Big Island
This was my first time snorkeling with manta rays, so I was a little apprehensive. But the crew members were reassuring and had a "chill" attitude that put me at ease. They also explanined everything very well. Also, expect that you might not see manta rays right away. I think it took almost a half hour before they appeared in our area of the bay. But overall, this was so much fun as seeing these otherworldly creatures up close was amazing!
It was nice overall. The staff are friendly and worked hard. Food taste was okay. Generous portion. The boat is small and with waves, my 5 years old got sea sick and was throwing up.
Aloha-thank you for joining us. We appreciate your kind words.
It's unfortunate that your five year old experienced motion sickness. Our vessel is a sixty-five foot long double decker catamaran. The good news is that most guests do not experience motion sickness. For guests who know they have a propensity to experience motion sickness we recommend an over the counter remedy such as Dramamine at least an hour before boarding. Best wishes to you and your family!
I participated with my 12-year-old son and my 89-year-old mother. The guide spoke entirely in English, and we were the only Asian participants, but everyone was very kind and the captain and crew provided the best hospitality. The views from the boat, the activities, the food, and the service were all wonderful.
During the activities at Kealakekua Bay, we encountered a variety of beautiful fish while snorkeling in the clear water, and we were lucky enough to see a pod of about ten dolphins swimming very close to the boat. There were slides and jumping platforms from the catamaran, allowing both children and adults to have a great time. My son, who had been afraid of going into the deep sea, ended up wanting to try jumping in, showing how he grew stronger under the charm of the beautiful bay.
We only needed to bring towels, as all the equipment like eco-friendly sunscreen, snorkels, fins, and flotation devices were provided.
As for my elderly mother, I believe it was thanks to the large Fair Wind boat that the ride was gentle, allowing her to sit comfortably throughout. During snorkeling, she was able to use a float to stay in the water, with the help of a very kind female crew member who watched over her the whole time.
Throughout the tour, it was clear that all the crew prioritized passenger safety and the protection of the beautiful nature, creating a tour with the best entertainment. There are various similar tours available, but I’m really glad we chose this one. I highly recommend this tour to anyone visiting the Big Island, and we look forward to participating again in the future. Thank you very much for this precious and enjoyable opportunity.
12歳の息子、89歳の母と参加させて頂きました。
ガイドは全て英語で、アジア系の参加者は私たちまけでしたが、とても親切に対応下さり、船長さん、クルーの誰もが最高のホスピタリティでもてなして下さいました。船上からの景色、アクティビティ、お料理、おもてなしなど、どれもが素晴らしかったです。
ケアラケクア湾でのアクティビティでは、美しい透き通った水の中、シュノーケルで多種多様なお魚に出会ったほか、10頭ほどのイルカの群が船のすぐ近くまで泳ぎに来たのに遭遇する事ができました。カタマランから水面へ飛び込む滑り台や、ジャンプ台など、子どもも大人も目一杯楽しむことができます。深い海に行く事を怖がっていた息子も、最後はジャンプに挑戦したくなったと、自然と美しい湾の魅力のもとで強くなった様でした。
持ち物はタオルのみでしたが、サンゴなどの海洋環境に優しい日焼け止めやシュノーケル、フィン、浮き具などの道具は全て貸して頂けました。
もっとも心配していた高齢母については、大きなフェアウィンド号ならではと思いますが、揺れは穏やかで終始座って過ごすことができ、またシュノーケリング時には浮き輪を使用して水に腰をつけさせて頂くことができました。これには、大変親切な女性クルーが手伝い、ずっと見守ってくださいました。
ツアー全体を通して、全てのクルーが、乗客の安全と美しい自然の保護をもっとも大切に、最高のエンターテイメントとともにツアーを作って下さっていることが伝わって来ました。
様々な同様のツアーがございますが、こちらのツアーに参加することができて本当に良かったです。
ハワイ島を訪れる方には、是非おすすめしたいツアー、私たちもまた参加できる時を楽しみにしております。
この度は、とても貴重な楽しい機会を誠にありがとうございました。
The pickup was just on time! Ms. Tamae's explanations and guidance were clear and perfect. After watching the beautiful sunset from the boat, we entered the sea to start manta watching. We could see many mantas swimming, and when they began rolling right in front of us, it was incredibly moving. Even in July, it felt a bit cold underwater at night, so I think it's better to rent a wetsuit.
ピックアップもジャストタイム!
