Big Island
The performers were beyond amazing.
The table service was excellent.
The food was excellent - so delicious!
The price for premium upgrade- disappointing.
The ambiance could have been more authentic rather than long rows of very crowded tables and unbearable heat for the first 90 minutes before sunset.
Closer to the water maybe? Sail shaped tarps for shade maybe?
Definitely recommend.
Dress light. Bring a hand fan.
Expect some rude people to walk up for a better look & block view
I was worried because I hadn't received a confirmation email for the tour (I contacted VELTRA and they followed up for me).
However, on the day of the tour, I was about 20 minutes late for the meeting time, but they kindly said, "It's okay!" and allowed me to join (I did call ahead). After boarding the boat, they provided a briefing on the sizes of the snorkeling equipment and how to use the camera correctly. They also prepared Japanese instructions, so even though my conversational skills are very basic, I felt comfortable participating.
The waves felt a bit high, but they designated a snorkeling area, and during the snorkeling, staff members were patrolling on a paddleboard, which showed they were very attentive to safety. It seemed like the tour was fully booked, but there were plenty of floatation devices and life jackets available. Although I could see to the bottom, there weren't many fish, likely due to the high waves, but we still had a great time as a family!
Since it was a large boat, I didn't experience seasickness, and the cruising to and from was enjoyable. I felt from our conversation that they have a great respect and consideration for the ocean. After getting wet, the cruising felt cold, so I think it would be good to have a separate towel that doesn't get wet. I found the free water a bit difficult to drink. Also, since there were no warm drinks available, if you're worried about getting cold, it's better to bring your own.
The staff were kind, and they were accommodating even with my limited English skills. It was fun!
ツアーまでは、予約確定のメールが来ていなかったりで心配でした(ベルトラさんに問い合わせして、フォローいただきました)。
が、ツアー当日、集合時間から20分ほど遅れてしまったのですが、『大丈夫よ!』と言ってくださり心よく参加させてくださいました(事前に電話はいれました)。
船に乗った後は、シュノーケルの物のサイズや、正しい動画の使い方をレクチャーしてくれます。日本語の案内も用意してくれるので、すごく簡単な会話しかできない私でも安心して参加できました。
波は少し高いように感じましたが、シュノーケルエリアも指定してくださり、シュノーケリング中も職員の方がサップに乗って巡回されていたりして、安全にはすごく気を配っているのが伝わりました。
ツアーは満席だったように思いますが、浮き輪や救命胴衣も十分に用意されてました。
波が高かったからか、底まで見渡せたもののお魚はそんなに多くみられませんでしたが、それでも充分家族で楽しめました!
大きなボートだったので、船酔いもなく、行き帰りのクルージング楽しかったです。
海への敬意や配慮もすごくされているのだとお話しから感じました。
濡れた後のクルージングは寒く感じるので、羽織るタオルは濡れてしまうのと別にあると良いと思いました。
フリーで用意されているお水が少し飲みにくいと感じました。あと、温かい飲み物はないので、冷えてしまうことが心配なら自分で用意して行った方がいいと思います。
スタッフの方も親切ですし、拙い英語力でも対応してくださいます。楽しかったです!
I couldn't use the reef-friendly sunscreen I bought in Japan... However, they provide free sunscreen on the ship that we can use. Be careful when buying sunscreen in Japan.
日本で買って行ったリーフフレンドリーの日焼け止めが使えず…でも、船にフリーで使っていい日焼け止めを用意してくれています。
日本で日焼け止めを買っていく場合は要注意です。
We were traveling with young kids who were not really into snorkeling.. so we were looking inexpensive ways to look at some beautiful marine life. This was perfect for us. 5 minutes walk from our resort. Friendly, knowledgeable and more importantly patient staff. Luckily we kind of got a private tour as there was no one else at the same time as ours.
Kids loved it, we loved it too. Definitely recommended!!
Aloha,
Thanks for taking the time to provide feedback about your Glass Bottom Boat Cruise. We're so happy to read that you and your family enjoyed the trip and your interactions with our crew.
