All Reviews for Top Big Island Sights & Attractions

At first, I was worried about the weather because the mountain in front was hidden by clouds, but Mauna Kea was clear above the clouds, and it was a beautiful day! I enjoyed the best sunset and a lovely starry sky!

Our guide was an American named Tat, who occasionally spoke Japanese. It seemed he was working with another guide from the same tour company, who was also American but spoke Japanese fluently.

They prepared two telescopes for us, allowing us to observe Jupiter and Saturn. Then, they took a picture of the Milky Way and shared the photos with us via AirDrop. It was a wonderful experience with a great team!

初めは手前の山が雲に隠れていたので天気を心配していましたが、マウナケアは雲の上で晴れていました、快晴でした！最高のサンセットと、素敵な星空を堪能できました！
タットさんというアメリカの方がガイドさんでしたが、日本語も時折り話してくれます。同じツアー会社の方と一緒にツアーをされているようで、そちらのガイドさんはアメリカの方ですが日本語バリバリでした。
２人で望遠鏡を２つ用意してくれて、木星と土星をそれぞれ観賞できました。それから天の川の写真を撮ってくれてエアドロップで写真をいただきました。とても良いコンビで素敵なツアーを体験しました！

After hiking this trail years ago and taking the van trip this time (2023), I would never choose another way to go other than the van ride. Pleasant driver and informative. Felt safe.

The kayak was stable, and I got used to paddling as I went along. The course goes from Keauhou Bay to the underwater cave in the next cove. We headed out far enough that the sea turned a deep blue. We made several stops along the way for breaks and hydration. The water was calm with no waves, and dolphins were jumping around. According to the guide, the baby dolphins were practicing their jumps. I felt lucky. Due to the wind, snorkeling was limited to about 20 minutes in Keauhou Bay, and I was a bit disappointed as I was expecting to see many more tropical fish. In Big Island, where Japanese is hardly spoken, it was a relief to have conversations in Japanese with our guide, Noni. I highly recommend participating in this experience.

カヤックは安定感があり漕ぐほどに慣れてきました。ケアホウ湾を出て次の入江にある海中洞窟までがコースです。海が濃い青に変わるくらい沖に出ます。途中何度か休憩と水分補給をしながら進みます。波もなく穏やかでイルカが飛び跳ねていました。ガイドによれば子イルカがジャンプの練習をしているとのこと。ラッキーでした。シュノーケリングは風のためケアホウ湾の中で20分ほどで、もっと沢山の南の海のお魚達を期待していたので少し残念でした。日本語が殆ど通じないビッグアイランドでガイドのノニさんと日本語での会話はそれだけでほっとしました。是非参加されることをお勧めします。

I participated alone as the only Japanese person, and there were no other Japanese participants that day. It was a tour with two vans, and my guide in my van only spoke English. However, the guide in the other van was fluent in Japanese, so they kindly took the time to explain the stars to me one-on-one, paying attention to the details, which was very thoughtful. The guide's talk in the van was in English, but they clearly explained the efforts of the local Hawaiians to preserve Hawaiian culture and the importance of conveying such information to tourists. I was grateful to hear valuable stories from a local person. Thank you for a wonderful experience.

日本人一人での参加で、他の参加者にも日本人はいない日でしたが、バン二台でのツアーで、私の車のガイドさんは英語しか話せなかったのですが、もう一つの車のガイドさんが日本語ペラペラだからと、わざわざそちらの方がマンツーマンで星の説明をしてくださり、細かいことも気にかけてくださり、とても親切でした。車内でのガイドさんの話も、英語でしたが、地元のハワイアンの人々がハワイアン文化を守るためにしていることや、そういった内容も観光客に伝える必要性もわかりやすく話してくれて、貴重な現地の方のお話が聞けてありがたかったです。素晴らしい体験をありがとうございました。

The six if us had a great time with Drew who kept us entertained while ensuring we understood the historical and cultural importance of many of the sites we visited. The dad jokes were appreciated over the course of the day travelling from Kona to Hilo and points in-between. The consensus highlight was the swim in the waterfall pool. Even the weather cooperated. Fabulous day! Mahalo Drew!

