Big Island
The crew was friendly, funny and attentive. Thought we were just getting snacks with our drinks, but also got a teriyaki chicken bowl, which was a pleasant surprise. It was a cloudy day, so no sunset. As such, it would have been nice if they had tried to get us closer to the whales we saw in the distance, to make up for the impending lack of a sunset.
Great experience getting to see the whales up and close. The crew was outstanding and very informative. I highly recommend this excursion if you are ever in the area during the whale’s migratory season. The boat size was perfect. Not too big and crowded and not too small to avoid motion sickness.
Kids loved it! Highly recommend. Can't wait to come back :)
Travelers from all over the world boarded the boat together, and it felt like an attraction on a banana boat until we arrived at Kealakekua Bay, which was truly enjoyable. Given the season, we even spotted whales along the way, and we had plenty of time to enjoy snorkeling. The time spent heading to our destination while being explained in English was also great.
世界中から集まった旅行客同士で混乗してボートが出発。ケアラケクア湾に着くまでがバナナボートのアトラクションのようで、本当に楽しかったです。季節柄途中でくじらも見え、シュノーケリングも充分な時間で楽しめました。英語で説明してくれながら目的地まで向かう時間も良かったです。
This was an amazing experience—the dolphins were incredible. We got to hug them, touch them all over, and swim next to them with our hand on their back but not holding on to them. Maddie, our guide, was so warm and informative. I would recommend bringing goggles (swimming or snorkeling) so that you can put your head underwater with your eyes open to see the dolphins swimming under you. I’m surprised that isn’t recommended. Digital photos are VERY expensive ($170 for all of the photos they took, or $55 for one digital photo). That said, it’s a once in a life time experience, so you’ll probably want some photos.
This tour was a great way to see the highlights of the entire Big Island. To start off, our tour guide, Christopher, was fantastic. He was exceptionally knowledgeable about the island, interesting to listen to, energetic, and willing to do anything needed to make our tour great. We started out being picked up at our resort in a very comfortable Mercedes van. We visited Kona Joes coffee farm where we had a good lunch. We toured the southern side of the island, and stopped at the Punalu’u Bake Shop to have excellent pastries. Next stop was the black sand beach where we watched the huge surf crashing into the rocky coast, and saw two very lazy green turtles sunning themselves on the beach. After that, we went to the Kilauea volcano crater to see it in the daytime. Wind and rain hampered this visit, so we went to dinner at a great resturant nearby. On the way, we stopped to tour the rain forest and walked through a lava tunnel. Both were great experiences. Finally, to top it all off, we say the lava eruptions at night at the crater. Fantastic experience...
Aloha Mark,
Thank you for your review, very thorough! Christopher is a gem of a guide for sure, we're so happy you enjoyed your day with us, and we hope your trip to the Big Island was great EVERY day.
What a great experience! Kayaking on the ocean, whale watching, entering a cave and wrapping it up with a bit of snorkeling! Jasmine was a great guide and her confidence on the open waters really enhanced our adventure. It’s definitely a morning well spent!
Magnificent performance from all involved dealing with the history of the hawaiin islands and the Polynesian empire. The buffet was way too much to take in!!
The entertainment was first rate and the food was surprisingly good. You don’t expect food served to hundreds of people at once to be hot and tasty but they have the logistics well organized and the buffet line moves fast.
The fire stick dancers were excellent, and the whole evening had a very authentic feel.
This was our first luau and it was exceptional! The staff was courteous, professional, welcoming, and overall delightful! The food was very well prepared and there was a wide variety of selections. The show was both entertaining as well as informative and all of the performers ( host, dancers, and musicians) were great!!
I would love to do this again some time!
We saw lots of Mantas. I can't wait to come back and do it again.
Aloha Jim,
We are thrilled to hear you enjoyed the company of the manta's. We hope to see you in the near future!
Sea Paradise did a great job. We saw six mantas. I thought the boat trip would be a bit longer. Just a short ride out from shore. So it's not about sailing. But the mantas make up for it.
Aloha Jim,
Mahalo for taking the time to leave us a review. We do offer a shorter boat ride for those who are prone to getting sea sick/don't want to be on the boat for too long. We are happy to hear you enjoyed your manta tour.
It's not every day you can say you saw new earth being formed in front of your eyes. We loved seeing the glow of lava at night. Not many places you can do this in the world.
Mahalo, Kate!
