All Reviews for Waikoloa Resorts, Big Island

My wife and I took this tour on April 7. The day was fairly cloudy with some showers so we were concerned we wouldn't enjoy the full experience. We were wrong.
Our guide Jim was very friendly, knowledgeable and helpful.
The tour itself was great, from the information delivered during the ride there, the amazing sunset at almost 14,000 feet and some terrific stargazing through their own telescope with excellent info to help you understand what you were looking at.
The food was ok, brownie excellent.
Overall we would highly recommend this tour.

There were six of us, two of us and four travelers from China. The pilot was a handsome young American man. Although he spoke in English, he really got us excited. Unfortunately, due to bad weather, we couldn't see the lava flow that we were looking forward to. However, we received a refund for that, so I would like to try again next time. The helicopter tour got us close enough to reach Waipi'o Valley, which was thrilling.

中国の旅行客4人と私たち2人の6人の客でした。パイロットはイケメンの若いアメリカ人の方でした。英語でしたが、私たちを盛り上げてくれました。天候が悪く、楽しみにしていた溶岩流は見ることができませんでした。でも、その分、返金していただけたので、次回またチャレンジしてみたいと思いました。ヘリコプター遊覧は、ワイピオ渓谷に手が届くくらいの距離まで近づけて、興奮しました。

I was impressed by the intelligence and cuteness of the dolphin. When I asked its age, it was said to be 32 years old. Dolphins really do live a long time, don't they?

イルカのかしこさとかわいさに感激しました。
年齢を聞いたら32歳とのこと。イルカって長生きなんですね。

Eight years ago, my eldest son experienced this, and my second son saw the photos and videos and said he wanted to do it too, so we came to have this experience. The content seems to be the same as before.

The day before, we were satisfied swimming with wild dolphins, but I think this attraction is good for children because they can take their time to look and touch.

The participation fee and the cost of photos are a bit high.

8年前に長男が体験していて、次男がその写真やビデオを見ていて、自分もやりたいと言い出し、この体験をするためにやって来ました。内容は以前と同じように思います。
前日は野生のイルカと泳げたので満足でしたが、このアトラクションはゆっくり見たり触ったり出来るので子供には良いと思います。
参加費用と写真代が高いのが何点です。

Well worth the long ride from Hawaii to the mountain. The guide was excellent and gave every one a look through the telescope multiple times. A once in a life time experience!

Food was awesome!!! So much variety and lots of it! Entertainment was fabulous, and people were friendly! A total Hawaiian experience that you must do while visiting! Great for couples, or great for families with kids!!

Strolling through the spacious grounds of the Hilton, we made our way to the venue. As the sun set, we enjoyed the gentle movements of hula dancing and the impressive luau show, immersing ourselves in Hawaii's traditional culture. The buffet offered a wide variety of dishes, and I thought the seasoning was quite good. Although the venue was large, we had reserved premium seats, allowing us to see the dancers' movements up close.

ヒルトンの広い敷地を散策しながら会場へ。
日暮れとともに、優しい動きのフラダンス、迫力のルアウショーが続き、ハワイの伝統文化を堪能しました。バイキング料理もメニューが豊富で、味付けもよかったと思います。
広い会場でしたが、プレミアムシートを予約していたので、ダンサーの動きなどを間近で見ることができました。

Enjoying the majestic nature of Mauna Kea and Kilauea, along with activities facing the Pacific Ocean. Although the captain kept a keen eye as we sailed, we were unable to encounter any whales. However, we were able to fully enjoy the sunset quietly sinking into the Pacific Ocean.

マウナケア・キラウエアの雄大な自然を満喫し、太平洋に向けてのアクティビティ。船長さんが目をこらして船を進めるものの、クジラと出会うことはできませんでした。しかし、太平洋に静かに沈む夕日を満喫することができました。

Great tour and great guide in Brett....very knowledgeable and entertaining...one comment is tour could be shorter by eliminating the dinner

Currently, the activity of Kilauea seems to be at a lull, and the orange crater is not easily visible. However, the pilot (an American on this day) skillfully maneuvered the helicopter with right and left turns, ensuring that both sides had a good view. In the attached photo, you can see the orange crater when enlarged.

In Waipi'o Valley, you can see multiple waterfalls with a significant drop against a backdrop of green forests, which were even more impressive than the crater.

