Reviewed by: Steve712
If you do one thing on the west side of the big island this is it. Words and pictures don't do the experience justice. The crew of the boat was safety conscious and the captain ran a tight ship. As a passenger we felt in good hands. Do your homework about what this tour involves. If you cannot swim and/or are afraid of the water this is NOT FOR YOU!!!. This tour had 1/2 a dozen non-swimmers on the tour. They were miserable and the crew had to spend an inordinate time catering to them.
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| Packages: | Standard Package: Moonlight Manta Snorkel (Seasonal) |
| Attended as: | Families |
| Posted on: | 2023/03/25 |
| Activity Date: | 2023/03/22 |
Reviewed by: Frances Morgan
Awesome day on the Big Island. A full day with a coffee farm, tour of the Volcanoes National Park, then stargazing on a clear night. Our Tour guide Aaron was the best. His knowledge of Hawaiian culture, the volcano, and then the night sky was awesome. He was so helpful and kind. This was a once in a lifetime experience. The volcano stopped erupting a few days after our tour. So, we felt so lucky to get to see an active volcano. Be sure to take a sweatshirt or jacket. It got cold in the evening. It is a full day, but so worth it.
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| Packages: | Standard Tour |
| Attended as: | Families |
| Posted on: | 2023/03/25 |
| Activity Date: | 2023/02/28 |
Reviewed by: Julie
We really enjoyed our experience on this tour. Our tour guide, Aaron was very informative! I mean who better to have for a tour guide than a history teacher!! The only part that could use some improvement are the meals. We expected a meal with more substance.
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| Packages: | Standard Tour |
| Attended as: | Couples |
| Posted on: | 2023/03/23 |
| Activity Date: | 2023/03/14 |
Reviewed by: Leesa
Overall great experience. There was construction traveling to the location and they waited for the people that were stuck in traffic. The staff was very friendly and answered and questions we had. They helped take pictures at the end by the waterfall for everyone. I felt very comfortable with the safety equipment. Especially going over the waterfall and the other really far drop. I would definitely recommend this company.
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| Packages: | Zipline Tour (7-Line Course) |
| Attended as: | Families |
| Posted on: | 2023/03/22 |
| Activity Date: | 2023/03/15 |
Reviewed by: Kara
Not only does it cover so many aspects of the island, you have an excellent guide the full time that makes you understand each area you are stopping at and the history!!
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| Packages: | Standard Tour |
| Attended as: | Friends |
| Posted on: | 2023/03/22 |
| Activity Date: | 2023/03/22 |
Reviewed by: Coartney
Amazing views! Great staff! So nice and helpful. Loved the waterfall spot!! Very refreshing!
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| Packages: | 9:00 AM Morning Ride |
| Attended as: | Families |
| Posted on: | 2023/03/21 |
| Activity Date: | 2023/03/14 |
Reviewed by: Coartney
Great Capitan + crew! Beautiful views! Very clean and organized! Loved the history given by crew members! Would definitely recommend!!
Aloha Courtney,
Mahalo for sharing your beautiful pictures and for your wonderful recommendation. We hope to have the pleasure of seeing you in the near future!
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| Packages: | Deluxe Morning Snorkel Cruise with 2 Snorkel Stops, Breakfast & Lunch [4.5 hrs] |
| Attended as: | Families |
| Posted on: | 2023/03/21 |
| Activity Date: | 2023/03/16 |
Reviewed by: Lindsay B
The crew was amazing and qued a mother and baby, possibly 2 to the surface for play time!
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| Packages: | Afternoon Whale Watch Cruise [Sailing Catamaran] |
| Attended as: | Couples |
| Posted on: | 2023/03/21 |
| Activity Date: | 2023/03/15 |
Reviewed by: yukimonkey
We participated in a two-person kayak with six people in total. At first, it was very refreshing to paddle through the beautiful sea, but as we got out into the open water, there were some waves, and my two sons got seasick. We managed to reach the cave, but we decided to turn back halfway. One of the two instructors helped us by pulling back the kayak that had one of my sons who got sick and couldn't paddle anymore. Although we felt like we were causing trouble, they helped us with smiles and no complaints, which was really appreciated. Everyone, don't forget to take motion sickness medication when sea kayaking. I feel like we could have enjoyed it even more if there had been snorkeling, but it was fun even up to that point, and it left a good memory. Also, the activity I participated in was conducted entirely in English.
