Explore Oahu with Circle Island Tour in 24

Dan at Circle Island Tour in 24

I often use the #luckywelivehawaii hashtag on social media whenever I posts photos from our family's adventures around the island, since after all, Hawaii is blessed with gorgeous beaches, lush mountains, and a rich history.  Thanks to our Custom Tour with Circle Island Tour in 24, we were able to explore several places around Oahu for the first time, making me appreciate the #luckywelivehawaii sentiment even more.

Circle Island Tour in 24, owned by Dan Scroggins, offers both Specialty and Custom Tours (in 4-, 8- , 16- and 24-hour packages) in his Jeep Wrangler Unlimited, allowing both kama`aina and visitors to see what they want to see, and do what they want to do.

No sitting on crowded tour buses and no being herded like cattle.

No having to rent a car.

No driving!

Dan will take you to only the stops you are interested in.

If you want to visit a certain beach, hike a certain trail, or view a specific attraction, Dan can make it happen (as long as it's legal!).

If you have no idea what you want to do, simply provide Dan with your interests, and he can come up with suggestions.

For our Custom Full Day Tour, Dan provided us with a list of 5 hikes and 6 attractions, and I narrowed the list down to 2 hikes and 5 attractions.  A lot of factors, such as weather, traffic, and crowds, would determine how many of those places we'd actually be able to get to, but I was very excited for our tour, since all of the places I had picked were places my kids haven't gone to yet.

Included in the tour is pick-up at your location of choice (home, hotel, etc.). He likes to pick his clients up early to avoid the crowds, so we made plans to get picked up at a park-and-ride at 7am. Despite a mix-up with the pick-up location and getting off to a slightly late start, as well as the poor weather, we were able to stop at several places during our Custom Tour:  

Kukaniloko Birth Site

Pu`u o Mahuka Heiau

Kawela Bay

Kualoa Regional Park

Byodo-In Temple

Likeke Falls

I've wanted to visit the Kukaniloko Birth Site and Byodo-In Temple for a while now, and we were able to visit both on our tour.  I've been to the Pu`u o Mahuka Heiau before, but I had no idea there was a little trail that led to gorgeous views of Waimea Bay until we went on the tour with Circle Island Tour in 24.  Kawela Bay was a spontaneous stop, and I'm glad we stopped there, since it was the first time our family has been there, and it was cool to see the famous Banyan Tree that has been used in many movies and television shows.  A hike to a waterfall was the perfect way to end our Custom Tour.

Kalua Pork Nachos from Hapa Haole Kitchen

Any admission fees (e.g. Byodo-In Temple), as well as any meals, are the responsibility of the client. You are not obligated to pay for Dan's lunch (or even have him eat with you), but we happily paid for Dan's lunch and welcomed his company.

As a father of three kids, Dan was great with our own kids (and he was also wonderful with our oldest son, who has an autism spectrum disorder, and often asked Dan off-topic questions). He had fun activity sheets for the kids to do in the Jeep if they started getting restless, and at different stops he had "surprises" to keep them engaged.

Kids Activity Page

At the end of hiking the short trail at the Pu`u o Mahuka Heiau, Dan brought out a conch shell, which the boys got a kick out out of trying to blow.

At Kawela Bay, he opened up a coconut so the kids could try fresh coconut water for the first time.

At Kualoa Regional Park, in the pouring rain and gusty wind, the kids played what was probably their most memorable Hawaiiana match game ever.

Although it rained for most of our tour, we still had a lot of fun, and Dan was so flexible in adapting the tour so we could make the most of our time with him.

The safety and comfort of his clients are the most important, so if Dan feels strongly against going somewhere or doing something, he will offer his opinion.  For instance, since it was pouring rain on the day of our tour, he suggested against one of the hikes we had planned on doing since it probably would have been too muddy and unsafe for the kids.

Both kama`aina and visitors will love a private Custom Tour with Circle Island Tour in 24.  Yes, it's a little on the pricey side, but considering that the tour is customized just for you and your party (his Jeep comfortably sat our party of 5) and you don't have to deal with strangers on a tour bus, adhere to a strict tour schedule, rent a car, or even drive, it is so worth it!  It was great being able to just relax on the ride, and the fact that our family was able to visit four new places and hike a new trail in a single day was fantastic.