We know there are a lot of ways to experience the ocean while you're on the Big Island, and we're honored you chose to join us onboard and that we've earned your recommendation.
Mahalo and A Hui Hou
Great guide (local), the pick up spot is a neat art gallery with a snackshot. The tour was great, filled with local knowledge and just the right length.
You might want bug spray (we didn't need it) and the wild horses aren't shy so bring apple slices!
The content of the show was excellent! However, the service at the Hilton hotel was disappointing. When I checked in at Hilton's Kingsland, the concierge advised me to arrive early to secure a seat, but when I actually went, I couldn't enter until the scheduled time. Despite having reserved a premium seat, I was made to wait in the general line. There were people who were allowed to enter preferentially, while we were left waiting and then admitted as general attendees. The event was held at a completely different location than what the concierge mentioned. What is the point of having a concierge??? But the show was absolutely fantastic.
ショーの内容は最高でした!
が、現地ヒルトンホテルの対応はいただけない。
ヒルトンのキングスランドにチェックインの際にコンシェルジュに確認したときは早めに行って席を確保したほうがいいといわれたのに実際に行くと時間まで入れずプレミアムシートを予約していたにも関わらず一般の列に並ばされた。
優先的に入っていく人たちもいたのに我々は待たされた挙句一般で入場。
コンシェルジュの言ってた全く違う場所での開催でした。なんのためのコンシェルジュ???
でも、ショーは最高によかったです。
It's better to clearly communicate the details of the ticket.
チケットの内容をきっちりと伝えたほうがいいです。
I was able to see a lot of fish, and it was a wonderful experience. My son really remembers how delicious the chips we had on the boat were, to the point that he wanted seconds.
Just as we were returning to the port, there was a tsunami due to an earthquake in the Kamchatka Peninsula, which made us a bit anxious, but they safely returned us without any issues. I feel like I want to participate again.
魚もたくさん見られて、とても良い体験をせて頂きました。
息子は、船上で頂いたチップスが美味しくてお代わりしてしまうほどだったことがすごく記憶に残っているようです。
丁度港に帰る頃にカムチャッカ半島の地震の影響で津波が来たタイミングで、多少慌てましたが、問題なく送り返して頂きました。
また参加したいと感じています。
The ship was larger than I expected, and there were many people participating. Since there was no Japanese support, there were fewer Japanese people, but it was great for us to experience the overseas
思っていたより船が大きくて、たくさんの人が参加されていました。日本語対応ではないので、日本人は少なめでしたが、私たちにとっては海外の感覚を味わえて良かったです。
I was disappointed with this tour for lack of hospitality, communication and false advertising. The tour guide is not an astronomer or someone who writes articles for astronomy mazagines or even a local Hawaiian. They are very knowledgeable, patient and friendly guides but also lack communication with the tour company. For instance, we had 10 people in our tour and they were told only 6 so he wasn’t prepared with enough hot chocolate or parkas. It may also be the reason he didn’t offer snacks or water to anyone and tried to get more people to drink coffee at 9 pm! I was also disappointed that we didn’t go to the Kona coffee farm as advertised in the itinerary and confirmed when they called. You also have to select your meal prior to arrival or seeing the options which is undesirable. Finally, when they called to confirm they told me not to bring anything - no water, jacket, hiking boots etc since all would be provided and tennis shoes were enough. First off, I came prepared with everything in my luggage but since they said not to bring a big bag or too many items we were underprepared. My son was freezing because the parkas are huge and they were passed out but left for people to get when they were freezing. Our tennis were covered in dirt and sand because we stopped at a beach and walked the sand. I would have to be informed in advance that we’re going to a beach and not the coffee farm and to have proper attire. The stargazing was nice and we saw a lot of stars and constellations but it was not pleasant because of the lack of preparation. I do not recommend this tour. If you book, don’t listen to their advice and come prepared with attire, water and snacks on top of the exorbitant price you pay. Or you could ask to go with the tour that matches the advertisement but I tried that already. Heed the warning. I didn’t and while we don’t regret it we regret the company.
