Day 1
Aloha! Today you meet your group in Honolulu, the capitol of Hawaii, where we board a short flight to the beautiful Big Island to begin our 16-day adventure! After a wonderful dinner together and a Hawaiian sunset we give into the sounds of crashing waves and settle-in for good night's sleep.Day 2-6
No experience on the Big Island is complete without exploring the underwater world. The next four days we will spend becoming SCUBA certified through PADI, a world-wide diving organization. This course will teach us everything we need to know in order to discover the arena of sea turtles, manta rays, and schools of colorful fish. Furthermore, we will be certified so we can do this again in the future, and we will undoubtedly want to. By the end of these four days we have a true understanding of this special island of Hawaii.Days 7-9
For the next three days, we will take to the ocean and learn how to sail from an experienced crew. We will sleep on the boat, and explore the Hawaii coast in a way few others have the opportunity to do. We will learn the basics of sailing, and even navigate the boat ourselves. There will be time to swim and snorkel, for the ocean will be our home. Few experiences compare with sleeping under the stars on a boat off the Hawaiian Islands.Day 10
Today we say goodbye to Hawaii and take a short flight over to Kauai. This remote and pristine paradise will be our home for the remainder of our adventure together. We land just before lunch giving us plenty of time to explore in the afternoon. We find our way to Queen's Bath, a natural basin carved by the ocean into the lava, where will take a dip before heading to our evening campsite.Day 11-12
The next two days we'll give our feet a break and explore the rivers and calm inlets of Kauai. Sea kayaking is one of the most exceptional ways to explore wilderness. From the platform of our sturdy sea kayaks we will see countless birds, schools of fish, and cascading waterfalls. We will explore different sides of the island over these two days, which will allow a greater understanding of Kauai's diversity.Day 13
The sounds of the Pacific awake us and the smell of salt fills our senses, as we get ready for another day full of exciting discoveries! Today we are off to explore some of the trails that Kauai has to offer. We pack lunch and water in our daypacks and keep our cameras out and ready: who knows what we may see! The Na Pali coast is host to some of the most amazing trails on the islands, we will see the ocean crashing on beaches below us, and the towering mountains that form this island.Day 14-15
We will spend the next two days giving back to the community that has played host to us for the last two weeks. We will undertake a service project to get better acquainted with the rich heritage of the islands, and lend a helping hand.Days 16-17
Surfing on Kauai is a special experience indeed! We will be learning to "ride the waves" in the sports originating home. The breaks are ideal for novice surfers, but can challenge even the most seasoned veteran. By day two we are all catching waves and will "hang-ten" riding that perfect wave into the beach. Our final evening is upon us and we celebrate with true Hawaiian flare and reminisce about our experience together.Day 18
This morning we awake to the now familiar sound of waves crashing against the beach and head back to Honolulu where we board our flights to the mainland. We bid farewell to our new friends, and with heart and head full of memories, we say goodbye to Hawaii!
