All Reviews for Top Places to Visit in Hawaii

This was my second time at Mauna Kea. I barely managed to see the sunset, but unfortunately, I couldn't enjoy the starry sky. During my first visit to Mauna Kea, I was blessed with good weather and was able to fully enjoy the sea of clouds, the sunset, and the starry sky, which I realize now was very lucky.

2度目のマウナケアでした。サンセットはかろうじて見れたという感じでしたが、星空は残念ながら拝むことができません。はじめてのマウナケアは、天候に恵まれ、雲海も、サンセットも、星空も満喫できたのは、とてもラッキーだったのだと…

I didn't expect manta rays to come so close. I was told not to touch them, but it felt like the manta rays were bumping into me!

こんなに近くまでマンタが寄ってくるとは、思いませんでした。触らないように言われましたが、マンタの方からわたしに体当たりしてくるような感じでした！

I was very moved to encounter the whales swimming majestically! I thought the size of the boat and the number of people were just right, not too many and not too few. I definitely want to participate again.

雄大に泳ぐクジラに出会えて、とても感動しました！船の大きさも、人数も多すぎず、少なすぎず、ちょうど良いと思いました。ぜひまた参加したいと思います。

Mr. Matsuzaki greeted us with high energy in the welcoming car. He kept us entertained during the ride, making it a fun tour. We were blessed with great weather and enjoyed the wonderful views, and he explained the stars clearly using a laser pointer. He also shared various information about Hawaii, which made it truly enjoyable. Thank you very much.

お迎えの車でいきなりのハイテンションの松崎さん。
車内でも楽しませてくれて楽しいツアーでした。
天気にも恵まれて素晴らしい眺望を堪能して、星の説明もレーザーポインターでわかりやすく説明して下さいました。
ハワイの情報も色々と教えて下さり本当に楽しかったです。
ありがとうございました。

You can only have this kind of experience in Hawaii. It's just so close! In fact, we encountered them several times. As soon as we turned on the LED lights on the SUP boards for everyone to catch, the mantas came right over.

It was like a scene from an aquarium. They are just so big. They swim by really close with their mouths open, eating the plankton attracted by the light. They are about the size of two people, which is a bit scary.

By the way, before reaching the mantas, we also got to see a very beautiful sunset.

It was a thoroughly satisfying tour!!

こんな体験はハワイしかできない。とにかく近い！というか何度か当たりました。。
そしてマンタと遭遇するタイミングが早い早い。みんなで捕まる用のSUPボードのLEDライトを点けるとすぐにマンタが寄ってきました。
水族館で見るような光景。とにかく大きい。光で集まったプランクトンを食べているので、口を空けたままめちゃ近くをすれ違います。人間二人分くらいの大きさかな。ちょっとこわいくらい。
ちなみにマンタの場所に到達する前にとても美しい夕日も見られます。
色々大満足なツアーです！！

I encountered a large number of dolphins—countless, really. On this day, I was lucky to spot dolphins right after getting on the boat. We swam with them for about an hour without moving. The dolphins jumped and were very playful.

In the water, some were sleeping while others were active; the active ones would come up to the surface and then swim close to us repeatedly. The sleeping ones floated in deeper waters. The sound of the dolphins chirping could be heard all around, making it a truly precious experience.

This tour might be canceled soon, but I’m really glad I was able to participate. By the way, even if you can't swim, they provide flotation devices, so you can still join. If you go to Hawaii, you definitely should do this! Lastly, thank you so much to the captain who took us back and shared various things about Kona.

大量のイルカちゃんと遭遇。数え切れないくらい。。
この日はラッキーで船で移動してすぐにイルカと遭遇しました。そしてそのまま移動することなく１時間程泳いでました。
イルカもジャンプしてくれたり、サービス精神旺盛です。
水中は寝てる子と活動してる子がいて、活動してる子は気ままに水面に上がっては近づいての繰り返し。寝てる子は深いところでプカプカ。
イルカのキュイキュイという声があちらこちらで聞こえていて、とても貴重な体験となりました。
もしかしたらもうすぐ中止になってしまうかもしれないツアーですが、参加できて本当に良かった。
ちなみに泳げなくても浮具を貸してくれるので参加できます。ハワイにいったら絶対やったほうがいいです！
最後に、帰り送っていただいた船長さん、コナのことも色々教えて頂いて、本当にありがとうございました(*^^*)