It was so nice we did not have to be there first to get a good seat. They were pre assigned and we were led to them by a very friendly staff member. We thought we would be the only ones there with a baby but there were other families with young children. Baby made to feel welcome. The food had a great variation with possible allergens noted at dish. Very thoughtful as my daughter can not eat dairy products while breast feeding her son. The maître D was lovely with a very soothing voice and good story and history teller. The dancers were very good and were smiling the whole time. It made for a happy time. Setting was beautiful. The fire dancer was very talented. I worried he would get burned, but he didn’t, thank goodness. All in all, the food, company of others beside us we got to meet, and the show was well worth the money spent. Thank-you

The perfect experience for first time visiting Kona! Loved the Coffee farm, black sand beach, and stargazing the most on this full-day excursion!

The sunset viewed from the boat and the manta rays tumbling far exceeded my expectations!!! I was very satisfied with the tour content!! However, the water temperature was surprisingly low, so I was freezing while watching the manta rays... You can rent a wetsuit for $10, but it only goes up to the knees, so it's still cold in the end. I still recommend renting a wetsuit. I didn't rent one, so I was cold the whole time. The hot chocolate after returning to the boat was soothing. Also, the toilet on the boat was out of order, so I couldn't use it. I was in pain wanting to go to the bathroom after snorkeling. It would have been perfect if the toilet had been fixed!!!!

船から見る夕日と予想を遥かに超えるマンタのタンブリング！！！ツアーの内容はとても満足です！！
ただ、意外と水温が低かったためマンタを見ながら凍えていました。。。10ドルでウェットスーツを借りることができますが、そのウェットスーツも膝上までしかないので結局寒いです。それでもウェットスーツを借りることをおすすめします。私は借りなかったのでずっと寒かったです。船に戻った後のホットチョコレートは体に沁みました。また、船に設置されているトイレが故障中のため使えず。シュノーケルが終わったあとずっとトイレに行きたくて辛かったです。トイレが直っていれば完璧でした！！！！

I had my first horseback riding experience. Since all the explanations were in English and the other participants were also foreigners, I couldn't catch everything and felt a bit anxious, but I had a great time.

Riding the horse through the grasslands, running at times, and climbing hills was thrilling and very enjoyable. While walking beside the ranch and watching the cows and horses, I even spotted wild pigs in the distance. The weather was nice, and the scenery was beautiful. At the end, I was able to take pictures with the sea and mountains in the background, which made for great memories. The contrast between the sky and the grasslands was stunning (just be careful of sunburn!).

Thank you very much.

初めて乗馬体験をしました。
すべて英語での説明で、ほかに参加されていた方も外国の方のみでしたので、全部は聞き取れずちょっと不安もありましたが大変楽しむことができました。

馬に乗り草原を歩いたり、途中走らせたり、
坂道を登ったり、ハラハラしながらも大変楽しかったです。
牧場の横を歩き牛や馬を眺めていると、遠くには野生のブタも見えました。
天気が良かったこともあり、景色も良く最後、海側や山をバックに写真も撮っていただき良い記念になりました。空と草原の色のコントラストがとてもきれいで最高でした。（日焼け注意・・）

ありがとうございました。

On the day I participated, a Japanese guide was in charge. While driving, he provided explanations in both English and Japanese. There were eight participants, half of whom were Japanese. At the summit, we were able to see a beautiful sunset. It was almost windless, so it wasn't too cold, but according to the guide, it had been very cold the day before due to strong winds, so it seems to vary by day. The stargazing was limited because it was close to a full moon, resulting in fewer stars. However, everyone, including the guide, was surprised by a fireball that suddenly appeared. It was an experience that happens once in a lifetime. It was a great tour.

私の参加した日は、日本人のガイドさんが担当してくれた。運転しながら、英語、日本語、交互の説明、参加者８名、内、半分が日本人だった。山頂では美しい日の入りを見ることができた。ほぼ無風だったのでそれほど寒くはなかったがガイドさん曰く前日は風が強く大変寒かったそうで、日によってまちまちのようだ。星空観測は満月に近いこともあって、星の数は少なかった。しかし突然現れた火球にガイドさん含めて皆ビックリ。一生に一度あるか否かの経験をした。良いツアーだった。

The entire experience start to finish was amazing. Wes was our guide and driver and took the time to explain what to expect and educate all of us on the island and the history of Hawai’i! I would recommend this tour to anybody who would like to enjoy the beautiful Mauna Kea! Wes also took the time to take photos of us at sunset and stargazing!

