All Reviews for Kilauea Volcano, Big Island

I was disappointed that there wasn't a Japanese pilot. Also, the two people sitting in front of me were wearing beige and red tops with shorts, which caused those colors to reflect on the glass. It was the worst because I couldn't take a photo with my smartphone without those colors showing up. For those participating, it's best to wear longer pants, at least knee-length, in black, and also a black top.

日本語パイロットでなかったのが残念でした。
あと、前に座った２人が、ベージュ、赤色のトップスにショートパンツの洋服を着ていたせいで、ガラスにその色が反射して、スマホで写真撮ろうとしても映り込んで、最悪でした。
参加される方は長めの、せめて膝下丈のパンツで色は黒色、そしてトップスも黒色を必ず着ていくほうがベストですよ。

This tour was life changing for me! Such an awesome experience to really see the island and have someone guide you through it so you really understand what you're seeing and the history behind it.

Tour guide was Chris who was excellent. He has a real gift for this, and you can tell he is truly passionate and loves what he does. Makes the tour feel more real and less like show and tell or reading from a script. 10/10 highly recommended tour.

Tour provides you with all the comforts you need for the day so you're never hungry, cold, or unsure of where a clean bathroom is. Even had plugs for you to charge your phone although I had a portable charger with me that day which I recommend for any trip.

Our guides made our 12 hours together seem too short and they went above and beyond to make our day the best ever. Both were extremely knowledgeable about virtually any Hawaiian subject. They picked us up precisely on time and we started our day. We were taken to a lava flow surrounded by mountains that went on as far as the eye could see. Just our first stop of seeing mother nature at its finest. We continued on to a park for a gourmet box lunch that was obviously freshly made and to get to know our tour mates better. The views and fresh air were wonderful. The Hawaiian gods of weather were certainly shining down on us. Off again for a tour around the quaint town of Hilo where we enjoyed the statue of King Kamehameha and a stop at a candy shop. We then went on to Rainbow Falls with its beautiful waterfall and scenery. We stopped along the way at steam vents from the volcano. Ladies, if you want a facial, that's the place to go. Volcano National Park was amazing. The Visitor Center had a great museum and showed us the history of the crater. This was just a preview as we would return later for a nighttime view. Leaving the crater we visited the naturally formed lava tube used in the filming of the rolling boulder scene in Raiders of the Lost Ark. The ferns at the park were also used as a backdrop for scenes from Jurassic Park. We were treated to dinner at the Kilauea Lodge in Volcano, Hawaii. Fabulous. After dinner we returned to the crater to view the night time glow and star gaze. We were able to get a glimpse of the lava pool where the level varies 100s of feet over a few days' time. Jim talked about the stars and pointed out several constellations. It was definitely a once in a lifetime view. Throughout the entire trip our hosts provided almost continuous commentary on the history, stories, customs, flora and fauna of Hawaii. A total 1st class experience and the highlight of our trip to Hawaii. We would definitely do this tour with them again. Mahalo!

One of the best tours in Hawaii. Our tour guide Adam was very knowledgeable and polite. We did the night viewing of the volcano tour with stargazing. During the entire trip our tour guide shared abundant histories about legends and culture from Hawaii. We stopped for lunch at a very beautiful place near Mauna Loa. Adam(tour guide) baked some delicious cookies for us too :) We covered Rainbow fall, Jagger Museum and the lava tube, out of which viewing the volcano at night was absolutely breath taking.The tour had included dinner at Kilauea Lodge(fine dining) by the volcano national park. Overall our experience with Kailani tours was amazing, we would definitely recommend this tour to all those who visit the Big Island.

