All Reviews for Top Big Island Sights & Attractions

The meeting at the supermarket parking lot, the sunset at the summit of Onitsuka Center, and the stargazing upon returning to the foothills all went smoothly. Warm clothing was provided, so the cold was not an issue. Thank you for the explanations about the mountains and history in the car. The only concern I had was that the guide looked very sleepy during the drive back. Please make sure to rest well during the day to avoid any accidents. Thank you very much.

スーパーマーケットの駐車場の待ち合わせから山麓のOnitsuka center　頂上での夕焼け、山麓に帰っての天体観測、帰還と全てスムースに進みました。防寒服も用意され寒さも問題ありませんでした。車の中での山や歴史の説明もありがとうございました。帰りの運転でガイドさんがとても眠そうだったのが唯一気になった点です。事故なきよう昼間十分に休まれるようにしてください。ありがとうございました。

This was an outstanding dinner and show. Food was delicious and drinks were always being served. You never had to ask for drinks because there was always someone walking by with a tray full. The show was amazing and educational. The Dancers were incredible and the women were beautiful!
I highly recommend it!!

We always felt safe. The support was great. We were there with our 2 sons (4 and 11 years old). Everything worked great and everyone was very attentive. We were able to enjoy it completely as a family. Seeing the manta rays was an unforgettable experience.
Highly recommended!

I participated with my 2-year-old and 4-year-old children. The kids were able to see manta rays while my husband and I took turns. The conditions seemed good, and we were able to see more than five manta rays up close. I took some motion sickness medication just in case, but the kids didn't get seasick at all and had a great time. Thank you for taking photos with the sunset from the boat and for the hot chocolate. I brought warm clothing, so I wasn't cold at all, and everything was fine. I will definitely go again when I visit the Big Island! ♡

２歳と4歳の子供達と一緒に参加しました。
子供達は船上から、私と主人は交代でマンタを見せていただきました。
コンディションも良かったようで、間近に5枚以上のマンタを見る事ができました。
酔い止めは一応飲みましたが、子供達も全く酔う事なく、楽しめました。
船上から夕日と一緒に記念撮影していただいたり、ホットチョコレートをいただいたりありがとうございました。
防寒着も持って行ったので寒くもなく、大丈夫でした(^^)
またハワイ島に行った際には絶対行きますね♡

My fiance(who i proposed there in the Luau)and i just love the party so so much!!! Everything were amazing! All the workers were so nice, incredible shows and tasteful food!!! We recommend 100% for everyone!

I never expected to see manta rays so close, which was a bit scary but also moving. The hot chocolate I had on the boat was also very delicious.

まさかこんなに近くでマンタが見られるとは思っていなかったので、少し怖さもありつつ、感動しました。
船で飲んだホットチョコレートもとても美味しかったです。

The food was ok. The entertainment was ok. I’ve been to a luau before and this time was just ok. It wasn’t worth the price.

The content of the show was very good!
The seasoning of the food was not as expected...
I was seated at the very back, but I could see well if I stood up in the back.

ショーの内容はとても良かったです！
ご飯の味付けは期待通りではなかったです、、
席が一番後ろでしたが、後ろで立てばよく見えました。

The day of the tour was just one day before the full moon, and with 98% moonlight, it was too bright to see a perfect starry sky (I should have checked the lunar calendar in advance...). However, the sea of clouds below was breathtaking, and the sunset from the summit at an elevation of 4,207 meters was truly beautiful and very moving.

Our tour guide, Stephan, was very friendly and, despite being a tall foreigner, he grew up in Japan and speaks fluent Japanese. He was very kind, took many photos for us, and even sent us some amazing starry sky pictures he had taken in the past via AirDrop. The vegetarian sandwich was also very delicious, and the cocoa he made for us at the summit was incredibly tasty and warming. Thank you for a wonderful experience and memories.

