All Reviews for Top Big Island Sights & Attractions

This was great activity! The historian who was on board with us did an excellent job of explaining everything that we were seeing along the coast. The food was really good and there was plenty of it. As an added bonus to our wonderful evening, we were first entertained by several schools of dolphins and then we sighted several whales. What a wonderful sight! The crew were very curtious and helpful and the live entertainment and the drinks were great. Definitely a highlight of my stay and something that I would do again!!

It was fun!!!

たのしかったーーー！！！

This was an excellent activity! Our pilot, Toshi, did a great job of getting us close to the lava flows and the waterfalls. He was extremely knowledgeable of all the sights and was able to effectively communicate to both those who only spoke English and those who only spoke Japanese. I would highly recommend this two hour flight over the other flights available. What you are able to see in that amount of time is well worth the extra money!

I underestimated Hawaii. The ocean at night was extremely cold. I was thinking I wanted to go home since I couldn't encounter a manta ray. However, when I finally encountered a manta ray swimming gracefully, I was so moved that the cold didn't matter anymore.

For those who are Japanese and not using a rental car, I recommend hotel shuttle services. We used a taxi, but there was a bit of distance between the place where we checked and confirmed the wetsuit size and the boat. Also, on the way back, we had a lot of trouble finding a taxi. I think it would be better to provide more information about that.

ハワイをなめていました。夜の海は、超寒かったです。
なかなかマンタに遭遇できずに、も~帰りたい・・・と思ってました。しかし、優雅に泳ぐマンタに遭遇したら、寒さも吹っ飛ぶくらいに感動しました。
日本人でレンタカーでの移動でない方は、ホテル送迎をお勧めします。私達は、タクシーでの移動でしたが、チエックしウエットスーツのサイズ確認した場所と船の場所も多少距離がありました。そして、帰りはまったくタクシーがつかまらなくて困り果てました。
その辺をもう少し告知した方が良いかと・・・

The sunset and starry sky viewed from Mauna Kea were amazing!
It was below freezing near the summit, but this tour provided not only down jackets but also pants, so I didn't feel as cold as I expected. This was different from other tours, and I really appreciated it.
Additionally, since I was dressed warmly, being able to do stargazing at a higher elevation was a great attraction.
If I had a suggestion, during the journey, there was an explanation about the Big Island, but I think it would have been even better to hear more in-depth stories about the history of the Big Island and the area.

マウナケアから見た日没と星空は最高でした！！
山頂付近は氷点下でしたが、このツアーでは、ダウンの他にズボンも貸してくれたため、思ったより体感温度は低く感じずにすみました。これは他のツアーと違う所で、とても有難かったです。
また、暖かい格好ができているので、天体観測もより標高が高い場所で行える所が魅力です。
要望としたら、道中でのガイドで、ハワイ島の説明はありましたが、ハワイ島の歴史や、地区の話など、内容が濃い話が聞けたらもっと良かったかと思います。

We had a great time doing the morning snorkel breakfast & lunch cruise on the Fairwind II. Snorkeling was amazing! Clear waters, abundant fish, and the staff even lends out inner tubes and rafts. Would definitely recommend!

On this tour, you can enjoy activities like cruising, snorkeling, and diving. During the cruise, you can see dolphins, and while snorkeling, you can spot many fish. After all the fun, what really made me happy was the fruits like pineapples and oranges! The staff had a lot of chilled fruits ready and served them to everyone. The staff's response was wonderful, and everyone had lovely smiles. If I have the chance to go to Hawaii again, I would love to participate in this tour once more. Thank you for the wonderful memories!

このツアーでは、クルーズやシュノーケリング、飛び込みなどを楽しむことができます。クルーズでは、イルカが見られたり、シュノーケリングではたくさんの魚を見ることができます。たくさん遊んで、疲れた身体に嬉しかったのがパイナップルやオレンジなどのフルーツですです！スタッフがたくさんのフルーツを冷やしておいてくれて、みんなにふるまってくれました。スタッフの対応もみんな笑顔が素敵で、またハワイに行く機会があれば参加したいと思います。
楽しい思い出をありがとうございました！

After enjoying the cruise, you can go snorkeling in the cove, where part of the boat becomes a slide and diving platform. I had a great time diving in a free style that you can't do in pools in Japan, spinning in the beautiful sea and jumping in with friends. While doing various jumps, I also got to know other guests and staff on the boat, which made it even more fun. You might find snorkeling and cruise experiences elsewhere, but I highly recommend this option where you can dive wholeheartedly into the beautiful sea!!!