We arrived early with the rental car, applied sunscreen, and were fully prepared! However, despite that, my calves and the back of my thighs got really sunburned from snorkeling. Among the dozen participants, we were the only Japanese couple. We traveled by speedboat and arrived at the snorkeling spot, where the water was clear and there were plenty of fish. We had sandwiches for lunch and moved a little, but during the second snorkeling session, there wasn't much change since we only moved a few hundred meters, which was disappointing. On the way back, we stopped at several places eroded by waves, and the captain explained everything in English, but we were completely lost. We also encountered a pod of dolphins, and the dolphin jumps were heart-melting.

レンタカーで早めに到着、日焼け止めを塗って準備万端！
それでも、シュノーケルの体制から、ふくらはぎから太もも
の裏がメチャ焼けました。
十数人の参加者の中で、日本人は私たち夫婦のみ
スピードゴムボートで移動し、シュノーケルスポットに到着
透明度も良くお魚もたくさんいました。
お昼にサンドイッチを頂き少し移動、二度目のシュノーケルでしたが、
数百メートル移動しただけなのであまり変化無しでそこは残念でした。
帰りは、数か所波で浸食された場所で止まりキャプテンが説明
もちろん英語で、私たちはチンプンカンプン((+_+))
イルカの群れにも会えドルフィンジャンプに胸キュンでした。

I waited for several minutes at Manta Spot, holding onto a surfboard with a light and grip. I spotted a manta ray on the ocean floor! It was far and dark, but then, just once, the manta ray approached quickly while showing its belly! That was the only time I saw it. I was surprised by the number of divers on the ocean floor compared to the manta rays.

ライト付きサーフボードにグリップが付いた物につかまりマンタスポットでひたすら待つ事
数十分、海底にマンタ発見！遠いし暗いし・・・と思っていたら一度だけお腹を見せながら
マンタが急接近！！それっきりでした。
マンタより海底にいるダイバーの数にビックリでした。

Its was a great tour as advertised, Pick up was on time. and Gordon is a good driver, friendly, take good cares of everyone. He and his buddy provided a great service for the entire tour. This is a great tour to take if you are just visiting big island for vacation. We were traveling light, dont want to prepare winter cloth. the tour provides what we need on the mountain. It was one of the best tour we took in big island. definitely will do again~~

The day before and the day before that, I heard that no dolphins were seen at all. However, contrary to my worries, many dolphins appeared! The baby dolphins were tiny and adorable! There were many honeymooners, including us. Since the sun is strong while moving on the boat, it's better to have a rash guard or something similar.

前日、前々日はまったくイルカが見られなかったと
お話に聞きながらのスタートでしたが。
不安をよそに沢山のイルカか現れてくれました！
赤ちゃんイルカはちっちゃくて可愛かった！
私達ふくめ、ハネムーナーが多かったです。
ボートでの移動は日差しが強いので、
ラッシュガード等あったほうがいいです。

This was my several visits to the Big Island, but I had never been to Mauna Kea before. One reason was my concern about altitude sickness, but after participating for the first time, I felt that worry was unnecessary. Certainly, some caution is needed, but the staff provided thorough explanations, and as long as you follow their instructions, you can enjoy a wonderful sunset and beautiful stars without any worries.

Climbing to over 4,000 meters for the first time gave me the illusion of being on another planet rather than Earth. I believe this is a sensation you can't experience anywhere else.

既に数度目のハワイ島でしたが、これまでマウナケアには行ったことがありませんでした。ひとつには高山病への心配もあったからですが、初めて参加してみて、その心配は不要だったと思いました。確かにある程度の注意は必要ですが、スタッフの方が丁寧に説明してくださり、その指示にさえ従っておれば、基本的には何の心配も無く、素晴らしい夕日と、きれいな星を堪能できます。
初めて4000メートルを超える高地に登り、地球ではなく、他の惑星に居るような錯覚を覚えました。これは他では体験できない感覚だと思います。

The natural beauty and relaxed atmosphere of the Big Island of Hawaii were wonderful. I enjoyed the tropical island's eternal summer. The sunset from the summit of Mauna Kea felt like the orange sun sinking into the sea of clouds happened very quickly. In the dark night sky, the mysteries of the universe were illuminated by countless stars and the Milky Way, making me realize that Earth is just a small speck in this infinite universe. I am grateful to the Big Island of Hawaii for all the emotions it has given me.

