Hawaii
I had a great time snorkeling with two instructors in the beautiful waters of Hanauma Bay.
The sea was so stunning that I wished I could have snorkeled for a longer time!
While joining a tour is certainly a good option for safety and peace of mind, if you are confident in your swimming skills and have checked the rules of Hanauma Bay in advance, I think considering longer tours or participating individually could be a good idea.
ハナウマ湾の綺麗な海で、お2人のインストラクターさんに指導していただき、とても楽しくシュノーケリングができました
あまりにも綺麗な海でしたので、もっと長時間シュノーケリングしたかった!というのも同時に思いました。
安全/安心を考慮するとツアー参加でもちろん良いと思いますが、泳ぎ・体力にも自信あり、ハナウマ湾のルールを事前に確認されている方であれば、長時間のツアーや個人での参加も視野に入れて良いかと思いました
We did snorkeling yesterday. Nick is very good. He is professional and very nice. The tour was exactly as prescribed. No boat ride required and it’s in lagoon which is perfect for my 9 year old son. He gets seasick easily. It’s perfect for beginners. I will definitely recommend.
The guide was amazing! Very kind, spoke beautiful Japanese, and I felt safe while swimming. I definitely recommend it.
ガイドさん、最高!とても、親切、綺麗な日本語、泳いでいる最中も、安心していられた。絶対おすすめします。
Our tour guide Dan was extremely helpful and supportive when my husband struggled with snorkeling. He and his partner helped him and even swam with him to help him feel comfortable.
I appreciated knowing that we were in good hands and they made sure we were all safe while having a great time! Very knowledgeable, personable and helpful Guide. We had an amazing time and Checked snorkeling off our bucket list. It was an easy and fun way to experience this as we were picked up and dropped off from our hotel and everything we needed was supplied.
Thank you for the good review! You guys did great, hope we see you again. Dan and Chieko.
KBOS was an amazing company to book with. We paid for the transportation, but if you plan to rent a car I would skip that part. It is a little tour bus and there are no bathrooms and no easy way to stop for restrooms. Just take your own car if you have one.
The experience itself was spectacular! The entire crew was super nice and went out of their way to make sure everyone had a good time.
The boat is huge- it is the largest boat at the end of the harbor area- you can’t miss it.
It has big tables with benches. Plenty of room for everyone. There are bathrooms on the boat and a room to change in. bring a towel with you if you think you might get cold. We went in bathing suits only and it was fine. A little chilly on the ride back in to shore, but not bad.
We paid for all the activities in advance and it was worth every penny. The banana boat ride was fun. I’m extremely overweight and I was still able to do the banana boat ride. They held the banana boat so I could easily get on and off.
The sandbar is beautiful! It is a must do experience and we loved it.
I would recommend water shoes, but some people didn’t have any and seemed to be fine.
The captain let us go up top and took a picture for us. Great view and perfect pic opportunity.
You can snorkel if you want- they have everything on the boat. We saw fish without snorkeling.
There is some music they play and it is really a nice way to spend some time. It is just the perfect amount of time to be out there too. Just enough time to do all the activities and enjoy the experience.
Bring snacks or drinks on the boat if you want. You can leave your bag and valuables right on the boat where you were seated. It seems super safe.
There is a little store at the harbor just before you get in the boat that sells alcohol and sunscreen and other items you may want.
The crew was super friendly and really tried to make it fun and make you feel welcome.
Bring tip money for the crew and for the band.
Mahalo for your review & sharing your experience! - Team KBOS
It was a great learning experience to enjoy nature while taking care of it. I was able to see a lot of fish, which was fantastic. I'm glad I joined the tour since general admission is reservation-based and can get crowded.
自然を大切にしながら自然を楽しむ勉強になりました。魚もたくさん見れて最高でした。一般の入場が予約制で混雑するのでツアーに参加して良かったです。
I participated for the first time.
The diamond bed from the sky was amazing.
There was no wind, and the clear weather felt great.