ツアー当日は満月の一日前で、月明かり98%ということで満点の星空を見るには明るすぎたのですが、(事前にちゃんと月齢カレンダーを確認すべきでした、、)雲を下に見る雲海は絶景で、標高4207mの山頂からのサンセットは本当に綺麗で、とても感動しました。
ツアーガイドのステファンさんはとても気さくで見た目は背の高い外人さんですが、バリバリの日本育ちとのことで、日本語ペラペラで、とても親切で写真もたくさん撮ってくれて、過去に撮影した素晴らしい星空の写真もAirDropで送ってくださいました。
ベジタリアンサンドイッチもとても美味しく、山頂で入れてくれたココアはとっても美味しくてあたたまりました。素敵な体験と思い出をありがとうございました。

- Hawaiian History, Flowers, Trees, Birds, Fish & Tame Wild Horses - Fabulous Scenic Views
- Enjoyed The Delightful Pick Up Spot

Really enjoyed the dinner, we were nervous but it was soooo delicious!!

The crew was great, the manta turn out was amazing, and the boat ride is short (which is ideal for when you’re cold and ready to get warm again haha). We got lucky that it was a small group so there were plenty of options to sit and have a lovely view of the sunset while heading out. 10/10 would do again.

Watching the sunset from the boat before heading to the manta point was the best situation.
Seeing the manta up close was amazing!!
It's incredible to see them so near.

It gets a bit chilly when you come out of the water, so I recommend bringing something to wear.

マンタのポイントに行く前に、サンセットを船上からみて最高のシチュエーションでした。
マンタも間近に見れて感動!!
こんなに近くで見れるなんて最高です。

海から上がる頃には、少し肌寒いので、羽織る物を持って行かれる事をお勧めします。

MUST DO!

This was a great tour - really educational and fun. Be prepared for rain, you are in the rainforest and it rains a lot. Our guide came prepared with umbrellas and rain jackets, flashlights for the lava tube, water and snacks.
Andre, our tour guide was amazing, experienced and incredibly knowlegable of the volcanoes, land, plants and trees, Hawaiian culture, plus more, and the history of all mentioned. He made sure we were always entertained during the approx. 8 hour trip.
Would recommend shorts, closed toed shoes (sneakers fine) suntan lotion, somewhat water repellant light jacket (in case your tour does not provide).

The horse was very cute, and the view while riding was amazing, offering a panoramic view of the Big Island of Hawaii. It became an unforgettable experience.

お馬ちゃんがとっても可愛くて、乗馬中の景色もハワイ島が一望できて最高でした。忘れられない体験になりました。

Japanese tourists have returned to Hawaii. However, due to the pandemic, there are hardly any Japanese guides left, making the tours quite boring for those who struggle with English. On tours that showcase the rich nature, Pocketalk usually doesn't work, and we find ourselves tuning out the rapid-fire English explanations. Please rehire Japanese guides soon! We are only reluctantly signing up for English guides!

ハワイにも、日本人が戻ってきましたね。でも、日系のガイドさんはコロナ禍でほとんど居なくなってしまい、英語が苦手な日本人にはつまらないツアーばかりになりました。
豊かな自然が売りのツアーでは、たいていポケトークは機能せず、マシンガンの様な英語のガイドをしらけながら聞き流しています。
早く日系ガイドを再雇用してあげてください！
英語のガイドは、仕方なく申し込んでいるだけですよ！

It was very cool. Every one was very kind and accommodating. Guide was informative and pilot was very good. We saw a couple sharks and tons of other fish. Kids loved it! (12 and 10) Mahalo!

When I checked in a little before 9 AM, I was a bit confused because the parking gate was closed, but after checking in, I smoothly rented a helmet, boots, and a jacket, and it didn't take long for the guide to help me choose a horse and get mounted.

Riding along with the guide across the vast grounds during lunch was very refreshing. My horse was Oliver, who had stylish striped hair, and my wife rode Vodka, a chestnut horse; both were great horses.

Along the way, our guide Jessica took some photos for us, and we returned a little after 11 AM, slightly exceeding our scheduled time. It became a wonderful memory.