We feel extremely fortunate to have joined Kailani Tours with our tour guides Kawika and Kevin as our guides. Together they shared a wealth of knowledge and personal charm. They gave us the history, geology and volcanology of the Big Island of Hawaii. Both were engaging, humorous and attentive to our every need. They provided us with lunch and a sumptuous dinner. They shared many sites along the way all detailed with their particular history. The highlight was a spectacular visage of our living Mother Earth in her volcanic glory along with a clear and beautiful view of the stars in the night sky. Breathtaking is an understatement given the epiphany of our smallness in the universe. We thoroughly enjoyed this "not to be missed" experience shared with an intimate group of 14 - giving us more opportunities to learn from our guides. If you find yourself amongst the fortunate to have Kawika or Kevin for your guide, you are truly in for a treat! Can't thank you enough Kailani Tours for a job well done! Mahalo Nui Loa - Suzy and Betty

We did the night time volcano viewing tour with stargazing through Kailani Tours Hawaii. It also included lunch, Rainbow Falls, Lava Tube and Jaggar Museum. This was one the BEST tours that I have EVER been on! It was our driver, Kawika's, first day and Kevin was his "co-pilot". We were VERY fortunate to have the knowledge of 2 excellent tour guides that could bounce things off of each other. They were both VERY personable and friendly. They took special care to make sure we were well fed, had water, jackets, flashlights, hot chocolate and cookies! The lunch was excellent and the dinner was superb! The service at the restaurant was just as good as the service from Kawika and Kevin! We ended up having some extra time due to all the pick up's being in the same vicinity, so we were able to see a couple of little extra things in the Volcano National Park - not normal - so it made the day extra special. Kawika was extremely knowledgeable about the volcanic system and was great at explaining it to us. The volcano viewing at night was the most spectacular thing I have ever had the privilege of seeing on this Earth! The weather was perfect and the view was INCREDIBLE! Kawika and Kevin set up a great telescope to view the stars through and they were also able to take photos of the volcano through it with our phones! I HIGHLY recommend this tour and the tour company! You won't regret it!

The tour led by Kevin was great! He is very knowledgeable and humorous. The lunch spot had a great view of Mauna Loa. The scenery along the drive was like going through many different climates, which was amazing. The Big Islands Macadamia Nut factory was fun as I couldn’t stop eating various samples. It was nice meeting the King Kamehameha statue in Hilo. Dinners and drinks were delicious as we sat by the famous Friendship Fireplace in a historical lodge/restaurant, Kilauea Lodge by the Volcano National Park. The best part of the trip was revisiting the Mauna Loa Crater for live lava during nighttime. It was stunning! I wish I had taken the tour beginning of my vacation so I can decide where to go and explore more later. I strongly recommend this tour during the first few days of your vacation so you can enjoy the rest of your vacation.

First of all, this is a fantastic trip. When we first booked the trip, we saw the 4.9 out of five rating and doubted. When we came back from the trip, all doubts were erased!

Our guide Kevin is extremely knowledgeable, helpful and friendly. We were picked up at our hotel at 12:05 noon. The lunch was served in the Mauna Lao Rest Area at 1pm. The quality of the lunch is totally out of expectations. Kevin told us they were picked up from a famous deli at 11:30 AM. No wonder it’s so good and fresh!

The Rainbow Fall in Hilo is the first highlight. We saw the rainbow as soon as we got there. It’s exactly the same as shown in the advertisement picture. Absolutely beautiful! Kevin specifically warned us not to climb on the rocks in the upper river because many people died falling into the pond under the waterfalls. We saw about 10 people on the rock that day. Two days later I saw a news that a young couple were seeing struggling in the upper River and disappeared. The lady was later found dead at the bottom of the waterfall and the guy was still missing. Very good advice from Kevin!

The highlight of all highlights is of course the view of the live volcano. The tour company’s arrangement it’s very smart. They let us view the volcano crater at sunset for about 30 minutes. Then, we were transported to a very nice restaurant nearby to enjoy a five course formal dinner. Again it is so good that it is totally out of expectation.

We were back to the volcano after dinner when it is dark and very few people there. We can see the lava glow very clearly. When Kevin set up his high quality binoculars on a stand, we can even see the lava splashed out of the crater like fireworks!

Overall, it worths all 5 stars. I would recommend this trip to anyone!

