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12 Days The Best of Hawaii: Royal Departures Tour Package
Duration: 12 Days / 11 Nights
Priced From: $6365 pp dbl. occ.
Dates: Oct, Dec
12-day The Best of Hawaii: Royal Departures journey, catering to only 26 guests, offers an in-depth, intimate exploration of the Hawaiian Islands. Featuring a lei greeting and private limousine airport transfers on Oahu and the Big Island, multi-night stays at the islands’ best beachfront hotels, and special events and experiences included in the price, this is the epitome of gracious Hawaii travel. Attend an evening fit for royalty at the sumptuous Iolani Palace. Sample the lifestyle of elite plantation owners when sugar was king. Learn the secrets of gourmet Hawaiian cuisine at the restaurant of a world-famous master chef on Maui. And share the unique culture and traditions of the islands with those who know them best – the warm, welcoming people of Hawaii.
Tour Itinerary
Day 1: Aloha!
Tour begins: The Royal Hawaiian. Your ultimate Hawaii travel experience begins with a royal welcome to the islands as you’re treated to a special lei greeting and a transfer to your hotel, The Royal Hawaiian, by limousine. Settle into your spacious Tower Oceanfront room at the historic “Pink Palace of the Pacific,” and admire the view before dining in the renowned Surf Lanai Restaurant at your leisure this evening.
Meals: Dinner
Lodging: The Royal Hawaiian (Tower Oceanfront Rooms), Waikiki Beach, Oahu
Day 2: Poignant Pearl Harbor, Honolulu & a private palace evening
Following an early breakfast in the Surf Lanai Restaurant, journey to Pearl Harbor to discover what happened there on December 7, 1941 before traveling to the USS Arizona Memorial by Navy launch. You’ll find this to be one of the most inspirational experiences of your Hawaii travel. Afternoon sightseeing in Honolulu includes a drive past Washington Place and Hawaii's grandiose state capitol building. Please join us tonight for a regal welcome reception and dinner at the historic and opulent Iolani Palace, the only official residence of royalty in the United States.
Meals: Breakfast, dinner
Lodging: The Royal Hawaiian (Tower Oceanfront Rooms), Waikiki Beach, Oahu
Day 3: A day of natural delights on Oahu
While in Hawaii travel from your palatial hotel to see some of Oahu’s natural treasures, including panoramic views of the island's windward side from Nuuanu Pali Lookout, the slopes of Diamond Head, and scenic landscapes from lush tropical rainforests to turquoise bays which fishermen, surfers and sailors share with the rich bird and marine life that call them home. The afternoon and evening are free to enjoy Waikiki Beach and Honolulu as you please.
Meals: Breakfast
Lodging: The Royal Hawaiian (Tower Oceanfront Rooms), Waikiki Beach, Oahu
Day 4: Return to Kauai's Golden Age
Following a short flight from Oahu to the lush “Garden Isle,” indulge in a visit to Kilohana Plantation Estate and its Tudor-style mansion dating from the days when sugar was king on Kauai. Constructed in 1935, the manor house at Kilohana was the grandest and most expensive ever built on the island. As you tour the estate and enjoy lunch, images of the plantation lifestyle of the privileged class of long ago are everywhere. Then travel through the remarkable Tunnel of Trees, comprised of towering 150-year-old eucalyptus trees, en route to the sumptuous beachfront Grand Hyatt Kauai Resort & Spa near Poipu, where you'll sink into the lap of luxury as you relax in your Grand Club accommodations.
Meals: Breakfast, lunch
Lodging: Grand Hyatt Kauai Resort & Spa, Koloa, Kauai
Day 5: Island ecology and a day spent your way on Kauai
Today begins with a fascinating RAVEN interpretive series lecture on the ecology of the Hawaiian Islands, after which the day is yours to spend as you please. Your luxurious resort offers many delightful optional diversions from which to choose for the enjoyable recreation that is such an inherent part of Hawaii travel. Perhaps the Robert Trent Jones Jr. golf course will entice you, or maybe you’ll prefer to be blissfully pampered at the ANARA Spa. Play a game of tennis, float along the meandering saltwater lagoon, cool off in the freshwater “river pools” amidst waterfalls and grottos, or settle in at the beautiful white sand beach. Or you might want to consider an optional flightseeing adventure over Kauai's lush valleys and dramatic coasts, available at an additional cost of $299 per person (see Available Tour Options for details).
Meals: Breakfast, dinner
Lodging: Grand Hyatt Kauai Resort & Spa, Koloa, Kauai
Day 6: Lahaina and leisure on the "Valley Isle"
After flying from Kauai to Maui, Hawaii travel through the spectacular Iao Valley past pineapple and sugar plantations before having lunch on your own in the old whaling town of Lahaina; explore the history and maritime traditions of this key port town. Spend the rest of the day savoring the amenities and natural beauty of your oceanfront resort, whose 40 acres of grounds on spectacular Kaanapali Beach are home to lush gardens, waterfalls and tropical birds; you'll enjoy ocean-view Regency Club rooms during your two-night stay.