ハワイ島の大自然と落ちつきあるゆったりした街。南国の常夏の島を楽しみました。
マウナケア山頂からの夕日は、雲海に沈むオレンジ色の太陽がとても早く感じられました。
また暗闇の夜空には、宇宙の神秘たくさんの星・天の川が天空に輝いており、地球もこの無限の星の仲間であり、改めて宇宙の大きさ、広さ、地球が宇宙では小さな一粒であると感じました。
たくさんの感動を与えてくれる島・ハワイ島に感謝します。

My husband and I did this for the first time and we had a truly wonderful experience! Kevin was a great guide! He was helpful, kind, informative and thoughtful by taking photos and suggesting what to do and what not to do to get the best experience. We loved the snorkeling and the sea cave experience! I did get nauseas so I suggest you bring an antinausea medication, also unfortunately we didn't see the dolphins. But other than that we loved it!!

I participated in the local gathering plan at Manta University. We met at Honokohau Harbor, located between Kona Airport and Kailua-Kona. That night, the highlight was Keauhou.

There were handles attached around a surfboard with blue LED lights underneath, and as I held on and floated, mantas repeatedly approached and circled to feed on the plankton attracted by the lights. It was incredibly impressive.

I was told not to touch them, but the mantas came so close that it felt like I could reach out and touch them. They approached so many times during the 30 minutes that I lost count, so I was very satisfied. I heard that on some days they might not show up at all, so I must have been lucky.

マンタ大学の現地集合プランに参加。
コナ空港とカイルア・コナの間にあるホノコハウ港集合。
その夜のポイントはケアウホウ。
下にLEDの青いライトのついたサーフボードの周囲に取っ手がつけられていて、それを握って浮かんでいると、ライトに集まるプランクトンを食べにマンタが何度も近づいてきては旋回。
すごい迫力です。
触ってはいけないと言われていましたが、マンタの方から触れそうなほど近くまで来きます。
30分間に数えられない回数マンタが近寄ってきたので大満足です。
日によっては全くいない時もあるそうなので、運が良かったようです。

This tour allows you to spend most of the itinerary in a car while heading to see the sunset sinking into the sea of clouds at your feet, so even if you have some concerns about your physical fitness, you can participate with peace of mind. I was captivated by the guide's careful and interesting stories, making the time to the destination fly by. It seems that the tour can be affected by the weather, but fortunately, we were blessed with good weather on the day of participation, and despite it being a half-moon, we were able to enjoy a sky full of stars, which was fantastic.

ほとんどの行程を車で過ごして、足元に広がる雲海に沈んでいく夕陽を観に行けるツアーなので、多少体力に不安があっても安心して参加できます。ガイドさんの丁寧で面白い話に聞き入ってしまい、目的地までの時間もあっという間に感じました。天候に影響されるツアーではあるようですが、幸い参加日は天気に恵まれ、半月にも関わらず満天の星空を眺めることもできて最高でした。

We had a great time, and really enjoyed the entire experience. We we lucky and had manta rays barrel rolling right up to us for most of the time we were in the water. The captain and staff were friendly and knowledgeable. And the snacks were a nice treat after getting out of the water. Hope to do it again!

This was an amazing trip. We had a smooth ride out to the Sheraton and saw a beautiful sunset.
Then we got our snorkels and masks and got in the water. We all grabbed the handrail on the kick board and gotntowed out to abgood spot. We ended up joining up with other groups to form a "buffet line". Th manta rays came through eating plankton doing barrel rolls so close I thought they were going to brush our faces with their wing tips!
I highly recommend this tour group. They're super friendly and are very good at what they do.

The helicopter ride was amazing! We took the Circle Island tour. Colin was our pilot and he was really informative and made it a really fun experience.

I wouldn't hesitate to recommend this activity to anyone.

As a family who loves snorkeling, we brought our own gear from Japan to join the tour!

The other passengers were of various ages and nationalities, including quite an elderly gentleman. For beginners, they provided thorough instructions on how to wear the mask, which was reassuring. However, all the explanations were in the captain's fast-paced English. (laughs)

We snorkeled at two spots, depending on the sea conditions. The first location was near the Pu'uhonua o Hōnaunau National Historical Park. There were many large coral reefs and a variety of colorful tropical fish! It was such a beautiful spot that we lost track of time.