今、キラウエアの活動は小康状態のようで、オレンジ色の火口はなかなか見ることができないのですが、パイロット（この日はアメリカ人）はヘリコプターを右旋回、左旋回と操り、左右いずれの席からもよく見えるよう、丁寧な操縦をしてくれました。添付した写真は拡大してみるとオレンジ色の火口が見えます。
ワイピオ渓谷では緑の森をバックにした落差が大きい、いくつもの滝を見ることができ、火口以上に圧巻でした。

I participated because it was my dream to swim with dolphins, but it was a bit different than I expected. I think the female instructor explained the dolphins' ecology very thoroughly, but it was all in 100% English. I could hardly understand... It's embarrassing not to be able to speak English these days, and I feel self-loathing about it now. However, it was a good memory when the dolphin spun around with my signal and the kiss with the dolphin.

イルカと泳ぐのが夢で参加したのですがちょっと違ったようです。インストラクターの女性はイルカの生態などを丁寧に説明してくださったと思うのですが、とにかく１００％いんぐりっしゅ。殆ど理解できず…今どき英語ができないのは恥ずかしいことで、今更ながら自己嫌悪。でも、イルカが自分のサインでクルクル回ってくれたり、イルカとのkissは良い思い出になりました。

The tour planning was excellent, but the dinner and the starry sky were the best, and I was truly moved. Thanks to Sue, I had a wonderful time. I will come again.

ツアーの企画も大変良かったんですが、夕食の食事と満天の星空最高で、感激しました。スーさんのお陰様で楽しく過ごせました。また来ます。

Best flavored food of any luau I have attended. But the entertainment was just great. The host had the crowd singing and dancing along - it was fun. The dancers were exceptional. I would absolutely attend another luau hosted by the Waikoloa Hilton.

I think it depends on the seating arrangement. As soon as you arrive, you are guided to your seat, but whether you sit next to someone or in front of someone is important.

Since it can be noisy around you and you might end up sharing a table with other guests, I recommend sitting next to someone.

席次第だったと思います。
ついてすぐ席に誘導されるのですが、
隣にしてもらうのか前にしてもらうのか重要です。

周りは騒がしく、ほかのお客さんと相席のような形になるので隣にすることをおすすめします。

The captain worked hard to search for whales, but we could only see them from a distance and had a hard time spotting them up close.

When we were turning the boat back, we saw a pod of whales breaching, and the other passengers told the captain, but it seemed like we were out of time, which was very disappointing.

船長さんが頑張ってクジラを探し回ってくれましたが、遠くからしか見れず近距離ではなかなかみることができませんでした。

船を引き返すときにクジラの群れが飛び上がる様子が見えたのでほかの乗客たちが船長に伝えたのですが、もう時間切れみたいでとても残念でした。

It was a 7:00 AM flight. Since I was staying at Mauna Lani, I chose a tour from Waikoloa, which was a bit pricey. The departure was just as the sunrise was happening, and the view of the sunrise from Mauna Kea was spectacular. The pilot was very kind, and we could see the lava and waterfalls up close from any seat. The guide spoke English and explained everything very clearly. The 1 hour and 40 minutes flew by. It’s tough to wake up early, but there’s a shuttle service to the hotel, and you can make the most of your day, so I highly recommend it. It’s a bit expensive, but I’m glad I decided to participate. I was very satisfied.

朝一番の7:00のフライトでした。マウナラニに泊まっていたので、少々高いのですがワイコロアからのツアーにしました。朝日が丁度昇る頃の出発だったので、マウナケアから昇る朝日が見事でした。パイロットの方がとても親切で、どの座席からも溶岩や滝を間近で見ることができました。ガイドも英語でしたが、とても分かりやすく話してくれました。1時間４０分があっという間でした。朝一番は大変ですが、ホテルまで送迎がありますし、その日を有意義ぬ使えるので、とてもオススメだと思います。チョットお高いですが、思い切って参加してよかったです。大満足でした。

An extremely informative tour, friendly and knowledgeable tour guide. The tour bus is slightly crammed. A lifetime experience.

Visiting Mauna Kea was the main reason for my trip to Hawai'i and it was worth it! Our guide was informative (I wish I could of recorded everything he said) and I learnt alot, not just about the mountain and the island but about astronomy and rock formations etc.
A long day but worth having a tour as it takes the stress out of driving at high-altitude and you learn more by having a guide who visits the area daily.

The pickup from the hotel is convenient. I greatly enjoyed the humpback whales and the sunset, and the staff were very service-oriented, making it easy to have a great time even alone. Since the tour is in English, it's more enjoyable if you understand English.