Kailani tours on the big Island of Hawaii was wonderful! Our tour guide Kevin, was an excellent tour guide. He was very knowledgeable and understanding and he took us to so many beautiful destinations on the island. The timing of the tour was perfect we had a beautiful lunch with an amazing view and the weather was great then he took us to see a beautiful waterfall at rainbow Falls and I actually saw a rainbow! We saw so many wonderful things on this tour. They took us out to a wonderful delicious dinner and after dinner we got to see the amazing volcano the red glow was magnificent. One of my favorite parts of the tour was when our tour guide Kevin offered to take an amazing photo that he captured in the dark from my cell phone. He was able to capture us and the red glow from the volcano behind us. True photographer status and that was just a bonus!! From what I recognized throughout the day on the tour is that there were a lot of other tour buses out there as well but I noticed that those tour guides were rushing their customers in and out of the van not giving them very much time to actually explore and learn about Hawaii. This is one thing that made Kailani tours and our tour guide Kevin stand out to me! Our tour guides patience with the group was excellent and he allowed us to really explore the land. The whole day I learned so many amazing things about Hawaii. Kailani tours made our Hawaii trip perfect. And I will cherish these memories forever. I highly recommend taking a Kailani tours if you’re ever on the big Island. I give them 5++ stars!! Thank you Kailani Tours of Hawaii.

We had a fantastic time with our Kailani tour of the Big Island that we booked through Veltra. I’ll go through each category of the trip one by one and leave my detailed thoughts:

GUIDE
Our guide, Kevin, was a former U.S. Navy electrical engineer and was quite knowledgeable about the island. He spoke on the microphone throughout the trip, always providing new and interesting information, but never repeating himself or sounding boring. I got the sense that he wasn’t just trying to fill space, but rather that he genuinely had lots of things to share about the island. I also appreciated how he had studied some Hawaiian and was able to translate a number of names and titles to us in English and explain the cultural and linguistic origins.

ITINERARY
I was stoked to get to see Volcanoes National Park because it was on my bucket list and it was beautiful. The guide provided night-time binoculars so we could see the magma spitting out of the volcano crater at night—truly spectacular. Plus, the itinerary was designed so that you avoid the large crowds at the volcano, making stops before and after it erupts. Hilo was nice but quick, so I’d say if you really want to explore the town of Hilo you should go on your own. This one makes a brief stop in Hilo but really just uses it as a jumping off point to explore the volcano.

FOOD
The lunch was pretty simple but fresh – sandwiches with turkey, hummus, and avocado in various varieties. The dinner is quite special though as the lodge is quite intimate, very cozy and offers great food.

TRANSPORT
The transport is a Mercedes 12 seater van with a co-pilot seat, then three rows of three and one row of four. Even if you get a middle seat it’s not bad, because the windows are essentially panoramic on the bus and they are extremely clean. The black leather interior was very comfortable and not one on our ride got carsick.

Overall I highly recommend this tour!

My wife and I were celebrating our Honeymoon in Hawaii and were lucky enough to have a full day of entertainment with this tour! The Big Island can require a lot of driving time to get to see the numerous sights it has to offer. The tour we booked provided us with an experience I know we would not have gotten on our own. I cannot speak anymore highly of our awesome Tour Guide Jim Carey (I know and yes he has the same name). He made the whole experience that much more memorable by his genuine appreciation for Hawaiian culture. He was extremely knowledgeable about EVERYTHING which made the tour in depth and interactive. His added commentary was great while visiting the waterfalls and volcano. The day flew by and we were continuously more and more impressed with everything the tour offered. The provided lunch and dinner were both delicious. Every part of the day flowed very well and it was capped off by our last stop back at the volcano to stargaze. We were able to set up the telescope and see the lava erupting in the volcano! I definitely would recommend this tour to anyone and everyone and I can't thank our tour guide enough. Jim made the whole experience 10 times better! Thanks Jim!

