Booking choice: The Majestic tour with lunch, from $186 per person. Check dates Tour details
We rechecked every price below on the attraction's own website in October 2026. All are in US dollars, per person unless marked, and they are the non-resident rates a visitor pays. Hawaii residents get large discounts at most of these places.
The second half of the post lines those fees up against what the tours include. That is where a $99 ticket and a $186 ticket get closer than they look.
The quick answer
On your own, the paid stops on a circle island day are Byodo-In Temple ($10 adult, $6 parking), Waimea Valley ($26 adult), the Pali Lookout ($7 per car) and the optional Dole Plantation extras ($8.50 to $15). Halona Blowhole, Kualoa Regional Park, the North Shore beaches and Haleiwa are free. E Noa includes Byodo-In and Waimea Valley; Go Tours includes one of the two.
Which circle island stops are free?
Most of them. Every beach, roadside lookout and town stop on the loop costs nothing to enter.
Halona Blowhole, Sandy Beach, Kualoa Regional Park with its view of Mokoli'i, the Laie and Kahuku shrimp stands, Sunset Beach, Pua'ena Point and Haleiwa town have no entry fee. Tropical Farms and the macadamia shops are free shops. The Dole Plantation visitor center is free too.
Kualoa trips people up. The tours stop at Kualoa Regional Park, a free city beach park. Kualoa Ranch next door is a ticketed attraction: its own site lists the 90-minute Movie Sites & Ranch Tour at $59.95 per adult and $39.95 per child in October 2026. No tour on this site goes into the ranch; Go Tours only drives past it.
Hanauma Bay is on every itinerary, and on every one it is a drive-by from the rim road. No circle tour has time for the reserved two-hour slot it takes.
How much does Dole Plantation cost in 2026?
Nothing to walk in. The Pineapple Express train is $15, the garden maze $10 and the garden tour $8.50 per adult.
Dole Plantation is open daily from 9:30 AM to 5:30 PM, closed Christmas Day, and charges no admission to the visitor center. Children 3 and under ride free with a paying adult.
Every tour here stops at Dole, usually for 30 minutes (Nui and Aloha Sunshine give 45 to 60). Thirty minutes covers a Dole Whip and the gift shop, not the train and its line. Taylor, on the Hidden Gems tour in August 2026, put it plainly: "you do not have a lot of time at each stop to do activities like ride the train at dole plantation". Skip the train on a tour day. The Star of Honolulu listing excludes the train and maze tickets anyway.
| Dole Plantation, 2026 | Adult | Child 4-12 |
|---|---|---|
| Visitor center entry | Free | Free |
| Pineapple Express train | $15.00 | $12.85 |
| Pineapple Garden Maze | $10.00 | $8.00 |
| Plantation Garden Tour | $8.50 | $8.00 |
What do Byodo-In Temple and Waimea Valley charge?
Byodo-In is $10 per adult plus $6 to park. Waimea Valley is $26 per adult and closed on Mondays.
The Byodo-In ticket page lists adults 13 to 64 at $10, seniors 65 and up at $8, children 2 to 12 at $6 and under 2 free. Parking is $6 per car. The temple is open 8:30 AM to 4:30 PM daily, last entry 4:15. Tickets do not expire, so buying ahead costs nothing.
Waimea Valley charges $26 per adult, $20 for seniors 62 and up and students with ID, and $18 for children 4 to 12. Hawaii residents pay $10. The walk to the falls is about three quarters of a mile on a paved path; the optional shuttle is $10 one way or $20 round trip. Hours in October 2026 are Tuesday to Sunday, 9 AM to 4 PM. If the falls are the reason you booked, make sure your tour day is not a Monday.
Our Byodo-In guide and Waimea Falls guide cover the minutes each tour gives you there.
Byodo-In and Waimea Valley entry, plus lunch, are already in the price.
Check dates for the Majestic tour with lunchWhat do the Pali Lookout, Diamond Head and Hanauma Bay cost?
The Pali is $7 per car. Diamond Head is $5 per person plus $10 parking, and Hanauma Bay is $25 per person; both need a reservation.
