March 22 Day 1 Arrive Honolulu, Oahu. Meals D

Tauck's Hawaii vacation package begins at The Royal Hawaiian. A transfer is included from Honolulu International Airport to your extraordinary resort, The Royal Hawaiian, affectionately known as the "Pink Palace of the Pacific", set on the white sand shores of Waikiki Beach. Stay in ocean-view accommodations, and enjoy dinner with stunning views of the beach and ocean in the hotel's acclaimed Azure restaurant, overlooking Waikiki Beach. Lodging The Royal Hawaiian: Map

Day 2 A special day and evening at Pearl Harbor plus Honolulu sightseeing. Meals B, D Visit the USS Arizona Memorial at Pearl Harbor, a tribute to the military personnel who lost their lives in the December 7, 1941 attack, called the "Day of Infamy." Further Honolulu sightseeing includes a drive through Punchbowl Memorial Cemetery and historic Honolulu, where you'll have views of Washington Place, Iolani Palace and the sumptuous state capitol building. Tonight, your 12-day Tauck Hawaii vacation package begins with an exclusive evening - a private reception and dinner with entertainment at the Pacific Aviation Museum, located in the middle of Pearl Harbor on Ford Island (a National Historic Landmark). The museum is housed in World War II-era U.S. Navy hangars that survived the destruction of December 7, 1941. Lodging The Royal Hawaiian

Day 3 Oahu sightseeing, a chat with a "beach boy" and an outrigger canoe trip. Meals B Circle the windward side of Oahu this morning for a tour of its southeastern beaches, bays and birds, including the beach featured in the film From Here To Eternity. Back on Waikiki Beach, meet a "beach boy" who will "talk-story" for you about the water skills required for this coveted job, then take a ride in Waikiki's celebrated surf aboard a traditional outrigger canoe. This is bound to be a highlight of Tauck's Hawaii vacation package! Lodging The Royal Hawaiian

Day 4 Fly to lush Kauai and a beachfront resort. Meals B, L Fly to the Garden Isle of Kauai, whose lush landscapes featuring orchids, hibiscus and plumeria are often used as a setting for Hollywood films depicting tropical paradise. Stop at thundering Opaekaa Falls, then have lunch amidst scenic views of Hanalei Bay in Princeville before seeing a parade of natural island wonders. Pass through the Tunnel of Trees - formed by walls of eucalyptus trees towering above the roadway - and see Spouting Horn, a fascinating volcanic blowhole, en route to your beachfront resort. Lodging Grand Hyatt Kauai Resort & Spa: Pictures & Live Cam Site

Day 5 Ecological discoveries and leisure time on Kauai. Meals B, D Start your day on an optional 45-55-minute helicopter flightseeing adventure* over the rainforests and mountains of the lush "Garden Isle" (available for an additional charge of $269 per person; ask at booking for details). The day is yours to enjoy as you wish - you may want to swim, snorkel, sunbathe, spot the island's abundant marine life from monk seals to green sea turtles, or simply enjoy all your resort has to offer. Your Hawaii vacation package continues with an informative interpretive lecture on the ecology of the Hawaiian Archipelago. Dine a la carte at your hotel tonight. Lodging Grand Hyatt Kauai Resort & Spa

Day 6 Fly to Maui and explore the "Valley Isle". Meals B, D Fly to Maui, named for an ancient god. Travel through the mist-shrouded Iao Valley to see the famed Iao Needle, then past sugar cane fields to the historic port of Lahaina, an old whaling center and former island capital. Following some time on your own to explore Lahaina as you please, it's off to the Hyatt Regency Maui Resort & Spa, your beachfront resort home for the next three nights, set on Kaanapali Beach. The remainder of the day is free; dine at your resort at your leisure tonight, a la carte. Lodging Hyatt Regency Maui Resort & Spa: Pics Click on "View Photos"

Day 7 Gourmet cooking on Maui. Meals B, L Spend the early morning hours indulging at the resort before discovering the secrets of island cuisine. Maui chefs take delight in the abundance of locally raised beef, tropical fruits and vegetables grown in fertile volcanic soil, and fresh fish - often preparing them with a fusion of Asian, Californian and Hawaiian flavors. You are invited for a look behind the kitchens attracting Maui foodies during a hands-on gourmet cooking experience with noted chefs during lunch at a well-known local restaurant. The remainder of the day is free to spend as you please on this island known for wildlife-rich waters and perfumed gardens... a favorite stop on any Hawaii vacation package. Lodging Hyatt Regency Maui Resort & Spa