ちょっと早めの9時過ぎにチェックインした際にパーキングのゲートが閉まっていたので少し戸惑いましたが、受付後はスムーズにヘルメット、ブーツ、上着のレンタルを受けて、ガイドさんに馬を選んでもらって乗り込むところまではすぐでした。
ランチの広大な敷地をガイドに沿って馬と共に進むのはとても爽快でした。
私の馬は立髪がおしゃれにシマシマになったOliver、妻は栗毛のVodka、どちらもいい馬でした
途中ガイドのジェシカが写真を撮ってくれたりして
時間は予定より少し超過して11時過ぎに帰着となりました。
とても良い思い出になりました

I’m not good at English and it was my first time riding, but the 90 minutes flew by. We leisurely trotted through the beautiful grasslands with the best views, and at the end, we picked up the pace for the last 50 meters, which made my backside a bit sore, but it was so much fun! When I looked back, there was a rainbow, which made my heart even lighter. Japanese people don’t have a custom of tipping, but I happily gave about 10%—$10 per person for my family of three.

英語も苦手、乗馬も初めて、だけどアッと言う間の90分でした。
最高の景色の草原をパカパカゆっくり巡って、最後の50メートルを少々スピードを上げて走って多少お尻が痛かったが、とっても楽しかった！
振り返ると虹が出ていて、心が更に晴れました。
日本人はチップを払う風習がありませんが、10％程度の一人10ドル×家族3人分を気持ち良くお渡ししました。

This was my first time participating. Since it was also my first time riding a horse, I felt a bit anxious, but I decided to join. It seemed like we were the only participants this time, so we had the guide all to ourselves. As it was my first time riding, I was initially focused on controlling the horse, but the scenery was magnificent and we moved slowly, allowing me to enjoy it. The only sounds I could hear were the wind. The view consisted of grasslands and the sea below, with cows grazing. It was a sense of relaxation that I can't experience in Japan. I will definitely participate again next time I come.

今回初めて参加しました。乗馬自体も初めてだったので少し不安でしたが参加することに決めました。今回は私たちだけが参加だったようでガイドさん独り占めでいきました。私は乗馬初めてなのでまず馬の制御に気を取られていましtが景色は雄大でゆっくり進んでくれるので楽しめました。聞こえてくるのは風の音だけ。見えるのは草原と眼下に見える海、草を食べている牛たちのみ。
日本では味わえないリラックス感でした。今度来た時も絶対参加します。

We couldn't have asked for a better trip. I especially appreciated the small group size - eight people - which meant that we were able to watch the mantas without getting in each other's way. My sister and I were at the end of the line, opposite each other. This meant that as the manta rays turned over and swam upside down just under the light board - only a few inches away from us - we could look right down their throats. I was amazed at how clean and empty their large mouths were. It was fascinating to see their gills from the inside as well as the outside.

It was wonderful to watch the mantas swim. They move so smoothly they hardly seem to be propelling themselves. The patterns on their backs fluoresce in the light, so they're easy to see.

We watched by lining up on either side of a board, holding on to it and floating stretched out away from it, with flotation devices like pool noodles under our ankles. This keeps our bodies away from the mantas, which is for their protection, not ours. (The mantas are harmless. No teeth, no sting. They eat plankton, not people!)

Two tips:

1. The staff had us put the pool noodles under our ankles, but in that location, it's easy to lose the noodle. Try putting it just below your knees instead. It's much easier to keep in place that way, and if your knees are at the surface, the rest of your legs will be also.

2. If you do lose your noodle, don't panic or kick. Keep your head down, relax, stay as flat as you can, and allow the water to support your body. Staff members will retrieve the noodle and slip it under your legs again. Kicking disturbs the mantas, and the stress is bad for them.

On the whole, I'm glad I went. It was a lovely day, the boat was comfortable, and food great. The trip included a plant-based breakfast and lunch, with Kona coffee and alcoholic drinks available for purchase. The boat stopped twice on the way out so our guide could explain what we were seeing along the shore.

All the staff members were delightful and took good care of us.