The second spot was about a 20-minute boat ride away, where lava from Kilauea flowed into the sea decades ago. There were large, round rocks that had cooled and solidified, making it a fun place to explore the terrain. There, we spotted sea turtles! We watched them from a distance so as not to disturb them. Seeing the turtles swim was like watching them soar through the sky, which was incredibly soothing.

When the captain called out that it was lunchtime, we got back on the boat to find smoke rising from it. We enjoyed a buffet-style hamburger lunch with beef patties and chicken grilled by the crew, along with fresh vegetables! It was surprisingly delicious, far exceeding our expectations! The homemade taro chips on the side were also very tasty.

As everyone reluctantly left the sea, the boat headed back to the dock. Along the way, we spotted a pod of dolphins and took some time for dolphin watching, and we made a quick stop at the Captain Cook monument before returning.

The tour lasted about five hours, but time flew by so quickly that we even discussed going again during our stay! (laughs) It was an incredibly satisfying tour! I will definitely participate again when I visit the Big Island!

シュノーケル好きの私たち親子は日本からマイ器材を持って参加！

ほかの乗船客は年齢も国籍も様々。
かなり年配のおじいちゃんもいました。
シュノーケル初心者の方にはマスクの付け方などのレクチャーもしっかりしてくださり安心。
ただし説明はすべて船長の早口な英語です。（笑）

シュノーケルポイントは海況を見て2箇所。
1箇所目はホナウナウ国立歴史公園の近く。
大きなサンゴの棚がたくさんあり、色とりどりの熱帯魚もたくさん！
時間を忘れてしまうほど美しいポイントでした。

2箇所目はさらに20分ほどボートを走らせ、先ほどとは一転
何十年か前にキラウエアからの溶岩が海に流れ込んだと言う場所。
冷えて固まった大きな丸い岩がゴロゴロと落ちており、地形を楽しむようなポイントです。
そこではウミガメたちを発見！彼らの邪魔にならないよう、遠くから見つめていました。
ウミガメが泳ぐ姿はまるで空を羽ばたいているようで、とても癒されました。

船長からランチタイムだぞー！と声をかけられ海から上がると、船からもくもくと煙が。
船員さんが焼いてくれたビーフパティやチキンと一緒にフレッシュな野菜を挟む
バイキング形式のハンバーガーランチ！
これが予想をはるかに超える美味しさでビックリ！
サイドの自家製タロイモチップスもとても美味しかったです。

皆が海を名残惜しんでいるところでボートは桟橋に向けて出発。
途中イルカの群れを見つけてしばしイルカウォッチングしたり、
キャプテンクックのモニュメントに寄り道したりしながら戻りました。

5時間ほどのツアーでしたが本当にあっっと言う間に時間が過ぎ、
滞在中もう一回行っちゃう？と話題が出たほど（笑）大満足のツアーでした！
またハワイ島に行った際は絶対に参加します！

First time going on a snorkeling tour and it was a blast! Beautiful boat and weather! The crew kirk and Kyle were amazing hosts. Could not ask for a better experience!

We headed to Manta Point by boat, and there were many boats that seemed to be on similar tours. I was moved to see large mantas several times.

マンタポイントまで船で向かいますが
同様のツアーらしき船が沢山います。
大きなマンタが何度か見れ感動
しました。

I read the testimonials and decided to go on this tour, and it was a great choice. The guides, Matsuzaki and Jin, provided wonderful explanations about the stars, and I was able to take photos with the sunset. It was my first time seeing the Milky Way, and I could download the photos taken for me after returning home. It was a tour filled with great experiences. If I have the chance, I would love to participate in this tour again.

体験談を読みこのツアーに決めて大変良かったです。ガイドのMATUZAKIさん・JINさんの星の説明や、夕日と一緒に写真を取っていただけたり、ミルキーウエーを初めて見れたことや、撮っていただいた写真を家に帰ってからダウンロードできたり良いことばかりのツアーでした。もう一度でも機会があればまたこのツアーに参加したいです。

Three years ago, I attended a luau at a different hotel in the same area, but this one was better. The venue had various booths in a workshop format where you could take commemorative photos and lightly engage with Polynesian culture. There were henna stamps (though it probably wasn't henna, as it easily came off with wet wipes that night), toys like kendama, and board games. After experiencing the henna, we were guided to a table while enjoying free cocktails. We sat at a round table for eight with a group of four from England. The MC conducted the event in English that was generally understandable, even for us with just basic travel English.

