Best of Hawaii — Self-Launched Island Hopper (Oahu, Big Island & Maui)
10 days · Hawaii, USA
Trafalgar charges £3,710
No-markup version: ~£990 per person
Estimate only, not a guaranteed price. Always verify costs independently before booking.
A self-launched 10-day island hop across Oahu, the Big Island and Maui, replicating Trafalgar's "Best of Hawaii" route without the coach group, guide or resort mark-up. You'll stay in hostels and budget guesthouses in Waikiki, Kailua-Kona and Lahaina/Kihei, use TheBus and local shuttles, and book the same highlights — Pearl Harbor, Volcanoes National Park, a luau, Kona coffee and salt farms, Iao Valley — directly or via GetYourGuide/Klook. Inter-island flights (HNL–KOA, KOA–OGG, OGG–HNL) are booked separately on Hawaiian Airlines or Southwest, which like Trafalgar's package are an extra cost. Costs are rough backpacker estimates in GBP and assume shared dorm or budget private rooms, self-catering plus cheap local eats, and public transport with a couple of shared tours.
Day-by-day
Aloha Honolulu — settle into Waikiki
Honolulu, Oahu
Fly into Daniel K. Inouye International Airport (HNL) and take TheBus route 20 or 42 (about $3, ~£2.50) or a shared shuttle (~£12) to Waikiki. Check into a hostel a couple of blocks back from the beach (e.g. dorm beds around £30-40/night in Waikiki — Hawaii is pricier than most backpacker destinations). Spend the late afternoon walking Waikiki Beach, watching the sunset from Kuhio Beach and grabbing a plate lunch (loco moco or poke bowl, ~£10).
🚌TheBus route 20/42 from HNL to Waikiki, ~£2.50
🛏Waikiki hostel dorm or budget guesthouse (e.g. hostel near Kuhio Ave), ~£35/night
- →Waikiki Beach sunset walk
- →Kuhio Beach
- →Plate lunch dinner
Oahu circle island by local bus
Oahu
Do the scenic coastal loop independently: TheBus route 23 or 42 east to Halona Blowhole and Sandy Beach, then continue to the North Shore. Alternatively take the Waikiki Trolley or a GetYourGuide/Klook circle-island day tour (~£45-60) if you want commentary. Stop at a North Shore shrimp truck for lunch (~£12), watch surfers at Banzai Pipeline, and return via the Windward coast (Kailua, Kaneohe). Optional evening: Polynesian Cultural Center entry plus Ha: Breath of Life show (~£70-90 booked direct).
🚌TheBus day pass ~£4.50; or Klook circle-island tour ~£50
🛏Waikiki hostel or budget guesthouse, ~£35/night
- →Halona Blowhole photo stop
- →North Shore & Banzai Pipeline
- →Windward coast drive
- →Optional Polynesian Cultural Center
Honolulu at leisure
Honolulu, Oahu
Slow morning at Waikiki Beach, then walk to the Duke Paoa Kahanamoku Statue and along Kalakaua Avenue. Cheap surfboard or bodyboard hire from a beach stand (~£15/hr) if you fancy it, or hike up Diamond Head (entry ~£4, book the timed slot online in advance). Dinner at a local food hall or Zippy's / Rainbow Drive-In for Hawaiian local fare (~£12).
🚌Walkable; TheBus where needed ~£2.50
🛏Waikiki hostel or budget guesthouse, ~£35/night
- →Waikiki Beach time
- →Duke Kahanamoku Statue
- →Optional Diamond Head hike
- →Surfboard hire
Pearl Harbor, Punchbowl and downtown Honolulu
Honolulu, Oahu
Book the free USS Arizona Memorial program (reserve online up to 8 weeks ahead, ~$1 booking fee) and explore the Pearl Harbor National Memorial grounds. Take TheBus to Punchbowl Crater for the National Memorial Cemetery of the Pacific (free). In the afternoon do a self-guided downtown walk past Iolani Palace (grounds free, interior tour ~£20), the King Kamehameha I Statue and the State Capitol. Early night before tomorrow's flight.
