Here at Shaka Guide our goal is to connect people with places through storytelling.
Don’t you love learning about the places you’re visiting? Us too!
That’s why in 2016 we opened our virtual doors and invited you to explore Hawaii in a completely new way. Our self-guided GPS audio tours give you all the benefits of a guided experience with the freedom to explore on YOUR terms.
We’re proud to have earned the title of Hawaii’s highest-rated travel apps. And now, we’ve taken our 5-star storytelling to the mainland. Although our company is rooted in Hawaii, we’re thrilled to offer a variety of tours across the country.
A tremendous amount of care goes into each tour we create. Every site we visit, word we say, and song we play has been hand-picked, researched and crafted for quality.
So what do you say? Let’s explore together!
Consider us your personal tour guide in an app.
Confused? Don’t be - we’re here to help! Here's how it works. Our self-guided tours use GPS to play automatically as you drive. That means, while you’re touring, we’ll provide you with turn-by-turn directions, stories, and music along the way. Cool huh?
We’ve laid out an awesome itinerary, filled with popular stops and lesser-known gems. But here at Shaka Guide, we truly believe that it’s your vacation, so what you see and do is totally up to you - pick the stops you like and skip the ones you don’t.
The best part? You won't just see these beautiful sites, you'll connect with them as you immerse yourself in their history and legends.
At Shaka Guide we believe in supporting local organizations - the ones that are working to keep beaches clean, preserve native plants and animals, and pass down stories from generations ago. Whether it's conservation efforts or cultural enrichment, their dedicated work helps make it possible for us to share interesting stories and make awesome tours! That's why we donate a portion of your purchase to the charity of your choice.
Here's how it works: you make a purchase, we'll send you a list of nonprofits, and you select the one you want us to donate to. It's that easy! You can learn more about the organizations we support here.
Co-Founder, VP of Biz Dev
Co-Founder, Chief Strategist, Editor-in-Chief
Lead Customer Support Specialist
Content Manager & Marketing Specialist
Senior Backend Web Developer
Tech Lead
Senior Audio Editor
The Shaka Guide Voice
Graphic Designer & Illustrator
Tour Researcher & Writer
Tour Researcher & Writer
Tour Script Editor & Writer
Producer
Assistant Producer
Writer
Writer
Writer
Writer
Videographer
Intern, Admin Support
Sr. Product Manager
Marketing Assistant
Developer - iOS
Developer - Web / Backend
QA & Software Testing
Digital Marketing
Assistant Producer
Developer - Android
Lead Developer - iOS
Customer Support & Admin Assistant
Fold your middle 3 fingers down, and keep your thumb and pinky straight up. There you've got a Shaka sign!
In Hawaii, shaka is one of those things that everybody just gets. You make a sign to say "thanks", "you're welcome", "hello", "good bye", "how'z it", and even I love you. The sign is like the word aloha itself, having many meanings, and all of them good.
There are many stories about the origin of the shaka sign but one is about a worker at the Kahuku Suger Mill, Kalili Hamana. It was said that Kalili lost his three middle fingers due to an accident at the mill. Later he worked at "the Hukilau" or what would later become the Polynesian Cultural Center. As Kalili stood greeting tourists and visitors, he would wave with his hand of only the thumb and pinky and they'd wave the same sign back.
Over the years, the sign was popularized and is now used by just about everyone in Hawaii. You'll see politicians throw up a shaka during campaigns, news anchormen using one to sign off the air, you'll even catch it in TV commercials. When you are on a vacation in Hawaii, don't forget to throw out a shaka to the car that yields to you or the person that says aloha as you walk by -- they'll know what you mean!