二人乗りのカヤック3つに6人が乗る形で参加しました。
最初は綺麗な海の中をカヤックで進んでいくのは非常に爽快でしたが、外海に出るに連れて少し波もあったため
息子2人が海で酔ってしまいました。
洞窟の前までは行けたんですが、途中で帰ることに。インストラクターの2人のうち1人が、1人が酔ったため疲れて進まなくなったカヤックを1つずつ引っ張って連れて帰ってくれました。
迷惑をかけてしまいましたが嫌な顔せず、笑顔で助けてくれて本当に助かりました。皆さん、シーカヤックでは酔い止めは忘れずに。
本当であればシュノーケリングもあってもっと楽しめたと気もしますが、途中まででも楽しかったし、十分記憶には残ったので良かったです。
あと、私が参加したアクティビティは完全英語でした。
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| Attended as: | Families |
| Posted on: | 2023/03/20 |
| Activity Date: | 2023/03/18 |
Reviewed by: Lauren Ralph
Lovely crew, delicious Mai Tai, amazing wildlife viewing. I have never seen a humpback whale do a complete breach, and this was just supposed to be a sunset sight cruise! We laughed and truly enjoyed the time. Our plans changed from going to see the stars to this, and I couldn't have been more pleased. Wish I had understood I would be barefoot the whole time (I likely didn't read the memo). Would have changed which shoes I wore to board.
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| Packages: | Waikoloa Sunset Sail |
| Attended as: | Couples |
| Posted on: | 2023/03/19 |
| Activity Date: | 2023/02/20 |
Reviewed by: Amanda
This was such an amazing tour. Forrest was very knowledgeable of the Hawaiian history and legends of the valley. He knew each local resident by name. It felt very special to get to see such a remote, sacred part of the Big Island.
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| Packages: | Waipio Valley Shuttle & Off-Road Tour Package |
| Attended as: | Families |
| Posted on: | 2023/03/18 |
| Activity Date: | 2023/03/16 |
Reviewed by: HILO
The Hawaiian show with the sunset over the ocean was wonderful. Since it was outdoors, I was worried about the rain, but it was fine.
海をバックに夕陽が落ちてのハワイアンショーは素敵でした。
屋外なので雨も心配しましたが大丈夫でした。
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| Attended as: | Friends |
| Posted on: | 2023/03/18 |
| Activity Date: | 2023/02/20 |
Reviewed by: Jenny
We arrived slightly late and the crew kindly waited a bit for us. There was only 4 of us which made the experience felt a lot more enjoyable - it was not crowded or noisy! No jostling of people.
Once out there, we got in the water smoothly and saw 2 rays, 3 times. Unfortunately, the ray sightings have reduced in recent years so we considered ourselves lucky! Highly recommend it all round!
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| Packages: | Standard Package: Sunset Manta Snorkel |
| Attended as: | Friends |
| Posted on: | 2023/03/18 |
| Activity Date: | 2023/02/24 |
Reviewed by: Max family
This was one the best experiences ever! The guide was fantastic! (Gauge/Gage? My apologies if misspelling your name - he was super knowledgeable about the island and easy to talk to, he was also well organized and thought of everything. The entire journey was super easy to follow and we all got to see some amazing things. Hot chocolate and biscotti? Snow? Wild turkeys and sheep? Binary star system anyone? Gage will make it happen. We also had a great GREAT experience just chatting with you about the Big Island. Thank you Thank you!
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| Packages: | Mauna Kea Sunset & Stargazing Tour with Dinner |
| Attended as: | Families |
| Posted on: | 2023/03/13 |
| Activity Date: | 2023/02/22 |
Reviewed by: Flora
Just want to say that my husband and I really enjoyed our tour with Zachary he was very knowledgeable and attentive with everyone in our group! Thank you!
Aloha Flora,
Thank you for your review! We appreciate you picked Kailani to tour you around the island. Zachary is amazing, a very humble and knowledgable guide. Thanks again for posting, and we hope you enjoyed your time on the Big Island!
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| Packages: | Standard Tour |
| Attended as: | Couples |
| Posted on: | 2023/03/09 |
| Activity Date: | 2023/03/07 |
Reviewed by: Jenni
Three generations trip and this was a last minute addition.
The staff was amazing, the boat was easy to board and comfortable, and we saw turtles!!
Completely enjoyable and would readily recommend!!
Aloha,
Thanks for taking the time to provide feedback about your Glass Bottom Boat Cruise. We're so happy to read that your whole family enjoyed the trip, the information and service provided by the crew, and most importantly, got a chance to experience our underwater world.
We know there are a lot of activities to choose from when you're on the island and we're honored you chose to spend part of your day with us and that we've earned your recommendation.