🚌TheBus to Pearl Harbor and downtown, ~£5 total
🛏Waikiki hostel or budget guesthouse, ~£35/night
- →Pearl Harbor National Memorial
- →USS Arizona Memorial
- →Punchbowl Cemetery
- →Downtown Honolulu self-guided walk
- →Iolani Palace exterior
Fly to Hilo, Volcanoes National Park, on to Kona
Hilo & Kona, Big Island
Take an early inter-island flight HNL–ITO (Hawaiian Airlines or Southwest, book early for ~£50-70 one way). From Hilo rent a car for the day or join a Klook/GetYourGuide Volcanoes National Park tour (~£70). Drive up to Hawaii Volcanoes National Park (entry $30/vehicle or $15 per person on foot, valid 7 days) — see Kilauea Crater, steam vents, Thurston Lava Tube and Mauna Loa/Mauna Kea viewpoints. Grab a loco moco lunch in Hilo (~£11), then drive or take the Hele-On bus (~£1.50) across to Kailua-Kona for the night.
🚌Inter-island flight HNL–ITO ~£60; shared rental car or Hele-On bus to Kona ~£15-25
🛏Kona hostel or budget guesthouse, ~£32/night
- →Hawaii Volcanoes National Park
- →Kilauea Crater & steam vents
- →Thurston Lava Tube
- →Hilo lunch stop
Kona coffee, sea salt and manta rays
Kailua-Kona, Big Island
Free-walk or short bus/rental hop up to Greenwell Farms in Kealakekua for a free coffee farm tour and tastings. Book a Kona Sea Salt farm tour directly (~£25) including tastings, or a similar salt/flavour session. Afternoon at Keauhou Bay — the Manta Ray Learning Center talks are free, and an evening manta snorkel trip with a local operator via GetYourGuide is ~£60-80 (optional). Cheap dinner from a Kona food truck (~£10).
🚌Local bus or rental car ~£10-15
🛏Kona hostel or budget guesthouse, ~£32/night
- →Greenwell Farms coffee tour
- →Kona Sea Salt tour & tasting
- →Keauhou Bay & manta ray talk
- →Optional manta snorkel trip
Beaches, snorkelling and a Hawaiian luau
Kailua-Kona, Big Island
Spend the day on the Kohala coast: Pu'uhonua O Honaunau National Historical Park (entry ~£18), snorkelling at Kealakekua Bay (kayak hire ~£35 or a snorkel boat trip ~£60), and the Pololu Valley lookout (free, short hike). In the evening book a luau directly — the Island Breeze Luau at Kona or the Voyagers of the Pacific at the Royal Kona (~£75-100) — with local food and cocktails.
🚌Rental car or shared shuttle ~£12
🛏Kona hostel or budget guesthouse, ~£32/night
- →Pu'uhonua O Honaunau
- →Kealakekua Bay snorkelling
- →Pololu Valley lookout
- →Hawaiian luau dinner
Fly to Maui and explore Iao Valley
Kona to Maui
Fly KOA–OGG (Hawaiian/Southwest, ~£60-80 one way). Take the local Maui Bus or a shared shuttle (~£3) to Lahaina/Kihei and check into a hostel or budget inn. In the afternoon visit Iao Valley State Park (~£4 entry plus advance online reservation) and the Iao Needle lookout. In the evening wander Whalers Village or Lahaina's Front Street and eat at a food truck park (~£12).
🚌Inter-island flight KOA–OGG ~£70; Maui Bus ~£3
🛏Lahaina or Kihei hostel/budget inn, ~£40/night
- →Iao Valley State Park
- →Iao Needle
- →Whalers Village / Front Street stroll
Maui road trip — Haleakala or Road to Hana
Maui
Pick one self-drive day trip. Option A: sunrise or daytime drive up Haleakala National Park (entry $30/vehicle, sunrise reservation required) — worth ~£15 in shared car costs. Option B: the Road to Hana loop (~£20 shared fuel + waterfall stops, free). Or book a Klook/GetYourGuide Road to Hana day tour (~£90) if you'd rather not drive. Spend the late afternoon on Kaanapali or Wailea beaches, dinner at a local plate-lunch spot (~£12).