However, the English spoken by the British guests was a bit difficult to understand, and there was a speaker right behind me, making conversation challenging. The luau had a nice size and a sense of unity. Since the audience was close to the stage, perhaps for safety reasons, the fire dance lost some of its intensity as the flames diminished while being twirled.

Still, both the male and female dancers delivered powerful and high-quality performances, and a three-member Hawaiian band entertained us with pleasant music during the opening and intermissions. Some comments mentioned that the event was long, and I agree it might not be suitable for children.

During the meal, they came around selling the photos taken at the beginning for $20. Being a tourist, I bought one generously, but I wished they had paid more attention to the background and composition. I forgot to reconfirm the reservation the day before and hurriedly called that morning, but it seemed there was no issue.

Participating on our last night in Hawaii was definitely the right choice. Next time, I want to study more so I can understand English better and visit again.

三年前に同じ地域の別ホテルのルアウに参加しましたが、それより良かった。開場し記念撮影と各種ポリネシアン文化に軽く触れられるワークショップ形式のブースがちらほら。ヘナのスタンプ(おそらくヘナではない、その夜に濡れティッシュで簡単に落ちた)、けん玉？のような遊具やボードゲームなど。ヘナだけ体験し、無料のカクテルを飲んでいるとテーブルへ案内されます。８名掛けの円卓に我々夫婦とイギリスから来たという４名のグループが同席。旅行英会話程度の我々でもだいたい理解できる英語でMCが進行してくれます。
同席のイギリス人の英語が分かりづらいのと私の真後ろにスピーカーがあったので会話に難儀しました。程よい広さで一体感のあるルアウ。客席が近いから安全性を重視するのか、ファイアーダンスは振り回しているうちに火が小さくなっていってやや迫力に欠けます。
それでも男女とも迫力と完成度高いダンスパフォーマンスに圧倒されますし、三人編成のハワイアンバンドが前座、幕間を程よい音楽で楽しませてくれます。他者のコメントで時間が長いとありましたが、確かにお子さん向けではないかな。
食事の途中、最初に撮影した写真を＄２０で売りに回ってきます。おのぼりさんですから気前良く買いましたが背景など構図をもっと気にしてほしかったです。前日のリコンファームを失念し当日朝に慌てて電話しましたが問題なかったようです。
ハワイ島最後の夜に参加して大正解でした。次回、もっと英語が聞き取れるよう勉強して再訪したいです。

It was an interesting experience. We enjoyed it but a couple people did get sick on the long boat ride. Lots of mantas rays showed up and swam with us.

The guys were awesome. Made it fun. The horses were strong and healthy. The scenery was breathtaking, green and lush. We would have liked to ride the horses through the waterfalls, same price, but this was good too. There were wild horses and donkey that let you pet them. Overall our experiences was great. Thank you for making the day fun.

We drove down the canyon with explanations provided. The horseback riding was on well-trained horses, making for a safe experience. They also took photos for us, and the service was very kind.

峡谷を解説付きで車で下ります。乗馬はよく調教された馬で、安心して体験できました。写真も撮ってくれて、親切な対応でした。

their lights were dim compared to other companies, and they went in much earlier than the other boats.

I participated in this tour to enjoy the sea on the rocky shores of Hawaii Island. There are two main highlights of this tour:

1. Snorkeling
I wasn't very good at swimming, but I was grateful that they provided life jackets. The first snorkeling spot was about 3 meters deep, so I couldn't touch the bottom, and at the other location, I couldn't stand on the coral reef either, so I was swimming the whole time. There weren't a huge number of fish, but I was happy to see a turtle.

2. The speed of the boat
It was astonishing. Of course, I took off my hat and held onto the railing the entire time. It was thrilling and a lot of fun. I think it was even more impactful than snorkeling.

The locals also said that Sea Quest is great, and the morning plan, which has less intense waves, wraps up before noon, so I was able to make the most of my day. However, the guide only spoke English, so all the instructions were in English as well. I also recommend applying sunscreen thoroughly, especially on your back.