Unfortunately, Kealakekua Bay did not offer the variety of sea life I experienced in other Hawaiian locations. I wonder if the reef has been affected by global warming. My prior experiences were 20 years ago, so things may be different now.

My experience was complicated by the fact that the corrective face masks were only available in a medium, which was too large for me. Consequently, I had major water leakage and was unable to spend much time snorkeling. One of the staff explained that supply chain problems have limited the availability of corrective masks. That's a good reason for bringing your own!

My sister, who had her own mask, explored more widely and commented on the relative scarcity of sea life, although she did see one kind of fish that was new to her.

Nevertheless, the trip was fun. I enjoyed my run down the slide - my sister's dared me to do it!

A number of snorkeling tours go to Kealakekua Bay. I looked at the other tour boats there and concluded that ours was the best. All in all, it was a great way to spend the morning. (Did I mention that both breakfast and lunch were delicious?)

I had a bit of fear during the night snorkeling tour, but there was a Japanese female staff member who frequently checked in on us, which made me feel at ease to participate. I was thrilled to see twelve manta rays. The hot chocolate on the boat afterward was soothing. We also received wonderful underwater footage, creating lovely memories. Thank you very much.

ナイトシュノーケリングツアーで少し恐怖もありましたが、女性日本人スタッフの方がおられて、たびたび声をかけて下さるので安心して参加させていただきました。
マンタが１２まいも見ることができて感激しました。
終わってからの船の上でのホットチョコレートは身体にしみわたりました。
すばらしい水中での映像も頂いて、素敵な思い出になりました。
本当にありがとうございました。

This was such a breathtaking experience! Trevor and Diego were excellent captain and crew, with a great sense of humor too. They ensured I felt safe which was huge because I had never snorkeled before. I would recommend this company to anyone who asks, they provide everything you need including prescription goggles which was an amazing surprise. Diego also gave us manta ray facts as we were snorkeling and we loved it. The night began with a sunset boat ride, leading into the manta ray snorkel, and then a quick boat ride back to the harbor with snacks and hot cocoa. I will never forget this experience.

Great way to celebrate our honeymoon. HWV goes above and beyond to make you feel like family on this evening.

We were happy we got to see some mantas, it was so fun to have a night experience!

You hit it all and you do not need to drive and miss views along the way!

Staff was terrific at all levels; dock staff, wait staff, bar tenders, historian, musician, & Captain. Everyone was upbeat, personable, courteous, professional, and entertaining.
Food was excellent and the drinks were generous. The captain was very personable and entertaining. Mother-nature provided us with a pod of pilot whales to observe, while keeping a safe distance. Historian was fabulous, giving everyone a much better appreciation and respect for the Hawaiian culture. The music got everyone rocking and rolling with the motion of the boat. A great selection of songs that had the passengers engaged in song.
Can't say much more. We loved it, would do it again, and would highly recommend it to everyone. It was a 3 hour tour that was well worth it.

The quality of the guide was quite good.
Even though the explanations were in English, they responded well if you tried to communicate, even if you couldn't speak the language.
They taught us about the history and way of life in Waipi'o.
The prayer song in Hawaiian matched the magnificent nature beautifully.
When I asked them to sing a prayer song for the Maui wildfires, they happily did it!
They were an incredibly nice young man!
The meeting place, the art shop, was also wonderful; I want to go back!

ガイドの質がかなり良いです
英語での説明になりますが喋れなくてもコミュニケーションを取ろうとすればちゃんと応えてくれます。
ワイピオの歴史と生き方を教えてくれました。
ハワイ語での祈りの歌は雄大な自然とマッチしてて素晴らしかったです。
マウイの山火事の為にも祈りの歌を歌ってと頼んだら喜んでやってくれました！
めちゃくちゃナイスガイな青年でした！
集合場所のアートショップも素晴らしかったです、また行きたいです！

Excellent tour with SUPER tour guide, Kailikea! Full service , including tasty meal, excellent transportation, LOTS of very interesting information on Hawaii, the stars at night, Hawaiian Culture and History. Absolute recommendation to book with MKSA!!!