Meals: Breakfast, dinner
Lodging: Hyatt Regency Maui Resort & Spa, Lahaina, Maui
Day 7: Experience gastronomic Hawaii in a perfect Maui setting
What would Hawaii travel be without some special insights into its cuisine? Engage in an interactive Gourmet Cooking Hawaii experience to learn what it takes to create fabulous Hawaiian fusion-style dishes at Roy’s of Kahana Restaurant, owned by stellar chef Roy Yamaguchi. To say that Roy is passionate about the proper preparation of fine food with a Hawaiian flair would be a serious understatement, as you’ll see for yourself during a hands-on cooking experience that culminates in a memorable luncheon. Later, indulge in an afternoon and evening at leisure to enjoy all that your resort has to offer amidst Maui's fragrant gardens and welcoming climate.
Meals: Breakfast, lunch
Lodging: Hyatt Regency Maui Resort & Spa, Lahaina, Maui
Day 8: The House of the Sun, a luau and more
Today’s adventures begin at the magnificent Haleakala Crater, legendary “House of the Sun,” in Haleakala National Park. Like all the Hawaiian Islands, Maui, one of the younger islands in the chain, is volcanic in origin. At 12,000 feet, the now-dormant Haleakala volcano is the larger of the two volcanoes that gave birth to Maui. The streaks of red, yellow, gray and black that you’ll see trace the routes of ancient lava, ash and cinder flows. The views from the still, stark crater will take your breath away; as you make your descent, you'll drive past acres of cabbage, carrots, onions and other vegetables, along with many varieties of flowers. After frolicking on beautiful Kaanapali Beach, strolling through the sumptuous gardens at your resort or whatever else you choose to do during a leisurely afternoon, join us this evening for the exciting “Drums of the Pacific” luau. This succulent buffet featuring traditional island specialties is followed by a dramatic show revealing the captivating tale of the first Hawaiian Islanders’ migration to these islands. This evening will be a highlight of your Hawaii travel.
Meals: Breakfast, dinner
Lodging: Hyatt Regency Maui Resort & Spa, Lahaina, Maui
Day 9: Where there’s smoke on the Big Island…
Fly from Maui to the Big Island of Hawaii and travel to Hawai’i Volcanoes National Park, home to two of the world’s most active volcanoes, the mighty Mauna Loa and Kilauea. View the results of 70 million years of evolution and the changes still occurring today as these volcanoes continue to erupt. Within the park, you’ll also encounter both biological diversity and the legacy of prehistoric cultures that gave birth to myths and legends. At Kilauea, legendary home of the fearsome goddess of the volcano, Pele, remember to E nihika ka hele – walk softly to avoid annoying her. After dinner, arrive at The Fairmont Orchid, Hawaii, your luxurious 32-acre resort home for the next three nights, where your ocean-view accommodations are on the Fairmont Gold Concierge Floor.
Meals: Breakfast, lunch, dinner
Lodging: The Fairmont Orchid, Hawaii, Kohala Coast, Big Island
Day 10: Leisure in the lap of luxury
Your luxury Hawaii travel adventure continues as you awaken to a day full of opportunities to indulge yourself in whatever ways you choose; The Fairmont Orchid, Hawaii offers a wide range of optional treats and diversions. You may want to embark on an optional two-hour helicopter adventure over Kilauea and the beautiful Big Island (available at an additional charge of $550 per person: see Available Tour Options for details). Or perhaps you’ll take advantage of the chance to play golf in Pele’s backyard on a 18-hole golf course that snakes through lava fields, wander through the beautiful gardens, bask on the beach, soak in a lava rock whirlpool or pamper yourself at the unique Spa Without Walls. Conclude your day with a memorable evening catamaran cruise along the beautiful Kohala Coast.
Meals: Breakfast
Lodging: The Fairmont Orchid, Hawaii, Kohala Coast, Big Island
Day 11: Coffee at its best at the Kona Coffee Living History Farm
As you stand there every morning pouring yourself a cup of coffee, do you ever wonder what’s involved in getting it to your kitchen? Kona coffee is famous the world over and you’ll discover the process of producing it today during a visit to the Kona Coffee Living History Farm, a working coffee and macadamia nut farm recreating the life of Hawaii's pioneering Japanese coffee growers in the early 20th century. Taste the results during a special coffee service on the lawn. Later, explore the charming harborside town of Kailua-Kona, once the home of monarchs such as Kamehemeha the Great, once the site of a battle that threatened to end traditional Hawaiian religious beliefs and the location of the first Christian church built in Hawaii. This evening, please join us for a very special farewell cocktail reception and dinner – a fitting conclusion to your ultimate Hawaii travel experience.
Meals: Breakfast, dinner
Lodging: The Fairmont Orchid, Hawaii, Kohala Coast, Big Island
Day 12: Homeward bound
Tour ends: Hawaii's Big Island. Fly home anytime; your Hawaii travel experience ends with an included limousine transfer from The Fairmont Orchid, Hawaii to Kailua-Kona International Airport; allow two hours for flight check-in. We wish you a safe and pleasant journey home.
Meals: Breakfast
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Contact: Travelwizard.com
Phone: 1-800-330-8820 or 1-415-446-5252
12/09
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