The Beautiful Colors of Hawaii Oahu photo tour is a 5-hour, 7-guest van loop from Waikiki around the southeast coast, covering Pali Lookout, Halona Blowhole, Lanai Lookout and Leonard's Bakery with a guide coaching your shots, for $100. It suits first-time visitors wanting coached photos of the main lookouts; drawbacks are paid lunch, short stops.
Highlights
$100 per adult, $80 per child and $90 for military and kamaaina in October 2026, which is the cheapest of the operator's four main tours
Eight stops in 5 hours: Pali Lookout (admission included), Koolau cliffs, a lunch stop at Ono Steaks & Shrimp Shack, Koolau Lookout, Halona Blowhole, Sandy Beach Lookout, Lanai Lookout and Leonard's Bakery
Maximum 7 guests per van, with pickup from 19 Waikiki hotels at 9:30 am and a 10:00 am official start
Guide takes photos of you and gives composition tips; 3 of the 6 operator-level reviews we read mention learning phone photography
Operator shows 5.0 from 1,583 Google reviews and 5.0 from about 1,600 Greetwell reviews as of October 2026; group tours run Wednesday to Sunday only
What to Expect
Get picked up at your Waikiki hotel at about 9:30 am in an air-conditioned van carrying no more than 7 guests; the tour officially starts at 10:00 am.
Drive over the Pali Highway to Nuuanu Pali Lookout, where admission is included, then stop beneath the Koolau cliffs for wide shots.
Stop for lunch at Ono Steaks & Shrimp Shack in Waimanalo at your own expense.
Work back along the southeast coast with 20–30 minute stops at Koolau Lookout, Halona Blowhole, Sandy Beach Lookout and Lanai Lookout while the guide coaches your shots and takes photos of you.
End with one malasada per guest at Leonard's Bakery and return to your hotel by about 3:00 pm.
What's Included
Air-conditioned van with Waikiki hotel pickup and return
Narrated tour with photography tips
Photos taken by your guide
Pali Lookout admission
One Leonard's Bakery malasada per guest
What's Not Included
Lunch at Ono Steaks & Shrimp Shack
Other food and drinks
Gratuity
What to Bring
Only what you can carry; nothing is left in the van
Closed-toe comfortable shoes
Your own water
Phone or camera
Restrictions and Requirements
Maximum 7 guests per group tour
Group tours Wednesday to Sunday; private tours daily
Intensity rated easy; no age or mobility limits published
Cancellation Policy
Cancel at least 72 hours before the tour for a full refund; no refunds inside 72 hours. Bookings made within 72 hours of the tour can be cancelled within 1 hour of booking. Rescheduling is free with at least 72 hours' notice. Checked October 2026 on Greetwell.
Options available
Standard Group
Private
Choose your option and see its price on the booking page.
Hotel pickup at one of 19 Waikiki locations chosen at booking
Check-In
Pickup about 9:30 am; official start 10:00 am
Parking and Getting There
Not applicable (hotel pickup)
Ratings from every source we could find
Google
5.0
1,583 reviews
Other
5.0
1,600 reviews
Google Maps — Summarized by Our Team
Guided photo tours are a growing Oahu niche, generally valued by both photography enthusiasts and casual travelers wanting expertly composed trip photos.
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 read 6 operator-level reviews of Oahu Photography Tours: 5 Google reviews dated December 2025 to June 2026 shown on Wanderlog and 1 Greetwell review from August 2026, all 5 stars and not all for this specific tour. Platform totals below are as of October 2026.
What Reviewers Praise
Guides teach phone photography patiently(3 of 6 reviews we read)
Three reviewers say the guide's tips improved their own phone photos and that he or she was patient while they set up shots, which is the core promise of a photo tour.
— Google, 5★, June 2026: a guest thanked the guide for patience during photo stops and for tips about the island.
Guides' local knowledge and unhurried stops(4 of 6 reviews we read)
Four reviews credit the guide with detailed island knowledge, and one notes the group was never rushed at the viewpoints.
— Google, 5★, December 2025: the guide was enthusiastic, the group was not hurried at the lookouts and the lunch stop was good.