初めて参加しました。
のんびりと空からのダイヤモンドベットは最高でした。
風も無く晴天で気持ち良かったです。
I had a great time getting soaked at the front of the boat in the ocean. It was so much fun! Also, the movie location tour was great because I got to see various places.
オーシャンで船の先に捕まり波を受けてずぶ濡れになって楽しみました。最高に楽しかったです。あと映画ロケ地巡りツアーはいろいろ見れてよかったです。
The experience from the shuttle pick up/drop off to guidance and snorkeling are exceptional and amazing. We experienced as it detailed on the booking website.
After booking, I received the picture of the pickup location which is easy to find. Keep your eye to find the shuttle van, he parked across the street when there were 3 coach bus parked in front of the entrance. The van showed up on time and could fit up to 14 people. The van is clean, comfortable seating, and good AC. The driver introduced the Electric Beach and talked about the places.
After dropping off, the driver introduced Jose and Jorge who were the snorkeling guides. They are very friendly and acknowledged. One of my friend did not confident to swim in the ocean, but she trusted Jose and went to the water with us. Jose and Jorge made sure everyone stick together under their guidance. All the gears (snorkeling masks, fins, life jackets, jet machines) were provided. Jorge had his GoPro to record the fun moment and shared to us at the end.
My group loves this experience as many of us had no swimming experience but Jose and Jorge made it easy, fun, and safe.
We had the best day!!! From the beautiful weather, the calm kayak conditions, the lush hiking environment, the spectacular falls and our amazing guide Justice, we could not have had a better experience. Justice was incredibly friendly, super knowledgeable, funny (dad jokes lol), patient and an overall great guide who thoroughly enjoys what he does.
As novice kayakers, we had no issues but the river was very calm with very little wind.
As intermediate hikers we found the trail fairly easy to navigate as long as we were mindful on the rocks and roots. On the hike, you WILL get muddy and you WILL get wet crossing 4 streams and 1 river but it’s all worth it once you reach the breathtaking falls.
The lunch supplied by the tour was pretty good too as we picnicked at the falls.
Hiking shoes/sandals or running shoes are best. For anyone with mobility issues, they may find parts of the hike difficult.
We would highly recommend this tour as it was the highlight of our time on Kauai!!
Aloha Becky/John,
Kudos….for a wonderful review that give folks a good idea of what to expect and what to bring.
We are fond of saying, "embrace the mud" and be ready for a fun, safe and informative outing with great guides such as Justice.
Thanks for taking the time to share.
Stay well and active and hope to see you back or on our other tours.
A hui hou,
Micco
PS Thanks for sharing this same review on Trip Advisor.
Great fun time, staff very friendly and helpful. Kid friendly
Mahalo for your review! - Team KBOS
Really happy with the experience, my son and I loved it. He is a comfortable swimmer, while I just started learning a month ago. He felt comfortable enough to snorkel without holding onto the buoy used by our guide, while I did not yet. It was a perfect introduction to snorkeling in a safe environment.
My husband and two teenagers loved this kayak adventure! Our guides were very friendly, funny and calm. Jay was very informative and gave us a wonderful history lesson on the island and its culture. He did a wonderful job preparing us for our journey and guiding us through the river and ocean. We did make the journey to the farthest beach on the ocean and it was well worth it! We snorkeled with some sea turtles and enjoyed our time at the beach.
It was a great way to finish up our trip on Kauai. I appreciate all that our guides did to inform us and keep us safe as well as teach us about the island and its culture. I would highly recommend this!
Aloha Jamie,
You went on our other "Secret Tour"!
Our Hanalei Blue Lagoon is slowly getting more recognition and Jay and our other rive/ocean guides are very responsible for this trend.
Jay is great in the field and to work with and as the summer season comes up with us, often is guiding and sea kayaking the more rigorous Na Pali coast.
Thanks for sharing your kind words, as I will with Jay.
Stay active and well.
A hui hou,
Micco/Head Guide
My hubby and I took our 9 and 5 year old on this Sandbar trip. It was a short boat ride out & the kids never got motion sickness.