Mahalo and A Hui Hou
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| Packages: | Waikoloa Glass Bottom Boat Cruise |
| Attended as: | Families |
| Posted on: | 2023/03/08 |
| Activity Date: | 2023/03/06 |
Reviewed by: L Family
Eka snorkeling with manta rays was amazing. The small, personalized tour is a great way to see the rays. Loved the classic canoe. This was perfect for ray family and I can recommend this tour group highly enough. Kai was great - he is so knowledgeable about the rays and he calmed my 9 y.o.’s fears -he on spectrum and they were very flexible in how we got him into the water and to the board. My son can’t stop talking about how great this experience was-he can’t wait to go again. Book this tour - you won’t regret it. The entire group was accommodating and friendly and made this the best adventure of our Hawaiian trip. Thank you Eka.
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| Packages: | Standard Package |
| Attended as: | Families with Young Children |
| Posted on: | 2023/03/07 |
| Activity Date: | 2023/03/05 |
Reviewed by: しーずー
This activity focuses on the characteristics of plankton that gather around light, allowing you to observe manta rays that come to feed after sunset by setting up lights on the water.
During my visit, I was fortunate enough to encounter more than ten manta rays. Thanks to the lights, the mantas came close enough that I felt I could reach out and touch them, which was truly impressive. Additionally, the graceful swimming of the mantas reminded me of angels gliding through the ocean, making it a mystical and valuable experience.
The staff were all friendly, and I was able to enjoy a fulfilling time. On the return boat, we were even treated to hot chocolate, which showed their thoughtful attention to detail.
I believe this is a unique activity that you won't find elsewhere, so I highly recommend participating if you're interested!
光に集まるプランクトンの特性に着目し、夕暮れ以降に海上に浮かぶライトをセッティングすることで、プランクトンの捕食を目的に集まったマンタを鑑賞できるアクティビティです。
自分が参加した回は、運良く10匹を超えるマンタ達と会うことができました。
ライトのおかげで、手を伸ばせば届きそうな距離までマンタが近付いてくれるので、とても迫力がありました。
また、優雅に泳ぐマンタ達はまるで海中を泳ぐ天使を彷彿とさせ、神秘的で貴重な経験となりました。
スタッフの皆さんはフレンドリーな方ばかりで、充実した時間を過ごすことができました。
帰りの船の中では、ホットチョコレートが振る舞われるなど、気遣いもバッチリです。
他では味わえない貴重なアクティビティかと思いますので、ご興味がある方はご参加をおすすめします!
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| Packages: | 1便プラン(送迎付き) |
| Attended as: | Couples |
| Posted on: | 2023/03/07 |
| Activity Date: | 2023/03/05 |
Reviewed by: 千葉の関西人
Kayaking was my first experience, but with careful guidance, I happily arrived at the cave. Despite the rough weather, the sea was calm, making it enjoyable for beginners. I didn't encounter any whales or dolphins, but I would like to try again.
カヤックは初めての体験でしたが、丁寧に指導していただいて、洞窟まで楽しく到着しました。荒れた天候の合間でしたが海も穏やかで初心者も楽しめます。
鯨やイルカは会えませでしたが、またチャレンジしたいです。
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| Packages: | 海中洞窟探検付き!午前プラン |
| Attended as: | Couples |
| Posted on: | 2023/03/02 |
| Activity Date: | 2023/02/26 |
Reviewed by: Phil
We had an amazing time as the crew was incredibly prepared and accommodating. They were able to fit all of us on board and bring us out without a problem. The guides were very knowledgeable and were helpful in getting in and out of the water. They work together with the other tours in the same space to attract as many rays as possible. We ended up seeing 10 or more rays with a near constant show. We had my 65-year-old mom and dad, my 40-year old self and wife, and our eight and 10-year-old with us, and it was never a problem. A great activity if your kids can stay up a little later and recover the next day.
It's a short boat ride out, but the darkness set off a little of my motion sickness, So if you're prone to that be sure to take some medication ahead of time. I also had a little issue being in the waves and going up and down in the darkness. One of the other participants got fully sick away from the boat but the crew handled it very professionally.
I would absolutely recommend them!
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| Packages: | Night Manta Discovery Adventure |
| Attended as: | Families |
| Posted on: | 2023/02/28 |
| Activity Date: | 2023/01/30 |
Reviewed by: Shawn
We could not see any and also the ride was so bumpy
Aloha Shawn,
Thank you for taking the time to leave a review. We extend our deepest apologies for the experience you had on our tour. We would like to hear more details about it. Could you email us at info@hawaiidolphin.com and elaborate further? We would like to rectify this situation. Thank you.
Best,
Iruka Hawai‘i ‘Ohana
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| Packages: | Manta Ray Night Snorkel |
| Attended as: | Couples |
| Posted on: | 2023/02/26 |
| Activity Date: | 2023/02/24 |
Reviewed by: Spittstop
My 10 yo daughter and I did this excursion during a recent trip to the Big Island. It was an incredible and highly memorable evening and I feel privileged to have been able to do this.