たまえさんの説明や誘導も分かりやすく完璧でした。
ボートから美しいサンセットを見たあと海に入りマンタウォッチング開始。
多数のマンタが泳ぐのが見え、その後目の前でローリングを始めると最高に感動しました。
7月でも夜は少し水中だと寒く感じたので、ウエットスーツは借りた方が良いと思います。
Aloha! K.K,
Thank you for participating in Manta University. We appreciate you sharing the beautiful photos. We're glad to hear that it became a wonderful memory of the Big Island. We sincerely look forward to your next participation. A hui hou and mahalo nui!
Aloha! K.K 様
この度はマンタ大学へご参加いただきありがとうございました。美しい写真を掲載いただきありがとうございます。ハワイ島の素敵な思い出となったようで嬉しく思います。K.K様のまたのご参加を心よりお待ちしております。a hui hou and mahalo nui!
Gentle giants for certain!! What amazing creatures to get to play around with in the water
Great crew, fun boat, and the sea caves were incredible to get to see!!!!
Was a good evening, was smaller than I imagined but none the less the crew puts in the work!
Got to celebrate our anniversary on the Kona waters, very beautiful sunset and very good grub!
Happy Anniversary! Mahalo for joining us and your kind words!
The crew was really nice, and we have such a great experience. I was scared at first, but swimming with the mantas was really cool. This is definitely a must do in your trip to Kona.
Great service and fantastic dancing! We loved the entire show and Dinner! Fire dance was great at the end!
This was the most perfect event. We has a great time celebrating our honeymoon.
I participated in this tour. With Tamae's guidance, I was able to experience the culture of Hawaii Island while traveling, watch dolphins at sea, and see sea turtles while snorkeling. It was a lot of fun.
当ツアーに参加させていただきました。Tamae様の案内もあり、ハワイ島の文化に触れながら移動し、洋上ではイルカウオッチングをして、シュノーケリングではウミガメをみることもきました。とても楽しかったです。
Aloha! Aki,
Thank you for participating in Dolphin University at the Kona campus. We are delighted to hear that you enjoyed snorkeling in the magnificent scenery. Dolphin University also has locations on the Big Island and Oahu, so please join us again when you come back to Hawaii! We look forward to welcoming you back. A hui hou and big mahalo!
Aloha! Aki様
この度はイルカ大学コナキャンパスへご参加いただきありがとうございました。雄大な景色の中でのシュノーケルを楽しんでいただけたとのこと、嬉しく思います。ハワイ島、そしてオアフ島にもイルカ大学がありますので、またハワイにいらっしゃるときはぜひご参加くださいね!心よりお待ちしております。a hui hou and big mahalo!
An absolutely amazing experience!!! Our guide Anderson was very nice and energetic, helped us took great photos. The stargazing is a wonderful experience, making me curious about the dark sky.
Awesome experience. The catamaran was very roomy with plenty of space to spread out. The Captain and 2 crewmembers were awesome. Always had a drink in my hand, they also served us teryaki chicken and a salad. Check in process was a breeze. Definitely recommend this cruise.
The evening manta ray tour was amazing!! Crew was great, Trevor, Scott, Mitch were all top notch. Diego? Well, okay, he was great too! Ha! Seriously, fun crew, AMAZING manta rays, once-in-a-lifetime experience. Thanks!
Great experience, fun crew! Everyone in our group loved it and if the opportunity ever presents itself we'd do it again!
Caprain Lauren was great. Informative, helpful,and professional. We saw pilot whales, sea caves, a turtle, and of course...the snorkeling.
Both spots were great and we had PLENTY of swim time.
Thanks for a great trip!
I arrived on time, but there was not much guidance, and I didn't know what to do. I was flustered and confused about the drinks as well. It's understandable that Japanese isn't spoken, but the staff didn't have any smiles either. After it started to rain, there was no guidance, so I returned to my room.
I think the meal was Hawaiian cuisine, but the taste was just okay. I was a bit disappointed.
時間通りに行きましたが、案内があまりなくどうしていいかもわからず、ドリンクも何も分からずあたふたしました。日本語が通じないのは仕方ないけどスタッフも笑顔もないし。雨が降り始めてからの案内もなく部屋に戻りました。
食事もハワイ料理だと思いますが、味もいまいち。少しガッカリでした。
The staff were very friendly. The water clarity at the snorkeling spot wasn't as good as I had hoped, but I was able to encounter sea turtles and manta rays, which made it a lot of fun.
スタッフ皆様、大変親切でした。シュノーケリングスポットの海の透明度は期待したほどではなかったですが、ウミガメやマンタにも遭遇できて、大変楽しめました。
It was a day without a Japanese guide, but I still had a great time.
I got to see manta rays up close, which was amazing.
