Born from a Love of
the Real Hawaii
Kelly Cab started with one man, one rickshaw, and a simple belief: that the best way to experience Honolulu is through the eyes of someone who truly loves it.
Honolulu, Hawaii
Operating since 2021
4.98 / 5.0
Average guest rating
Kelly Beck
Founder & Chief Ambassador
One Rickshaw.
One Big Idea.
Kelly Beck Akana grew up in Honolulu watching tourists arrive with guidebooks and leave having missed everything that made the island magical. The hidden plate lunch spots. The secret beaches. The stories behind every street corner.
In 2020, he started giving informal rickshaw rides to visitors from his neighborhood — not as a business, just as a way to share the Honolulu he loved. The response was overwhelming.
"People kept saying it was the best part of their trip," Kelly recalls. "Not the resort, not the luau — just riding through the streets with someone who actually knew the place."
Kelly Cab was born from that realization. That the best tour guide isn't a script — it's a neighbor.
Our Values
Four principles that guide every ride, every hire, and every decision we make.
Planet First
Every vehicle in our fleet is 100% electric. We believe exploring a beautiful place should never come at the cost of it.
Community Rooted
Our Ambassadors are Honolulu residents. Every ride keeps money in the local economy and celebrates the people who make this island special.
Authentic Experiences
We reject the scripted tour. Every Kelly Cab ride is personal, spontaneous, and shaped by genuine local knowledge.
Safety & Trust
All Ambassadors are background-checked, trained, and rated by guests. You're in good hands from the moment you book.
Our Journey
The Idea
Founder Kelly Akana, frustrated by generic tourist experiences, starts giving informal rickshaw rides to visitors from his neighborhood.
First Fleet
Kelly Cab officially launches with two electric rickshaws and three Ambassadors. Word spreads fast among Waikiki visitors.
E-Bikes Added
Electric bikes join the fleet, opening up solo adventures and guided group rides across the island.
App Launch
The Kelly Cab app goes live, letting riders summon an Ambassador in minutes from anywhere in Honolulu.
Growing Strong
Over 500 five-star rides, a team of passionate Ambassadors, and a reputation as Honolulu's most loved local experience.
The Future
Expanding the fleet, growing the Ambassador team, and deepening our roots in the community we love.
The Team Behind the Rides
Every person at Kelly Cab is a Honolulu local who genuinely loves this island.
Kelly Akana
Founder & Chief Ambassador
Born and raised in Honolulu, Kelly spent years watching visitors miss the real Hawaii. He started Kelly Cab to change that — one ride at a time.
Local secret: Favorite spot: A tiny saimin shop on King Street with no sign outside.
Malia Fonoti
Head of Ambassador Experience
Malia trains every new Ambassador and ensures every ride lives up to the Kelly Cab promise. She's obsessed with the details that make experiences unforgettable.
Local secret: Favorite spot: The sunrise view from Lanikai Beach before the crowds arrive.
Kaimana Akana
Lead Culinary Ambassador
Kelly's cousin and the island's most passionate food guide. Kaimana has eaten at every plate lunch spot in Honolulu and has strong opinions about all of them.
Local secret: Favorite spot: Any spot that doesn't have a Yelp page yet.
Electric by Choice.
Green by Design.
Hawaii is one of the most ecologically fragile places on Earth. We chose an all-electric fleet not because it was trendy, but because it was the only responsible choice for a business built on the beauty of this island.
Zero tailpipe emissions. Whisper-quiet rides. And a commitment to leave Honolulu exactly as beautiful as we found it — for every generation of visitors and locals to come.
0
Emissions
per ride
100%
Electric
fleet
∞
Aloha
spirit
Experience Honolulu
the Way It Was Meant to Be
Download the app, summon an Ambassador, and discover the island through the eyes of someone who truly loves it.