Tour guide was very thoughtful and had a bunch of water toys for everyone, we had canoes, SUP, volley ball and various water sports stuff to go around.
It took 3-3.5 hours which is just perfect and right when we got tired it was time to head back.
The band playing music was very good and this is a nod to the singer as he was clearly a talent and easy on the eyes
This trip was great!! Just enough tabs priced reasonably oh and bring your own snacks & booze!! That was cool they let us pack our own munchies!
Mahalo for the review & sharing nice pictures! - Team KBOS
I participated around mid-March.
First of all, I found it most inconvenient that there was no pick-up service from the hotel in the Waikiki area. Since we were a group of ten, it would have been nice if they could have come to pick us up. The pick-up location was sent via SMS around 6 PM the day before, but it was written in a way like “◯◯ave. bus stop” instead of providing a map or address, which made it a bit unclear.
After getting off the bus and transferring to the boat, there were only orange juice and donuts available on board. I had seen photos and thought there might be muffins too, but it was just donuts!
When we arrived at the beach and entered the water, the water level was up to the shoulders of adults, so if you had small children, it was concerning to think about bringing smartphones or anything like that into the water. To top it off, we had two hours of free time, but the water temperature in mid-March was too low, and both adults and children were too cold, so we got out after just 40 minutes.
I don't think I will do this again!
3月中旬頃参加しました。
まず、ワイキキ地区のホテル泊でしたがホテルまでの送迎では無かった事が一番不便に感じました。
10人で利用したので、ホテルまで迎えに来てくれても良さそうですが…。
送迎場所も前日の18時頃SMSで来て、しかも地図や住所ではなく“◯◯ave.bus stop”みたいな書き方だったので少し分かりづらかったです。
バスを降りて船に乗り換えて、船の中にはオレンジジュースとドーナツだけありました。
写真を見ていたのでマフィンもあるのかな?と思っていましたが、ドーナツオンリーでした!
船が着いて海に入った時は、大人でも肩くらいまで浸かるような水位で小さな子ども連れの場合万が一の事を考えるとスマホなどは持って入れる余裕はありませんでした。
また極め付けは、2時間の自由時間がありましたが3月中旬の海は水温が低すぎて子どもも含め大人も寒すぎて40分で上がってしまいました。
次はやらないと思います!
We are very sorry to hear that the tour did not meet your expectations. We included a link to a map in the email regarding the pickup location, but it seems the information may have been unclear, and we apologize for that. It also appears that it was a day with high tide. Since tide levels change daily, we have provided a link on our website where you can check this information. We hope that next time you will use that resource and join us on a day with the best tide conditions. Thank you for participating in the tour and for sharing your family's experience. From all of us at KBOS staff.
この度はツアーがお客様のご期待に沿えなかった様で大変残念に思っております。当日ピックアップ場所のご案内メールには地図のリンク先も添付させて頂いておりますが表記が分かりずらかったですかね、申し訳ございません。また当日は潮位が高い日だったようですね。潮位は日によって変わる為、弊社WEBサイトにチェックできるリンク先をご案内させて頂いております。次回は是非そちらをご利用頂きベストな潮位の日にご参加頂けると幸いです。この度はツアーへのご参加、ご家族の体験をシェアして頂きありがとうございました。KBOS スタッフ一同
I participated with six female friends in their 60s. On the moving boat, we all got excited with live performances and singing. During snorkeling, we were able to see schools of colorful fish up close, which was amazing. We also participated in activities like stand-up paddleboarding. The staff were very attentive during the activities, so even though it was my first experience, I had a fantastic time. Overall, I felt that all the staff were very welcoming to us participants.