After a self-guided drive and tour of the Haleakala volcano in Maui, I decided to let a professional do the drive from Kona to the Kilauea National Park. After reading many of the TRIP ADVISOR reviews (97% excellent), I felt confident this was the tour for my wife and I. It did not disappoint! I hate bus tours because it seems you spend half your day loading and unloading the 50+ passenger buses. Our 11 person tour allowed us to spend much longer times at each wonderful stop with no pressure. Our guide, Kevin Hasting, just said “Come back when you have seen enough.” Fantastic! In addition, Kevin had an encyclopedic knowledge of Hawaiian culture, lifestyle, history, geography, ecology, you name it. He was also an excellent storyteller between stops which made this tour a unique and personal adventure. Lastly, Kevin was so proficient at navigating the Eastern Coast, Hilo area and park that he was somehow able to adjust his routes and timing to avoid the many rain squalls and downpours common to this area. I cannot say enough about how great this tour is. Don’t drive yourself, you will miss so much. One piece of advice. Take some warm clothes with you as it gets cold at night at the high elevations. I carried a light windbreaker jacket, a hoodie, a knit cap and a pair of pullover slacks to put on at night. I ended up giving my hoodie to a fellow passenger to wear who was shivering. The tour does provide emergency blankets and jackets.

This tour is very informative. You get to see black sand, volcanoes, waterfalls, and more. Our driver/guide was excellent.
There was more walking than indicated on the website, including climbing lots of stairs. Therefore I was not able to see some of the sites. But if you don't have any mobility issues, I recommend this tour.

Deluxe is the word! As if the natural awesomeness of a live volcano,a national park and stars was not enough this trip also includes a tasty picnic lunch and a 5 star dining experience for dinner. Add to this an extremely knowledgeable guide who serenades you with ukulele, tells amazing Hawaiian myths, provides astronomical binoculars to improve photographs taken on your phones and cameras of a live volcano at night and leads a sing-along on the way home.
This was a long day but easily the best tour our family has ever taken. Booking via Veltra tours was easy, even from overseas.

The guide was outstanding. He is a geologist with a lot of experience. He provide
a lot of information on the volcano as well as information about the the big island in general. He helped us take pictures as well as provided answers to questions we asked. This was a great tour.

This is an absolutely terrific tour and worth every penny. Our family has visited the Big Island many times but we learned so much from our energetic and knowledgable tour guide, Kevin. Absolutely adored the gorgeous candy facility stop on the way to the volcano. This store is beautiful and we ended up purchasing client gifts which were efficiently ordered and shipped back to the mainland. The dinner stop at the Kilauea Lodge was amazing. I ordered a Cosmopolitan cocktail which was presented just as chic and lovely as any found in a Five Star hotel bar. Good meal enjoyed in a cozy spot among new friends. Back to the night lava viewing at the volcano which was utterly amazing. The warm coats and flashlights provided by Veltra made the experience even more enjoyable.
Last but not least I must give kudlos to Kevin, our tour guide. This man has truly done his homework and is passionate about educating his guests about the gorgeous Island of Hawaii. Thank you, Kevin for making each and every one of us feel important.

GREAT TOUR!

I requested a pickup service. Even after the scheduled pickup time had passed, I waited for a long time. The receptionist at Royal Cliff was considerate and made an inquiry (they were Japanese). They mentioned that they were running late due to making rounds, but a taxi arrived 30 minutes late. The driver seemed very apologetic.
However, it was such a wonderful sightseeing flight that I didn't mind at all. Thank you, pilot TOSHI. I would definitely like to request this again on another island.

送迎付きでお願いしました。お迎えの時間を過ぎてもずっと待っていました。ロイヤルシークリフのレセプションの方が気を利かせて問い合わせしてくださいました（日本の方でした）。あちこち廻ってるので遅れているとのことでしたが、30分遅れでやって来たのはタクシーでした。凄く申し訳なさそうに謝ってました。
そんなことも全く気にならないほどの素晴らしい遊覧飛行でした。パイロットのTOSHIさん、ありがとうございました。他の島でもまた是非お願いしたいと思います。

Thank you very much for all your help this time. Thanks to you, the weather was great, and I was able to see the vast Big Island of Hawaii and the long-desired Kilauea Volcano from the sky. If I had to say, it would have been perfect to see a bit more volcanic activity, but I suppose we can't go against nature (laughs). However, I was satisfied as I could clearly see the lava flowing.