All of the above. Confirm, confirm, confirm!
Great experience! Like snorkeling without getting wet. They took us over beautiful reefs with lots of fish. It was fun! The guides were great!
Great for all ages!
Aloha Shelli,
Thanks for taking the time to provide feedback about your Glass Bottom Boat Cruise. We're so happy to read that you enjoyed the trip and your interactions with our crew -- and we appreciate getting to see those photos you took too!
We know there are a lot of activities to choose from when you're on the Big Island and we're honored you chose to join us onboard.
Mahalo and A Hui Hou
Some comments mentioned that the food was not great, but all four of us were very satisfied. It's a buffet style where you can pick what you like, and since we had premium seats, we were able to get our food early while it was still available. The staff at our table frequently came to take drink orders. The show was enjoyable from start to finish. There were luaus, hula performances, and Hawaiian songs, allowing us to fully experience Hawaii. Although the exchange rate is poor right now, making it feel expensive, it was still a great way to create family memories.
食事が今一つというコメントもありましたが、我々4人は全員大満足してました。ブッフェスタイルで好きなものを取りにいきますが、プレミアムシートだったので、早めに空いている中で取りにいけました。飲み物はテーブル担当スタッフがこまめにオーダーを取りにきてくれます。ショーは、初めから最後まで楽しむことができます。ルアウもあればフラやハワイアンソングもあり、ハワイをたっぷり感じることができます。今は為替レートが悪いので高額に思いましたが、それでも、家族旅行の思い出作りにはよかったです。
Forest was a superb guide to this stunningly beautiful and magical valley -he was fun and so knowledgeable. The whole family loved the experience, with our girls wanting to return again the next day. We highly recommend!
The staff were welcoming, informative and helpful. The boat ride was enjoyable. The location where we snorkeled was underwhelming. We did see tiny, colorful fish, and some corals, but nothing else of note.
Forrest was an excellent guide, full of personal insight into the region as well as its history. He shared with us his experience in the valley, told us about the things and places we were viewing, and explained the challenges the region has and still does face. We loved the views, the animals, and the friendly greetings from the locals.
This cruise was outstanding! The crew was polite and attentive. The dinner was excellent! There was live music as well as someone giving us a little history of the island in between songs. I would definitely recommend this to anyone. We also were lucky enough to see the spinner dolphins put on a little chauffeur for us. We saw flying fish. Overall, it was an excellent experience!
We are thrilled that you had a great time! Providing an outstanding experience is exactly what our goals are! Thank you for joining us! We hope to see you again someday soon! Best regards!
We are a family of 4 with 2 teenagers, we had a great time with our guide at the stargazing tour. Our highlights were the lava caves, watching the sunset as well as stargazing. The sky was unbelievable and we learned a ton with our very knowledgeable guide.
Highly recommend.
I would skip the boiling pots when water level is low as there is nothing to see.
Pros: pig roast being done onsite, got to witness uncovering and presentation of the pig. (my son hated this portion!). menu and performances were both great! I liked different island nations being represented in music and dance and a little bit of story telling/history to tie it together. performance was good length and sunset was gorgeous! desserts and beverages were also delicious.
Cons: attempted to check in entire luau at one time slot. made for a lot of time waisted waiting in hotel lobby check in line. check in inside and then second check in outside felt redundant. we arrived at 5:22, email confirmation had suggested 5:30 check in, but spent several (20+ minutes) waiting to check in. by the time we arrived in luau area, we missed the 'activities' portion of the luau. we also missed the royal entrance of the luau show. we did however have great seats so first-come-first-seated wasn't an issue.
brief meet and greet with performers after the show felt rushed -- they were spread along exit sidewalk and available for a quick picture but were ushering us along immediately, without any chit chat -- which is a huge difference compared to other luaus.
professional photography of your party was an additional $25 for digital download. fresh lei's were an additional $10 each, which in my opinion were reasonably priced but I've had digital photography and leis included at other similarly-priced luaus.
having dined at this marriott the night before and spoken to several guests in the week it seems this particular marriott has become quite overpriced for the level of service and age of property it's become. it has an outstanding location, but is overpriced for the level of service or hospitality i've experienced at other similarly priced marriotts in the islands. pool and restaurants were crowded and bonvoy perks were lacking/zero. kids meals were reasonable, but got charged $10 each for kids scoop of vanilla icecream.
go earlier than confirmation email suggests if pre-show activities or royal entrance are important.
