All Reviews for Top Places to Visit in Hawaii

Staff, dancers, food and everyone involved was amazing!

This was on my bucket list. My guide was very informative. He took pictures, individual and group pictures of us during sunset and during the stargazing event. Be prepared to bounce around on the dirt road to the summit. Totally enjoyed the hot cocoa and BLT sandwich that was provided.

The tour was very well organized and very well planned. I felt I saw so much and learned a lot about the culture and history of the island. Jim was full of interesting information and made the trip memorable Fun group.

From the moment of arrival the staff was friendly and very attentive (we did pay for the VIP section and it was worth it for the service). The were almost too many food choices to choose from and it was all very delicious. The host was engaging and entertaining, the music wonderful, and all the dancers were great. We enjoyed that they were telling stories in their dance, not just there for show. Overall it was a wonderful experience, the only negative I have is location because you can't see the ocean from the luau venue and it does help the ambience we feel.

The sunset sinking into the sea of clouds from 4200m is exceptional. You can truly feel the Earth. Observing Jupiter's Galilean moons for the first time was also moving. The guide's explanations and support were wonderful, making it a highly satisfying tour.

4200mからの雲海に沈むサンセットは格別です。地球を感じます。木星のガリレオ衛星の観測も初めて、感動しました。ガイドさんも説明や対応も素晴らしく、満足度の高いツアーです。

I searched for a tour to experience the great nature of the Big Island for the first time and participated in the Mauna Kea Summit Sunset and Stargazing Tour. At first, I didn't have high expectations for climbing the mountain to see the sunset and the stars. I also read reviews mentioning that the explanations were only in English, making it difficult for those without strong English skills to understand. Additionally, although I don't have high blood pressure, I was concerned about climbing over 4,000 meters at the age of 67.

In conclusion, it was an amazing experience. While I did feel a bit breathless at the summit, it wasn't an issue if I walked slowly. The detailed explanations of the summit's viewpoint, the breathtaking sunset as it gradually darkened, and even I, with barely passing vision for my driver's license renewal, could see the Milky Way with the naked eye. The detailed explanations of the constellations were also impressive. I hadn't seen the Milky Way in about 50 years, and it was truly moving.

This experience was made even more special thanks to the attentive service from the staff at Masashi Nature. Our guide was a Japanese person named SHOYO. His extensive knowledge, excellent explanations, and thoughtful attention created a very comfortable environment.

There were about 12 people on the tour, and my wife and I were the only Japanese participants. The explanations on the bus were in English, but they were not difficult to understand. Additionally, when we got off the bus, they provided a summary of the key points in Japanese. Outside the bus, the explanations were given in a mix of English and Japanese, making them very clear and detailed.

The photos of the sunset and the one with my wife under the Milky Way are wonderful treasures of memories. If I plan another tour in Hawaii, I will choose a Masashi Nature tour where I won't struggle with the language.

Lastly, thank you, SHOYO. I appreciate it.

初めてのハワイ島で大自然を感じることができるツアーを探し、マウナケア山頂サンセットと星空観測ツアーに参加しました。
最初は、山に登って夕焼けを見る、星空を見ることにそれほどの期待を持っていませんでした。また、口コミには英語だけでの説明で英語力がないとよくわからないとの感想もありました。さらに、私は高血圧ではないのですが、67歳の高齢で4000m以上の山登りはいかがかとも思っていました。
結論は、とても素晴らしい経験をすることができました。確かに山頂では少し息苦しい感覚はありましたが、ゆっくり歩けば気になることはありません。さらに、山頂の世界の展望台の詳細な説明、徐々に暮れてくる感動的な夕焼け。そして、運転免許更新に必要な視力ギリギリの私でも肉眼で見える天の川。また、星座の詳細な説明。天の川を見たのは50年前くらいで、感動的でした。
この感動もマサシネイチャーのスタッフの丁寧な対応があったからです。私らの担当は、日本人のSHOYOさんでした。彼の博学な知識と説明のうまさ、細かな気配りがとても居心地のいい環境を作ってくれました。
12人ほどのツアーでした。日本人は私と妻の2名だけでした。バス内の説明は英語でしたが、それほどわかりにくい英語ではありませんでした。また、バスから降りた際にバス内の説明のポイントだけを日本語で説明してくれました。また、バスの外では、英語と日本語と交えて説明をしていただき、とても分かりやすくかつ詳細なものでした。
夕焼けの写真、天の川の下の妻との写真も思い出としてとても素晴らしい宝物をいただけました。
次回、ハワイでツアーを計画するのであれば、日本語に苦労しないマサシネイチャーのツアーを選択すると思います。
最後にSHOYOさん、ありがとう。感謝しています。

On full moon days, the difficulty of seeing manta rays increases. It seems that strong lights are used to attract plankton, which in turn draws in the manta rays. However, during a full moon, the plankton disperses, making it harder to gather the manta rays.

Perhaps due to some misfortune, there was a powerful light installed on the ocean floor during the manta diving, and the manta rays were swimming near the bottom. In the light leaking from the ocean floor, I could see the shadows of the manta rays.

Next time, I want to challenge myself during the new moon. I would like to visit the Big Island of Hawaii again, aiming for the new moon period instead of the full moon.

満月の日は、マンタを見る難易度が上がるとのことです。
強いライトでプランクトンを集め、それをエサにマンタが集まるため、満月ではプランクトンが散開してマンタを集める難易度が上がるらしいです。

不運は重なるのか、マンタダイビングで海底に強力なライトが設置されていたこともあり、マンタはずっと海底で泳いでおり、
海底から漏れる光の中に、マンタの影が見えました。

今度は新月にチャレンジしたいです。
ハワイ島は、満月よりも新月の期間を狙って、また行きたいです

I participated thinking it would be my last chance since the age limit for the tour is 70. The guide was very kind and explained everything in detail, and the photos they took were fantastic. I'm 70, and I want to participate again next year!

ツアー参加可能の年齢が70歳までということで、最後のチャンスと思い参加しました。ガイドさんもとても親切で丁寧に説明してくれて、撮影してくれた写真も最高でした。70歳、来年も参加したい！

The guide was great and shared loads of interesting facts and stories about history, nature, culture, language, habits and astronomy. His knowledge and captivating way of presenting things were amazing. I also highly appreciate his deep respect towards the Hawaiian culture.
The trip was organized very professionally. The warm parkas were also highly appreciated.

I highly recommend this service.

I like that it was short, and that we were able to get on the water, we saw many little fish and a turtle.
The staff was excellent!

The tour guide ( Dexter) from Polynesian Adventure Tour picked us up from the hotel on time. Very knowledgeable and very informative . He knows all the places and history of the Big Islands (Hilo). Patiently waiting for us to finish the tour. We really had a great time. We will use the Polynesian Adventure Group again.

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！！！！

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 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!