I was a bit concerned about the budget, but considering it as a once-in-a-lifetime memory, I don't think it was expensive at all.

このたびはいろいろお世話になりありがとうございました。おかげさまで天気もよく、広大なハワイ島と念願のキラウエア火山を空から観ることができました。敢えて言うならばもう少し活発な火山活動が観られたら最高でしたが、さすがに自然には逆らえませんね(苦笑)。でも溶岩が流れ出ている様子などはハッキリ見えたので満足しています。
予算的にはどうかなと思いましたが、一生の思い出と考えれば決して高くはないと思いますよ。

I was able to see the rarely seen bright red magma and a rainbow over the valley, making it a once-in-a-lifetime experience. It was an absolutely amazing flight.

なかなか見る事の出来ない真っ赤なマグマや谷にかかる虹などを見ることができ、一生に一度の体験ができました。とっても最高なフライトでした。

Last year, I couldn't fly due to two cancellations caused by the weather. This year, it was a success on the first try. This tour allows you to enjoy both the volcanic side and the canyon side of the Big Island, giving you a real sense of the richness of nature. This time, we were taken care of by a Japanese pilot named TOSHI, and I was very satisfied as I got to see wonderful scenery while listening to various stories. My 9-year-old child was with us, and TOSHI explained things in a way that was easy for the child to understand at various points, so it seems my child enjoyed it as well. The air conditioning inside the helicopter was well-functioning, making for a comfortable environment in short sleeves and shorts. I would love to do this again.

昨年、天候のせいで2回のキャンセルの結果、飛ぶことが出来ませんでした。
今年は1発OKでした。
このツアーはハワイ島の火山サイドと渓谷サイドを両方楽しむことができ、自然の豊かさを実感できるツアーです。今回は日本人パイロットのTOSHIさんにお世話になりましたが、色々なお話を伺いながら素敵な景色を見られて大満足でした。9歳の子供も一緒でしたが、TOSHIさんが色々な場面で子供にもわかりやすく説明して下さり、子供も堪能していたようです。
ヘリコプター内は空調がしっかり聞いていて半袖短パンで快適な環境です。
またお世話になりたいです。

Excellent. Chris was exceptional. Had passion for his job and loves Hawaii

Had a great time Kevin the tour guild was great ,
We even had great weather
If you only can do one tour this would be the one and must have kevin

Our driver and tour host presented us with a very interesting and colorful history of the Big Island. He had a great sense of humor too! He paced the trip on the attendees, when there was an obvious interest in an area. This tour is a good for those wanting to get a broad acquaintance with the Big Island and it's various areas and interests. It was our springboard for other activities!

The pilot who spoke Japanese was on vacation in Japan, and the commentary was in English. However, even though I couldn't understand much of the English commentary, the overwhelming power of the steam from the lava flowing into the sea and the crater was enough to enjoy the experience. The tour was quite expensive, but it provided an experience that was worth more. The day before, I was able to confirm the route to Mauna Kea from the air. In less than two hours, I was able to enjoy everything: Mauna Kea, the Kilauea volcano crater, the steam at the shoreline, the beauty of the valleys, and the waterfalls, which can only be experienced through a helicopter tour. For those who easily get motion sickness on planes, the constant G-force is reassuring. It feels like riding on a swing, making it enjoyable.

日本語の出来るパイロットはバカンスで日本に行っており解説は英語だった。しかし英語の解説は余り理解出来なくても火口や海に流れ込む溶岩からの水蒸気は圧倒的な迫力が有り十分楽しめた。遊覧の費用は結構高かったがそれ以上の体験が出来た。前日に行ったマウナケア山やそこへ続き道を上空から改めて確認する事が出来た。マウナケア山、キラウエア火山の火口、波打際の蒸気、渓谷美と滝を2時間弱で全て楽しむ事が出来るのはヘリでの遊覧でしか出来ない。飛行機に酔い易い人もGがずーと掛かっているの安心です。それはブランコに乗っている様な感覚で楽しめます。

This was my first experience in a helicopter. I had imagined it would be shaky, but it was completely stable, to the point where I almost dozed off. The flight time was longer than I expected, and I enjoyed the vastness of Hawaii Island and its magnificent nature from above. Next time, I want to challenge myself on another island.

