All Reviews for Top Big Island Sights & Attractions

It was a mountain climbing tour that will remain in my memories for a lifetime. What impressed me the most was the breathtaking starry sky that filled the night. The view was so beautiful that it left me speechless, as if I had been thrown into the universe.

Additionally, near the summit, the thin air made me acutely aware of the dangers of altitude sickness. For the first time, I experienced the sensation of not having enough oxygen, which made me feel a bit of danger. However, the tour guide's response was excellent, and thanks to their accurate advice, I was able to get through it without any issues.

一生の思い出に残る登山ツアーでした。何より感動したのは、夜空を埋め尽くす満天の星空です。まるで宇宙に放り出されたような絶景は、言葉を失うほどの美しさでした。
また、山頂付近では酸素が薄く、高山病の恐ろしさを身をもって痛感しました。酸素が足りてない感覚を初めて味わい、少々身の危険を感じましたが、ツアーガイドの対応が素晴らしく、的確なアドバイスのおかげで事なきを得ました。

I had heard that the tour would be conducted in English, but the guide was also fluent in Japanese and explained the important parts of the tour and announcements in Japanese as well. I felt a bit unwell at the summit, but during that time, they provided attentive care and engaged each guest with topics tailored to their personalities during the free time. I was able to enjoy the tour with great peace of mind.

英語でのツアー催行と聞いていましたが、ガイドさんは日本語も流暢で、ガイドやアナウンスの重要な部分は日本語でも解説してくれました。
私は山頂で少し体調を崩してしまいましたが、その時は手厚くケアしてくれたり、空いた時間にはお客さん一人一人のパーソナリティに合わせた話題を振ってくれて、とても安心してツアーを楽しむことができました。

The sunset and starry sky might not be fresh for those who come here, but let's enjoy the extraordinary view! It was amazing! The BLT sandwich had crispy bacon, and it was delicious. During the starry sky, the temperature was 2-4°C, and the cocoa was comforting! There was an English guide, and everyone in the group was fine with English, but I gave a little extra tip to the guide who made an effort to sprinkle in some Japanese here and there. ^_^

夕陽に星空ってここに来る人はもう新鮮では無いかもしれませんが桁違いの眺望を楽しみましょう！
最高でした！
BLTサンドも耳にベーコンがカリカリ、美味しかったですし、星空の頃は2-4℃、ココアが沁みました！
英語ガイドとありましたが乗り合いも含め皆英語が大丈夫なメンバーでしたが端々に日本語を散りばめて頑張ってくれたガイドさんに多めにチップはずみました^_^

It was a wonderful moment.

The path to the summit was cloudy, but near the top, the weather was clear.

The sunset viewed from the summit of Mauna Kea was beautiful, and I was able to take many commemorative photos.

The BLT we had was also delicious.

For stargazing, there was only about an hour from sunset to moonrise, and I was worried about whether we would be able to see the stars, but they were visible without any issues. During the observation, we received explanations about the constellations and were able to take more photos.

There is a gift shop at the visitor center on the way to the summit.

とても素敵なひと時でした。
山頂までの道中は曇ってましたが、山頂近くは晴天が広がっていました。
マウナケア山頂から見た夕日は綺麗で、記念撮影を何枚も撮ってもらえました。
いただいたBLTも美味しかったです。
星空観測は、サンセットから月の出まで1時間ほどしか無く星が見えるか不安でしたが、それでも問題無く見えて、観測中は星座の解説と、再び写真撮影をしてもらえました。
山頂に行く途中のビジターセンターには、ギフトショップがあります。

Tour guide and driver, Forrest, was fantastic! His knowledge of the current setting and its history was incredible. I am recommending this tour to anyone visiting the island of Hawaii.

The weather was beautiful that night, but instead of doing it outside next to the ocean as advertised it was in a hotel ballroom.
The food felt like I was at a convention with catered food. They brought up a pig on stage on a wood platter. It looked like it was plastic, plus the meat was already on the table so what we ate is not what they showed. The chicken tasted way more fresh than the kalua pork , the beef was dry. No glass noodles, or anything I would imagine as authentic Hawaiian food.
It was hard to understand the announcer as the sound system was muffled and he mumbled.
I heard other people complain around me as well how bad it was. One guy said, wow, I could have done this better in my backyard. I agree with him. Not worth the price or wasting your time.
Every restaurant we went too was better than this event.

Anyway, they are dedicated to entertaining the guests. It's really fun. There's nothing to worry about.

とにかく、ゲストを楽しませる事に専念して下さいます。
本当に楽しいですよ。
何の心配もないです。

Great atmosphere wonderful staff really good show. The fire guy is the best food was really good. Even the kids buffet was great all seating at an excellent view of the performances good interactive activities with the audience.

We really enjoyed this tour. Our guide Marc Hughes was really a great guide. He explained so much history of the Hawaiian people and ancestors. Marc is an avid diver and knows the marine life around Hawaii. He can explain a lot about the marine life. He knows the Hawaiian words for so many things. Marc knows a tremendous amount of history. We enjoyed trying great Kona coffee, Volcano national park, black sand beach where Turtles come up, the valley of the kings and so many other sights.

