All Reviews for Sightseeing / Guided Tours

I've been to Hawaii nearly 20 times, and until now, my visits were primarily for golfing. However, as I've gotten older (79 years old) and my companions have diminished, this time I went with my wife and two of her friends.

At the women's request, we went whale watching for the first time. I couldn't understand the guide's English, but I could feel the boat's determination to chase after the whales. Unfortunately, we couldn't encounter them up close, but we did catch a glimpse of a black whale breaching in the distance, along with a faint spout of water.

While I wasn't completely satisfied, the anticipation was definitely there. On the way back, the sight of the white waves crashing against the coastline of the Big Island was a breathtaking view that you can't see from the ground. However, the boat's light snack was just a single pasta dish, which was disappointing.

ハワイは20回近くいっていますが、今まではゴルフ目的でしたが、歳を重ね(79歳)同伴者がいなくなり今回は妻と妻の友達２人でした。
女性陣の希望で初めてホエールウォッチングをしました。
ガイドは英語で理解出来ませんでしたが、船は懸命にクジラを追っているな感じは伝わって跳ねるきましたが、近くでの遭遇出来ず、遠くで微かに吹き上がる潮と跳ねる黒いクジラが一瞬見られました。
大満足は出来ませんでしたが、期待感は十分でした。
帰路船からみるハワイ島の海岸に打ち上げてある白い波しぶきは地上では見られない迫力ある光景でした。
船の軽食はパスタが一品だけで期待ハズレでした。

It was my first time actually getting on a boat to see whales, and it was impressive to see them up close. I was quite lucky because there happened to be two of them. It was amazing that they came up to the surface several times.

実際に船に乗って鯨を見るのは初めてで、近くで見れて迫力がありました。たまたま2頭いたのでかなりラッキーでした。何度か海面に上がってきてくれたのも最高でした。

Absolutely fabulous!
Dancers were amazing. Musicians and singers . Loved it all!

I participated in a family trip for both families before the wedding. The drive to Mauna Kea was enjoyable, as our driver shared fascinating stories about the Big Island, making it completely engaging. We ascended slowly while acclimatizing to the altitude, so it wasn't exhausting at all. It was my first time experiencing an elevation of 4,000 meters, and the views were unforgettable.

結婚式前の両家家族旅行として参加。
マウナケアまてのドライブも、運転手の方がずっと楽しくハワイ島についてのお話をしてくださり、全く退屈しませんでした。高度順応しながらゆっくり上がるので、しんどさもなく、生まれて初めて4000mの高さを経験しましたが、忘れられない景色でした。

I struggled with English, so there were parts I didn't understand, but I have already experienced the volcano as an option. This tour was great because I got to experience the world of ancient Hawaii, as well as Kona coffee and honey from the present-day Big Island.

英語が苦手だとわからないから部分もあるけど、火山はオプションでもう経験済。このツアーはハワイの昔、映画モアナの世界と現在のハワイ島のコナコーヒーと蜂蜜を体験出来て良かったです

Just one word: it was amazing.
At 2:10 PM, they came to pick us up at our hotel, and we had time to acclimate to the altitude with care for altitude sickness.
The sunset viewed from the summit was truly spectacular, unlike anything I had seen before. After that, we moved by car to the observation point, and the sandwiches served in the car were cold but still delicious hot sandwiches, which I enjoyed even though I'm not a fan of bread.
The starry sky was blessed with good weather, and we could see the Milky Way. Our guide, James, showed us Jupiter and Venus using a telescope. He also used a pointer to trace the constellations in the actual night sky, making it easy to understand the constellations. Finally, they took photos of each participant, and in those pictures, even the invisible stars were captured, which was fantastic.
This was our first time visiting the Big Island as a couple, and I would love to come back before we reach the age limit of 70.
Thank you very much, James, for everything.