クルーズを堪能した後に、入江でシュノーケルができるのですが、船の一部が滑り台や飛び込み台になります。きれいな海に回転をしたり、友達と一緒に飛び込んだり日本のプールではできないような自由なスタイルで飛び込みを楽しみました。いろんな、ジャンプをしていたら一緒に船に乗っていた他のお客さんやスタッフの人とも仲良くなれてとても楽しかったです。シュノーケル体験やクルーズ体験は他でもできるかもしれませんが、きれいに海に向かって思いっきり飛び込めるこのオプションはおすすめです！！！

During the cruise, I was able to see dolphins! While sunbathing on the deck, I heard some commotion, so I peeked outside the boat and saw 2 to 3 dolphins swimming alongside. It was my first time seeing wild dolphins, and it became a wonderful memory. Additionally, I had a great time snorkeling and seeing many fish. I would love to participate again.

クルーズの途中で、イルカを見ることができました！
船のデッキで日光浴していたら、ざわざわと声が聞こえたので船の外をのぞいてみると船の脇を2~3頭のイルカが一緒に泳いでいました。野生のイルカを初めてみたのでとてもよい思い出になりました。そのほかにもシュノーケルでもたくさんの魚を見れてとても楽しかったです。また、参加したいと思います。

This was my first time participating!! I was very satisfied with the variety of options, including the cruise, snorkeling, and diving. The staff was very accommodating and kindly explained how to use the equipment to us, even though we didn't understand English. Next time I travel, I want to join various tours again!

今回、初めて参加しました！！
クルーズ、シュノーケリング、飛び込みと盛りだくさんのオプション内容に大満足です。
スタッフの対応もとてもよく、英語のわからない私たちにも丁寧に器具の使用方法などを教えてくれました。
今度、旅行に行った際にはまたいろんなツアーに参加したいと思います！

This time, I participated in a tour with Mr. Nawata, the same one as the manta ray tour. The manta ray night snorkeling is highly recommended, but the dolphin tour was absolutely amazing as well.

The experience involves diving ahead of the swimming course several times to chase after the pod of dolphins. Although it's quite rare, we were able to swim and play with the dolphins. They swam around us, almost touching us, and even playfully splashed us (laughs). In the clear waters where you could see hundreds of meters ahead, we truly got to "play" with the dolphins. Mr. Nawata said, "If you can't be moved by this, then there's nothing more!" It was the best experience. Just watching the dolphins swimming deep in the ocean was so beautiful that it made my mind go completely blank and filled me with happiness.

On the way back, we were taken to a beautiful beach where the locals go, and Mr. Nawata even acted as our photographer, for which I am truly grateful. I also posted a review for the manta ray night snorkeling tour, so I hope you can refer to that as well.

今回、マンタのツアーと同じ縄田さんのツアーに参加させて頂きました。マンタのナイトシュノーケリングも最高におススメですが、イルカのツアーも最っっ高でした。
内容は泳いでるコースに先回りして何度かダイブしてイルカの群れを追う？感じになるそうです。が、かなり珍しいそうなんですが私たちはイルカと一緒に泳いだり、遊んでもらう事が出来ました。イルカが自分達の周りを触れるか触れないかのところでグルグル泳いでくれたり、ウンチ？を引っかけられたり（笑）と、何百メートルも先まで見えそうな海の中でイルカとまさに『遊ぶ』ことができました。縄田さんにも「これで感動できなかったら、これ以上ないよ（笑）」と最高の体験ができました。海の中でずーっと深い所で泳いでいるイルカを観られるだけでもあたまのなかが真っ白になるくらい美しくて幸せになれます。帰りには地元の人が行くきれいなビーチに連れて行ってもらい縄田さんにカメラマンをしていただいたりと本当に感謝でいっぱいです。マンタのナイトシュノーケリングツアーの方にもレビュー載せましたのでそちらも参考にして頂ければと思います

I want to swim with wild dolphins! I participated to fulfill a dream I've held for many years. That said, since they are wild dolphins, I honestly thought I would just be watching them from a distance. However, in reality, I was able to swim with many dolphins at a distance that felt almost within reach!! I also swam very close to a manta ray! Our nature guide, Mr. Nawata from Aloha Kona Tours, was very kind and attentive, allowing me to swim without any anxiety, even in the ocean for the first time abroad. In fact, seeing Mr. Nawata enjoying himself even more than the participants (in a good way) made us smile and completely forget our tension and worries. He was a wonderful person whose love for the ocean, nature, and HAWAII truly shone through. The endlessly blue and clear waters of the Big Island... the friendly and adorable eyes of the dolphins... the majestic sight of the manta ray swimming gracefully... It was truly an experience beyond imagination... I lost track of time and swam with enthusiasm!! I definitely want to participate again someday.