ヘリ初体験となります。
揺れを想像してたのですが、まったくの安定感でうとうとしてしまうほどでした。
予想以上にフライト時間が長く、ハワイ島のデカさや壮大な自然を上空から堪能しました。
次回は、ほかの島でもチャレンジしたいと思います。

Every time I visited the Big Island, I applied for a helicopter tour of Kilauea Volcano, but I never succeeded due to bad weather or unfavorable wind conditions—six times for me and two times for my wife. This year, I wanted to finally make the volcano helicopter tour happen, so I applied to a different helicopter company with a Japanese pilot. However, since I applied close to the date, even foreign pilots were fully booked. Eventually, I managed to secure a reservation with Blue Hawaiian Helicopters, not being particular about having a Japanese pilot.

Fortunately, our helicopter pilot was Japanese. A German father and son who came from Singapore, a Japanese newlywed couple, and my wife and I—six of us in total—took off on this helicopter tour (Photo 1). Although there was quite a strong wind that day, the helicopter was stable, and the ride was comfortable with hardly any significant turbulence. Since there were four Japanese passengers, the pilot provided explanations in Japanese as needed, which made it very easy to understand. We toured both craters of Kilauea and were able to see orange lava, fulfilling a long-held wish (Photos 2, 3). The lava reached the coastline through a lava tunnel, creating steam (Photo 4).

After seeing the volcano at Kilauea, we went to Waipi'o Valley and enjoyed the beautiful coastline (Photo 5). I was very satisfied to see the red lava from the helicopter and returned to the hotel.

これまでハワイ島を訪れる度にキラウエア火山ヘリコプター遊覧を申し込みましたが、私は6回、家内は２回、悪天候、風向きが悪い等の理由で一度も実現したことがありませんでした。今年こそ火山ヘリコプター遊覧を実現したいと日本人パイロットで別のヘリコプター会社に申し込みましたが、期日がせまってからの申込みのため外人パイロットですら予約満杯でした。そしてやっと日本人パイロットにこだわらないとして申し込んだブルーハワイアンヘリコプターの予約が取れました。
幸運にも我々のヘリコプターのパイロットは日本人でした。シンガポールから来たというドイツ人親子（お父さんと息子）、日本人の新婚さん、我々夫婦の6名がこのヘリコプターの遊覧に飛び立ちました（写真１）。この日は結構強い風が吹いてましたがヘリコプターは安定しておりほとんど大きな揺れはなく快適な遊覧でした。日本人が4名乗っていることからパイロットが適宜日本語で説明してくれるのでとてもわかりやすかったです。キラウエアの二つの火口を遊覧しましたが、ともにオレンジ色の溶岩を見ることが出来て長年の願いが叶いました（写真２，３）。火口から溶岩トンネルを通じて海岸線にまで達し水蒸気があがっていました（写真4）。
キラウエアで火山を見た後はワイピオ渓谷に行き、きれいな海岸線を見ました（写真５）。
赤い溶岩をヘリコプターから見ることが出来て大満足でホテルに帰りました。
以上

I cannot say enough good about our tour guide, Shannon. She was very knowledgeable and very passionate about Hawaii and the things she shared with us. She got so excited about Valcano National Park which made her group excited. She took care of every detail for everyone on the tour. I would go on any tour Shannon was leading.

This was a great tour for our first full day on the island. Kala , our guide, was a world of information about all things Hawaiian! He was so excited to show us turtles on the black sand beach, lava at the volcano,and beautiful Waipio Valley. He gave us great ideas on where the best burgers and the most delicious malasadas on the island where...and yes we went back to try them ! It was a long day, but as others had commented before me, it flew by!