We had such a fun time snorkeling with the mantas. We didn't realize how close they come to you in the water. One of them belly-bumped me by accident. Such graceful sea creatures.
Aloha,
The mantas are truly amazing. Mahalo for choosing Sea Paradise for your manta adventures. We hope to see you soon!
This was a very beautiful night! The luau experience was everything we were looking for. It felt like a true traditional experience
I was a little nervous about snorkeling at night but I'm so glad I went. It's less of a snorkel and more of a snorkel float where you hold onto a floating mat with LED lights underneath. The mantas were swooping underneath us eating the plankton. It was so calm and magical. Highly recommend.
Aloha Jim,
We appreciate your recommendation! It is more of a uniform snorkel and typically not to strenuous. We agree, they are truly magical! We hope to see you in the near future!
We weren't sure what to expect with this dolphin interaction but it was amazing. You can tell the care the trainers have for the dolphins and it was a very well run operation helping to build awareness about the local conservation efforts to protect Hawaii's marine life.
We had a great time on this cruise. Sipping cocktails, watching the sun slip beneath the ocean, looking for the legendary green flash. A perfect evening.
Saw lots of whales. We loved the combination of sailing on a catamaran and seeing whales breaching off in the distance. We highly recommend this tour to anyone visiting Hawaii during whale season.
This trip is great for families and couples alike. I really enjoyed the fact that the crew helped us locate the whales and went in search of the best viewing spots. Highly recommended for Waikaloa Bay Beach area.
First of all, WOW. From beginning to end, this experience was one for the record books.
For $10 this crew sets you up with a wet suit (recommended), and then a snorkel set at no additional charge. Once we boarded, we were met with a warm welcome, and a good belly laugh. Excellent staff! They were informative, safe, and most importantly, knew how to have fun!
During the boat ride we were met with bottle nose dolphins and a humpback whale sighting! The dolphins were curious and playful, and swam all around our boat! I may or may not have shed a tear of joy. It was seriously rad.
Once we got to our destination they gave us a noodle for floating, and set up a large, square floatation device for everyone to hold onto while we watched the mana rays. They are huge! They’re giant, friendly, and bring their appetite for plankton. You’ll also see tons of fish while you snorkel.
After our time was up, and we boarded, they passed out cups of hot chocolate.
The entire experience as a whole was one we will never forget. YOU HAVE TO DO THIS while you’re here!
Thank you so much for the experience of a lifetime! Keep up the good work, guys! Mahalo
Aloha Nikki,
Thank you for the amazing comments about our team, we're glad your group felt safe and satisfied! We do offer a repeater discount of 20% off, so please keep us in mind for future travel plans.
Mahalo,
Iruka Hawaii
Perfect family friendly glass bottom boat tour. At ~35 min, perfect length for our four-year old.
Staff very friendly, marine expert was great at pointing out the different species and interesting traits.
Tour also launches from a very nice, calm protected beach which would be worth visiting again, as the calm waters would allow even the youngest children the chance to walk and splash in the water with maybe a few small fish swimming by.
We had a wonderful experience with Tiana as our helicopter pilot. She was extremely skilled at flying and was a wealth of information regarding the areas we were flying over.
Capt Steve and crew member Morgan were absolutely Wonderful! Made us feel at ease. I would recommend the wet suits to get the full exploration time in case the westher is a bit chilly. Just getting out of the Bay was a Pod of Dolphins 8 or more right at the beginning of the Snorkeling tour!! On our way to 2nd Bay, Capt Steve notcied a whale that was a bit out of the way but still took us there and ended up being a Mama Whale with her baby practicing breaching the water! How amazing!! The Snorkeling was filled with Gorgeously Brillant colors of multitudes of fish especially at Capt Cook’s Momument! We explored magnificant caves while Capt Steve explained the History of the Island and topped off with delicious healthy assortment of fruit at first Bay and much needed sandwiches at the completion of the 2nd Bay stop!! We even lucked out and caught a glimpse of s huge Manta Ray coming back into port. Absolutely Perfect Snorkeling Tour and very personalized with a small group of interesting people!! Thank you Seaquest!!! I will remember this for the rest of my lfe!! That’s what life is all about!!
My family included two children and two seniors; thus reserved this trip as it was less strenuous (lower altitude, shorter time). Thought we'd see some stars and hear some stories, and was worried whether my family members would find it interesting.