野生のイルカと一緒に泳ぎたい！
長年あたためてきた夢を叶えるべく参加しました。
とはいっても野生のイルカなので一緒に泳ぐというよりも遠くから眺める程度かなと…正直なところそう思っていました。
ところが実際には、本当に手がとどきそうなくらいの距離で、たくさんのイルカと泳ぐことができました！！
マンタともすぐ近くで泳ぎました！
ネイチャーガイドの縄田さん（アロハコナツアーズ）がとても親切で丁寧な対応をして下さり、初めての海外の海でも不安なく泳げました。というかツアー参加者以上に楽しんでいる（いい意味で）縄田さんの姿に、私達も思わず笑顔がこぼれ、緊張も不安もすっかり忘れてしまったという感じでした。海を…自然を…HAWAIIを心から愛する気持ちが人柄にあらわれているような素敵な方でした。
どこまでも青く澄んだビッグアイランドの海…イルカ達の人懐こく愛くるしい瞳…悠然と泳ぐ雄大なマンタの姿…
まさに想像を超えた体験…時間も忘れて夢中で泳ぎました！！
いつかまた必ず参加したいと思っています。

I participated for the first time with a friend. At first, I was very anxious because I didn't understand English, but the staff were very kind and accommodating. The service was great, and we had unlimited access to fruits like pineapple. Snorkeling under the blue sky was amazing!!!! If I have the chance to go to Hawaii again, I definitely want to participate again.

友達と初めて参加しました。
最初は英語もわからずとても不安でしたが、スタッフさんも優しく対応してくれました。パイナップルなどフルーツも食べ放題でサービスも良かったです☆
青空のもとでのシュノーケルは最高でした！！！！次回もハワイに行く機会があればまた是非参加したいと思いました。

The sunset was beautiful. The observatories, including Subaru, reflecting the sunset were wonderful. Unfortunately, the starry sky was not very visible due to the bright moon, which was close to being full. It seemed that the staff's laser pointer for showing constellations was broken. It was a lack of preparation.

サンセットは綺麗に見られました。夕日に反射するスバルを始めとする天文台群が素晴らしかったです。星空は満月に近い明るい月の影響で綺麗に見えず残念でした。スタッフの星座を示すレーザーが壊れていたようです。準備不足ですね。

The day after arriving on the Big Island, I went on a submarine ride. The weather was nice and the wind was just right, and everyone in my group (from my grandfather to my 5-year-old child, a total of 9 people) was in high spirits.

I was worried about getting seasick and thought I should have taken some motion sickness medication, but as we submerged deeper and the fish appeared before us, all those worries vanished.

The fish I mainly saw were vibrant yellow ones and black and white striped fish. I wish I could have seen more colorful fish like red or blue ones. Perhaps if I had dived in Oahu, I might have encountered a wider variety of fish.

During the dive, there were various explanations in English, and for Japanese speakers, we were given earphones to hear the explanations in Japanese. However, the English explanations were so loud that I couldn't hear the Japanese ones at all, which was disappointing.

That said, the sea was beautifully clear and blue, and I was able to witness truly wonderful scenery, making it a fantastic memory!

ハワイ島に到着した翌日、潜水艦に乗りました＾＾
天気も良く風も程よく、同行者全員（一番上はおじいちゃんから、一番下は５歳の子供まで総勢９名）気分は上々↑↑

船酔いするかな…酔い止めの薬、飲んでくれば良かったかな…なんて思っているうちに、どんどん潜水していき、目の前に魚たちがあらわれた時には、そんな心配はどこかへ吹き飛んでいました。

主に目にした魚は鮮やかな黄色や、黒と白のストライプの魚が中心でした。赤とか青とか、もう少し違った色の魚が見れればもっと良かったかな…って思っています。
もしかしたら、オアフ島でダイブしていれば、もっと色とりどりの魚を目にすることができたのかもしれませんね。

また、潜水中は、英語で色々と説明があり、日本人に対しては、日本語の説明が聞こえるイヤホンを渡されるのですが、英語の説明の声が大きすぎて、日本語の説明が全く聞こえず残念でした。

とはいえ、海はどこまでも青く澄んで綺麗で、本当に素敵な光景を目にすることができとても素晴らしい思い出になりました~!!