We saw humpback whales and dolphins en route to the Manta Ray swim spot, and that made the excursion worthwhile, even before we'd seen the rays.
The crew were knowledgeable and fun and although the activity requires you to jump into the ocean at night without any light, I always felt safe and confident that the crew was looking after us. Having my daughter with me made that essential.
We floated for about 15 mins before we saw the rays, but when we did it was really breathtaking. We had around 30 mins or so floating before we got back on the boat for the ride back to port.
The crew took videos and photos and shared them with us which was a really lovely touch.
Wetsuits were a must as it does get cold. For those with younger children, there was a larger float that they could sit on safely, but older children were able to float in the water alongside adults.
I really couldn't recommend this highly enough. Maybe leave an extra 15 mins to find the dock as we struggled a little as there are quite a few trips leaving from the same marina at similar times.
Aloha! Thank you so much for choosing Iruka Hawaii Dolphin for your Manta Ray snorkel adventure. We are so happy that you and your daughter had such a great experience with us. We hope to see you soon, mahalo
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| Packages: | Manta Ray Night Snorkel with Sunset Cruise |
| Attended as: | Families |
| Posted on: | 2023/02/25 |
| Activity Date: | 2023/02/19 |
Reviewed by: Neverstopexploring
We really enjoyed the glass bottom boat cruise. We had a frustrating experience earlier with snorkeling and we were happy to have an opportunity to see the reefs and the fish from the comfort of a boat. We even got to see some sea turtles under the boat! We also thought that the price for the cruise was more reasonable than many of the attractions in Hawaii. After the cruise we went hiking on the beautiful Ala Kahakai Trail which extends north from A-Bay. The glass bottom boat cruise is a can't miss experience on the Big Island!
Aloha,
Thanks for taking the time to provide feedback about your Glass Bottom Boat Cruise and for including those wonderful photos! We're so happy to read that you njoyed the trip and got to see so much marine life.
We know there are a lot of activities to choose from when you're on the island and we're honored you chose to spend part of your morning with us and that we've earned your recommendation.
Mahalo and A Hui Hou
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| Packages: | Waikoloa Glass Bottom Boat Cruise |
| Attended as: | Couples |
| Posted on: | 2023/02/25 |
| Activity Date: | 2023/02/01 |
Reviewed by: Dan&Renee
This tour was worth every penny. The sites and culture we experienced were beyond our expectations. The tour guide was so friendly and her knowledge of each and every site visited and of the Hawaiian culture and history was beyond outstanding. This tour has to be the highlight of our visit to the Big Island. If you want an exciting, exhilarating, beautiful, and culturally immersive experience this tour will meet your every expectation.
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| Packages: | Grand Circle Island & Volcanoes National Park |
| Attended as: | Couples |
| Posted on: | 2023/02/24 |
| Activity Date: | 2023/02/22 |
Reviewed by: Tom
The guide was very friendly and shared many interesting stories! Everyone participating was American, and we all had a great time together. We were able to see a starry sky that you can't experience in Japan. The guide also explained about the stars, which was very enjoyable.
ガイドさんが非常に気さくな方で色々な面白い話をしてくれました!参加していたのはアメリカ人だけでしたがみんなでワイワイしてました。日本ではみるようなことができない満点の星空を見ることができました。ガイドさんが星の解説もしてくださり非常に楽しかったです
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| Attended as: | Solo Travelers |
| Posted on: | 2023/02/24 |
| Activity Date: | 2023/02/21 |
Reviewed by: TPBChicago
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.
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| Packages: | Waikoloa Sunset Sail |
| Attended as: | Couples |
| Posted on: | 2023/02/21 |
| Activity Date: | 2023/02/03 |
Reviewed by: MM1
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.
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| Packages: | Morning Whale Watch Cruise [Holona Speed Powerboat] |
| Attended as: | Friends |
| Posted on: | 2023/02/18 |
| Activity Date: | 2023/01/28 |
Reviewed by: Nick
Kids loved it! Highly recommend. Can't wait to come back :)
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| Packages: | Royal Kona Resort - Standard Luau Package |
| Attended as: | Families with Young Children |
| Posted on: | 2023/02/18 |
| Activity Date: | 2023/01/25 |
Reviewed by: aaaaa
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。
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| Packages: | 09:00/12:45出港(シュノーケル1か所) |
| Attended as: | Friends |
| Posted on: | 2023/02/18 |
| Activity Date: | 2023/01/23 |
Reviewed by: Maja
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.
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| Packages: | 30-min Encounter Deluxe (Ages 10 & Over) |
| Attended as: | Couples |
| Posted on: | 2023/02/16 |
| Activity Date: | 2023/02/14 |
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Aloha Kara, and thanks for your kind words. We're glad you enjoyed the tour, and we thank you for choosing Kailani Tours!