🚌Shared rental car ~£20/day incl. fuel, or guided tour ~£90
🛏Lahaina or Kihei hostel/budget inn, ~£40/night
- →Haleakala National Park or Road to Hana
- →Waterfall and beach stops
- →Kaanapali Beach
Fly Maui back to Honolulu
Maui to Honolulu
Morning beach walk and breakfast, then a short flight OGG–HNL (~£50-65 booked ahead) to connect with your onward international flight, or extend a couple of nights in Maui if you have time. Give yourself at least 3 hours between inter-island and international flights.
🚌Inter-island flight OGG–HNL ~£55; airport bus/shuttle ~£3
🛏None (departure day)
- →Beach morning
- →Optional Maui extension
Self-launched vs. Trafalgar
| This itinerary (self-launched) | Trafalgar | |
|---|---|---|
| Price per person | ~£990 | £3,710 |
| Duration | 10 days | 10 days |
| Who books it | You and your group, direct | Tour operator, guided group |
| Savings | £2,720 per person (73%) | |
Estimate only, not a guaranteed price. Always verify costs independently before booking.
Want to see more Trafalgar-style trips? Check them out here.~£990
estimated per person
You never pay Travel Crew for this — you pay hostels, transport, and activity providers directly, the same as if you'd booked it all yourself.
This publishes your dates so other travellers can find and join you — no tour operator needed.
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Frequently asked questions
How much does Best of Hawaii — Self-Launched Island Hopper (Oahu, Big Island & Maui) cost?+
Doing it yourself with this self-launched itinerary costs an estimated £990 per person for 10 days in Hawaii, USA. This is an AI-generated estimate based on typical budget-traveller prices — actual costs will vary by season and how you book.
Is this cheaper than booking with Trafalgar?+
Yes — Trafalgar charges around £3,710 per person for a similar tour. Doing the same route independently, using the same standard of accommodation and activities, costs an estimated £990 — a saving of roughly £2,720 (73%) per person.
How long is the Hawaii, USA trip?+
This itinerary runs 10 days, covering 10 day-by-day stops through Hawaii, USA.
How do I join this trip?+
You can join an existing open departure using this itinerary if one is scheduled, or launch your own departure with your own dates and invite other travellers to join you — no tour operator required.
Isn't it easier to just use a tour operator?+
Well, yes, a tour operator will book all the individual parts of your travel for you and provide a guide. That's obvious, but doing this has the potential to save the group thousands, which can in turn improve your itinerary substantially or save you huge amounts of money. Also, when you launch a departure, Travel Crew has tools in place to help you book the individual sections of the trip or make it easier for you to do this as a group. Really, you do not need a middle man. If you are more comfortable paying more and using a middle man, then you should certainly do this.
Is it safer to book through a tour operator?+
Arguably, there isn't much difference. A self-launched trip runs on the same principle as a group travel crew: collective responsibility, everyone looking out for each other, the same way it would if a group of friends organised the trip themselves — because that's exactly what's happening. You should always take out travel insurance before you go, self-launched or not; that doesn't change either way. Every open departure is published publicly with real dates and a real trip organiser, so it's never an anonymous arrangement, and our support team is reachable any time you need help, including in an emergency while you're away. Longer-term, we're building direct relationships with ground DMCs in popular destinations, offered as an optional paid add-on for extra on-the-ground support. Ultimately, though, the group is responsible for its own conduct and safety on a self-launched trip, same as on any trip you plan yourself.
What kind of trip is this?+
This is a adventure, culture, beaches trip through Hawaii, USA, self-launched rather than run by a tour operator — you organise it with a group you find or bring yourself.
Would you like to name the operator, name the trip, or have any suggestions about how to improve this itinerary?
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