Big Island
Our tour guide Gage was both informative and very pleasant. The entire tour was amazing, with incredibly gorgeous views of both the sunset above the clouds and the star filled sky. Gage was very knowledgeable and pointed out many stars and constellations as well as providing many interesting facts. Please heed the advice about bringing layers of clothing. They provide the parka but I also recommend bringing a hat and gloves if possible. The food was also good but make sure to bring water.
Really a very good tour.
The landscape is wonderfull. The guide is perfect... very commited.
Came from Oahu for work. Had some extra time. We had fun. The staff was friendly and funny. Thanks to my local Braddas for showing us a good time. We’ll be back on the next trip to the big island
Wow, if only every tour guide held a masters in history and was a native to the area they were leading a tour! Aaron was truly brilliant and super knowledgeable about everything from Hawaiian history to language and culture to geology and astronomy. His easy going personality put the group at ease, and we had fun connecting with the rest of the guests while learning a ton! The day flew by and we would do it all over again. Ask for Aaron!
Great informational tour. Loved gazing at the stars and having James describe all the constellations. Best photo too! The jackets he provided were a life saver.
We enjoyed our tour and Drew our tour guide was energetic and shared a lot of knowledge with everyone.
This was the PERFECT way to experience Mauna Kea. Our tour guide was extremely knowledgeable and made the experience so incredible. Can’t recommend enough!
Overall it's an must do cruise to go out on the ocean on a Catamaran near the Waikoloa area.
We saw whales from far off as it was afternoon and the bigger ship is not attractive to the whales.
We would do the morning trip on the powerboat with fewer people or go for the sunset cruise.There is not much info provided during the cruise so it's lacking the fun in whale watching as it can be boring if nothing happens.
It would also be better if there was a spotter pointing to the breaches as it happens very quickly and multiple people spotting can be confusing.
After you get on board you are mostly left on your own and the boat only goes less than half a mile out.
We saw more whales from the shore than on the boat but it was good to get out on the ocean with this cruise.
I was not sure about spending so much time in the van. Travis was educational and fun. We had clouds, rain, sun and stars. It really was a wonderful experience. The food was fine. I appreciated the larger telescope and good star viewing.
Once on board everything was terrific. Great staff, perfect weather, good drinks and unexpectedly a chicken dinner with rice and salad was offered. Had we known that - wouldn’t have had late lunch. Would have rated excellent- except the map provided was POOR. Drove around frantically for 25 minutes in marina trying to find where to go. No phone number provided. Fortunately a crew member called us and we made it. Others had same problem.
Our family’s first experience whale watching was truly impressive. The crew was professional with information and safety. They did not leave out the fun and had a nice variety of refreshments. We did take the 1:30 pm tour and saw many whales.
The confirmation email as to directions to find them was not so great. They are not in front of the Lava Lava restaurant ( which kept us circling for 10 mins) they are to the right of iLava Lava down along the beach 100 yards aprox, is 2 palm trees on the beach w/ small orange sign to check in. You should notice the platoon boat and catamaran out in the water awaiting for you.
Have extra cash available for tip they are worth it.
We had attempted two times previously 9 years ago to see the Mantas and were unsuccessful. We warned our group this time that we may be bad luck. Our experience was over the top, well over 10 Mantas and Justin and Connor were great at sharing their knowledge of these fascinating creatures. We would definitely recommend to anyone wondering about this novel opportunity.
Maka was a great guide. Extremely knowledgeable about geology, vulcanology, astronomy and Hawaiian history. The views were spectacular.
We did this tour after our sunrise wedding. It was a nice escape! It was romantic and fun, not to mention beautiful! It felt like a respectful way to tour the area where some of the locals live. The guides do a fantastic job keeping everyone comfortable and co rodent on their bourses. Do this tour!
We had a great trip! We had non stop manta ray action! Apparently we were very lucky. I left my phone on the boat because the current was a little rough. It was an awesome experience, would do again!! They were literally belly to belly with me. It was a really cool experience!
It was awesome! As soon as we got in the water we had Manta rays doing barrel rolls around us. Captain Kai, Justin and Jaz made the experience alot of fun. They know their Manta rays. An experience I recommend. Lady's I did this solo, don't hesitate. The night I went was well worth the money. Aloha!
Captain Cindy was delightful and funny a. And we saw plenty of whales. Thank you
This tour was an amazing experience! The drive to Volcano National Park was beautiful and we enjoyed each stop along the way. Viewing the lava field was phenomenal! Our tour guide, Bryce, was a font of knowledge and made the day even more special. Every comfort was thought of from a clean, spacious Mercedes van, to rain jackets and warm parkas. I would do this tour again in a heartbeat!