Sam was fantastic - really gave us all an exceptional tour of the night sky and was very knowledgable and great with the kids too!
Of course you can’t predict rain in Hawaii but you can have spots to seek cover. The event did pass out rain plastic but only once at the beginning and we did not get any.
Once the rain passed there was no attempt to wipe chairs so even if the rain stopped you were still soaked.
The hurried the show to see a quick fire dancer set but that was not that good.
Even without the rain you couldn’t see. The tables in rows made it difficult. The food was ok. The drinks didn’t not taste like any alcohol was in them just super sweet drinks. Overall I was not happy with the event.
Look for a smaller venue.
Riding the UTV was an unforgettable adrenaline rush through stunning landscapes—pure adventure from start to finish. The guides were fantastic and made the whole experience safe, fun, and absolutely thrilling!
Mahalo HJ for choosing Umauma for your ATV experience. Glad you had a great time!!
We usually skip tours and try to experience places through the locals, soaking in real culture over curated stops. But this tour into Waipio Valley with Forrest changed everything.
From the start, it was clear this wasn’t a typical tour. Forrest’s love for the valley, his deep knowledge of its history and sacredness, and his powerful storytelling made us feel connected to every inch of this land. He didn’t just drive us through—he invited us in.
The peace we felt in Waipio was unreal. Waterfalls, wild horses, taro fields… all of it wrapped in a stillness that felt spiritual. We walked away with more than photos—we walked away with perspective and gratitude.
If you get the chance, go. And hope Forrest is your guide. It’s an experience we’ll never forget.
We only found out about this tour because we knew a local person. There’s no sign at the road near the bay as to where to turn or park. Parking cost $38 in the public beach parking area. Once you get to the parking lot, there’s no sign as to where the boat is docked or where the kiosk for the tour company is. One girl working the kiosk told us that they didn’t offer glass bottom boat tours; the kiosk name matched our reservation. The website is very unfriendly. The tour guide was good but the captain could go a bit slower when over a reef so that we unfamiliar with it can focus our eyes to see the fish.
Be prepared for wading in the water to board the boat.
Aloha,
Thanks for taking the time to provide feedback about your experiences with us. We're sorry you found us difficult to find -- we aren't allowed to post signage so we do the best we can with our emailed and texted directions, and our reservationists are standing by the phone lines to help with those last minute directions too. The public parking lot at the south end of the beach is still free...but parking a bit closer at the Lava Lava restaurant will incur fees.
We're also sorry you found the website difficult to navigate (not sure if you're referring to Veltra's website or our own website) -- we encourage anyone with issues to contact us directly by phone or email.
We'll pass your feedback on to our captain regarding the boat's speed, and we're also investigating the issue where you were told we don't operate Glass Bottom Boat Cruises.
We appreciate your comments.
Mahalo for joining us!
Kool show super packed parking was crazy I recommend parking off site because 200 people plus a fishing tournament and whatever else is happening in the area leaving at the same time it took 45 min just to get out of the parking lot.
If parking is limited something else is going on in the area leaving will be not fun
The team is always doing a great job and provide a fantastic experience.
We had so much fun on this tour. Really great snorkeling. We found eels, puffer fish, and even an octopus.
From the captain to his crew to the boat, it was all perfect. We had the perfect day even with a 17 month old with us. The crew and captain Dante were so accommodating and welcoming. We would definitely recommend this tour for your family.
I highly recommend this luau. I was very satisfied with the delicious food and entertainment.
The process starts with checking in at the hotel, after which you are guided to outdoor party tables. Before the show begins, there is a drink bar and interactive activities. You can enjoy free games, a dance experience, and watch the digging up of kalua pig, which is cooked in an underground oven called an imu. Everyone was taking lots of videos and photos! Please note that this activity ends fairly early.