岩場の多いハワイ島で海を楽しむため参加しました。このツアーの楽しみは2点です。

1.シュノーケル
泳ぐのが苦手でしたが、ライフジャケットを用意しておいてくれたので助かりました。一つ目のシュノーケルポイントは水深3メートルぐらいで足はつきませんし、もう一つの場所でもサンゴ礁の上には立つことはできないので泳ぎぱなしです。
魚は大量というわけではありませんでしたが、カメに会うことができたのでよかったです。

2.ボートの速さ
驚愕でした。帽子などはもちろん外し、ずっと手すりにつかまっていました。スリルがあって楽しかったです。シュノーケル以上にインパクトがあったように思います。

現地の人もSea Questはいいよと言っていましたし、波の激しくない朝のプランはお昼前には解散なので一日充実できました。ただし、ガイドさんは本当に英語のみだったので注意事項などももちろん英語です。あと日焼け止めをとくに背中に入念に塗ることをおすすめします。

The staff spoke only English, but we had the boat to ourselves with just the two of us. On the way to the snorkeling spot, they stopped at sightseeing spots visible from the boat. Unfortunately, we only saw the dorsal fins of the dolphins. It was a watching tour, not a swimming with dolphins tour, so that's understandable.

Please make sure to print out your reservation and bring it with you; confirmation screens on smartphones are not accepted. Also, since you will be sitting on the edge of the boat and traveling for about an hour, it's a good idea to take motion sickness medication beforehand.

The water temperature is low, and it gets quite chilly after snorkeling, so please bring a jacket and a bath towel. We snorkeled at two locations and had light snacks twice, which was great!

スタッフさんは英語のみでしたが、参加は私たちも二人で貸し切り
シュノーケリングスポットに着くまでにも、ボートから見える観光スポットに寄ってくださいました>^_^< イルカは残念ながら背ひれしか見えませんでした イルカと泳ぐツアーではなく、ウォッチングなのでしょうがないですね
こちらのご予約は必ずブリントアウトして持っていってください スマホなどの確認画面はNGです
あとはボートのヘリに座るし、1時間くらい移動するので酔い止めの薬を飲んでおくといいです
水温も低くシュノーケリング後はかなり冷えるので上着とバスタオルを持っていってください
シュノーケリングは2ヶ所で２本、軽食も二回出出来ました よかったです！

During my stay in Kona, I unexpectedly had some time off and decided to book a tour to climb Mauna Kea. There are many regulations for climbing Mauna Kea, and I think it was definitely the right choice to join a tour. The sunset at the best timing and location, backed by the guide's extensive experience and knowledge, was truly impressive.

In the unexpectedly cold weather, the bento we received was surprisingly delicious, and the warm miso soup and drinks were much appreciated.

The weather wasn't great that day, and I couldn't experience the starry sky as I had hoped, but even when it felt hopeless with clouds covering everything, the guide pointed out the slightest signs and assured us that it would clear up if we waited a bit longer, and indeed, we were able to see the stars.

I also learned how much the brightness of the moon affects stargazing, so if I have the chance to go again, I would like to visit around the new moon.

With my expectations for the starry sky in mind, I reduced my rating by one star, but overall, I was very satisfied with the tour.

コナ滞在中、急遽休みの予定がはいり、この機会に是非マウナケアに登ってみたいと予約を入れました。マウナケアに上るには規制が多く、やはりツアーに参加して正解だったと思います。ガイドさんの豊富な経験と知識に裏打ちされたベストタイミング、ロケーションでのサンセットはさすがだと思いました。
ハワイとは思えない寒さの中、いただいたお弁当は思ったよりも（！）おいしかったし、暖かい味噌汁と飲み物はありがたかったです。
この日は若干天候がよくなくて、降り注ぐような星空は体験できませんでしたが、全面雲に覆われて絶望的な感じになったときも、わずかな兆しを逃さず、もう少し待てば晴れると言われ、その通り星空を見ることも出来ました。
また、月の明るさは星空観測にはこんなにも影響すると知りましたので、もし次回があれば、新月に近い時に行ってみたいと思います。
星空の期待を込めて、星を１つ減らしましたが、ツアー自体は大満足でした。