What Reviewers Complain About
Cloudy, windy weather dulls the colors(1 report · outside operator's control · most recent: January 2026)
The only critical note in the 6 reviews we read is a January 2026 guest who had a cloudy, windy day; she still rated the tour 5 stars and credited the guide with keeping the group engaged. The operator's Google profile shows 6 ratings of 3 stars or lower out of 1,583, which we could not read.
— Google, 5★, January 2026: the weather was grey and windy, but the guide balanced education and fun.
About the Operator in General
Oahu Photography Tours shows 5.0 on Google from 1,583 reviews as of October 2026, with 1,567 five-star, 10 four-star and 6 ratings of 3 stars or lower. It cites a 2025 TripAdvisor Travelers' Choice award and more than 20,000 guests.
Our Verdict
Tripreviewall's Take
At $100 for 5 hours with hotel pickup, a 7-seat van and coached photos, this is good value for first-time visitors who want the southeast Oahu lookouts photographed properly, and the 6 reviews we read all praise the guides. It is not the tour for anyone who has already driven the Kalanianaole Highway, because every stop is a public lookout you can reach yourself. Lunch is not included, so budget for a meal stop.
Book This Tour If…
It is your first visit and you want the Pali, Halona Blowhole and Lanai Lookout in one morning
You want someone to take photos of you and coach your phone camera
You prefer a 7-person van to a 40-seat circle-island bus
You are staying in Waikiki and can be ready for a 9:30 am pickup
Skip This Tour If…
You have a rental car and have already seen the southeast coast lookouts
You want long stops; each is 20–30 minutes
You want lunch included in the price
You might need to cancel inside 72 hours
Tips From Reviewers and Operator Notes
Bring cash or a card for lunch at Ono Steaks & Shrimp Shack; it is a stop, not an inclusion
Travel light; the operator does not let guests leave anything in the van
Group departures run only Wednesday to Sunday, so book a private tour or another day if you arrive Monday
Check the forecast; the one critical note in the 6 reviews we read was a cloudy, windy day
Assessed by the Tripreviewall editorial team, last reviewed October 2026.
Frequently Asked Questions
How much is the Beautiful Colors of Hawaii photo tour?
Oahu Photography Tours listed the Beautiful Colors of Hawaii & Photos tour at $100 per adult, $80 per child and $90 for military and kamaaina in October 2026, matching the Greetwell listing. The price includes Waikiki hotel pickup, Pali Lookout admission and one Leonard's Bakery malasada. Lunch at Ono Steaks & Shrimp Shack is paid separately.
Which stops are on the 5-hour Oahu photo tour?
The route covers Nuuanu Pali Lookout, the Koolau cliffs, a lunch stop at Ono Steaks & Shrimp Shack in Waimanalo, Koolau Lookout, Halona Blowhole, Sandy Beach Lookout, Lanai Lookout and Leonard's Bakery, with 20–30 minutes at each stop. The tour runs 10:00 am to 3:00 pm with pickup around 9:30 am.
Do I need a real camera for the Oahu photo tour?
No. The guide coaches composition on whatever you carry, and 2 of the 6 reviews we read specifically mention learning iPhone photography. The guide also takes photos of guests during the tour. Bring only what you can carry, since Oahu Photography Tours does not allow items to be left in the van between stops.
How many people are on the Beautiful Colors tour?
Group departures carry a maximum of 7 guests in one air-conditioned van, which is why the tour can stop at small pull-offs that larger buses skip. Group tours run Wednesday through Sunday; on Monday and Tuesday only private tours are available, with prices quoted on request by Oahu Photography Tours.
What is the cancellation policy for Oahu Photography Tours?
Greetwell's listing gives a full refund for cancellations made at least 72 hours before the tour and no refund inside 72 hours. If you book within 72 hours of the tour, you can still cancel within 1 hour of booking. Rescheduling is free with 72 hours' notice. The operator's own FAQ page did not load the answer text.
Contact
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TripReviewAll is an independent review site and does not operate this tour. For changes to an existing booking, contact Oahu Photography Tours directly.
