Around the Big Island of Hawaii

† Explanation of BAC Ride Fee – This fee is not included in the Estimated Cost and is non-refundable once submitted. The Ride Fee for US and Canada is $85 and $150 for all other countries, both are per participant.

Ride Description

Ride Description

OVERVIEW

Aloha!  Postpone winter with a vacation in Hawaii where we will cycle counterclockwise around the Big Island and up to the Kilauea Volcano where we may see lava flowing.  We stay two nights in all but one hotel allowing time to snorkel with turtles and manta rays, swim, kayak, explore the Volcanoes National Park and walk beautiful beaches.  Accommodations range from charming boutique hotels to larger 5 star resorts.   This popular tour was last offered in January 2025.     

The tour starts at the King Kamehameha Resort, Kona Beach.   We have a day at the resort to relax after your flight, assemble bikes and take in an optional ride to visit historical areas and coffee plantations Shops ,restaurants and attractions are a short walk into town.  

We start our journey around the island with a short scenic ride to the Outrigger Resort at Keauhou Bay.  There are many activities available for the day at the resort, with the highlight being the amazing opportunity to night snorkel with manta rays.  

Moving on, we cycle up to Volcano Village.    There will be shuttle options and participants are expected to ride one leg of the distance:

1.       Shuttle from  Captain Cook to Naalehu for lunch.  Bike the uphill climb to Volcano to the Kilauea Lodge and Restaurant (38 miles and 4261 ft *).

2.       Ride your bike to Naalehu  ( 46 miles and 2400 ft *.) You can stop at Naalehu for lunch at the Punalu'u Bake Shop and shuttle the rest of the way to Volcano.

The group will pre-select their option.  Approximately 50% of the group can choose Option 1 and 50% can choose Option 2, due to the capacity of the passenger shuttle.

Enjoy a day to explore the Hawai’i Volcanoes National Park which extends from sea level to 13,680 feet.  The park encompasses two of the world's most active volcanoes - Kilauea and Mauna Loa and is a designated International Biosphere Reserve and UNESCO World Heritage Site.  There is a local art center and interpretive walks around the volcano caldera, the large depression formed when a volcano erupts and collapses. 

Continuing around the island, ride to Hilo.  This is an enjoyable downhill route with sites to visit along the way – Atkatsuka Orchid farm, the Mauna Loa Nut farm and the Panaewa Rainforest Zoo and Gardens.  There is plenty to do on our full day in Hilo and an optional ride route will be available.

Leaving Hilo, ride to Waimea  along the stunning coast before turning inland to Waimea.  The distance is 60 miles and there will be a shuttle pickup available after 43 miles to take riders the rest of the way to Waimea.  This is the only location where we stay one night.  

From Waimea, cycle to the cute town of Hawi for lunch then ride on to Hapuna Beach on the Kohala Coast, one of Hawaii’s favorite beaches. Relax on the beach or take an optional ride to south Kohala to view petroglyphs.   

Close the circle back to where we started in Kona, following the Ironman route.  You will see the Kaloko-Honokohau National Historical Park enroute before arriving.  We end the day with our final group dinner before departing the next morning.   

RIDE RATING

This tour is rated 2B!  There are six mandatory ride days  range from 23 miles to 45 miles and average 2,100 ft climbing.  There are two ride days where the mileage and elevation exceed the 2B rating. A passenger shuttle will be available to assist on those days.   Rolling hills and windy conditions could be prevalent on the Big Island and cyclists should be prepared.    Roads include state highways and county roads.   In some areas traffic may be heavy and without shoulders therefore cyclists should be comfortable riding in these conditions.  For participants wanting more challenging rides, options include a 4C ride to Waimea, a 4D ride to Volcano Village, and an optional 3C or 4D Pahoa route.   The non-mandatory ride days will include an optional cycling route.   

WEATHER

The temperatures vary between 50 to 82 degrees with the cooler temperatures at higher elevations.  The amount of rain varies between 2 to 10 inches per month based on elevation, wind direction and the winter weather patterns.  The east side (Hilo area) of the island gets more rain therefore be prepared for varying weather conditions. 

LODGING

Lodging will vary from small local hotels to larger resort/spa hotels (4 to 5-star accommodations).

LOGISTICS

We start and finish in Kailua-Kona, Hawaii.  Our hotel is 8 miles from the airport.  City Bus (Heleon) Taxis, Speedy Shuttles and Uber offer service from the airport (KOA) to our hotel. Happy hour the first night at the Courtyard Marriott King Kamehameha is 5:00 pm followed by a group dinner.  The ride leaders suggest Bike Works Kona for bike rentals and service.  https://www.bikeworkskona.com/.  To rent snorkeling gear for the trip we recommend Boss Frog's Snorkel Gear Rentals. https://bossfrog.com/all-rentals/. 