My husband and I had an amazing time with Fernando! He was an incredibly knowledgeable guide and made the trip very fun. If you have the opportunity to do the evening stargazing and sunset do so and request Fernando!

Our guide Gabe (I think that was his name - sorry if I’m mistaken!) was superb.

He picked us up near our condo and the van was very nice and spacious. We had 5 adults and were very comfortable.

The drive up he pointed out things of interest, answered any questions and was just overall very upbeat, fun and informative.

He was great up to this point but he crossed over to superb when my mom got altitude sickness. He was constantly checking on her, giving her sickness bags, anti-nausea meds and overall just very attentive.

He very professionally handled both her and the rest of the guests.

Will definitely book with this company and guide again.

Absolutely amazing. Highly recommended for everyone. Food was fabulous and the dancers telling the island story heart felt.

We attended on Monday October 16. The 4 guys did such a fantastic job making it fun for all of us. It was a unique and exciting experience. I can not say enough good things about it. I highly recommend it and would even go so far as to say it is a MUST DO on the Big Island!!

The performers and food was really good. Only comment I had been to the same Luau 4 years earlier and the story was much more in depth . We truly enjoyed it but 4 years ago you got to hear the complete story of Hawaii.

This tour was the highlight of my families trip. The tour was amazing and our guide was knowledgeable and friendly. He was happy to answer all of my children's questions.

Best time ever. The crew are all wonderful. The crew made the trip fun and educational. Lots of marine life.

It was truly a valuable experience to visit Waipi'o Valley, which we couldn't have gone to on our own, and I definitely want to go again.

Since there was only an English tour, it was a bit challenging to interpret for my husband, but it was really a sacred area where we received a lot of energy.

The guide was also very kind, and I would love to participate again.

自分たちでは行けないワイピオ渓谷へ行けたのは本当に貴重な経験で絶対また行きたいです。

英語のツアーしかないので主人への通訳が少し大変でしたがほんとに神聖なエリアでたくさんパワーをもらいました。

ガイドさんもとっても親切で是非また参加したいです。

My hubby and I wanted to try this ATV experience since we enjoyed a similar one on Kauai the previous year and it did not disappoint!

Going through the trails and seeing the sites were completely beautiful. The private little waterfall/lagoon was also refreshing after being covered with the dust from the trail.

The one thing I would have liked is a bandana to cover the lower half of my face because the dust got all up in every crevice.

My husband and I booked this tour for our honeymoon on the island. It was truly amazing to see the many fish and mantas in their natural habitat! I was that person who forgot their motion sickness meds. If you get motion sick/sea sick definitely take them so you can enjoy the whole experience without feeling queasy. If you come from colder climates you may not need wet suits. My husband and I didnt get them as we come from a cold climate and did fine temperature wise. The captain and his crew, Diego, were very knowledgeable and friendly. They also helped out a bunch when I wasn't feeling well. Would recommend this tour to anyone!

The approximately three-hour lure show was captivating with wonderful dances and songs. I was deeply moved to be able to experience Hawaii's traditional culture up close. The staff were also very friendly and left a good impression.

During the show, tourists were invited to join in, and everyone was laughing at the comedic dances. It's a pity that there were so few Japanese participants among the attendees; I think there were only a few in the show I attended. I hope more Japanese people can feel comfortable participating (perhaps the pricing is a bit high).

I am also very pleased with the final photo, which turned out beautifully. If I come to the Big Island, I definitely want to participate again. Mahalo.

約3時間のルアーショー、素晴らしい踊りと歌に酔いしれてました。ハワイの伝統文化を舞台近くで鑑賞できて感動で一杯です。スタッフの皆さんも笑顔で対応されていて、印象も良かったです。
観光客をショーの間に入れて、コミックな踊りに皆さん笑いが広がってました。
参加者の中に、日本人が少ないのは残念です。私が参加したショーには、数名かなと思います。もっと日本人が気軽に参加できるようにと希望します（料金が高い設定かなと）
最後の写真も最高出来栄えで大変嬉しく思ってます。ハワイ島に来ましたら、是非参加したいと思います。マハロ。

I participated in the 1.5-hour morning course. It's about a 45-minute drive from the hotel in Waikoloa, and renting a car is the best option. The instructions are given in English, and they speak slowly and clearly.