Aloha!!

Thank you for your support at the end of the year.
This is a friendly and fun tour company run by a Japanese couple.

This tour is perfect for beginners and solo travelers, allowing you to participate with peace of mind. As expected, they are well-versed in dolphin points, and the encounter rate is truly 99%.

This time, it seems the dolphin interactions were particularly good, and I was able to play around a lot in the vast ocean of Hawaii. Three adorable dolphins swam gracefully around me, providing the ultimate healing experience and fully recharging my energy. On top of that, we also encountered humpback whales during this season, making it a fulfilling experience.

If you want to enjoy dolphin swimming on the Big Island, I think you should definitely choose this tour without hesitation. I can confidently recommend it!! I also plan to rely on them again when I go to Hawaii at the end of this year.

Thank you for the amazing time♪

Mahalo...

Aloha!!

年末にお世話になりました。
日本人夫婦で営んでるフレンドリーで
楽しいツアー会社です。

このツアーは初心者でも一人でも安心して参加できます。
さすがドルフィンのポイントを熟知しているだけあり
本当に遭遇率99％そのものです。

今回は、イルカの接近が特に良かったらしく
ハワイの大海原でメチャメチャ戯れることができました。
私の周りをかわいい三頭のイルカがグルグルと優雅に
泳いでくれ究極の癒しをもらい100％パワーチャージできました。
おまけに時期も重なってザトウクジラにも出会えて
一石二鳥の充実した時間でした。

ハワイ島でドルフィンスイムを楽しむなら
迷わずこのツアーを選んだほうがイイと思います。
自信を持ってお奨めできますね！！
私も今年末にハワイへ行くときは、
またお世話になろうと思ってます。

最高の時間をありがとうございます♪

Mahalo。。。

You can ride for a very long time. Everyone's butt hurt after 2 or 3 days. Unlike horses that know the way and proceed in order, they tend to go wherever they want, trying to eat leaves and fruits. It was quite challenging, but I'm glad I had the experience of handling the horse. You really need to listen carefully to the instructions given at the beginning.

Even with quite a bit of rain, the ride doesn't get canceled. They lend you raincoats, but some raincoats only cover the upper body, so my pants got completely soaked. The color from the saddle transferred onto my pants.

The guide says, "Let me borrow your camera!" and takes pictures for you.

？とっても長い間乗ることができます。みんな2,3日お尻が痛くなりました。。
？馬が道を知っていて順序よく進むようなものと違って、行きたい方に行ったり、葉っぱや果実を食べようとしたりします。色々大変ですが、馬を操っている体験ができて良かったです。一番初めに説明してくれる操作の仕方をしっかり聞いておかないとダメです。
？けっこうな雨でも中止にはなりません。カッパは貸してくれますが、カッパによっては上半身だけのものもあるので、ズボンがびしょぬれになりました。ズボンに鞍の色が移ってしまいました。
？ガイドさんが「カメラを貸して！」と言って写真を撮ってくれます。

I thought this course would be perfect for us who love trekking, so I made a reservation. I was also attracted by the organizer's name, Hawaii Forest & Trail.

While I considered that since we had a rental car for waterfall trekking, we might not need a tour, I ultimately decided to leave it to the professionals.

At the time of booking, it was stated that there would be no pick-up service, but when I called to confirm on-site, I was pleasantly surprised to find out they would pick us up at our hotel. Additionally, they took our requests for the sandwich fillings for lunch. This really motivated us.

On the day of the tour, since it was an English-guided tour (with Mike as our guide), we had a diverse group including four families from Michigan, a Chinese American couple, a Japanese couple, and a Russian woman living in the U.S., along with us (with our 7-year-old child). It truly lived up to its name as a tour that everyone could enjoy.

With this group, we switched to an old military 6WD vehicle for an off-road experience. We bumped over private ranches and fields, and everyone was thrilled by the incredible vibrations and wind! It was quite cold. After that, we trekked through taro fields and across a suspension bridge, learning about ancient Hawaiian divination methods and plant names while visiting small waterfalls. Although we didn't swim due to the high water levels, I thought it would be a perfect spot in the summer.

