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3 Days in Oahu (with Tour Prices Compared)
A short Oahu stay based in Waikiki: one beach-and-hike day, one history day, and one day on the North Shore. Every paid stop is a tour we compared across three booking sites, and the gaps between the in-between hours are free.
Day 1: Diamond Head and a Waikiki surf lesson
- Morning: hike Diamond Head (DIY). The state park opens at 6 am, and out-of-state visitors must reserve entry (and parking, if driving) online, up to 30 days ahead. Late arrivals more than 30 minutes into the slot can be turned away. Go early, before the heat. Entry fee: small, check the park site (amount unverified).
- Afternoon: beginner surf lesson in Waikiki. Hans Hedemann Surf School's 2-hour group lesson is cheapest on Klook, US$107.75 (4.0 from 7). The same lesson is about $110–112 on Viator (4.7 from about 515) and from $112 on GetYourGuide. For teens and adults who can swim.
- Evening: sunset on Waikiki Beach (free).
Day 2: Pearl Harbor and a luau
- Morning: Pearl Harbor and the USS Arizona Memorial. Karma Tours' half-day trip from Waikiki is cheapest on GetYourGuide, from $58 (4.3 from 272), versus from $59 on Viator (4.5 from 4,238). Same-day memorial tickets are no longer handed out at the visitor center, so a tour with a reserved boat slot is the easy route. Bring only what fits in your pockets; bags aren't allowed.
- Afternoon: rest and swim (free). Waikiki or Ala Moana Beach Park.
- Evening: a luau. Pick one:
- Chief's Luau (Kapolei, better reviews): cheapest on Viator, from $140 (4.7 from 3,048); from $182 on GetYourGuide. It's closed Tuesdays and Saturdays except select dates (per a reseller listing), and transport from Waikiki costs extra on some options.
- Ka Moana Luau (Aloha Tower, closer to Waikiki): Klook showed from US$107.19, but the package wasn't stated (unverified; the luau's own classic package is listed from $129). About $135–148 on Viator.
Day 3: The North Shore
- All day: circle island tour. Cheapest on Klook, US$84.35 (4.5 from 49), with snorkel gear, Turtle Beach and the Dole Plantation. Viator's Grand Circle Island Experience is a dollar more, from $85, with the best reviews in our comparison (4.9 from 2,431).
- Or swap in: a North Shore shark cage dive. North Shore Shark Adventures from Haleiwa Harbor is cheapest on Viator, from about $99 (1.5 hours), or US$99.49 on Klook. It doesn't include pickup, so you'd need a car for the drive and a DIY afternoon on the North Shore beaches. Without a car, GetYourGuide's dive with a different operator includes hotel pickup, from $122.
- Evening: back in Waikiki, dinner and an early night (free).
Rough cost per person
| Item | Cheapest site | From |
|---|---|---|
| Waikiki surf lesson | Klook | $107.75 |
| Pearl Harbor tour | GetYourGuide | $58 |
| Chief's Luau | Viator | $140 |
| Circle island tour | Klook | $84.35 |
| Diamond Head entry | State park | small fee (unverified) |
| Total, paid tours | about $390 |
That's $390.10 in "from" prices, before taxes, fees, meals, hotel and transport. Swapping the circle island tour for the shark dive (about $99, plus a rental car) makes it about $405; choosing Ka Moana instead of Chief's could save around $5–33 depending on the package.
Skip if…
- Skip the surf lesson if anyone in your group isn't a confident swimmer. Just rent a board or snorkel at Waikiki.
- Skip the luau on a tight budget; it's the biggest single cost. Free hula shows in Waikiki are an alternative (schedule unverified).
- Skip the circle island tour if you have a rental car: you can drive the same route yourself.
- Skip the shark dive if you get seasick easily or don't have a car.
A winter note: North Shore big surf
From about November to February the North Shore gets big winter swells. That's great for watching pro surfers from the beach, but it's not the time to swim or snorkel there, and boat trips like the shark dive can be rescheduled when the ocean is rough. Keep Day 3 flexible, and swap it with Day 2 if the forecast looks bad. Waikiki's south shore is usually calmer in winter, so the surf lesson stays on Day 1.
See every price, rating and site side by side in the full Hawaii winter tours comparison.