ただ一言最高でした。
14時10分に宿泊先のホテルまで車で迎えに来ていただき、高山病ケアで高地に順応する時間まで用意されていました。
山頂から見下ろすサンセットは、これまでにない素晴らしいものでした。その後、観測する地点まで車で移動するのですが、車内で振る舞われたサンドイッチは冷えてはいましたがホットサンドイッチで、パンが苦手な私も美味しくいただけました。
星空は天候にも恵まれて、素晴らしく、天の川まで見えました。ガイドのジェームズさんが、天体望遠鏡を使って木星や金星などを見せてくれました。また、ポインターを用いて実際の星空に線で星座をなぞっていただき、分かりやすく星座を教えて下さいました。最後に、参加者ごとに写真を撮っていただくのですが、その写真には目にも見えない星が写っていて最高でした。
今回はじめて夫婦でハワイ島に来ましたが、年齢制限のある70歳前にもう一度来たいと思いました。
ガイドのジェームズさん、いろいろとありがとうございました。

Great experience overall, our guide James is very nice, he is knowledgeable and funny, definitely would recommend it to my friends

The sunset at the summit of Mauna Kea and the stargazing a little further down were incredibly beautiful! I was so happy to be able to take a lot of photos!

マウナケア山頂でのサンセットも、
少し下ったところでの星空観賞も、めちゃめちゃ綺麗でした！
たくさん写真も撮っていただけて嬉しかったです！

I participated with a couple of friends. Five years ago, I couldn't go up due to a local demonstration, but this time the weather was great, and both the sunset and the starry sky were incredibly beautiful and moving.

I was a bit worried because it mentioned an English guide, but thanks to Sho-chan's excellent Japanese explanations, the enjoyment was doubled.

The price is a bit high, but it's worth going.

友達夫婦と参加しました。5年前に行った時は、現地の方たちのデモで上がることができなかったのですが、今回はお天気にも恵まれサンセットも星空もとても美しく感動しました。
英語ガイドと書いてあったので、少し不安でしたが日本語がとっても上手なしょうちゃんの説明のおかげで楽しさも2倍でした。
少々値段は高いですが、行く価値はあります。

In general, my family and I had a good experience. Dexter was a fantastic driver and tour guide.
The only thing we did not like is that we had to drop and pick-up people at the airport 3 times, I'd rather spend more time in the rainbow falls than going over and over to the airport.

James's hospitality was outstanding. The explanations of the terrain visible on the way there, the air conditioning settings in the vehicle, and the background music were all excellent! During the sunset, he encouraged us to take photos with our smartphones, making it easier for us. Despite the cold, the hot cocoa warmed us up, and we were very satisfied to be able to gaze at the starry sky for as long as time allowed. Photos taken against the backdrop of the starry sky are something you can't capture on your own, so they make for a wonderful keepsake.

ガイドさん(Jamesさん)のホスピタリティが最高でした。
往路で見られる地形の説明や、車内空調設定、bgm、どれもとっても良かったです！
サンセットではスマホでの写真撮影をこちらからお願いしやすくなるよう、たくさん声掛けしてくださいました。
寒い中でしたが、ホットココアが体に染み渡り、また、時間の許す限り満天の星空を眺められ大変満足です。
星空をバックにした写真は自分で撮れるものではないので、記念になります。

Our experience on the boat was fantastic! The vessel was clean, well-equipped, and had everything we needed for a comfortable trip. The staff was incredibly friendly and went above and beyond to make sure we had a great time. The service was exceptional—staff members were attentive, frequently checking in to offer drinks and clear dishes. Overall, it was a smooth and enjoyable experience, and I would highly recommend it!

Due to it being winter, it seems that the mountain was closed the day before and we couldn't reach the summit, but we were able to safely climb to the top and see the snowy white Mauna Kea, just as its name suggests, which was a rare experience. It was also rare to see people skiing. The sunset and the starry sky were beautiful, unobstructed by clouds or moonlight. Our Japanese guide, Kouki, was kind, knowledgeable about the stars, and skilled at taking photos, making it a wonderful tour.