Bike boxes will be stored off-sight in Kona during the tour.  A van will be available to transport luggage and supplies.  Participants are expected to complete the required rides as the van will not serve as a SAG vehicle.  However, the van will be available to assist with emergencies or to accommodate riders when possible.  During a portion of the tour a shuttle van will be available to transport riders on two longer and more difficult ride days.  Participants planning to use an e-bike or tandem should contact the Ride Leader.   These bikes are acceptable on the tour; however bike storage will be in the hotel rooms most nights which may provide some complications as some hotels do not have elevators and some e-bikes do not have batteries that detach. 

COST & ADMINISTRATION

The estimated cost for this tour is $ $4,460 plus the $85 BAC non-refundable registration fee.  Cost includes 12 nights accommodations, two group dinners, 8 breakfasts, 12 happy hours with snacks and beverages, RWGPS files, and luggage/shuttle transfer.   Not included are National Park passes, fees for activities, entrance fees to museums, hotel resort passes and a Luau.     The initial deposit is $2700 with the final payment of $1,760 due no later than July 1, 2026.  

HEALTH and SAFETY

Participants are expected to come to the tour in good health and ready to ride.  Should someone's health become compromised and the group’s health and safety placed. in jeopardy, a plan will be developed by the ride leader(s) and communicated to all individuals. 
The expectation is for the group to work together to mitigate any spread of infection or illness as a means to ensure the tour can continue as planned.

SINGLES AND SOLOS POLICY

Singles are a great addition to a tour and we welcome them.  We are unable to accommodate solos on this tour due to hotel capacity.  We can accommodate a limited number of singles who will share a room with a roommate due to room accommodation limitations in some of the hotels. We recommend that singles find their own roommate prior to signing up.  Ride Leaders can introduce and assist singles to find roommates, but singles must make their own rooming decision.

CANCELLATION POLICY:
The BAC Ride Registration Fee and Payment Processing Fees are not refundable unless the entire tour is canceled because the number of participants registered is less than the minimum established for the tour.  Refunds of tour payments will depend upon whether a replacement rider signs up and on costs that can be recouped. The amount refunded will be based on the principle that the tour’s remaining participants will not incur any additional cost as a result of cancellations. If the canceling participant is replaced, a refund will be made at that time. If the canceling participant can't be replaced, any refund will be determined after the ride and final expense report are completed. If a single participant cancels and another roommate cannot be found, in addition to other costs that cannot be recouped the canceling roommate may also be liable for the solo supplement fee of the roommate remaining on the tour. BAC encourages members to purchase trip cancellation insurance.

RIDE PARTICIPANT RESPONSIBILITY
Please remember that BAC Ride Leaders are volunteers, and that successful tours depend on participants providing much of their own support.  Participants are expected to come to the ride well trained, in good health and ready to accomplish the required daily riding using well-maintained bicycles.   All participants should accept responsibility for a safe and enjoyable tour.  We encourage you to read the ride description carefully and respond to requests from the Ride Leader.  While on the ride, support your Ride Leader with offers to help with various tasks such as happy hour preparation and clean-up.  Please do not interfere with the ride by inviting non-participants onto any portion of the ride or tour.  Please keep the Ride Leader informed of any special request you may have and respect the Ride Leader’s decisions.

INSURANCE

 BAC maintains insurance that covers expenses related to accidents. This coverage applies when touring inside the US, regardless of your nationality. It’s assumed that members’ personal insurance will cover medical emergencies such as sudden and unexpected sickness, so these have not been included in the BAC policy. Coverage is subject to a $1000 deductible. You may want to consider personal coverage for emergency evacuation, as this is not included. The costs of treatment or quarantine for Covid and other unexpected illnesses are not covered.   Before participating in any BAC tour, you should assess whether your medical and travel insurance coverage is sufficient.

SIGN-UP

To register for this ride, use the sign-up links just above the Ride Description. After preliminary acceptance, you will be moved to the pending list and receive an email requesting you to go back to the BAC site to digitally accept the terms of the Release of Liability (ROL), and pay the tour deposit within 7 days of signing-up plus the $85 non-refundable BAC Ride Registration Fee by credit card. 
As soon as your deposit has been processed, your name(s) will be added to the participant List. BAC members with questions may contact the Ride Director by "clicking" name at the top of this Ride Description.