60代の女友達6人で参加しました。移動の船内では、生演奏や歌で乗客みんなで盛り上がりました。シュノーケリングでは、色鮮やかな魚の群れが、本当に近くで見られて最高でした。サップなどのアクテビティにも参加しました。アクテビティでは、スタッフの方々がいろいろ気をつかってくれたので、初めての体験でしたが、最高に楽しめました。とにかく、スタッフ全員が私たち参加者をもてなしてくれた気がしました。
We are very pleased to hear that you enjoyed the tour. Thank you very much for participating in the tour. From all of us at KBOS.
ツアーを楽しんで頂けたとの事で大変嬉しく思っております。この度はツアーへご参加、誠にありがとうございました。KBOS スタッフ一同
The tour starts before 6 AM and you can return to the hotel around 10 AM. The guide was very kind, and I was satisfied. They took care of every detail, making it easy for first-timers to participate with peace of mind. When I was about to be swept away by the tide, they quickly pulled me back. The snack we had after coming out of the water was spicy and delicious. They also took a lot of photos!
However, the price is a bit high for Japanese people, and the additional tip is a burden. Considering the weak yen and the cost of living in Hawaii, it can't be helped. Next time, I will visit when the yen is stronger!
早朝6時前からのツァーで10時ごろホテルに帰れます。ガイドの方とても親切で満足です。細かいところまでお世話いただき初めての方でも安心して参加できます。潮に流されそうになったらすぐに手を引いて引き戻していただきました。海から上がった時にいただいたスナックがスパイシーで美味しかった。写真もたくさん撮っていただきました♪
しかし、日本人には値段がお高め、更にチップ必要なのは負担です。円安やハワイの物価を考えると仕方ないのですが。次回は円高の時に伺います笑
On March 22, my family and I participated. Dan was our guide. His Japanese was very good, and he made jokes that were funny, allowing us to enjoy our time during the trip. I felt that Dan really thought about how to make us happy and have a good time. Hanauma Bay was incredibly beautiful. It was a great memory to see the seals taking a nap. Thank you very much.
3月22日に家族で参加させて頂きました。
ダンさんにガイドして頂きました。日本語がとても上手で冗談も面白く移動中も楽しく過ごす事が
出来ました。ダンさんは、どうしたら喜んでくれるか、楽しんでくれるかを考えてくれる方だと感じました。
ハナウマ湾 凄い綺麗でした。お昼寝しているアザラシも見れて良い思い出になりました。ありがとうございました。
The guide was excellent, the river and surroundings were breathtaking. Unfortunately, high winds and a rising river stopped our paddles without ever seeing the falls. Weather is unpredictable, but since we paddled twice as hard against the winds, it was exhausting. Thought there might be a discount of some kind since our 4 hr. tour only lasted 2 1/2. Better luck next time, I guess. Would do it again with better conditions.
Aloha Reid,
Man proposes and the the gods dispose!
All our guides are excellent and do a great job in not only sharing the cultural and natural history of the area, but most important keeping you safe in questionable weather.
We do offer a discount when weather conspires and abbreviates a tour. Veltra should be extending a discount; if not, you know how to reach us.
Stay well and look forward to your return.
A hui hou,
Micco/Head Guide
Excellent adventure with family!! Love the vibe and staff.
Mahalo!!!
Mahalo for your review. We love your picture! - Team KBOS
Had awesome guides, great group we were paired with. Highly recommend for those that like adventure. Do not recommend for elderly or young children
Aloha KW,
For the active senior and don't take children under 6.
Are guides are truly awesome as you discovered and do a great job imparting the natural and cultural history of the area, while keep you safe and sound.
Thanks for the 5 stars and looking forward to seeing you on our other tours, or this one, …yet again.
A hui hou,
Micco/Head Guide
This was such a fun excursion that my friends and I did in Hawaii! we all had so much fun and agreed it was the best thing we did our entire trip. They provide food and all the gear to snorkel or paddle board. The weather wasn’t the nicest when we went (cloudy) but we still had so much fun, and the staff was so nice!
Mahalo for your review! We are very happy that you enjoyed our tour. - Team KBOS
I did parasailing, banana boating, and jet skiing.