Adam was a wealth of knowledge and very informative. We used it to get a good overview of the island and were rewarded by the information and the sites we visited. Would highly recommend it to any one - the stories history and places visited were spot on.
Justin was so knowledgeable about the manta rays - we learned many interesting things. The equipment provided was very good quality and most comfortable. The most unforgettable part of the experience was seeing so many beautiful manta rays! And they came so close that we were touched by them as they swam.
The sailboat was new and beautiful. The crew were knowledgeable and very helpful. They let us do some whale watching and fish chasing and we had a fantastic time! We will definitely take this trip again but next tome we will do the 5 hour.
Aloha Laurie, Mahalo Nui Loa for joining us. We are so happy to hear you had a wonderful time. We look forward to your next visit!
The view of the sunset was amazing, the history, information and stargazing that Hiro provided was a priceless. The drive up to Mauna Kea was pleasant and Hiro’s local tips on where to go and local places to eat was great. The journey up the dirt road was not stressful at all with Hiro’s safe and expert driving. Our time at the summit was amazing the photos Hiro took were both amazing and entertaining. On our way down we were provided with a stargazing lesson. Hiro showed his passion for teaching the stars even though there was a full moon that washed out some of the constellations. We would definitely recommend this tour over driving it yourself or other tour companies that don’t offer the same uniqueness that Hiro provided.
This was the coolest experience of my life, and that is not an exaggeration at all. Plus that is saying a lot as we are world wide travelers and have done epic things. Every person living on the Big Island or traveling to the Big Island should do this! If you are considering it and wondering if it will be kinda cool or maybe sorta lame (like I thought it might be) let me assure you it is beyond cool!
We literally had to have close to a dozen manta rays swimming around us, most would swim within inches of us. Some VERY large ones also! No need to fear they have no teeth or stingers and are harmless (unless you are plankton). These creatures are truly magnificent!
The crew onboard was wonderful and knowledgeable. When we were done there was hot tea and a snack which was an added bonus.
We had a great time on the shuttle. Our driver, Forest was fun, professional and had so much to share about the area and island. We got to go down to some beautiful spots and get out to take pictures. It was amazing. I highly recommend you take this tour. The windows are out so you don't feel closed in. It is a long way down and up so think long and hard about hiking it. We are so glad we choose to Book this tour-- You will be happy you did! It was an amazing experience.
Captain Steve made our experience very special. We stopped in two snorkel spots, saw some caves close up, had a nice snack and lunch. Were told neat things about the island and the locations we snorkeled at.
The waters were a little choppy. We felt very safe with Steves driving. The tour states it is not good for someone with any physical issues. There was some bouncing around on the boat, so we would agree with that.
Professional Company. They offered a few different types of snorkeling tours. Pick one-- you won't be disappointed.
A wonderful tour. Definitely worth while. Our tour guide, Aaron, was very knowledgeable. Learned so many things. From the coffee making process to the history of King Kamehameha. The night tour of lava view was great. Although you don’t actually see the lava itself you do see the red glow. It was a long day of touring but Aaron made it very enjoyable. Don’t miss the lava tube walk.
Our guide, John, was very patient with me. I've had zero experience riding an ATV but he took the time to make sure I was comfortable while encouraging me to do the solo ride (I was also given the option to switch to a two-seater). I'm so grateful because I had the best time and wish it could go on longer. We drove through the beautiful Umauma property -- rolling green gentle slope with a gorgeous view of the ocean and a sea of cows (yes, cows, that John had to persuade to move to give the riders more room to drive thru). We took a break at the watering hole where my son and husband enjoyed a cool dip near a low waterfall and enjoyed a quick snack. Thank you, John, for making it fun, adventurous and exciting!
The tour was excellent even if the surf had made the water a little cloudy. The guides were excellent and knowledgeable.
Aloha,
Thanks for taking the time to provide feedback about your Glass Bottom Boat Cruise. We're so happy to read that despite the surf conditions, you enjoyed the trip and the service and information provided by our crew (and got to see that honu feeding).
We know there are a lot of activities on the Big Island and we're honored you chose to spend part of your morning with us.
Mahalo and a hui hou
We loved this tour - being on the summit was amazing. You can always tell when your guide is excellent and passionate about what they are speaking about. Maka was amazing and knowledgeable not only of Mauna Kea and the surrounding areas but you could tell he loved astronomy. Highly recommend this and I’d we come back again we will try to time it in the summer on a new moon to see even more.
Super competent captain and crew who were helpful with gear, getting on/off the boat, assisting those who were uncomfortable once in the water. The manta viewing was amazing, close up and continuous. Our guide provided background information on the mantas. Several other species of smaller fish were present also. Definitely recommend this activity!