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While visiting Kauai we had to get creative with transportation! When we arrived at the airport it was hard to get an Uber and all the rental cars had been booked! We still wanted to experience as much of the island as possible and began looking for other ways to get around. We looked online for an island tour and that is when we stumbled upon Kauai Luxury Transportation’s Private Luxury Tour of Kauai! We had never been on a private tour before and it sounded exciting!
We paid $297 per person ($594 total) for a six-hour private island tour with our own guide and luxury transportation. Our guide Orlando was so kind, gracious, and personable. He taught us a lot about the island, showed us how to pick out different fruits, and even bargained for us at a market! Orlando if you’re reading this thank you for an amazing trip, we think about you every time we grocery shop!!
Our Experience on an Island of Kauai Tour:
Since this was a private tour we were picked up directly at our hotel! The guide waited for us at 9:00 am sharp, introduced himself, and helped us make ourselves comfortable in the car. We were picked up in a slick Cadillac! We were very excited to ride around in it all day!
As we started our tour, Orlando asked us a few questions about what we wanted to see during our time together, and if we had anything specific in mind. We did not. We told him we were down for anything, but wanted to try some unique food and have a local experience on the island.
He quickly improvised a game plan for our day, and we made our way to our first stop, Wailua Falls. It was a short 15-minute drive from the hotel, and during this time we had brief introductions with one another.
The waterfall was beautiful! The viewpoint we stopped at offered expansive 180-degree views of the massive waterfall. Orlando told us a little about it as we took pictures and he even took group photos for us. On our drive from the falls we saw a small fruit stand on the side of the road and we stopped to see if they had some fresh exotic fruits for us to try! Sadly, there was no fruit left at the stand.
From Wailua Falls we went a few minutes down the road to The Koa Store. Orlando explained the significance of Koa wood in Hawaiian culture and offered to stop so we could shop. We accepted his offer and bought gifts for our friends and family. The shop offered hand-carved koa wood products, and we got a small discount for being with the tour company.
Our next stop was supposed to be Lydgate Park but we had already visited since our hotel was next to it. Instead, we saw a farmers market inside the Kauai Village Shopping Center while driving and he asked if we would like to stop. He thought that we might be able to find some new foods to try there. We agreed and made a detour to the farmer's market.
Orlando went out of his way to help us pick out the best fruits possible. He taught us how to sniff out the best fruits, and showed us which fruits were ripest. We learned some key skills for getting tastier fruit on this tour!! We still test our fruit at home as he taught us when shopping at the grocery store! We purchased and tried a few different fruits including; longans, mountain apples, and strawberry guavas.
We also bought some delicious banana bread from Lokelani’s Banana Bread and Treats; Orlando gave us a discount by agreeing to trade some of his lilikoi (passionfruit) with her from his tree. The banana bread stand also sells its bread online and ships it to the U.S. mainland. We like to order it for family around the holidays as a tasty gift! If you are interested in trying it out check out her website here!
From the farmers market, we headed to Kilauea Lighthouse Wildlife Refuge. This was probably the longest time we spent in the car (about 45 minutes) but Orlando kept us entertained with stories and history of the island. On the way there we stopped to see the Sleeping Giant (a landscape formation) quickly as we passed. At the lighthouse, we parked and made our way up to the lookout. Our entrance fee was included in the price of the tour!
The view from the lighthouse is astonishing. We were lucky and drew a clear day with few clouds. We got to see all the birds and other refuge animals while Orlando explained the different animals. Orlando kept us well informed, from the beautiful coastlines, beaches, and wild birds that flew overhead. We got some great photos from here. This is a beautiful place to take family photos with the ocean and hills behind you! Orlando offered his help in taking pictures of us together. This place is an absolute must-see if you are planning a trip to Kauai!
After visiting the lighthouse we stopped nearby at Kilauea Bakery & Pizzeria for a quick lunch. Orlando suggested the place, and we thought the food was yummy. They offer a wide variety of baked goods. On the day we visited, they had freshly made taro rolls. We crave these like crazy from time to time!! The smoothies were also nice and refreshing on a hot and humid day.
We moved from lunch toward Princeville and explored beautiful neighborhoods. We took a few small stops to learn about different trees and flowers in Hawaii and to see them up close. We learned a lot of interesting cultural and historical facts on this tour and enjoyed learning more about the island, its nature, and the cultural references within.
Normally we would have gone all the way to Hanalei, but during our visit to Kauai, there were mudslides and constant rain in that region, so the roads were closed. He went through every effort to help us get the best views of the bay. We were able to get a bird's eye view from a lookout. It started raining on us at the lookout and Orlando came prepared with a large umbrella, this was a lifesaver for my camera and I was so thankful!
As we headed back towards our hotel from the Princeville area there was time for a few more stops. One was Jurassic Kahili Ranch where they shot scenes for Jurassic World. Even if you aren’t a fan of the movies, the ranch is beautiful. While we were there big fluffy clouds covered the hills. The grass was lush and green from all the rain! It was truly an amazing sight and we took lots of pictures!
After a great view of Jurassic Kahili Ranch, we stopped at another local fruit stand to try freshly squeezed sugar cane juice. Orlando suggested we try it as it is one of his favorites! We are always down to try new things so we agreed. We stopped at Moloaa Sunrise Fruit Stand just outside of Anahola. They offer an assortment of smoothies, juices, fruits, and smaller lunch items. The sugar cane juice was amazing! After drinking the sugar cane juice we had one of the biggest sugar rushes ever and felt so energized for the day (with no crash). Moloaa Sunrise Fruit Stand is a great stop if you need an afternoon pick-me-up!
Our last stop on the trip was Opaekaa Falls. This was a nice viewpoint of the waterfall from a distance. We were able to take some nice family pictures in front of it courtesy of Orlando! The area around the waterfall is serene, you are in the lush green hills, with an amazing panoramic view of the waterfall. It did rain on us but Orlando was prepared with the umbrella!
As we started to the hotel to be dropped off Orlando made a friendly competition between Elijah and me to see who could answer more Hawaiian trivia questions right (I won ). We enjoyed our time with him as our guide, and he truly was one of the kindest people we have ever met! As we were getting closer to the hotel we were telling him about our issues with finding transportation on the island, and he offered to give us a ride to the airport. We took him up on his offer and he scheduled it with his company for the next day. To agree on a price he asked how much an Uber normally was and charged us the same (about $30 ).
What to Bring:
Umbrella
Raincoat
Cash for food and tipping
Summary:
We paid $594 for two people to take a luxury private island tour with Kauai Luxury Transportation. We thoroughly enjoyed our experience, and loved our guide Orlando! We learned a lot about the history, and culture of the island. We also saw lots of waterfalls, beaches, and lush landscapes. We tried lots of different foods, and our guide even got us some deals at a market. The price seems steep, but large group tours often cost about $150-$200 per person, so this was not much more and we customized it to fit what we wanted to see! Do you think that a luxury private tour of Kauai with Kauai Luxury Transportation is worth your wallet? Let us know below!
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