Dole Pineapple Plantation and Ko Hana Distillery with Rum Tasting
Description
Savor Oʻahu beyond the beaches on a journey through the island’s scenic countryside. Begin at the legendary Dole Plantation, where you can stroll tropical gardens, snap photos, and indulge in iconic pineapple treats like fresh fruit and Dole Whip. Continue to Kō Hana Distillers for an inside look at Hawaii’s only cane-to-glass rum, crafted from heirloom sugarcane grown onsite. Guests 21 and over can sample premium rum or enjoy a handcrafted cocktail, while younger guests and non-drinkers can treat themselves to Kō Hana’s house-made gelato. The day concludes at Coral Crater Adventure Park, where you can unwind, browse the shop, and take in the atmosphere of one of Oʻahu’s premier outdoor adventure destinations. Blending local flavors, island history, and scenic countryside views, this activity offers a refreshing look at a different side of Oʻahu.
Tour Options
Highlights
What's included
Pickup Locations & Times
IMPORTANT: Please contact the provider at least 24 hours before your scheduled trip to confirm your pickup details. Failure to inform us of your pickup location before the 24-hour deadline means you will not be picked up and your tour/activity is non-refundable. Be early at least 5 - 10 minutes and meet your driver at your selected location from the designated list. If you're running late, please give us a call immediately.
Traveller Ratings
Important Information
- Service animals allowed
- Infants are required to sit on an adult’s lap
- Not recommended for travelers with spinal injuries
- Not recommended for pregnant travelers
- Not recommended for travelers with poor cardiovascular health
Reviews(17)
Great tour of the Dole plantation and the rum plant. I really enjoyed hearing the history of both places. Joe was a great tour guide.
First of all Sergei was a fantastic tour guide and he did his best to keep us informed and told us so much history. The two tour stops were underwhelming so hence the poor rating. Dole was mainly a tourist trap with the exception of the Dole Whip. We paid extra for the train ride which was blah…never got to see planting, harvesting or the cutting of a pineapple. Mainly just a big gift shop! The rum tour was okay, but compared to others we have done it was not up to par. Enjoyed our time with Sergei, but otherwise it was a disappointing tour that was not worth the money.
Dole Plantation was very disappointing. I felt like I walked into a Cracker Barrel. For the price we paid for this tour we really got no benefit at Dole Plantation. We toured the gardens and had to pay extra, should be included in the tour price. The distillery was great, our guide provided a lot of info on the process and the tasting room was fun. Our guide Serge was very knowledgeable about Hawaiian history which we enjoyed.
Mahalo for the honest feedback, Deborah — we're so glad Serge's Hawaiian history and the KoHana tasting made the day fun. We're sorry Dole was a disappointment; it's hugely popular with some guests and feels touristy to others. The garden walk is always included at no charge — our guides walk every group in — and we'd love to show you even more of O'ahu next time you're back!
Our tour was great and we enjoyed Joe very much. We only wish we spent more time at Dole. We may try and go back on our own since we know more about HI now.
Joe will be thrilled to hear it, Jake! And going back to explore on your own because you know the islands better now — that's exactly what we hope a tour sparks. Mahalo for riding with us!
Our tour driver/guide was great! Loved all the little fun facts about the island we learned, especially everything he told us about the Dole Plantation and KōHana Distillery!! Coming to Hawaii for the dole whip is totally worth it. In all seriousness, we absolutely loved our tour. If you’re going to be in Hawaii, you definitely need to check it out!
Flying to Hawaii for a Dole Whip — totally valid, Elizabeth! So glad the island fun facts and the KoHana stories made the day. Mahalo for the wonderful recommendation; we'll have more stories ready next visit.
We had a great time! Our tour guide Serge was very knowledgeable and informative. The dole whip was delicious and loved tasting the different rums!
A mother-daughter day with Serge's stories, a Dole Whip, and a rum tasting — that's a memory worth keeping, Shenise! Mahalo for spending it with us; Serge will be honored to hear it.
Our guide was very informative and super friendly! He was fantastic. A local who knew a lot, and we even asked him things that didnt pertain to the tour and he was able to help clarify.
A local guide who can field the off-the-tour questions too — that's the kind of host we love to send out, Rae! Mahalo for the fantastic review; the islands always have more to share when you're back.
If I could give this zero stars, I would. First, we were called 1 hour prior to our start time and said we had to rush because our pick up time was an hour before the stated start time (which was not noted anywhere on the booking). We were in the middle of lunch and had to leave in a hurry. We were then crammed into a hot and stuffy van for and 1.5 hours to the Dole Plantation, where we were allowed exactly 30 min to tour. The guide knew nothing and rushed us through, not allowing us to ride the train or even go through the shop. We then headed to the Distillery where the guide READ OFF HER PHONE to give us a “tour” of the property. The actual tasting was delightful, but we again were rushed to leave after about 45 min there. We did not get any time at the Coral Crater Adventure Park and just dropped off people for their luau. We then spent another 1.5 hours in the shuttle back to our hotel. The tour was disorganized, rushed, and the guide was not knowledgeable or friendly at all. We spent more time in the actual shuttle than we did on the excursion. When I reached out to get a refund, the company declined and did not even contact me for more information or to make it right. Do not book with this company.
Mahalo for taking the time to share this. We're sorry the day didn't land the way you'd hoped, and we want to address a few points so other travelers have accurate information. Your pickup was scheduled for 1:00 PM as confirmed through Viator at the time of booking. Our vans are late-model Mercedes Sprinters with functioning AC, and we build typical North Shore traffic into our timing — the drive ran about 65 minutes that day instead of the usual 45. To clarify two specifics: the Pineapple Express train is not part of this tour itinerary, and the time at Ko Hana Distillery, including the guided portion and tasting, was the standard hour all guests receive. Our guide did reference her phone to give accurate answers to specific guest questions. We hear that it didn't feel polished, and we'll use this as a coaching note for our team. On the refund conversation: we did try to reach you by phone and left voicemails that weren't returned. Please contact us directly at 808-378-7535 or info@malamatours.com — we'd genuinely like to talk this through.
The rum tasting was fun, even though I didn’t try any. Very interesting! The Dole pineapple plantation was really cool. The only bad part was the time there was WAY too short! At least another 1/2 hour should have been added to give enough time to see everything outside and go through the gift store which was very large. 15 minutes for the gift shop was just not enough!!
Aloha Louis, mahalo for sharing your experience on the tour. The rum tasting is one of those stops that tends to surprise people — glad it stood out even without trying a sip. We heard you on wanting more time at Dole and have since adjusted this tour to depart 30 minutes earlier, giving guests more room to explore. Oʻahu has plenty to discover if your travels bring you back this way. — The Malama Tours Team
Not much time at Dole so use time to shop and get your whip. Rum tasting was really nice and informative.
Mahalo for the five-star review — the Ko Hana rum tasting is definitely a highlight of that route. We appreciate the note about timing at Dole and will keep that in mind as we refine the experience. Glad you enjoyed the day on Oʻahu. — The Malama Tours Team
