Crater to the Sea Tour
Honu Hawaii is an unforgettable sight-seeing experience! Hop aboard our restored World War II amphibious vehicle to see the best of Waikiki by land AND sea. Honu Hawaii is a boat and a bus in one! This is the ONLY tour of its kind in all of Hawaii-- truly the best of both worlds.
We'll take you on a fun sightseeing tour of the landmarks of Waikiki and share some ancient Hawaiian history along the way. Travel along Waikiki Beach, with breathtaking coastal views of the coast on our way to Diamond Head, one of the most iconic natural landmarks in Hawaii. We'll even drive inside Diamond Head Crater! Take in views of the beautiful Koolau Mountain Range from Ala Wai Canal on our way back to the harbor. The tour ends with a SPLASH as we dip into the crystal clear blue waters of the Pacific Ocean for a view of Diamond Head Crater and the Waikiki Coastline during a 45 minute boat ride. Keep your eyes peeled for honu, or Hawaiian Green Sea Turtles!
Our open air vehicles allow you to experience the cool tradewinds from the shaded comfort of our open air, historic DUK vehicles. The DUKW was designed by the military for the purpose of traversing land and sea during World War II. They were used for strategic military operations and were key in getting soldiers to shore in very dangerous conditions. Soldiers came to be fond of these vehicles as they delivered critical supplies and provisions to soldiers stationed on large battleships. Now our Honu is safe for Waikiki Travel! Our team rebuilt and restored these cool vehicles for our guests to enjoy. Now you can travel by land and by sea, here in Oahu.
SCHEDULE
Honu Hawaii departs daily at 10:00am and 2:00pm. The tour runs for approximately 90 minutes.
PRICING
Adults $79
Children 12 & Under $69
Infants Ride Free
(1 year and under)
Military & Kama'aina $69
Keiki $59
LOCATION
Honu Hawaii Land & Sea Tours depart from the Ala Wai Small Boat Harbor, near the Harbor master's office. Convenient public parking is available nearby. There are some free spaces available along the Hilton Hawaiian Village Lagoon, or paid parking is available for $1 an hour.
SAFETY
We take great care and pride to provide an unforgettable experience for our riders. Trust and reliability are our top priorities. Our hydroterra vehicles are the latest and safest amphibious vehicles available and are certified by the United States Coast Guard. Each vehicle undergoes an extensive annual inspection by the USCG and the vehicles are road tested annually by the Hawaii Department of Transportation.
Infant and child life vests are provided on board and stored underneath each seat.
Each Honu Hawaii Captain carries a dual DOT and USCG commercial license.
Honu Hawaii Duck Boat
Tour Highlights
From soaring mountains that meet the sea to historic landmarks, you get to see it all in one tour
-
Fort Derussy
-
Waikiki Beach
-
Duke Kahanamoku Statue
-
Honolulu Zoo
-
Kapiolani Park
6. Waikiki Aquarium
7. Diamond Head Crater
8. Kuilei Cliffs Beach Park
9. Ala Wai Canal
10. Magic Island
Tour Departs from Ala Wai Small Boat Harbor
Waikiki Beach
A vibrant mecca of shopping, landmarks, and crystal clear turquoise blue water, Waikiki beach stretches for 2 miles along the south-facing shoreline of Oahu. Our tour takes you along the entire stretch of Waikiki Beach.
Waikiki has a rich, royal heritage. Many of Hawaii’s ali'i (royalty) lived in Waikiki. Waikiki means "spouting waters" in Hawaiian. Waikiki was abundant with agriculture for hundreds of years.
Today, Waikiki is known for its water activities. You can spot tour boats, catamarans, and sailing yachts, waterman, outrigger canoes, and surfers. You are sure to catch some of the best longboarding surfers in the world in Waikiki out practicing at Queens surf break, a favorite wave for pros from around the world.
Colorful restaurants and luxury shopping run the length of the Waikiki coastline. Our tour will travel up Kalakaua Avenue, a well-known street running through Waikiki that gets its name from King David Kalakaua. Kalakaua Ave is filled with shops, restaurants, and historic hotels like the Pink Royal Hawaiian and Moana Surfrider.
Duke Kahanamoku Statue
Waikiki is also home to the landmark Duke Kahanamoku statue. He is considered the “father of modern surfing." Facing Kalakāua Avenue on the Kuhio Beach section of Waikīkī Beach, the bronze statue celebrates Duke Paoa Kahanamoku, who lived from 1890-1968. The legendary Hawaiian waterman was a master of swimming, surfing, and outrigger canoe paddling. He earned Olympic medals in 1912, 1920, and 1924.
Honolulu Zoo
Honolulu Zoo is found in Kapiolani Park. This Waikiki landmark houses 1,230 creatures, like Komodo dragons, cheetahs, giraffes, and Sumatran tigers. There are also beautiful gardens with a range of plants and flowers, many of which are native to Hawaii.
Kapiolani Park
Kapiolani park sits at the base of Diamond Head. The park is a gathering place popular with walkers, runners, tennis enthusiasts and picnickers. King Kalakaua selected this 300-acre track of land at the base of Diamond Head for a public park in 1867. A historic landmark in Waikiki, Kapiolani park was donated to the public in 1877 by King David Kalakaua, who named it after his wife Queen Kapiolani. The park boasts grassy areas and palm trees and the park is a popular place for outside shows and live music events.
Diamond Head Crater
Our tour takes you inside Diamond Head Crater, formed on an extinct volcano. Diamond Head State Monument is found on the east end of Waikiki. The crater is Hawaii’s most recognized landmark and is known for its historic hiking trail, stunning coastal views, and military history. Diamond Head State Monument encompasses over 475 acres, including the interior and outer slopes of the crater. Hawaiians refer to this crater as Lēʻahi, referring to the shape of an ahi, or tuna’s dorsal fin.
Kuilei Cliffs Beach Park
This 11-acre beach park lies at the foothills of Diamond Head Crater below dramatic sea cliffs. This beach is a surfers' paradise as the reef generates waves almost every day. The sand here has a greenish hue and glitters in the sun, which made an impression on early sailors. In 1825, British sailors noticed small sparkling calcite crystals in the beach sand along the crater's foothills and sea cliffs. They named the crater Diamond Hill, which was later changed to Diamond Head.
Ala Wai Canal
The Ala Wai Canal runs along the length of Waikiki and then empties into the ocean. Before the canal was built, Waikiki consisted of wetlands that were fed by streams running from the Makiki, Palolo, and Manoa valleys to the sea. You’ll often see joggers and walkers on the path alongside the canal, and paddlers in outrigger canoes on this historic waterway.