Day 8 Visit Mount Haleakala and attend an evening luau . Meals B, D Tauck's Hawaii vacation package highlights include a journey to the 10,023-foot-high rim of Mount Haleakala, the world's largest dormant volcano and a UNESCO Biosphere Reserve. The crater is more than seven miles across, and hosts two endangered species, the nene (Hawaiian wild goose), and the silversword, a specially adapted plant. After enjoying extraordinary views from the mountaintop, learn about island agriculture as you descend through Maui's upcountry farmland and return to your oceanfront resort on Kaanapali Beach. This evening, experience a feast of authentic Hawaiian culture at a luau featuring traditional food, music, and dance, surrounded by tiki torches and swaying palm trees. Lodging Hyatt Regency Maui Resort & Spa

Day 9 Fly to the Big Island and Hawaii Volcanoes National Park . Meals B, L, D Fly to the youngest of the islands, the Big Island of Hawaii, home to Mauna Loa and Kilauea, two of the world's most active and accessible volcanoes; the gentleness of their eruptions allows visits to the edges of their active vents. In 1866, when Mark Twain saw the sizzling lava of Kilauea, he wrote, "Here was room for the imagination to work!" At Volcanoes National Park, you will drive across the Kilauea Caldera (crater), where views vary from desert to lush tropical rainforest to alpine tundra. UNESCO named the park an International Biosphere Reserve because of its outstanding scenic and scientific values. The park protects a wide diversity of ecosystems and habitat for native Hawaiian plants and animals; it is also rich in cultural and historic sites. Your day ends at your resort on the Kohala Coast in the area once known as Kalahuipua'a, the birthplace of King Kamehameha I, who unified the Hawaiian Islands in the early 19th century. The area is crisscrossed by early Hawaiian footpaths, royal fishponds and lava formations. Lodging The Fairmont Orchid, Hawaii: Map & Photos

Day 10 Big Island day as you please and a catamaran sail . Meals B Spend the day doing whatever interests you most on the Big Island of Hawaii. You can set off on an optional two-hour helicopter excursion for a thrilling view of Kilauea's fiery lava vents and the Big Island's coastal rainforests, available at an additional cost of $495 per person (ask at booking for details). Or you can indulge in other optional activities offered by your resort (some at additional cost). Join us for a catamaran sail along the Kohala Coast as the sun sets on another perfect day on Tauck's Hawaii vacation package. Lodging The Fairmont Orchid, Hawaii

Day 11 Hawaiian history at the Place of Refuge and Kailua-Kona . Meals B, D During the years prior to Captain Cook's 1778 arrival, the isolated Hawaiian Archipelago developed its own unique and highly stratified society of ali`i (chiefs), kahuna (professionals) and maka`ainana (commoners). A strictly enforced social code kept many practices, like men and women eating together, and foods, like bananas and coconuts, kapu - or off-limits to commoners. Penalties for breaking the laws were stiff, including death. Survival was an option - if you managed to reach the nearest pu'uhonua before being caught. You'll visit just such a safe harbor today at the Place of Refuge National Historical Park, a site significant to traditional Hawaiian culture and one still revered as sacred. See the Great Wall, the Royal Grounds and ruins of an ancient village. Nearby, see another aspect of Hawaiian cultural history at the "Painted Church"; its walls were hand-painted in medieval style by a Belgian missionary around the turn of the 20th century. Later, enjoy free time in the harborside town of Kailua-Kona - once home to Hawaiian royalty - and explore the Kona Coast as you wish. This evening, Tauck's fantastic four-island Hawaii vacation package concludes at a farewell cocktail reception and dinner. Lodging The Fairmont Orchid, Hawaii

Day 12 Say "Mahalo" to Hawaii . Meals B Tour Ends: Hawaii's Big Island. Your 12-day Hawaii vacation package ends on the Big Island. Fly home anytime; a transfer is included from The Fairmont Orchid, Hawaii to Kailua-Kona International Airport. Allow a minimum of two hours for departure flight check-in at the airport.

Last Updated 12jan14