The service at Dolphin University in Honolulu, where there was a Japanese guide, was much better, so compared to that, it was a bit disappointing.
日本人ガイドがいない日でしたが、楽しめました
マンタがすごく近くで見れて最高
ホノルルの日本人ガイドがいたイルカ大学の方がサービスはかなり良かったので、そこと比べてしますと少し残念
Aloha! Maki,
Thank you for participating in Manta University this time. I'm glad to hear that you enjoyed the experience of swimming with the manta rays. It's great to know that you have also participated in Dolphin University! Thank you for that. As you mentioned, tours on Oahu always come with a Japanese-speaking guide, but for tours on the Big Island, it may vary depending on the day and the specific tour. If you have another opportunity to join a tour on the Big Island, please be sure to request a Japanese-speaking guide. We will definitely arrange one for you upon request. We sincerely look forward to your next participation, Maki. A hui hou and Mahalo nui!
Aloha! Maki様
この度はマンタ大学へご参加いただきありがとうございました。
マンタと泳ぐ体験を楽しんでいただけたようで嬉しく思います。イルカ大学にもご参加いただいたことがあるのですね!ありがとうございます。おっしゃる通り、オアフ島のツアーでは必ず日本語ガイドがつきますが、ハワイ島のツアーは日によってツアーによってはつかない場合がございます。またの機会にハワイ島のツアーに参加される時はぜひ日本語ガイドをリクエストして下さいね。ハワイ島のツアーはリクエストを頂ければ必ず日本語ガイドを手配いたします。Makiさんのまたのご参加を心よりお待ちしております。A hui hou and Mahalo nui!
We were a bit nervous about being in the water at night, but not to worry as the guides make the whole evening experience comfortable!
What a morning, sights I will remember in my head forever!
What a wonderful afternoon, the water conditions in Kona are better than I have seen in many islands!
It was such a fabulous and unreal experience, the scared part left my body right when we started seeing the rays as they are so gentle!
Sunset from the summit! This is a $ splurge, at least for us, but between the quirky Hawaiian history and mythology lesson plus solid science and general kind authenticity of our guide Addison; the "you'll never see a sunset quite like this one" moment; a humbling and breathtaking view looking out at the galaxy; and the luxury of being a passenger rather than a driver, with convenient pick-up and drop-off...totally worth it. Thanks for the highlight!
My 8 year old grandson was taught by Mitch how to snorkel so he could enjoy the manta rays. The grandkids
said it was awesome and I agree! It’s a must to do. The crew was extremely professional and safety conscious.
crystal clear waters, lots of reef and fish!! wonderful experience
The Kealakekua Snorkel Tour is very well-organized. It takes about 30 minutes to reach the bay, which is incredibly beautiful. The staff on the boat are very friendly and provide support and assistance when needed. The coral and tropical fish in the bay are stunning, and it's very easy to observe the underwater scenery.
I participated alone during my stay in Hilo. It was great to find a Mauna Kea tour departing from Hilo, as they are not easy to come by. The scenery while driving through Mauna Kea felt like I had arrived in another world. The sunset and the evening glow were wonderful. The starry sky was also breathtaking, with the Scorpius and the Southern Cross clearly visible. I'm not good at English, so I listened to the guide's talk while translating it with a translation app. It was a tour that nature lovers would absolutely enjoy.
ヒロに滞在中に一人で参加しました。
ヒロ発のマウナケアのツアーがなかなかなくて、
見つけられて良かったです。
マウナケアの懐を走っている時の景色は、
地球外に来たのではないかと思ってしまうような異空間でした。
また、サンセット、からの夕焼けは素晴らしかったです。
そして星空も、さそり座や南十字星が綺麗に見えて感動しました。
英語が苦手で、ガイドさんのトークは翻訳アプリで翻訳しながら聞いていました。
自然好きにはたまらないツアーでした。
We attended the 9pm experience and it was absolutely worth every cent as well as the late hour. We were completely surrounded by manta rays, there were at least a dozen feeding within inches of the group. There were bottlenose dolphin hunting at the edges of the lighted area and we were even visited by a small shark. Everything a Hawaiian night snorkel should be!
The guides were professional and knowledgeable and truly provided an outstanding experience.
I would recommend a light jacket for the 20 minute boat ride to and from the dive sight if you get cold easily. I was in swim trunks and a long sleeve rash guard and I was fine, but my wife was a bit chilly on the trip back.
We would 100% do this experience again!
ALOHA Kirk! Thank you for sharing your kind words, experience. We're so glad hear you have met dolphin and small shark during Manta ray snorkel as well. We looking forward welcoming you back when yo come to Hawaii.