Private North Shore & Movie Locations Tour
What the day takes in
Seven hours up the east side and along the north shore, ending where the road does. Five stops, and time at each one rather than a photo and back in the vehicle.
Wailua Falls
The double waterfall you may recognize from the opening credits of Fantasy Island. It is an easy roadside lookout and a good place to start, because the light is behind you in the morning.
Opaeka'a Falls
A tall single drop above the Wailua River valley. Across the road there is a view down the river that most visitors miss entirely because they only look one way.
Kilauea Lighthouse
A headland with ocean on three sides and one of the best seabird colonies in the islands. Depending on the season you can see red-footed boobies, frigatebirds, albatross, and in winter often whales offshore.
Hanalei
The bay, the taro fields, the mountains behind town with waterfalls running down them after rain. I build in time here to eat and walk around rather than passing through. I am a serious food lover, so ask me what to order rather than just where to go.
Maniniholo Dry Cave
A lava tube at Haena, right by the road, cool and dark and much bigger inside than it looks. It has its own place in local storytelling and it turned up in Pirates of the Caribbean.
Where I pick you up, and what it costs
This tour runs from Koloa and Poipu or from Lihue. The route, the stops and the time at each are the same either way, so the price is the same too: $900 flat for up to four guests, with $95 for each additional guest up to seven. One group per vehicle, never shared.
If you are staying further north, in Princeville or Hanalei, this tour is not offered from there because you would already be most of the way along the route. A custom day makes more sense in that case and I am happy to build one.
The film locations
Kauai has stood in for a lot of places on screen, and the north shore holds most of them. Along this route you pass locations used in Pirates of the Caribbean: On Stranger Tides, The Descendants, Blue Hawaii with Elvis, and Raiders of the Lost Ark.
I point them out and tell you what was shot where, but I try not to turn the day into a scavenger hunt. What tends to stay with people is standing somewhere they half recognize and realizing the real place is better than the version they saw.
Adding a guided hike
I hold a Commercial Trail Tour Activity Permit from Hawaii's Department of Land and Natural Resources, so I can legally guide you on state trails. On this route that usually means a short walk rather than a serious climb, since the day is already full. Tell me when you book and I will fit something in that suits your group.
A note on the weather
The north shore is the wet side of the island, and that is exactly why it is so green. Showers move through in bands and rarely last. If it is raining at Hanalei I usually reorder the day rather than cancel anything, and the waterfalls are at their best right after rain.
In winter the surf on this coast gets serious. That is a spectacle in itself from the sand, but it changes what is safe to do in the water, and I will tell you straight when the answer is no.
What to bring
- A light rain layer. You will probably not need it for long, but you will be glad of it.
- Closed shoes if you want to walk into the cave or along a trail.
- Swimwear in the calmer months, if you want to get in the water at Hanalei.
- A camera. I end up as the day's photographer more often than not.
Bottled water and snacks come along, and more often than not there is banana bread I baked the night before.
Questions I get asked
How many people fit?
Up to seven guests in one Ford Expedition. The $900 covers four, and each additional guest is $95. Your group is the only group in the vehicle.
Can the tour be guided in Spanish?
Yes, at no extra cost. Say which you would rather when you book.
Is there swimming?
Sometimes, and it depends entirely on the season and the swell. In the calm months Hanalei Bay is lovely. In winter this coast is for looking at, not swimming in, and I will say so.
Is lunch included?
No, but we stop for it in Hanalei and I will tell you where is worth eating and what to order there.
How do I book?
Book online from the table above, or text (808) 365-3035, which is the quickest way to reach me. I take credit card, cash, Venmo, PayPal and Zelle, and cancellation is free with a full refund up to 24 hours before you start.