Although there were clouds and I couldn't see the scenery below, the view of the sunset sinking into the sea of clouds with the multiple observatories at the summit was quite nice in its own way. I was looking forward to stargazing, but it was a bit disappointing because the moon was too bright. Still, I was glad to see Orion, the Big Dipper, and even some satellites.

雲があって下界の様子は見えませんでしたが、山頂に複数ある天文台と雲海に沈む日没の景色はそれはそれで良かったです。
楽しみにしていた星空観察は、月が明るすぎてやや残念でした。それでもオリオン座や北斗七星の他、人工衛星も見れて良かったです。

It was written at the time of booking that there would be no Japanese guide, but the very kind Matsuo (Chris) guided us in Japanese and took us along. The fog was so thick that we couldn't reach the summit for a while and had to wait at the Onizuka Visitor Center. However, once we got the go-ahead to head to the top, we faced incredible wind and cold ❄️. I borrowed a jacket, ski pants, and gloves 🧤, and somehow managed to enjoy the beautiful sunset! I was also happy that they took many photos for us❣️ After descending to 3,700 meters, we started stargazing 🔭. On that day, the moon was shining so brightly that there were fewer stars to see 💦, but we were able to spot shooting stars and satellites, and enjoyed delicious sweet cocoa, which made me very satisfied. It was truly fun to come with my husband's parents and my mother, a total of five of us 😌.

日本語ガイドさんは居ないと予約時点で書いてあったのですが、とっても優しい松尾さん(クリスさん)がしっかり日本語でガイドして連れて行って下さいました。霧がすごくて、なかなか頂上に上がれずオニヅカビジターセンターで待機。だけどGOが出て頂上まで上がると、とんでもない風と寒さ❄️ジャケットとスキーパンツと手袋も借りて🧤なんとか綺麗なサンセットを堪能できました！たくさん写真も撮って下さり嬉しかったです❣️3700メートルに降りて星空観測🔭スタート。この日は月が大きく輝きすぎて星は少なめ💦だけど流れ星も人口衛星も見れて美味しい甘いココアも頂いて大満足でした。主人の両親と私の母と5人で来れて本当に楽しかったです😌

Waiting for the sunset was a sacred moment. It was a shame that stargazing wasn't great since it was close to a full moon. I want to try again. The cocoa after seeing the moon was delicious!

サンセットを待つひと時は神聖な瞬間でした。
満月に近かったので星空観測が今ひとつだったのが残念。
又リベンジしたいです。
月を見た後のココア美味しかった！

Had an absolutely wonderful time was a little apprehensive about whether or not to do this tour. It is a long tour all day however I wouldn’t change a thing. It absolutely was awesome didn’t even feel like it was 13 hours and it was learned more about the island and the history of the big island that I could possibly have learned anywhere else in a day.

Our driver, Felix was extremely informed patient and of course, a very good driver. To be honest, the driver makes the trip extremely value added. Our driver, Felix takes personal pride and knowing an enormous amount of history and details to be able to not only deliver a good tour guide informational delivery while you’re driving, but is able to answer most questions and yes, even when some of the other clients did some fact checking Felix was spot on on everything that he told us.

This tour is long, but I don’t know of another way that you can actually see so much and learn so much. We went to a coffee farm pastry shop several waterfalls Lookout point a black sand beach so sea turtles saw multiple other wildlife goats, hogs, chickens, ferrets, and the recommendations on things to do places to eat trails to hike. We very much so appreciated.

I would highly recommend this to her to anyone the greatest part about it if you’re writing and not driving, you actually get to see all the beauty that you’re passing up as you drive when you drive you missing an awful lot so let Felix do the driving

This was an absolute dream come true!
Just my husband, myself, awesome trainer Sarah & 2 dolphins Malu & Ipo.
What an education & experience. Something I have dreamed of my entire life & it was more than I ever imagined.
There are not enough words.
Worth every penny!

Entertaining & educational emcee.
Wonderful food.
Very good dancers.

Meixai was very fun & knowledgeable.
Bummed we missed the eruption by just over a day, but that's nature.
Saw many craters & went in a Lava tube.
Again nature thwarted us for the stargazing as the moon was too bright.

Can't believe how many Manta Rays & how close they were.
Crew & woman in the store we're all fantastic.

Excellent trainers bring dolphins right up to you to pet, splash, and swim with. The view of the dolphins underwater is amazing. The power and athletic ability of these amazing creatures is beautiful.

Seeing the Waipi’o Valley was a highlight of an otherwise already amazing week on the big island. The view of the sea cliffs is stunning, but so is the waterfall, river, taro fields, and other beautiful features of this location that you can only see on this tour.
Our guide was remarkably knowledgeable and articulate in sharing his firsthand experience growing up and living in this valley. It was a culturally educational, and aesthetic experience to visit and I would highly recommend it.