The trekking was light enough that even our 7-year-old had no trouble, and we enjoyed a wrap sandwich filled with plenty of alfalfa, cheese, and turkey, along with guava juice and cookies at a ranch overlooking the stunning views of Pololu Valley. This wrap sandwich was among the top meals I had on the Big Island due to its location!

On the way back, we were jostled in the 6WD while exploring the town of Hawi. This town seems nostalgic to Westerners, and I heard from several people that it’s a nice place, although it’s not mentioned much in Japanese guidebooks.

The tour was different from those aimed at Japanese tourists, and I had a lot of fun. I got to know the other members well and exchanged various information, and Mike's warm hospitality along with the breathtaking photos of Pololu Valley left us with wonderful memories.

トレッキングが好きな私達にぴったりのコースだと思い予約しました。主催者の名前もHawaii Forrest & Trailで魅かれました。

滝トレッキングなら、レンタカーもしたしわざわざツアーでなくても良いかなとも思ったのですが、やはりそこはプロに任せることに。

予約時は送迎なしということでしたが、現地で電話で確認するとホテルまで迎えに来てくれるという嬉しい変更が。更に、昼食のサンドイッチの具のリクエストもきいてくれました。俄然やる気になる私達。

当日は、英語のガイドツアー（マイクさん）ということもあって、ミシガンからの4家族、チャイニーズアメリカンと日本人のカップル、在米ロシア人の女性一人参加、と私達（子供7歳）とまさにすべての人が楽しめるツアーと名をうっているだけのことはあるという、バリエーション豊かな面子でした。

このグループで、オーストリアの昔の軍用車６WDに乗り換えてのオフロード体験。私有地の牧場や、畑をがたがた超えてすごい振動と風にみんな大興奮！！かなり寒かったです。その後、タロ畑、つり橋をトレッキングし、ハワイ人古来の占い方法や植物の名前などを教わりながら小さな滝をめぐりました。増水していたので泳ぎはしませんでしたが、夏場だったら絶好の場所だと思いました。

7歳の子供でも全く足でまどいになることがない軽い感じのトレッキングで、ポロル渓谷の絶景を臨む牧場でたっぷりのアルファルファとチーズとターキーのラップサンドと、グアバジュース、クッキーを頂きました。このラップサンド、場所が場所だけに、ハワイ島で味わった食事１，２を争う美味しさでした！　

帰りは６WDに揺られて、HAWIの町を散策。この町は欧米人にはノスタルジックらしく、いい場所だと何人からもきいていましたが日本人のガイドブックにはあまり述べられていない場所です。

日本人向けのツアーと、またおもむきやメンバーが違って非常に楽しめました。他のメンバーとも仲良くなって色々情報交換もでき、マイクさんの暖かいホスピタリティーとポロル渓谷の絶景写真と非常によい思い出が残りました。

It was my first time kayaking, and I enjoyed it thanks to the gentle and easy-to-understand instructions.

During the snorkeling and snack time on land, I felt the warmth of Kevin and Noni's personalities, which was very soothing.

It would have been perfect if dolphins or whales had shown up.

初めてのカヤックでしたが、やさしくわかりやすくおしえていただき、楽しみました。

途中のシュノーケリングや上陸してのおやつタイム中もケビンさん、ノニさんのお人柄が伝わり、癒されました。

　イルカやクジラが出てくれたら言うことなしです。

This was reccommended for all levels. I do not agree. We had several children who were not able to paddle and it made it very hard for the adult in that boat. My parents are in their seventies, the guides were nice enough to pull them. The tour was great my family was not the type of customer that needed to be on this tour. We were allowed out of the kayak to snorkle, a very nice spot, but we had to climb on rocks to take a break. The sea cave was neat but not exactly what I was expecting. We ahd to ask to jump off the cliffs - I am not sure they usually do that although it is in the description. The dolphin and whales were no where to be seen. think there are better snorkling tours available unless you are strong and love to kayak.
However the staff and company was great.

We participated as a pair in June. Last time it was Mr. Taikobou, so this time we tried Mr. Masashi. Both have their own unique characteristics and are interesting. Both were kind and fun staff members. I think the experience is influenced by weather conditions. We decided on the schedule while looking at the travel itinerary and the moon phase, but the moon was a bit bright, and I felt that the number of visible stars was different compared to last time. I recommend being mindful of the moon phase when making your reservation.