For parasailing, we were transported to the dedicated boat on another boat! Once we were seated at the back of the boat with the parasailing equipment attached, the reel extended, and we soared into the sky! I didn't pay for the extra fee, so we went up to 90 meters, but it was more than enough to enjoy! Whether you get dropped into the sea when you return is up to luck! (laughs) There’s space on the edge of the boat to store your belongings, so you can bring towels and valuables without worry!
For banana boating, we moved from the parasailing boat to the floating boat. You can choose between a bumper tube and a banana boat! The banana boat is for groups. It can accommodate about 6 to 8 people, but there were handles for up to 12 people just in case.
For jet skiing, you can ride solo or with a partner, and you drive it yourself! They teach you how to ride at the beginning. There are four floats set up in a square, and we just kept going around and around them. During the 30 minutes, if you're on a two-person jet ski, you switch drivers at a separate float.
As for other personal concerns:
- There are lockers on the floating boat like those in schools, so there's always someone around, so no need to worry. If you're concerned, you can check your belongings right after returning.
If something gets stolen, there's no way to escape on the sea!
- There were staff members who could speak Japanese or at least communicate in broken Japanese!
- The only place to change is the restroom.
- There are no showers! You can rinse off with a large bucket on the floating boat.
- Depending on the season, a bath towel or cover-up is essential.
- Flip-flops are sufficient.
- I brought my smartphone in a waterproof case. It was okay to take photos in the air! Do so at your own risk!
- Tips are appreciated! There was some pressure to tip in visible areas! (laughs)
- We rented a car for transportation, so that might not be very helpful!
- There were always GoPros set up, and when we returned to the office, they showed us the photos and videos, and we could purchase what we wanted. By the way, we only bought the parasailing photos for about $57. (My husband got seasick during parasailing and gave up taking photos himself, so he was out of luck! lol)
I hope this information is helpful!
パラセーリング、バナナボート、ジェットスキーをしました
【パラセーリング】専用ボートまで別のボートで配送され乗り移りました!
パラ専用の器具が取り付けられ、ボートの後ろに座ると、リールが伸びて大空へ!
追加料金は払わなかったので90mでしたが、十分満喫できました!
戻って来た時海に落とされるか否かは運次第!笑
ボートの淵に荷物を仕舞い込めるスペースがあるので、タオル貴重品など持ち込んで大丈夫です!
【バナナボート】パラから配送ボートで浮き舟に移動しました。バンパーチューブと選択できます!バナナボートはグループ単位で乗ります。
6〜8人くらいまでなら?一応12人分取手はついてました。
【ジェットスキー】2人乗り1人乗り、どちらも自分で運転です!はじめに乗り方を教えてもらいます。
浮きが4個四角く設置されており、その周りをひたすらグルグル回り続けました。30分の間に2人乗りは、離れた浮きで運転手交代です。
【その他個人的心配だったこと】
・浮き舟の上には、学校の様なロッカーが設置させており、常に人の目があるから心配ないです。心配なら戻って直ぐ中身を確認してください。
何か取られても海の上なので逃げようがないですので!
・日本語が話せる又は片言で大丈夫なスタッフが常に居ました!
・着替える場所はトイレくらいです。
・シャワーも無いです!浮き舟に大きなバケツで掛け水できるくらいです
・季節によってはバスタオルや羽織ものは必須
・ビーサンくらいで十分です。
・スマホは濡れても大丈夫なケースにいれて行きました。上空でも撮影OKでした!自己責任で!
・チップは気持ち!見える場所に圧はありましたが!笑
・交通手段はレンタカーだったので、あまり参考になりませんね!
・常にGoproが設置されおり、事務所に戻ると写真と動画を見せてくれ、欲しい物を購入出来る様になってました。因みに我が家はパラの写真だけ購入$57くらいです。(旦那がパラで酔ってその後断念し自分で撮影してたのでw)
以上参考になれば幸いです!