Actual experience threw my expectations out the window. We usually see stars in pictures, in a way that makes them feel abstract and unreal. The way James showed us the stars made them feel so real and close. And it was totally awesome not just for me, but for everyone! We did quite a few activities on the island, and this was easily the most memorable.
One piece of advice; it is very very cold up there. I wore my pajamas under my pants and the thick down jacket James gave me, but was still shivering after about an hour. Dress very warmly, cuz this is worth it!
We went out to sea under the setting sun.
Everything was perfect.
Lots of huge manta rays came close. Sometimes up to few feet away!!
The crew; Diego and Ryan were pampering us and taking care of our every needs.
Would recommend them anytime without a doubt.
-David L
Aloha David,
Thank you for the positive comments about our team, we're glad your group felt safe and satisfied! We do offer a repeater discount of 20% off, so please keep us in mind for future travel plans.
Mahalo,
Iruka Hawaii
I enjoyed a traditional luau and music show in a lovely atmosphere. The fire dance was wonderful.
The seating was communal, which can feel a bit uncomfortable when it's crowded.
The buffet was decent in taste.
素敵な雰囲気の会場で伝統的なルアウやミュージックショーを楽しめました。ファイヤーダンス含め素晴らしかったです。
席は相席のようになっており、混んでいると少し落ち着かないです。
またビュッフェも味はまぁまぁでした。
This time, there were no other customers, so it was just my wife and me for a private horseback riding experience. The instructor was Maika, my horse was Key-kun, and my wife's was Okore-chan.
In Japan, after a thorough explanation and practice, we usually set off, but here, there was just a brief explanation of the basic movements like how to go forward, turn, and stop, along with what not to do for the horses, and we set off right when we were wondering if we were going.
I actually wanted to go to Waipio Valley, but I was told it’s not accessible right now, so we rode in the mountains. Maika explained various things to us.
Enjoying the beautiful scenery and fresh air, we spent about two hours, with breaks in between, swaying on Key-kun and Okore-chan. It was incredibly moving to experience a faster pace and even a little running, which is something that would be unthinkable in Japan. I really understood why jockeys adopt that position due to the pain in my thighs, haha.
It was a valuable experience that I definitely want to try again!
今回、他のお客様がいなかったので家内と2人だけのプライベートでの乗馬体験となりました。
インストラクターはMaikaさん、私のはキー君、家内のがオコレちゃん。
日本の乗馬では懇切丁寧な説明の後、練習した後出発しますが、こちらでは進み方、曲がり方、止まり方の基本動作の説明、お馬さんの為にやっちゃいけない事の説明があるだけ、もう行くの?って言うタイミングで出発。
本当はWaipio渓谷に行きたかったのですが、今は入れないとの事でお山⛰での乗馬。
Maikaさんが色々説明してくれます。
綺麗な景色を見ながら、綺麗な空気を満喫して、キーくん、オコレちゃんに揺られる事休憩を挟んで約2時間弱堪能しました。
日本ではあり得なかった、早足や少し走ってもらい超感動 余りの股の痛さに競馬の騎手があの姿勢になるのが良く分かりました笑笑
是非またトライしたい貴重な体験でした!
Madi is the perfect tour guide! She has great knowledge of the volcanos, loves answering everyone’s questions, and has a bubbly personality that makes it impossible to not have fun!! It was a long day, but everything is worth seeing. Walking through a lava tube is an amazing experience and my personal favourite. My hubby enjoyed the whole volcano park experience. To top it off they feed you all day, so it’s impossible to go hungry. Thank you so much and we’ll recommend this tour to everyone we know! Well worth the money!
Mahalo for the kind words about Madi and your experience! We strive for all of our guests to have this enjoyment with us!
This trip was such a convenient way to see Hawaii Volcanoes National Park. I think it can be a bit daunting when planning trips to the different islands for the first time especially considering location of places, terrain, the type of vehicle you may need, parking, and the length of the trip. So I would say this is a great way to get a taste for a bunch of different activities to do on the big island.
It will take about 13 hours to complete the whole trip and the temp will be warm during the day and cold at night so be prepared. Luckily the company does provide windbreakers and fleece jackets for the cooler temperatures. Our tour guide Aaron was great! He was very friendly and helpful. He is very knowledgeable about the history, environment, landscape, and so much more! Thanks so much for touring us around, Aaron. We appreciate it so much.