888-250-2261. We will be glad to help and answer your questions as soon as possible!Mahalo,Shaka Guide

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