Sc00by

My husband and I are visiting the Big Island in September and there's room in the budget for one or two tours or other special splurges. We need help deciding, though! Should it be a horseback tour of Waipio Valley? A guided tour to the top of Mauna Kea for stargazing? A lava tube tour? A manta-ray watching outing on a glass-bottomed boat? A luau or other special meal? A helicopter tour? We're up for almost anything, except for scuba. (We don't dive.) What do you suggest?

jill_h

We really enjoyed the helicopter tour of the volcano. I think we did Blue Hawaiian Tours (located across the road from the Fairmont Orchid.

My husband REALLY enjoyed the manta ray night dive.

I wouldn't think a tour of the lava tube tour would be worthwhile, you can do that on your own. Now if you were to go on a LAVA tour, that could be quite interesting.

matnikstym

If the volcano or the vent is doing anything, I'd suggest the helicopter tour. As of now you can see into Pu'u'O'o vent and some lava on the pali. There is NO lava going into the ocean.

You can drive up to Mauna Kea yourself (check your rental agreement)and spend some time at the visitor center or to the top. You can not get into any of the observatories even with a guide. Make sure it is a clear night or all you will see is the top of clouds.

If you go to Volcano National Park, you can walk through Thurston Lava tube for just the park admission ($10.00 per car) and have an enjoyable day at the park.

Everyone should go to a luau at least once. But if you are only doing one thing, I'd pick a snorkeling expedition to Kealakekua Bay. You're guaranteed to see fish and it's a fun way to spend a morning or afternoon. The mantas don't always come out on the manta expeditions.

sylvia3

For about $100 or maybe a bit less, you can do a snorkel night manta ray outing; a real submarine dive to see under the water on Atlantis (nice if you don't scuba or snorkel); some people love the ATV tours of Waipio Valley rim (costs a bit more, but there are deals to be had or made).
The more extensive lava cave tours near South Point and VNP look interesting if you want an in depth experience; but both offer "walk throughs" that seem to be expanded Thurston experiences (if you want it for free, go to Kaumana Cave County Park, just outside Hilo on Saddle Road: http://lovingthebigisland.wordpress....and-of-hawaii/).

DebitNM

First trip we did the Blue Hawaiian Helicopter tour; not cheap but so worth it. The lava was flowing into the ocean, but we couldn't get all that close anyway due to the fumes. We flew over spots where we could see into vents and that was amazing.

Most recent trip we did the manta ray night snorkel trip. We were surrounded by enormous rays and it may have been one of the most spectacular things we have even done, to be surrounded by those gentle giants.