The buffet meal is followed by the grand entrance of King Kamehameha from the sea, and the show starts on stage! There are plenty of dances and songs inspired by Tahiti and Samoa, the ancestors of Hawaiians. The final fire dance was breathtaking. The emcee speaks entirely in English, but I think you can enjoy it fully even if you don't catch everything.
To be honest, I hesitated about whether to participate due to the price, but I ended up being very satisfied.
◆ One point to note is to arrive early for check-in. Check-in starts at 5:15 PM, but when we arrived at 4:45 PM, there were already about ten groups in line. Seating is assigned in the order of check-in, and you proceed to the activities from there, so if you check in late, it might be difficult to participate in the activities.
こちらのルアウはとてもお勧めです。
美味しい食事とエンターテイメントを楽しめてとても満足しました。
流れとしてはホテル館内で受付後、野外のパーティテーブルに案内されます。
ショーが始まる前にドリンクバーと参加型のアクティビティがありました。無料のゲーム、ダンス体験やイムという地中の釜で料理したカルアピッグ(豚の丸焼き)を掘り出す様子を見られます。皆さんビデオや写真をたくさん撮っていました!
このアクティビティははやい時間で終わってしまいますので注意が必要です。
ブッフェのお食事、海からのカメハメハ王の登場に続いてステージでショーがスタート!
ハワイアンの祖先であるタヒチやサモア風のダンスや歌が盛りだくさん。最後のファイアーダンスは圧巻でした。
司会はすべて英語ですが、すべてを聞き取れなくても充分に楽しめる内容だと思います。
正直なところ、お値段的に参加するかどうか迷いましたが結果は大満足です。
◆注意点は早めに受付に行くことかと思います。
受付スタートは17:15-ですが、私たちが16:45に行った時にはすでに10組ほどが並んでいました。席は受付順で案内され、その流れでアクティビティに進むので、受付が遅くなるとアクティビティ参加がむずかしくなるかもしれません。
I didn't feel much of a language barrier. Enjoy the unique luau that Hawaii has to offer!
言葉の壁はそれほど感じませんでした。
ハワイならではのルアウを楽しんでください
This was my third visit to Waipi'o, and I was finally able to see the bottom of the valley. It was truly wonderful. I'm glad I could feel the reason it's called a "sacred place." I definitely want to visit again.
3度目のワイピオでやっと渓谷の下まで見学する事が出来ました。本当に素晴らしかったです。「聖地」と呼ばれる由縁を感じら事が出来て良かったです。また是非訪れたいです。
Definitely visit! I think you'll gain something that only those who have been there can understand.
是非是非訪れてみてください。行った人にしかわからない「何か」を得る事が出来ると思います。
Was it because of the rain that the stage was moved from outdoors to indoors? I was looking forward to the fire dance, but it was canceled, and the show ended about an hour earlier than scheduled, which was disappointing. The food was also limited in variety and not as good compared to other luau shows.
雨降りで、ステージが屋外から屋内に移動になった為なのでしょうか?
楽しみにしていたファイヤーダンスもなく、予定時間の1時間ほど早く終了になり、ガッカリです。
食事も、他のルアウショーと比べると種類も少なく味も良くなかったです。
I recommend a luau show at another hotel.
別のホテルのルアウショーをお勧めします。
I had been to the top of the valley a few times before, but going into the valley was such an experience! It was incredibly peaceful, beautiful, and Kaleo was a wealth of knowledge about his home. I will absolutely be visiting again when family visits 🤙🏻 mahalo for the experience!
I highly recommend this experience! The guides were friendly and attentive and thorough. There were gorgeous cows on the trail and it was great to see them up close as we rode through. The scenery was great and we had lots of fun. Well worth the money for the experience.
Aloha Kiera,
Thank you for your great review. Glad you enjoyed your stay. Thank you for choosing Umauma.
The crew were all very friendly and full of information about the area. The food was good and the extra slides and diving platform didn’t interfere with serious snorkeling.