ホテルからのピックアップが便利です。ザトウ鯨とサンセット、スタッフの方々のサービス精神も旺盛で１人でも大いに楽しめました。英語でのツアーですので、英語がわかるほうが楽しめます。

I stayed at Hilton Waikoloa Village and wanted to enjoy some Hawaiian cuisine, so I decided to visit this restaurant. Overall, I felt it was quite good. Since it was Christmas, it was crowded with families on vacation, but I was seated at a table next to the Ali'i seating area just before 5 PM.

I thought the whole roasted pig was delicious, although some parts had a bit of a gamey taste. Being in America, the flavors are generally bold, but I guess that's part of its charm. The kids' buffet corner had plenty of chunky cookies and other sweets, and I found myself going back for more even as an adult!

The show included interactive elements, and there were both graceful hula performances and fire dances, so I think it kept things interesting. I might want to bring my kids here again when I have them; it was a dinner show worth experiencing.

ヒルトン・ワイコロア・ビレッジに宿泊していて、ハワイらしい食事がしたかったので利用しました。
総合的にはなかなか良かったと感じています。
クリスマスだったので休暇で来ている家族連れが多く混み合っていましたが、17時より少し前に行ったところアリィ席の隣のテーブルに案内してもらえました。
食事は丸焼きの豚が美味しいと思いましたが、部位によっては臭みがあったりするようです。アメリカなので全体的に大味ですが、そこが良さでもあるのかなぁと。キッズ向けビュッフェコーナーにチャンクたっぷりのクッキー等お菓子がたくさんあって、大人なのに何度も取りに行ってしまいました。笑
ショーは参加型のものもあるし、しっとりしたフラもあればファイヤーダンスもあって、飽きない内容だと思います。
子供ができたらまた連れて行きたいかも、と思うディナーショーでした。

This was a fabulous excursion! Definitely a bucket-list must! Chris was so knowledgable and a wonderful guide. The entire experience was incredible. I was traveling solo and felt completely included the entire time. I recommend this excursion above all others. At the end we had our own private astronomy lesson and were able to use the tour's private telescopes. It just could not have been better!

Helicopter ride over the Big Island!!!

I hesitated for several years thinking about the cost, but... it was definitely the right decision to board! It was worth every penny! (Even for someone like me who is extremely afraid of heights, the stability of the helicopter was reassuring.)

After boarding, I was thrilled by the breathtaking views that you can never see from the ground. Waterfalls, Kilauea, lava fields, valleys, the land... everything was absolutely stunning! (I apologize for not having the best shots since I was sitting in the middle seat at the back...)

And our Japanese pilot, TOSHI (I was lucky with the timing!) provided a detailed explanation of the Big Island. (I might have been caught not really listening, though... haha.) Next time I board, I’ll make sure to study a bit more about the Big Island!

So, I definitely want to take this ride again next time!

ハワイ島ヘリコプターに搭乗！！！

金額のことを考え数年躊躇していましたが・・・
搭乗して大正解！金額を払っただけの価値はあります♪
（めちゃめちゃ高所恐怖症の私でも安心できるヘリコプターの安定感です）

搭乗後は地上からは決してみることのできない景色の数々に興奮しきりでした。
滝、キラウェア、溶岩後、渓谷、大地・・・どれをとっても文句なしです！
（後部中央席に座ったいたのでベストショットがなくてすみません・・）

そして日本人パイロットのTOSHIさん（タイミング的にラッキーだったようです!(^^)!）が丁寧にハワイ島の説明をしてくださいました。
（聞いているようで聞いていない？ことがバレてしまいましたが・・(笑)）
次回搭乗の際には改めてハワイ島のことをもうちょっと勉強して臨みます！

ということで、次回も必ず搭乗したいと思います！

It seems it was too early for whale watching. The participants seemed to mainly enjoy the sunset and the meal on the sea. The driver for the pick-up, the receptionist, and the captain were all very pleasant. I would like to try again around March when the whales are out.

ホエールウォッチングには　早かったようです。
参加者は　洋上の夕日と食事を楽しむのが　主のようでした。
送迎のドライバー　受付の女性　船長　感じがよかったです。
クジラが出る　3月頃再挑戦したいですね。

I must state that the tour we booked to visit Mauna Kea was the highlight of all our activities on the Big Island. Greg was outstanding in his knowledge of the area and the solar system. My wife and I learned many new things when it came to star systems and planets. Viewing the International Space Station when it came by was unbelievable. The evening was moon free and perfectly clear. The Sunset at the Summit was breathtaking and the effects of 40% less oxygen was quite noticeable. I would highly recommend this tour to anyone visiting or planning to visit Hawaii. Keep up the great work and a big Aloha to Greg and Blake!!!