６月に二人で参加しました。
前回は太公望さんだったので、今回はマサシさんにしてみました。
どちらもそれぞれ特徴があって面白いです。
どちらも親切で楽しいスタッフさんでした。
感動は気象条件に左右されるかなと思います。
旅行スケジュールと月齢を見ながら日程を決めたのですが、ややお月様が明るくて、前回の時よりも見える星の数が違っていたかなというのが感想です。
月齢にも気をつけて申し込みをされる事をお勧めします。

Loved the tour. The clouds dissipated in time for sunset and we had perfect timing for stargazing - got to actually see the Great Red Spot on Jupiter. The tour guide was knowledgeable and very personable. If I was going back to Hawaii, I would do this all over again. Highly recommended, as it is a once in a life time opportunity.

When I went to the Big Island, I wanted to visit Kilauea Volcano and Mauna Kea. Since Mauna Kea is taller than Mount Fuji, I was concerned about altitude sickness, so last time I joined a tour of Kilauea Volcano! This time, I participated with my family of three in great health. The service was very attentive, providing warm drinks, clear explanations on how to behave, and enjoyable talks about the starry sky, making for a fun time. Thank you very much.

ハワイ島に行ったらキラェア火山とマウナケアは行きたいと思っていました。富士山よりも高いマウナケアは高山病など気になりましたので前回はキラウェア火山のツァーに参加！今回は万全な体調で家族３人で参加しました。とても行き届いたお世話で暖かい飲み物を準備してくださったり、行動の仕方、星空のトークは解りやすく、ひこまれるような楽しい時間でした。
ありがとうございました。

I had a truly wonderful time participating in this tour. The attention to detail from the Japanese guide made me feel 130% satisfied as a tour participant.
1) Punctuality
2) There were six participants, but the guide's awareness of each participant underwater was impressive. When I accidentally swallowed some seawater and felt a bit uncomfortable, the staff quickly noticed and asked for a tube and support for me, which was really helpful.
3) No wasted time.
4) The guide shared some of their favorite spots on the Big Island.
While these points may seem simple, I believe they are important aspects of any tour. The support from such a wonderful guide made for a fun experience and will definitely lead to repeat visits.

このツア−に参加して本当に素敵な時間を過ごせました。
日本人ガイドの方のきめ細やかな対応は、ツア−参加者として満足度130％でした。
1）時間に正確
2）６名参加でしたが、水中での各参加者への目配りが凄い
　と思いました。私が海水を飲んで少し苦しかったら、すぐ　にわかったらしくボ−トのスタッフにﾁｭ−ﾌﾞの棒と私への　ｻﾎﾟ-ﾄを頼んでくれて本当に助かりました。
3）無駄な時間を持たない。
4）自分がハワイ島で気に入っている場所を教えてくれた。
　簡単では、有りますが上記の件は、ツア-では大事なこと　だと思います。素晴らしいガイドの方にｻﾎﾟ-ﾄした頂いたﾂ　ｱ-は、楽しい時間となり又リピ-タ-につながります。

　　　

I participated in this for my honeymoon. It was my first time trying kayaking and snorkeling, but I was able to do it after a brief lecture before departure. I'm not good with water to the point where I can't even put my face in, but I swam in the sea for the first time while snorkeling. I saw many tropical fish. The fruit during the break was also incredibly delicious.

新婚旅行で参加しました。カヤック、シュノーケルとも初挑戦でしたが、出発前の簡単なレクチャーで乗れました。
顔もつけられないほど水が苦手ですが、シュノーケルで初めて海で泳ぐことがました。たくさんの熱帯魚が見られましたよ。休憩のフルーツも最高においしかったです。

The day I participated, the moon was bright due to the approaching full moon, making conditions not ideal for stargazing, and the thick clouds meant that the expected starry sky near the summit was not visible.

Even though the stars were not visible, the sunset sinking into the clouds was very beautiful, and it made me feel like I was above the clouds, which I think is one of the joys of the experience.

I also want to thank the staff who helped me find points where I could see the stars as I gradually descended by car, even though I couldn't see them near the summit!

Since the moon was bright due to the approaching full moon, I had them take a photo of the moon through the telescope, and I’m bragging to my friends about how clearly the craters are visible.

Thanks to the guidance on when to drink water in the car, I had no issues with altitude sickness, which I had been worried about. Next time, I would like to participate when the full moon is not approaching.