It was an unexpected private event, and the weather was perfect, making it absolutely amazing! The starry sky was stunning, and I was so moved like never before! I would love to participate again if I have the chance! Big Mahalo~ 🤘🤟

まさかの貸切で天候にも恵まれ文句なしで最高でした！
星空も満点でこんなに感動したのは初めてでした！
また機会があれば参加したいです！
ビッグマハロ〜🤘🤟

After researching several options, we chose the Ultimate Hawaii Circle Island Sightseeing tour from Veltra for our mid-April 2026 trip, and it did not disappoint. Our guide, Marcus, was total pro, wWith 15 years of experience, his knowledge and storytelling made the 10-hour journey fly by.

The Highlights:

1) Coffee Farm: Stunning views and a great tasting session in the gift shop.

2) Punaluu Black Sand Beach: We were lucky enough to see sea turtles basking on the sand!

3) Volcanoes National Park: Seeing the steam vents and the scale of the active volcano was easily the highlight of the day.

4) Rainbow Falls: The best panoramic view is actually from the side of the park; the hike to the top isn't strictly necessary for the best photos.

5) Waipio Valley Lookout: Absolutely breathtaking photo opportunities.

The logistics were seamless with a prompt pickup at 7:20 am from the Fairmont Orchid. While it is a long day covering 2/3 of the island, Marcus kept us entertained throughout. Lunch, dinner, snacks, and water were all provided, making for a stress-free experience. Highly recommended!

My kids, ages 11 and 13, were thrilled with meeting and engaging with several of the dolphins! We were impressed by the care given to them and the expertise of their trainers. We will be taking part in Dolphin Quest upon our next visit.

My kids ages 11 and 13 had a great time learning to surf! Both instructors were friendly and supportive and their personalities put my kids at ease. I appreciated their attentiveness and both girls are excited to return for more lessons.

I was taken care of by the guide, Shoutarou. He explained everything alternately in English and Japanese, which made it very easy to understand and I felt安心して参加できました😊. The reservation date was canceled due to bad weather, but when I contacted them, they were able to change it to the next day. I wanted to go to Mauna Kea, so I was very grateful for their対応!!

ガイドのショウタロウさんにお世話になりました。
英語と日本語で交互に説明をしていただき、とてもわかりやすく安心して参加できました😊
予約日は天候不良で中止になってしまったのですが、連絡をしたら次の日に変更していただけました。
マウナケアに行きたくてハワイ島へ行ったので、とてもありがたい対応でした！！

Although I was able to reach the summit of Mauna Kea, unfortunately, the weather did not cooperate, and I was unable to see the sunset or the starry sky. I appreciated that they offered a partial refund when both were not visible.

Even though I couldn't see either, the guide was supposed to explain in English but provided explanations in Japanese instead, and the guidance at the summit was consistently polite and enjoyable. During the restroom break on the way back, they mentioned that we might see some stars, and I was delighted to catch a glimpse of a few through the clouds.

It was such a good tour that I would like to choose a day with better weather and participate in the tour again next time.

マウナケア山頂には行けたものの、残念ながら天候に恵まれずサンセット、星空観測ともに見れませんでした。
両方とも見れない場合は一部料金の払い戻しをしていただけるのはありがたかったです。

両方ともは見えませんでしたが、ガイドの方は英語での説明予定だったのに日本語で説明してくれましたし、山頂での説明や案内も終始丁寧で楽しめました。
帰路のトイレ休憩の際に星が見えるかもと教えてくれて雲間から少し星が見えたりしてフォローが嬉しかったです。

次回は天気がいい日を選んで再度ツアーを参加したいと思えるぐらいいいツアーでした。

I had a great time. The weather was nice, so I was able to enjoy myself comfortably outdoors. The show was wonderful too!

楽しかったです。
お天気も良かったので屋外で気持ちよく楽しむことができました。
ショーも素敵でした！

This trip was very enjoyable, we got to learn about all the volcanoes and various other attractions. And see some amazing sights, including telescopes and sunsets!

When you pay $250 for a luau, you kind of expect something fabulous and I honestly felt like I bought this on Temu. We got super cheap shell lays, and and parents were letting their kids run everywhere and even standing up and stepping in front of you as you’re trying to take a photo, the visibility was poor from our seat seats. The pork was so dry. The only good thing was the unlimited drinks however the drink selection was limited and so sugary. Honestly, I’ve never wanted my money back so bad in my entire life.

Although it was an English tour, the guide spoke Japanese and provided explanations in both English and Japanese, which made it easy to understand and was great. They also took many beautiful photos for us.

英語ツアーと言う事でしたが、日本語を話せるガイドさんで、英語と日本語で説明して下さり、わかりやすくて良かったです。綺麗な写真も沢山撮って頂きました。

Wow just wow, Shane was our pilot and boy he had a lot of knowledge of the island and for him to give a good answer to everyone's questions was exceptional. The ride was smooth, we felt safe and it was longer than I expected. The views are amazing and beautiful. My grandkids and I truly loved this experience. Shane even let Liam shut the helicopter down once we landed.