買い物や食事よりもハワイらしい経験をしたくて、パラセーリングを申し込みましたが、間違いなく記憶に残る素晴らしい経験でした。
小型ボートだけど、ガンガン勢いのある船にのって10名くらいで、パラセーリングを楽しみました。
初めての経験だったのでメチャクチャ怖かったけど、スリル満点で、高校生と大学生の子どもたちは、笑いが止まらず、今回のハワイ旅で経験してよかった、と思います。
ただ、空港到着当日の夕方直接行ったのですが、これは、ハードスケジュールすぎたかも。翌日体にこたえました。船酔いの薬は飲んで参加してよかったです。
人生一度は挑戦してみる価値のある経験だとおまいます。非日常を味わえて、メチャ楽しかったです!
The music from Kalani was great on the way out to the sandbar. He was so nice, making sure he was delivering the best Ohana. The sandbar was amazing, if it hadn’t been so windy it would have been the perfect day. My son didn’t hesitate to get out on the kayak and SUP. The fish were breathtaking in the reef. We will definitely be back. The staff were so amazing and so ready to help out with anything. We loved it as a family.
Sincerely,
The Murray Family
Reno, NV
Mahalo for your review & kind words for our crew! We look forward to seeing you again. - Team KBOS
It was unfortunately rainy on the day, but it cleared up after about two hours!
At first, it was cold, but I got used to it once I was in the sea.
I was glad to experience various activities like snorkeling and stand-up paddleboarding.
I wanted to see a sea turtle, but unfortunately, I couldn't.
The staff were attentive, and they instructed us to return if we went too far, which made me feel safe while enjoying snorkeling.
There were only about four groups of Japanese people, but a few of them spoke broken Japanese, so we were able to communicate.
They also took photos for us, and I was very satisfied.
当日はあいにくの雨でしたが、2時間ほどで晴れてきました!
最初は寒かったのですが、海に入っていると慣れてきました。
シュノーケリングやサップなどいろいろ体験できてよかったです。
海亀に会いたかったですが、残念ながら会えなかったです。
スタップの方がしっかり見ており、遠くまで行きすぎるとスタッフがすぐに戻ってくるよう指示しており、安心してシュノーケリングも楽しめました。
日本人が4組ほどで少なかったのですが、日本語を片言で話してくださる方が何人かあり意思疎通が取れました。
写真も撮ってくれたり大満足です。
Thank you very much for participating in the tour and for sharing your photos. We are very pleased to hear that you were able to enjoy the tour with peace of mind, even though it was unfortunate that you didn't get to see the sea turtles. From all of us at KBOS.
この度はツアーへのご参加、またお写真も共有頂き誠にありがとうございました。海亀に会えなかったことは残念でしたが、ツアーを安心して楽しんで頂けたとのことで大変嬉しく思っております。KBOS スタッフ一同
We had an amazing time! The weather was a tad chilly and windy but the crew was so kind and amazing!! 100% recommend! We are a family of 6 with teens and young children! All kids loved it ! So did we !! We were able to all paddle board, snorkel, and swim!
Mahalo for your review! We're so happy to know that your family had an amazing time- Team KBOS
I didn't catch a lot, but it was still quite enjoyable! Unfortunately, my child got seasick, so if you're prone to motion sickness, taking medication is a must. If you understand a little bit of English, you'll have a great time. The staff were kind, and when I didn't understand English, they translated for me using their phone. They also prepared the fish right there, and it was delicious! I would love to go again if I have the chance.
いっぱい釣れなかったですが、そこそこ楽しかったです!
残念ながら子供が酔ってしまって、船酔いする方は酔い止め必須です。
英語がすこーしだけ分かれば十分楽しめます。
スタッフの方も親切で、こちらが英語がわからない場合、携帯で翻訳してくれました。
お魚もその場で捌いてくれて、美味しくいただきました!
また機会があれば行きたいです。
This adventure was just okay. Nothing extra. Nothing fancy. The staff was amazing but the entire experience was nothing impressive.
Mahalo for your review! - Team KBOS
We had a great time with Micky. My family and I enjoyed our first snorkeling experience in Hawaii.