What to Pack for a Full Day Oahu Tour: The Checklist

For a full day Oahu tour, pack a small daypack with reef-friendly sunscreen, a hat and sunglasses, a refillable water bottle, a towel, a light layer, your phone and a portable charger, and some cash for roadside stands. Wear your swimsuit under your clothes. Leave valuables, luggage and anything bulky at your hotel.

That covers most of it. Below is the full checklist, and the reasons behind it, for a day that runs from a 7:00 a.m. pickup to the late afternoon.

The quick checklist

• [ ] Reef-friendly mineral sunscreen
• [ ] Hat and sunglasses
• [ ] Refillable water bottle
• [ ] Swimsuit, worn under your clothes
• [ ] Small towel
• [ ] Sandals or shoes with grip
• [ ] A light layer, such as a thin jacket or long-sleeve shirt
• [ ] Phone and a portable charger
• [ ] A zip-top bag or dry bag for your phone at the beach
• [ ] Some cash, plus a card
• [ ] Motion-sickness remedy, if you need one
• [ ] Any medication you take during the day
• [ ] Your booking confirmation

Sun protection

Hawaii’s sun is strong all year, including in winter, and much of a circle island day is spent outdoors at lookouts and on the beach.

• Use mineral sunscreen. Hawaii bans the sale of sunscreens containing oxybenzone and octinoxate, two chemicals linked to reef damage. Sunscreens based on zinc oxide or titanium dioxide are the safe choice.
• Reapply after Turtle Beach. Water and towels take sunscreen off fast.
• Wear a hat and sunglasses. The lookouts at Diamond Head, Halona and Mokoliʻi have little or no shade.
• Consider a rash guard if you’ll snorkel. It protects your back and shoulders better than any lotion.

For Turtle Beach

Turtle Beach on the North Shore is the longest stop of the day, at 1 hour and 15 minutes, so pack for a real beach break:

• Wear your swimsuit under your clothes. You won’t lose beach time changing.
• Bring a small towel and, if you like, a dry shirt for the ride afterward.
• Protect your phone. A zip-top bag or small dry bag keeps sand and water out.
• Snorkel gear: it’s included free on the $59 Standard tour. If you’re on the $49 Promo loop and want to snorkel, bring your own.
• Water shoes or sandals help on rocky or hot sand.

Whatever you do in the water, keep at least 10 feet from any turtle. That’s NOAA’s guidance, and Hawaiian green sea turtles are a protected species.

What to wear

• Light, breathable clothing. Shorts or a skirt and a T-shirt are fine for the whole day.
• A light layer. The windward side of Oahu gets passing showers even when Waikiki is sunny, and the air-conditioning in the minibus can feel cool after the beach.
• Sandals or shoes with grip. You’ll step on and off the minibus nine times, and some lookouts have uneven ground. Leave heels and slippery flip-flops at the hotel.

Money

The tour ticket covers transportation, your guide and the perks included with your option. Bring money for:

• Lunch at Tanaka’s Kahuku Shrimp on the North Shore, which you pay for separately.
• Fresh fruit at the North Shore fruit stands.
• Macadamia nuts and coffee to take home from the farm stop.
• A Dole Whip at the Dole Plantation, if you’re on a public tour. It’s free on private charters.
• A tip for your guide, if you’d like to. Tipping tour guides is customary in the US, and it’s always appreciated.

Cards are widely accepted, but small roadside stands are quicker with cash, so bring a little of both.

Tech

• Phone and a portable charger. A long day of photos drains batteries.
• Wi-Fi is available on board, so you can share photos between stops without using data.
• Keep your camera handy between stops. Some of the best views of the windward coast are from the window. The route runs counterclockwise, so the ocean is on the right side for most of the day.

Health and comfort

• Motion sickness: the windward and North Shore roads have curves. If you’re prone to it, take a remedy before pickup and ask for a seat near the front.
• Medication: bring anything you need during the day, since you won’t be back until the late afternoon.
• Hand sanitizer and tissues are useful at roadside stops.
• Snacks: refreshments are included, but bring something for anyone who gets hungry between stops, especially children.

Packed and ready? The Standard tour is $59 and includes free snorkel gear, a free malasada at Leonard’s, Wi-Fi and refreshments. Pickup is from six points in Waikiki between 6:50 and 7:15 a.m. Check dates and book

What to leave at your hotel

• Valuables. Use the hotel safe for passports, extra cards and jewelry.
• Luggage. A full day of getting on and off a minibus isn’t the time to carry suitcases. If you’re checking out that day, leave your bags with the hotel’s bell desk.
• Large beach gear. Umbrellas, chairs and coolers are more trouble than they’re worth on a day with nine stops.

Packing for the season

• November to April: bring a slightly warmer layer for early mornings, and binoculars if you have them. It’s humpback whale season, and whales are sometimes seen from the coastal stops.
• May to October: it’s hotter and drier, so bring extra water and reapply sunscreen more often.
• Any time of year: a light rain jacket takes up little space and can save the day on the windward side.

For more on the day itself, see the complete circle island tour route, how long a full-day tour really takes and where to meet the tour in Waikiki.

Good to know (checked September 2026)

Hawaii’s ban on selling sunscreens containing oxybenzone and octinoxate took effect in 2021. Snorkel gear is included on the $59 Standard tour and on private charters, but not on the $49 Promo Full-Day Loop.

FAQ

Pack light, enjoy the day

A small bag, the right sunscreen and a swimsuit under your clothes are really all you need. The tour takes care of the rest.

Book your island day. See the $59 Standard full-day tour, or the $49 Promo Full-Day Loop and current offers.

Aloha Fantasy Tours has run circle island tours on Oahu since 2010.