参加した日は、満月が近いので月が明るくて星の観測としては条件が良くない日で、さらに雲が厚かったので、頂上付近では期待通の満天の星空は見えませんでした。

星は見えなくても雲に沈んでいく夕陽がとてもキレイで、雲の上にいることを実感するので、それも楽しみの一つだと思います。

また、頂上付近で見えなかったから、と、車で少しずつ降りては星の見えるポイントを探して何とか観測させてくれたスタッフの方に感謝です！

満月が近くて月が明るいので望遠鏡から観た月の写真をカメラにおさめてもらい、月のクレーターがクッキリ見えているのを友人に自慢しています。

心配していた高山病も、車中でお水を飲むタイミングを指示してくれたりしたおかげで全く問題ありませんでした。
次回は満月近くを外して参加したいと思います。

I participated with three female friends who are also golf buddies on November 30.

Since it was the first experience for me and another friend, we were a bit nervous, but we were able to enjoy it without any worries.

On this day, we were lucky enough to have a pod of dolphins come into the bay, so we could snorkel there without moving and saw the dolphins over and over again.

The water was incredibly clear, and the dolphins swam in groups, diving deep and then coming up to the surface, jumping right in front of us, which was so exciting. Even though we couldn't catch up, we couldn't help but chase after them in excitement. I even saw a baby dolphin swimming while nursing from its mother. I can't count how many times I ended up swallowing seawater from excitement... (laughs) Even now, just remembering it brings back those emotions.

That said, we were very grateful to our guide, Mr. Nawata. While we were in the water, he constantly made sure we were safe as we swam around excitedly, sometimes diving to take pictures of the dolphins, taking pictures of us, and pulling us in the direction where the dolphins were likely to come...

The beautiful gradient of the sea color at the beach that Mr. Nawata recommended on the way back was also breathtaking.

There are many similar tours, but we all agreed that we were glad to have participated in Mr. Nawata's tour!

　ゴルフ友達女３人組で１１月３０日に参加しました。　

私ともう一人は初体験だったので、少し緊張してたのですが不安なく楽しむことができました。

この日はラッキーなことに、入江にイルカの群れが来てたので、移動することなく　ずっとそこで　シュノーケリングでき　何度も何度も　イルカたちを見ました。　

海の中はすごい透明で、群れで泳いでるイルカたちが　深く潜っていき、それから海面に上がってきて、目の前でジャンプしたり、と　大興奮でした。　　追いつくはずもないのに、思わず夢中で追いかけてしまいます。
赤ちゃんイルカがお母さんのおっぱいを飲みながら泳いでいるのも見ました。
興奮して叫んで何度海水を飲んだことか・・（笑）
今思い出しても　あの感動が甦ります。

それにしても　ガイドの縄田さんにはお世話になりました。
海に入ってる時は、上記のように興奮して泳ぎ回ってる私達に絶えず気をつけてくれ、時には　潜ってイルカの写真をとったり、私達の写真をとってくれたり、イルカの来そうな方向に引っ張って行ってくれたり・・
帰りに連れて行ってくれた、縄田さんお薦めのビーチのグラデーションの美しい海の色も感動ものでした。

同じようなツアーはたくさんありますが、この縄田さんのツアーに参加してよかった！と全員一致しました。

I was looking forward to seeing the bright red lava flowing into the sea at Kilauea Volcano, but since the earthquake in March, the lava flow has stopped, and the red lava can only be seen from a helicopter. The cost is a bit high, but since it was a special trip to the Big Island of Hawaii, I splurged and participated with my wife.

It was my first time in a helicopter, and I was a bit nervous, but the view from above was amazing. The volcanic rock, the red lava, and the flowing waterfalls were all incredibly satisfying.

キラウエア火山　真っ赤な溶岩が海に流れ落ちる様子を期待していましたが、3月の震災以降溶岩流出が止まり、赤い溶岩は　ヘリコプターで上空からしか見えないとの事、費用は少々お高いが折角のハワイ島旅行、奮発して妻と参加しました。
ヘリは初めてでおっかなびっくりでしたが上空からの眺めは素晴らしく、火山の岩肌、赤い溶岩、滝の流れ　大変満足しました。

Crew was friendly, snorkeling was great! The pictures on the site ring true to the experience had.

I would highly recommend this tour to anyone who is a first time visitor to the Big Island. The views were spectacular! Take many pictures in flight as the DVD of the flight does not capture everything you see and ask alot of questions about what you are seeing. For me, it was worth the money! The staff were great!