What a fabulous tour led by Greg. Full credit to Greg, who was so engaging and informative, he really enriched the experience.
The tour was out of this world literally. The telescopes, scenery, sunset!! I loved that we didn't race off , after the sunset, but stayed as the colours deepened. We were the last tour to leave the sunset location.
The food was good! Lasagne and a very yummy brownie and later hot chocolate and biscotti whilst we star gazed through massive telescopes.
I was totally impressed with this tour. In fact raved about it so much when I got back to the hotel that my friend went the next day and also loved it!!

We had a reservation at 8:45. It was a windy day and the water temperature was low, so it was a bit chilly, but the activity of being able to touch dolphins is unique to this place, and my 4-year-old son was really looking forward to it! The instructor was kind and friendly! She taught us where the dolphin's ears, eyes, and nose are, gently touched its belly, and fed it fish. At my son's signal, the dolphin would make sounds and jump, making us feel like we had the dolphin show all to ourselves! It was only 15 minutes, but it was fulfilling!

8:45からの予約でした。風が強い日で水温も低くて、少し寒かったですが、イルカに触れることができるアクティビティはここでしかないので、4歳の息子は楽しみにしておりました！
インストラクターのお姉さんも優しく、親切！
イルカの耳や目や鼻はココにあるよと教えてくれたり、おなかを優しく触ったり、お魚を食べさせてあげたり、子どもの合図で、イルカが鳴いたり、ジャンプしたり、イルカショーを独り占めした気分でしたよ〜^ ^
たったの15分でしたが、充実しました❗️

Enjoyable tour hosted by knowledgable guides. Great chance to see above the clouds and beyond. Only downside was the meal -a vegetable lasagne with a dried out top from being heated to long.

I recommend arriving early at the meeting place since seating is done in the order of arrival. Even if you get there early, there will be juice available, so you can drink and chat, and time will pass quickly. We were about five groups back, but we ended up with seats at the very front. There will be a commemorative photo taken before seating, but the sales will be in front of the restroom later, so you don't have to purchase it. We bought one for the memories, though (laughs). The food and drinks are plentiful. The show is enjoyable, and the staff is friendly. They also provide blankets for cold weather. Dressing up adds to the fun. Since it was fully booked, I think making a reservation early is a good idea. I believe even the lower class of Grey is sufficient.

並んだ順に着席するので、早めに集合場所へ行く事をお勧めします。
早く行っても、ジュースの用意があるので、飲んでおしゃべりしていると時間はすぐに過ぎます。
5組くらい前にいましたが、私達は一番前の席になりました。
着席前に記念撮影がありますが、販売は後ほどトイレ前なので、購入はしなくても大丈夫です。
私達は思い出に買いましたが（笑）
お食事も飲み物も充実しております。
ショウも楽しく、スタッフもフレンドリーです。
寒さ対策のひざ掛けも配布してくれます。
おしゃれをして参加すると楽しさ倍増です。
満席でしたので、早めの予約が良いと思います。
グレイどの高いクラスでなくても十分だと思います。

Riding a helicopter for the first time and being able to see the faint red lava was a rare and interesting experience. The price was a bit high, but I'm glad I decided to participate.

I had heard that some people get motion sickness on helicopters, but my wife, who is prone to motion sickness, was fine, so that might not be something to worry about.

The footage from the ride can be purchased about 20 minutes after returning, so I bought it as a keepsake (though I haven't watched it yet).

However, I found it difficult to see outside from the middle seat in the back, so I wish they would differentiate the prices based on seating.

初めてヘリに乗ったっていうのと、うっすらながら赤い溶岩も見れたっていうのは、貴重で面白い経験だった。
ちょっと値段は高めだけど、思い切って参加してよかったです。

ヘリに酔うって話も聞いていたけど、乗り物酔いしやすい嫁さんでも大丈夫だったので、そのあたりは心配しなくてもいいのかもしれない。

乗った時の映像が、帰還して２０分くらいで購入できるので、記念に買ったみた（まだ見てないけど）。

ただ、後ろの真ん中席だと外が見づらいので、座席で値段を分けてほしいと思いました。

This was truly one of the more amazing ventures we have done. The guides were knowledgeable and professional. We learned about the various international observatories, saw a phenomenal sunset above the clouds at nearly 14,000 feet and then were treated to astrological viewing that was incredible. Just a spectacular evening.

The only negative comment I have is the seating in the vans, particular if you are 6' or taller is very tight. That said, it is still a very worthwhile adventure.