Overview
Available languages
Mobile ticket
Discover the laid-back charm and stunning beauty of Oahu’s legendary North Shore with Shaka Guide’s self-guided audio tour. Cruise past world-famous surf breaks, explore charming beach towns, taste local delicacies, and take in breathtaking coastal views—all while listening to captivating stories about Hawaiian history, culture, and island legends.
Enjoy total freedom to start anytime, stop for photos, swim at pristine beaches, and try iconic North Shore shrimp trucks or shave ice. With offline GPS navigation, insider tips, and lifetime access, this tour lets you explore like a local without crowded buses or strict schedules.
Highlights include Waimea Bay, Pipeline, Haleiwa Town, Shark’s Cove, and scenic drives along Oahu’s breathtaking coastline.
Simply download the Shaka Guide app, hop in your car, and let your personal audio guide lead you on an unforgettable North Shore adventure.
Additional Info
Suitable for all physical fitness levels
The tour can only be done clockwise.
The tour has two starting points: Waikiki or Ko Olina.
The Dole Plantation closes at 5:30 p.m. There is an entrance fee to do the activities at the plantation, but you can visit the gift shop and cafe for free. Byodo-In only accept credit card and contactless payments.
Most of the food trucks in Kahuku are cash only.
North Shore Soap Factory has a guided tour that costs $20 per person. Call ahead to schedule.
Moanalua Gardens costs $5 for adults, $3 for children 6-12 and is free for children 5 and under.
Waves can get rough in winter (October-April). When in doubt ask a lifeguard.
Travelers must have a smartphone compatible with the Shaka Guide app.
The app must be downloaded and the tour redeemed before arrival.
Strong Wi-Fi or cellular data is required to download the tour in advance.
Location services (GPS) must be enabled on the device
Travelers are responsible for securing any required entrance passes, reservations, or permits before starting
What To Expect
It’s time to fuel up for the day ahead, and what better way than a deep-fried, Portuguese donut, known as a malasada? We’ll guide you to Leonard’s Bakery, one of Oahu’s most famous spots for these delicious treats. Leonard’s features eight different types of malasadas from its original that’s coated in sugar to custard-stuffed varieties filled with flavors like haupia (coconut), guava, and macadamia nut. There’s usually a line, but don’t let that deter you -- it moves pretty fast.
Moanalua Gardens
This 24-acre garden is steeped in history. The original Moanalua Gardens was located at a different site, but dates back over a century! When the gardens were moved to their current location structures from the original were preserved and transported to the gardens you’ll visit today. The gardens are open 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. daily and charge $10 admission for non-resident adults and $7 for children 6-12.
Options
Oahu's North Shore Self-Guided Audio Tour
What‘s Included
Take the tour when you want
Tours NEVER expire
Freedom to explore at your own pace
Tour Start is Customizable
Offline map (no wifi or data needed)
Tour highlights with activity and restaurant recommendations
Turn-by-turn directions using GPS
Hours of audio narration with stories, travel tips and music
Audio narration that plays automatically as you drive
Air-conditioned vehicle
Private transportation
Food and Drinks are EXCLUDED
Moanalua Gardens entry
Dole Plantation — Train, Maze and Garden pass
Cancellation Policy
For a full refund, cancel at least 24 hours before the scheduled departure time.
Reviews
9 reviews
Total reviews and rating from Viator & Tripadvisor
Needs work and updating, price was low enough for what we got.
Wayne W,Feb 19, 2026
- Review from Viator
2.001. Rather than adding informational commentary or local stories about the area you're visiting, they play music. I can play whatever music I want in my car. Use some local music to introduce a new chapter but don't play long stretches of music when you could be adding interesting stories and information. 2. The narrator cannot make up his mind which accent to use and jumps back and forth between what we figured were three different accents; why can't he just speak naturally! 3. The narrator does have a nice voice for audio but we could have done without all the jokes and what he thought were funny comments. Not everybody shares the same sense of humour. 4. Biggest disappointment is they said the tour could go clockwise or counter-clockwise but then gave no instructions as to how to use it counter-clockwise. We tried everything and couldn't reach the help desk while we were on the tour so we had to re-arrange our day and go clock-wise. 5. They need to update their information as to the open hours of various locations so you don't pull into a spot only to find it's closed at that time or that day. We did a Road to Hana tour years ago with another company and they were far more thorough, giving lots more location highlights and lots more local stories and information about the area.
Excellent day exploring north shore!
julie m,Nov 13, 2025
- Review from Viator
5.00Concise, helpful and full of options to stop and explore as much as we wanted! We had an incredible day exploring North Shore Oahu! Would definitely use again! Thanks Shaka!
Confusing
Rebecca C,Jul 4, 2025
- Review from Viator
1.00We started at Ko olina - The directions did not line up with the gentleman speaking on the self guide tour. We literally returned to the starting point 4 different times- to try to get on the right path. For example we never got on H2, when the tour said we would be on three lanes we were on two, when we exited number 3 for the botanical garden there wasn’t one- because we were not on the right freeway to begin with. The other drawback is the Ko Olina starting point isn’t the beginning of the tour and no where is that stated. It is a great idea - but unfortunately it just didn’t work for us.
Awesome tour guide and GPS routing!
James B,May 23, 2025
- Review from Viator
5.00Awesome Tour! With the GPS guided tours pointing out great spots along the way, it felt like we had our private tour guide with us! This is the best valued and in-depth tour
Not very user friendly....
Doug S,Dec 26, 2024
- Review from Viator
1.00Not very user friendly. It would just stop giving directions and you end up getting lost. Ended up just using Google maps.
Money well spent.
Compass42646862861,Dec 8, 2023
- Review from Tripadvisor
5.00We liked how the tour always told us the places worth seeing so we knew where and when to stop. The music really added a nice touch.
Read the small print
Charmeyne W,Dec 20, 2022
- Review from Viator
1.00Wow - this really didn't read clearly to me and I paid for 5 "island tours" not realising they were audio tours and i couldve just got 1. Bit peeved tbh
Great for Solo Traveler!!
Debbie G,Oct 18, 2022
- Review from Viator
5.00Mahalo for the best tour during my 9 day trip in Hawaii! The gps worked perfectly and I never missed any navigation instructions! The narration was not only informative, but also very funny! And, the music while driving had me doing a lil luau in my car! I did have my doubts when I was instructed to park, then walk across the road to see if I could spot turtles. I followed the path and there were the turtles swimming right by the shore! The host also gives the option of either stopping or continuing on your drive! The views were magnificent and will never forget how fun it was doing this drive!
North Shore Must Have!!
Z2779GXdanielleb,Sep 25, 2021
- Review from Tripadvisor
5.00This was an EXCELLENT audio tour. The narration was entertaining and informative and the directions were spot on. We only had a 4 hour window and this tour allowed us to see some of the key places we wanted to visit (Bonzai Pipeline) as well as some hidden gems we weren’t even aware of (filming site from Jurassic Park helicopter scene). This was the best of both worlds because you could enjoy the island at your own pace, but had the knowledge of an experienced guide at the same time.
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