The Malahini Tours Hilo waterfall tour is a 3.5-hour van tour from Hilo hotels, the airport or the cruise pier to Akaka Falls, Rainbow Falls, Liliuokalani Gardens, Big Island Candies and a black sand beach, $201 adult. It suits cruise passengers with a short port call. The biggest drawback: all sales are final and no reviews are published.
Highlights
Pickup 9:00 to 9:15 AM, drop-off 12:30 PM, daily (VELTRA listing, October 2026).
Six stops: Liliuokalani Gardens (15 min), Akaka Falls (30 min), Rainbow Falls (20 min), Big Island Candies (20 min) and Richardson's Black Sand Beach (20 min), plus a drive through downtown Hilo.
$201.30 adult, $164.99 child or senior on VELTRA; from $191 on Greetwell.
Transportation, local guide and admission fees included; gratuity is not.
Native Hawaiian woman-owned operator founded in 2018, per Greetwell.
What to Expect
The van picks you up between 9:00 and 9:15 AM at a Hilo hotel, the airport or the cruise ship pier.
You drive Banyan Drive and spend 15 minutes at Liliuokalani Gardens, then pass through downtown Hilo and the Kamehameha Statue.
The guide drives north along the Hamakua coast to Akaka Falls State Park for a 30-minute stop at the waterfall; admission fees are covered.
Back toward Hilo you stop 20 minutes at Rainbow Falls on the Wailuku River.
A 20-minute stop at Big Island Candies is followed by 20 minutes at Richardson's black sand beach on the Keaukaha coast.
Drop-off at your pickup point at 12:30 PM.
What's Included
Round-trip transportation from Hilo hotels, airport or cruise pier
Local guide
Admission fees
What's Not Included
Gratuity
Meals
What to Bring
Walking shoes and comfortable clothing
Sweatshirt or light jacket; Hilo-side showers are frequent
Hat, sunglasses, sunscreen and camera
Restrictions and Requirements
Not wheelchair accessible
Children of all ages may join
Maximum 12 participants per booking
Schedule may change for weather or traffic
Cancellation Policy
All sales are final: cancellations after booking confirmation are charged 100%. Refunds are given only if the operator halts operations and the tour cannot start. Checked October 2026 on hawaiiactivities.com.
Pickup at Hilo hotels, Hilo International Airport or Hilo Cruise Ship Pier
Check-In
Be ready for the 9:00 to 9:15 AM pickup window
Parking and Getting There
Not applicable with pickup
Ratings from every source we could find
We haven't collected platform ratings for this tour yet.
Google Maps — Summarized by Our Team
Hilo's significantly wetter climate compared to Kona is well documented, making it the go-to side of the island for waterfall-focused touring.
Last checked 2026-09-15
Ratings and review counts are checked periodically and may not reflect same-day changes on each platform.
What the Reviews Say
We have not yet read individual reviews for this tour. Neither the VELTRA nor the Greetwell listing displayed a rating or review count for it as of October 2026.
Our Verdict
Tripreviewall's Take
At about $201 for 3.5 hours, this is a convenient but expensive way to see Akaka Falls and Rainbow Falls, both of which are reachable by rental car in a morning. It makes sense for cruise passengers without a car who must be back by early afternoon. With no reviews available and a no-refund policy, book only when your plans are certain.
Book This Tour If…
You are on a Hilo cruise stop and need to be back by 12:30 PM
You have no rental car and want hotel or pier pickup
You want a guide to handle the six stops without navigating
Your dates are fixed; nothing is refundable after booking
Skip This Tour If…
You have a car; Akaka Falls and Rainbow Falls are both self-drive stops with parking
You want time to swim at the black sand beach; the stop is 20 minutes
You may need to cancel; the policy is 100% charge
You need wheelchair access
Tips From Reviewers and Operator Notes
Check VELTRA ($201.30 adult, $164.99 child/senior) against Greetwell (from $191) and the FareHarbor price before booking.
Carry a rain jacket; the operator lists a sweatshirt or light jacket as what to bring.
Keep the 12:30 PM return in mind when checking your ship's all-aboard time.
Wear walking shoes with grip; the operator lists walking shoes as required and the Akaka Falls stop involves a trail.
Assessed by the Tripreviewall editorial team, last reviewed October 2026.
Frequently Asked Questions
Which waterfalls does the Malahini Tours Hilo waterfall tour visit?
The Malahini Tours Hilo waterfall tour visits Akaka Falls for 30 minutes and Rainbow Falls for 20 minutes, plus Liliuokalani Gardens, the Big Island Candies store and Richardson's black sand beach, each for 15 to 20 minutes, according to the VELTRA itinerary checked in October 2026.
How much does the Hilo waterfall tour cost?
The Hilo waterfall tour was priced at $201.30 per adult (13-65) and $164.99 per child or senior on VELTRA in October 2026, and from $191 per person on Greetwell. Transportation, a guide and admission fees are included; gratuity and food are extra.
Does the waterfall tour pick up from the Hilo cruise port?
Yes, the waterfall tour picks up from the Hilo Cruise Ship Pier, Hilo hotels or Hilo Airport between 9:00 and 9:15 AM and returns passengers to the same point at 12:30 PM, which fits a typical Hilo port day. Confirm your ship's all-aboard time before booking.
Can I get a refund if I cancel the Malahini waterfall tour?
No refund is offered for cancellations. The VELTRA listing states all sales are final and 100% is charged after booking confirmation, with refunds only when the operator cannot run the tour. Travelers with uncertain plans should consider a tour with a free-cancellation window instead.
Contact
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TripReviewAll is an independent review site and does not operate this tour. For changes to an existing booking, contact Malahini Tours directly.