These three are state or city parks with visitor rates. At the Pali, commercial vehicles pay their own $15 to $50 fee by size, which the operator covers; the other two are not real tour stops.
- Nuuanu Pali State Wayside: $7 per vehicle for non-residents, residents free, open 6 AM to 6 PM (DLNR).
- Diamond Head State Monument: $5 per person plus $10 parking per car for non-residents, card only, reservation required on Go State Parks; last reservation 4 PM (DLNR). The 10 to 20 minute Diamond Head stops on some tours are far too short for the summit hike, which DLNR says takes 1.5 to 2 hours.
- Hanauma Bay Nature Preserve: $25 for visitors 13 and up plus a 2.35% online fee, kids 12 and under free, parking $3 cash. Reservations open two days ahead at 7 AM; closed Mondays and Tuesdays (City and County of Honolulu).
Which circle island tours include entry fees?
E Noa includes both paid gardens; Go Tours includes one; the Star of Honolulu coach includes Byodo-In. Everyone else visits only free stops.
From the Viator listings in October 2026. "Included" means the entry ticket is in the tour price; food is listed separately because it is the other big extra.
| Tour (from price) | Entry included | Food included | Paid extras on the day |
|---|---|---|---|
| E Noa Majestic ($186) | Byodo-In + Waimea Valley | Lunch at Pounders | Snacks, Dole extras |
| Go Tours Waimea ($154) | Waimea Valley (90 min) | None | Meals, drinks |
| Go Tours Hidden Gems ($159) | Byodo-In | None | Food at Kahuku Farms |
| Star of Honolulu coach ($100 half day) | Byodo-In (full day) | Snack + water | Lunch, Dole train/maze |
| Island and You foodie ($128) | No paid stops | Lunch + tastings | Little |
| Nui Tours ($89) | No paid stops | Snacks, soft drinks | Lunch |
| Aloha Sunshine ($99) | No paid stops | None | Shrimp lunch (cash useful) |
Is it cheaper to see the circle island stops on your own?
For the entries alone, a family of four pays about $189 at the four paid stops. Add a rental car, gas and lunch before comparing with a tour.
Here is the arithmetic for two adults and two children aged 4 to 12, using the October 2026 prices above and doing every paid thing on a typical route.
| Stop | 2 adults + 2 kids | How we got it |
|---|---|---|
| Nuuanu Pali | $7.00 | One car |
| Byodo-In Temple | $38.00 | 2 x $10 + 2 x $6 + $6 parking |
| Waimea Valley | $88.00 | 2 x $26 + 2 x $18 |
| Dole Pineapple Express | $55.70 | 2 x $15 + 2 x $12.85 |
| Total entries | $188.70 | Before car, gas, parking elsewhere and food |
Frequently asked questions
Is Dole Plantation free in 2026?
Entry to the visitor center is free. The train costs $15 per adult and $12.85 per child 4 to 12; the maze $10 and $8; the garden tour $8.50 and $8.
How much is Waimea Valley for visitors in 2026?
$26 per adult, $20 for seniors 62+ and students, $18 for children 4 to 12. It is open Tuesday to Sunday and closed on Mondays.
Do circle island tours pay the Byodo-In entry?
E Noa, Go Tours' Hidden Gems and the Star of Honolulu full day include it. On your own it is $10 per adult plus $6 parking.
Do any circle island tours go into Hanauma Bay?
No. All the tours on this site drive past Hanauma Bay. Entry needs a reservation and costs $25 per visitor 13 and older.
Ready to book
Choose your tour
Free cancellation up to 24 hours before on every option. Prices are from-prices in USD and move with the season.
Majestic Circle Island with Waimea Falls & Byodo-In
- Lunch at Pounders, Polynesian Cultural Center
- Byodo-In and Waimea Valley admission
- Waikiki hotel pickup
Circle Island Tour with Waimea Valley Waterfall
- Waimea Valley admission ($26 value)
- Six Waikiki meeting points
- Guide and air-conditioned bus
Grand Circle Island Deluxe Coach Tour
- Waikiki hotel pickup, 6:40 to 7:10 AM
- Snack, bottled water and a restroom on board
- Byodo-In Temple entry on the full day