First, there is an explanation of the flow of the activity, filling out documents, and safety precautions. After that, they provide a lecture on how to ride a horse, and they stay with you from start to finish.

At first, we walked slowly, and then we were able to pick up speed at good spots, which was really enjoyable. Riding through the grasslands, mountains, and along the sea while taking in the great outdoors was an amazing experience.

午前の1時間半コースに参加しました。ワイコロアのホテルから45分程度、レンタカーでの移動が最適です。
英語での案内で、ゆっくりと分かりやすく話してくれます。
最初に流れと書類記入、注意事項などの案内があり、その後乗馬の仕方についてレクチャーしてくれ、最初から最後まで一緒に付いてくれます。
最初はゆっくりと歩き、途中スピードを出して良いスポットでスピードを出して楽しめました。
草原、山、海と大自然を見ながらの乗馬は最高の体験でした。

I was able to see about four waterfalls.

The scenery of Waipi'o Valley was also beautiful.

You can walk around the Botanical Garden in about an hour. It’s very worthwhile.

I swam in the waterfall pool. You can borrow a jacket for free, so even if you're not a good swimmer, you can still enjoy it. There is one place to change, but I couldn't use a shower.

Along the way, I was happy to receive water, juice, and snacks!

The guide was very friendly and a good person. Since I can't speak any English at all, I couldn't understand most of the explanations (I was prepared for that), but I think it’s a great tour for those who can understand. You can hear a lot of interesting stories!

I was glad that the weather was nice all day! ☀️

滝は4つくらい見れました。

ワイピオ渓谷の景色も素敵でした。

ボタニカルガーデンは1時間位で一周できます。見応えたっぷりです。

滝壺で泳ぎました。ジャケットが無料で借りれるので泳ぎが下手でも楽しめます。着替えるところ（一つ）はありますが、シャワーは使えませんでした。

道中、お水やジュース、お菓子もいただけるので嬉しかったです！

ガイドさんもとてもフレンドリーで良い人でした。私自身が英語が全くできないので説明がほぼ理解できませんでしたが（覚悟はしてました）理解できる人にとってはとっても良いツアーだと思います。色んな話が聞けます！

一日中天気に恵まれて良かったです☀️

This was definitely the highlight of our Hawaii trip. Will definitely try it again!!! 10/10 will recommend their service.

We are SO glad we booked this tour with Iruka; we had an absolutely incredible time with tour guides Trevor, Diego and Tamaya (so sorry if I'm misspelling your names or missing anyone) who were so knowledgable and accommodating. It was definitely one of the highlights of our trip to the Big Island; a bunch of the rays got so close to us, we felt super safe and loved the hot chocolate afterwards!

We had a group of 4 and had an excellent afternoon. Our guide was very knowledgeable and warm and friendly. The van was comfy and had big windows for viewing scenery along the drive. The starts were amazing as was the sunset.

You need to check this out if you are not an experienced ATV rider, the tour guides are very patient and chill.
You will arrive to a beautiful area, check in, bet your gear and go over a few house rules. HIGHLY RECOMMEND TO USE THE PROVIDED GOOGLES (not your sunglasses)! The road gets pretty dirt heavy and become difficult to see.
It's a short ride but they take you to a small water hole where you are given the opportunity to jump off the rock and into the water and afterwards a drive back.

Wear something that you can get dirty, do not wear white and do not bring items you do not want to get dirty. The dirt is like a clay color and sticks.

Our tours guides were great ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐

We had the best pilot and best tour ever, amazing scenery

This stargazing experience was absolutely fantastic! James did an amazing job with explaining what we were seeing and keeping the group engaged. He was informative yet entertaining…and the pictures almost look unreal. As our family returned to the hotel, our kids raved about how much fun they had. Definitely an experience not to miss!