冬という事もあり、前日は閉山して頂上まで行けなかったようですが、私達は無事に頂上まで登れて、マウナケアの名前の由来通り、雪の残る白いマウナケアが見れてレア体験でした。スキーをしている人を見れたのもレアでした。サンセットも星空も雲と月の光の邪魔もなく、綺麗にみれました。日本人ガイドのコウキさんも親切で星空に詳しく、写真も上手で、とてもいいツアーでした

The guide spoke English, but they supported us even if we didn't understand English. It was very sunny, and the stars were beautiful.

英語ガイドさんでしたが、英語がわからなくてもフォローしてくれてました。
とても晴れていて、星が綺麗でした。

Kona sunsets are awesome, definitely our favorite. We loved that we got a night to just take it in while enjoying the ocean and awesome eats

This was truly awe inspiring. It is absolutely a must do, our tour guide Wes was incredible. We can’t rave enough about it

I was able to experience my dream submarine. I felt excited as we dove down. I wish it were a bit cheaper.

あこがれの潜水艦を体験することができました。潜っていくときはワクワクしました。もう少し安ければよいのですが。

It was amazing to finally see the sunset and starry sky at Mauna Kea! I was a bit worried that it might be cloudy, but beyond the clouds, there was an incredible view! I'm grateful to the guide who was very kind.

念願だったマウナケアで、サンセットと星空を見ることができて最高でした！！
途中、曇っているかも？と少し心配しましたが、雲を抜けた先に感動的な景色がありました！
とても親切にしてくださったガイドさんに感謝です。

Riding up to the top of Mauna Kea with James, our tour guide and driver, was interesting and entertaining! James is very knowledgeable about the Hawaiian culture and history; volcanic geology; the telescopes on Mauna Kea; and the night sky. And he always paid close attention to all his customers. A better telescope would have made this tour perfect.

James was a great tour guide, very informative. Didn't care for the sandwich choices. Was nice to have the hot chocolate though. The view was amazing.

My first trip to Hawaii and the main event on the Big Island was the Mauna Kea summit sunset and stargazing tour. Until the day before, the weather had been rough for three days, and I heard at the hotel that the tour might not happen, which made me worried. However, the result was clear skies and almost no wind, with a beautiful view of the snow that had fallen until yesterday. The stargazing included not only the positions of the constellations but also explanations of the myths and legends, along with many professional photos taken by the guide. I was very satisfied! ♪

初ハワイ、初ハワイ島でのメインイベントは
このマウナケア山頂サンセット&星空観測ツアーでした。前日までは、三日間天候が荒れてツアー出来ず、と到着したホテルで聞き、
どうなる事か？と心配でした。結果は、快晴、ほぼ無風の中、昨日迄に降った雪化粧の中、素晴らしい光景でした。また、星空観測は、星座の位置だけでなく、神話の言い伝えなどの説明とガイドさんによるプロフェッショナルな写真撮影も多数。大満足でした♪

As the title suggests, I booked a tour for winter in Hawaii, timed for a new moon at the end of January. The communication and Q&A support leading up to the tour date were very smooth.

The van driver was also the tour guide, and I was surprised by their excellent Japanese. I would have liked to enjoy explanations in English with a more multinational group, but out of 12 participants, 10 were Japanese, so it couldn't be helped.

We departed from the Queens Market in Waikoloa at 3:00 PM. The van was fully booked with 12 people. We stopped at a rest area just before the summit to have sandwiches and water. The air was getting thinner, so we took a break for about 30 minutes to adjust. Here, we borrowed winter clothing.

Soon after, we entered off-road terrain and headed to the summit. With a temperature of 0°C and strong winds, it was quite cold. We were able to observe the sunset despite some clouds. After that, we descended a bit to the observation point. It took a while for the clouds to part, but eventually, we were able to see a few stars. The guide explained the constellations visible with a pointer. Venus can also be seen in Tokyo, haha. We were served hot cocoa, which was a lifesaver in the cold. That was much appreciated.

It was so cold and we couldn't observe much, so we left the site after about 15 minutes. After a short break, we returned to the Queens Market around 8:45 PM.