I participated in a tour that took us around Kilauea Volcano, over Hilo, along the eastern coastline of the Big Island, and through Waipi'o Valley. It was my first experience in a helicopter, and I was truly moved by the magnificent natural scenery of the Big Island. The pilot provided guidance in both English and Japanese, which made for an immersive and informative experience. I highly recommend this tour to anyone.

キラウエア火山、ヒロの上空、ハワイ島東部の海岸線、ワイピオ渓谷を周遊するコースに参加しました。ヘリコプターも初めての体験で、本当に素晴らしい雄大なハワイ島の自然の景観を目の当たりにして感動のフライトでした。　パイロットは英語と日本語でガイドしていただけたので臨場感たっぷりの説明が聞けて素晴らしい体験ができたと思います。　どなたにもお勧めできるツアーです。

We arrived at the helipad we spotted on the way from the airport to the hotel, picked up by the Mauna Kea Beach Hotel. We were the only Japanese couple there. We received instructions in fast-paced English, but as long as we could catch some words, we managed. We stored everything except our cameras and water bottles in lockers, put on life vests, and waited while watching a safety video. Everyone was excited by the sound of the helicopter returning with the previous group. After the helicopter returned and underwent maintenance, we had to wait quite a while. Due to nerves, everyone kept needing the restroom, but there was only one unisex restroom, so it got crowded.

There were about 20 people in our time slot. We were grouped based on our participation unit and weight, and we shared the helicopter with two other couples and six individuals. We communicated through headphones and handheld microphones. Even if you're not good at English, the staff is friendly and engages in conversation, so it's fine to speak in broken English.

As we ascended, background music played effectively, and the optimal music for each spot was prepared, which further lifted the mood. Unfortunately, I have a weak vestibular system, and shortly after ascending, I started feeling nauseous and couldn't look down when we approached the most scenic spot near the magma. I managed not to throw up, but I held onto an etiquette bag the whole time. The etiquette bag was stuck in front of my seat, but since I was firmly secured with the seatbelt, it was out of reach for someone petite. I couldn't reach it, so I gestured to my tall husband to get it for me, but I think those with a weak vestibular system should move it closer to them beforehand.

Unfortunately, I felt nauseous, but it was undoubtedly a valuable experience to see breathtaking spots that are normally inaccessible up close.

マウナケアビーチホテルからのピックアップで空港からホテルへ向かう道中に見かけたヘリポートに到着。日本人は私達夫婦だけでした。早口の英語で指示を受けますが、単語が聞き取れればなんとかなります。カメラとペットボトル以外はロッカーに入れて救命胴衣を装着、安全ビデオを見てその時を待ちます。前の時間帯のパーティーを乗せたヘリが戻って来る音でみんな大興奮。前機戻って来てヘリの整備やらでその後結構待ちました。緊張でみんなトイレが近くなるのですが、トイレが男女共用で1つしかないので混雑します。
同じ時間帯の組は20名ほどでした。参加単位と体重で乗る組み合わせを振り分けられ私達はカップル2組と6名で同乗。ヘッドホンと手持ちのマイクで会話します。英語が苦手でも楽しく話しかけてくれるので片言でも大丈夫です。
上昇とともに効果的にBGMが流され、スポット毎に最適なBGMが用意されているのでさらに気分が盛り上がります。
私は三半規管が弱いため上昇してほどなくして気持ちが悪くなってしまい、一番の絶景スポットのマグマへの接近で下を向くことができませんでした。なんとか戻すことはありませんでしたが、ずっとエチケット袋を抱えていました。座席前に刺さっているエチケット袋ですが、身体ががっつりシートベルトで固定されているので小柄な方では手が届きません。私は届かず背の高い主人にジェスチャーで即して取ってもらいましたが、三半規管が弱い方は事前に手元に移動しておいた方がいいと思います。
生憎気持ちが悪くなってしまいましたが、普通では立ち入れない絶景スポットを目近で見られるので、とても貴重な経験が出来たことは間違いありません。