Dan was an awesome tour guide.  An avid adventurer, he is very knowledgable about all of the different places, whether it be a popular tourist attraction or a lesser-known spot, and he'll provide interesting tidbits of history or trivia at each stop.   His knowledge of the island is quite impressive!

Dan will drive you, guide you, inform you, and even enlighten you.  His love and eagerness to learn and explore all that he can in order to share his knowledge with others was obvious, and it really opened my eyes as well.

To see someone, with only a few years of island residency, have so much passion for Hawaii made me feel even more #luckytolivehawaii, and I feel so fortunate that our family was able to experience new adventures and create so many new memories all in a single day, thanks to Circle Island Tour in 24.

For more information on Circle Island Tour in 24, click here.

Mahalo to Circle Island Tour in 24 for the hosted tour.  Gratuity was paid on our own.

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Likeke Falls - Our Final Stop with Circle Island Tour in 24

Our final stop on our Custom Tour with Circle Island Tour in 24 was Likeke Falls.

We started at the entrance near Koolau Golf Club, and we quickly came upon some cool sights - a heavily graffitied water tank, as well as view of the Pali Puka from a distance.

Can you see the puka?

The trail itself was extremely muddy due to all of the morning rain.  There were slippery rocks, jutting roots, and a maze of branches to navigate through at different points on the trail, but for the most part, the hike was fairly easy for the kids.

The less-than-ideal conditions resulted in a few falls and even mosquito bites (we did put on insect repellent!), but we were all excited to see the waterfall, and didn't let the mud, scrapes, and bites deter us.

It's always magical to see a waterfall, and Likeke Falls did not disappoint.

After taking some obligatory family photos and snaps of the waterfall, it was time to make our way back to the start of the trail.

The return trip resulted in more slips, more muddy shoes and clothes, and more mosquito bites, but it was a rewarding hike, and we all enjoyed this new adventure.

The hike took almost an hour round-trip, and although the earlier rain made hiking conditions a bit difficult, as Dan, the owner of Circle Island Tour in 24 commented, "More rain = more impressive waterfall."

A hike to Likeke Falls was the perfect ending of our Custom Tour with Circle Island Tour in 24.

Stay tuned to find out more about Circle Island Tour in 24.

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Hapa Haole Kitchen - A Stop on Our Custom Tour with Circle Island Tour in 24

After a morning of exploring various spots on Oahu with Circle Island Tour in 24, we were all ravenous, so we decided to stop at Hapa Haole Kitchen in Kaneohe for lunch.

Cheeseburger with French Fries

Chicken Katsu with Macaroni Salad

Pastele Plate

Kalua Pork Nachos

Garlic Edamame

Although a keiki bento is offered, the kids wanted other items.

My oldest son devoured his Cheeseburger.

My middle son and my husband shared the Kalua Pork Nachos, which they absolutely loved.

My youngest and I shared the Chicken Katsu, which was a special of the day.  I thought it was just okay.  It was more like pieces of fried chicken, not chicken katsu, and there seemed to be very little meat.

Our tour guide ordered the Pastele with a side of Pineapple Cole Slaw, but unfortunately the restaurant was out of the cole slaw.  However, I think it's great that plate lunches come with a variety of side dish options rather than just the typical mac salad, such as the cole slaw, as well as lomi salmon, corn, bacalao salad, or even pudding.

Although service was somewhat slow, and the server forgot to bring out the Garlic Edamame Side, service was very friendly.



Hapa Haole Kitchen
45-512 Keaahala Rd

Kaneohe, HI 96744
(808) 236-4272

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Byodo-In Temple - A Stop on Our Custom Tour with Circle Island Tour in 24

Located in the Valley of the Temples Memorial Park, the Byodo-In Temple is something I've seen in numerous pictures and always wanted to visit.

Our family finally visited this majestic temple recently, as it was a stop on our Custom Tour with Circle Island Tour in 24.

The Byodi-in Temple is a small-scale replica of the Byodo-in Temple in Uji, Japan, but it still leaves a big impression on all who visit.