The tour itself was well-organized and reassuring. It really requires good timing with the season and luck for clear skies without clouds.

As a postscript, two days later, I woke up at 4:00 AM at a friend's house and gazed at the night sky, which was filled with stars. I thought if it had been clear on the mountain, it would have been incredibly moving.

タイトル通り冬のハワイ、1月下旬で月齢0に合わせてツアーを予約。
実施日までの案内やQ&A対応はとてもスムーズ。

バンの運転手がツアーガイドさんですが、日本語上手で驚きました。できれば多国籍な参加者と英語での解説を楽しみたかったのですが、12人中10人日本人とそこはやむなしですね。

ワイコロアのクイーンズマーケット15:00出発。バンは12人乗り満席。
山頂手前で休憩所によりサンドイッチとお水をいただきました。空気が薄くなっているので急激な変化をおさえるため。約30分程度。ここで防寒着をお借りします。

その後すぐにオフロードに入り山頂へ。気温0℃＋強風なのでかなり寒いです。夕日観測は雲はありましたがぎりぎり観れました。その後少しだけ下って観測ポイントへ。なかなか雲の隙間ができず暫く待っていると少しだけ隙間ができてわずかながら見ることができました。ポインタで見れる星座を解説。金星は東京でも観れます笑　寒さに助かるホットココアが配られました。これはありがたい。

あまりにも寒いのとあまり観測できなかったので15分くらいでその場から退散。途中休憩をはさんで20:45頃クイーンズマーケットにて解散となりました。

ツアー自体はよい企画でしっかり運営されているので安心です。
やはり季節選びと雲の無い晴天である運が必要ですね。

後日談
この2日後、現地友人宅4:00AMに起きて夜空を眺めましたが満点の星空でした。山で晴れていれば相当感動できるのだろと思いました。

Although the weather was not favorable, the staff's response was excellent. It was a dress shoot for our honeymoon, and the Japanese staff taught us about posing and angles. Despite the cold during the shoot, they provided support, and we had a wonderful time.

天候に恵まれませんでしたが、スタッフの対応が良かった。ハネムーンでドレスの撮影でしたが日本人スタッフがポージングや画角まで教えてくださったり、寒い中の撮影でしたがサポートしてくれて素晴らしい時間を過ごせました。

Sites we went to was brilliant, and transport was all ok

The driver-and-guide James has a rich knowledge of history of volcanoes and history of hawaii, and also provides expert guides on the stars.

Great day, we got lucky to get to see the current ruption! What a perfect experience.

I went to the Onizuka Visitor Center, but the tour was canceled due to strong winds. However, I learned that I could reschedule for a fee, so I tried again the next day‼️ I was able to reach the summit safely. This was my fourth time, and I think the reassurance of having a reliable guide each time is very important. I plan to bring different guests next time and will definitely ask for your services again. Thank you!

オニズカビジターセンターまで行って強風のためツアーが中止になりましたが、振替が有料ですが出来ることを知り翌日に再チャレンジ‼️
無事に山頂に行くことが出来ました。
今回で４回目になりますが毎回、しっかりとガイドしてくれる安心感は大事だと思います。
次回も違うゲストを連れてお願いすると思います。
ありがとうございました。

I went on the stargazing tour for the second time this time. It was a full moon, so there were slightly fewer visible stars than last time, but I was overwhelmed by the beautiful night sky. Despite the cold, the hot cocoa they prepared was exceptionally delicious. The sandwiches provided were also tasty. Thank you very much.

今回2回目の星空ツアーに行きました。
満月で、見える星の数が前回より少し少なかったですが美しい星空に圧倒されました。
かなり寒い中ホットココアを用意してくださって格別に美味しく感じました。
提供されたサンドイッチも美味しかったです。
ありがとうございました。

The Big Island is so beautiful and to wrap up at Mauna Kea- the perfect tour!!

The Big Island sunset is stuck in our brain, we wish to be back on the gorgeous Kona waters!