Crossing the bridge to the temple grounds was like stepping into another place and time. The impressive, vibrant red structure sitting amongst the lush, green trees with the mist-covered mountains in the background was quite awe-inspiring.

Upon entering we came across was the Bell House and its bon-sho, or sacred bell.  According to the Byodo-In Temple website:

The bell is customarily rung before one enters the temple to spread the eternal teachings of Buddha. Ringing the bell will purify the mind of evil spirits and temptation. It is said that ringing this bell will bring you happiness, blessings, and a long life. It is customarily rung before entering the temple.

Bon-sho (Sacred Bell)

Each of my kids excitedly rang the bell, which echoed throughout the grounds as we walked to the temple.

Inside the temple's central hall is the Amida Buddha.  Amida Buddha was created by Masuzo Inui, a famous Japanese sculptor. The 9-foot tall Buddha beckons both worshippers and those who simply want to admire the intricate artwork.

The Amida Buddha

On the grounds of the temple you'll find black swans and koi, and there are signs cautioning to stay away from the wild peacocks, but we didn't see any.  

A black swan and koi

If you go to the gift shop, you can purchase some fish food to feed the koi.  

Koi feeding

Although there were a lot of people visiting (the small parking lot was filled with cars and others waiting for stalls), there was still a sense of tranquility.

We were at Byodo-In Temple for just a short time, but whether you stay for just a few snapshots and a quick tour the temple, or you linger longer to reflect or even meditate, the temple and its grounds will undoubtedly instill a feeling of wonderment.

Byodo-In Temple, a place of  beauty, worship, and reflection

Admission is $3 per adult; $1 per child; $2 per senior citizen.

Byodi-In Temple
47-200 Kahekili Hwy,

Kaneohe, HI 96744
(808) 239-9844

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WW: Mokoli`i

Kualoa Regional Park, a stop on our Circle Island Tour in 24 Custom Tour, offers a great view of Mokoli`i (Chinaman's Hat), even in the wind and pouring rain.

Stay tuned for more on our tour.

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Kawela Bay - A Stop on Our Custom Tour with Circle Island Tour in 24

Despite being born and raised on Oahu, I've never been to Kawela Bay until we stopped there during our Custom Tour with Circle Island Tour in 24.

Kawela, which means "heat," is part of a legend which tells of how gods Kane and Kanaloa struck spring water from a rock known as Wai-Kane to give life to the then waterless area around Kawela Bay.

The blue waters seemed very calm, and with the exception of a couple of companies who were offering lessons (Kawela Bay is popular for stand-up paddle boarding and kayaking), the beach was not crowded at all.

On the way to the beach you'll go through a whimsical tree tunnel which leads to a magical banyan tree.  The single tree with multiple trunks has been seen in popular TV shows and movies.

I had no idea Kawela Bay was home to so many hidden gems!

Stay tuned for more on our Custom Tour with Circle Island Tour in 24.

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Pu`u o Mahuka Heiau - A Stop on Our Circle Island Tour in 24 Custom Tour

Although I've been to Pu`u o Mahuka Heiau, a Registered National Historic Landmark, when I was in high school, I had no idea there was a short trail close by which leads to a scenic view of Waimea Bay until we stopped there on our Custom Tour with Circle Island Tour in 24.

In ancient Hawaii, a heiau was a sacred place to honor the gods Kanaloa, Kane, Ku, and Lono through offerings and prayer, and was also a place of ceremony, as well as sacrifice.

Built on a bluff above Waimea Valley, the heiau would have consisted of various features, such as an `Anu`u, or oracle tower, a Lele, or platform where offerings to the gods were placed, and Ki`i, or wooden images of the gods, but now just the rock wall enclosure remains.

One very impressive aspect of the heiau is that the stone wall was built without any mortar.

Just beyond the heiau, towards the ocean, is a quick and easy trail leading to a gorgeous (despite the power lines) view of Waimea Bay.

A visit to the Pu`u o Mahuka Heiau offered both a peek into ancient Hawaiian history, as well as stunning views of the Pacific Ocean.

Stay tuned for more of our Custom Tour with Circle Island Tour in 24.

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