All Reviews for Snorkeling Cruises & Tours

Becoming aware early in the morning a boat is needed to go to the beautiful Kane’ohe sandbar, I called Veltra trying to make a same-day kayak booking (online booking must be made a day beforehand). The lady was warm and patient to help check availability and input personal data of four participants - most important of all get 2 tandems confirmed for our trip! When we checked in at He’eia Kea State Park, water in the bay was a bit choppy, yet not enough for a formal cancellation. Two ladies in our group saw the condition creepy and had to abandon the adventure. As on the phone I was informed no cancellation can be made for the same-day booking, we had to forgo using 1 of the 2 double kayaks. Well, the trip of two-go is simply AMAZING!

The sea was a bit rough, but I encountered many dolphins and a lot of sea turtles. It would be a waste not to go snorkeling.

ちょっと海荒れていたんですが、イルカもたくさん出会え、ウミガメもたくさん。シュノーケリングしないのもったいない。

It was the best sea! You can rent bodyboards, snorkeling gear, and mats for free. The sand is fine and the waves are strong, so snorkeling is difficult. I got hooked on bodyboarding! The pizza for lunch was big and very delicious. The kids finished it all! There is a Japanese staff member who provides thorough explanations, which is reassuring. There are also bicycle rentals, but since it's for ages 13 and up, we couldn't do that and enjoyed the sea the whole time. Thank you very much.

最高の海でした！ボディボード、シュノーケル道具、ゴザを無料でレンタルできます。砂が細かく波が強いのでシュノーケルは難しいです。ボディボードにはまりました！昼食のピザも大きいですがとてもおいしかったです。子どもたちも完食でした！スタッフの方に日本人がおられますし、丁寧に説明してくださるので安心できます。自転車レンタルもありますが13歳以上だということでうちは無理でしたのでずっと海を満喫しました。ありがとうございました。

【What I Liked】
It's not just exaggerated promotional phrases; you can really swim with the sea turtles. I was also able to see dolphins up close. The sea turtles and dolphins in the area we were taken to seemed to be quite relaxed and accustomed to humans. They were truly adorable...
Additionally, the Japanese staff were extremely kind, attentive, and helpful. I participated in a couple of other marine activity tours, but this one stood out for its exceptional kindness. I highly recommend it!

【Advice for Future Participants】
Definitely take motion sickness medication. I usually have a strong sense of balance and have never experienced seasickness, but I got quite seasick on this tour... I don't usually exercise, so swimming was very tough for me, and I think that contributed to it. In any case, it's better to take the medication, so make sure to do so!!

【気に入ったところ】
　大袈裟な宣伝文句ではなく、本当にホヌといっしょに泳げるところです。イルカもかなり近いところから見ることができました。連れて行っていただいた海域のホヌやイルカは警戒心が薄く、人間に慣れている感じがしました。本当にかわいかったです……。
　また、日本人スタッフの方が非常に親切で、面倒見が良く、助かりました。ほかにも２か所ほどマリンアクティビティのツアーに参加しましたが、飛び抜けて親切でした。おすすめです！
【これから参加する方へのアドバイス】
　酔い止めは絶対に飲みましょう。三半規管はかなり強い方で、船酔いをしたことはなかったのですが、このツアーではしたたかに酔いました……。ふだん運動をしないので、泳ぐのが非常につらく、そのせいもあると思います。とにかく飲んで損はないので酔い止めを飲みましょう！！

We had really high expectations, looking at the pictures and reading some of the reviews. Unfortunately, it did not turn out anything like we had expected.
The whole thing took over 6 hours, from the time we were picked up and dropped back. Mind you the actual underwater scooter experience was just 10 minutes of these 6 hours.
We were made to wait on the boat for about 3 hours and obviously lot of people got sea sick.

Snorkeling in the crystal-clear, calm waters of Kealakekua Bay was enjoyable for the kids as well. We were lucky enough to encounter a pod of dolphins, and they were playing chase with our boat. It was adorable!

The second deck of the boat offers fantastic views, but it sways quite a bit more up there. During the one-hour ride to the snorkeling spot, even passengers who usually don’t get seasick were feeling pretty worn out.

Lunch was a simple barbecue on board. It had an American-style flavor, but if you embrace that, it can be enjoyable. However, I was surprised that the soft drinks were only carbonated and that what was labeled as tropical fruit juice was actually a tropical cocktail (an alcoholic drink).

This tour has a predominantly English-speaking, mostly white crowd, so if you're feeling a bit weary of tours filled with only Japanese people and want to experience being abroad, I recommend it. Additionally, the snorkeling spot has calm waves, making it a good option for first-time snorkelers and families with children aged preschool and up.

透明度抜群の穏やかなケアラケクア湾でシュノーケリングは子供も楽しめました。我々は運良くイルカの群れに遭遇し、我々が乗っている船とイルカの集団が追いかけっこしていました。可愛かった！
船の2階デッキは見晴らし抜群ですが、船は2階の方が相当揺れます。シュノーケリング場所までの片道１時間で、普段は全く船酔いしない同乗者さえグッタリする程でした。
昼食は船内で行われた簡単なバーベキュー。アメリカンな大味ですが、それも含め楽しんでしまえばこっちのもの。ただ、表記されていた事から想像していたのと実際には違ったのはソフトドリンクは炭酸だけである事、トロピカルフルーツジュースではなくトロピカルカクテル(アルコールドリンク)だった事です。
英語オンリーの白人多めのツアーですから日本人ばかりのツアーにちょっと辟易して、海外に来たぞという気分を味わいたい方にはオススメです。
あと、シュノーケル場所は波が穏やかなのでシュノーケリング初体験者や幼稚園児以上の年齢のお子様がいらっしゃるご家族にもいいかもしれません。

Hanauma Bay has limited parking, likely due to its focus on preserving nature, and there tends to be traffic before entry because you must watch a video beforehand. However, if you join this tour, you can enter smoothly like with a fast pass.

For snorkeling, it was our family's first time, but the practice made us feel safe and we enjoyed it. Most importantly, we were guided to the best spots to see fish, and we thoroughly enjoyed the beautiful sea, including a surprise greeting from an eel.

The transportation was also great, with a cheerful guide who spoke fluent Japanese, providing sightseeing information and recommendations for delicious places, making for a fun and engaging time. I was initially unsure about joining a guided tour, but I definitely recommend it.

Additionally, after participating, you can get commemorative photos taken underwater, which you can upload to social media, making it a truly comprehensive experience with excellent cost performance.

ハナウマ湾は、自然を守る利用からなのでしょうか駐車場が少ない、事前のビデオを見なくてはならないとの理由からどこでも入場前には渋滞しています。
このツアーで参加をするとすべてファストパスのようにすんなり入場できます。
シュノケリングの方は、私達家族は初めてでしたが練習もあり安心して楽しめました。
何より魚が見えるベストな場所に誘導してもらえるのでたくさんのさかなや、突然のウツボの挨拶など綺麗な海を充分に堪能できました。
送迎も、日本語が流暢な外人の陽気なガイドさんが観光案内や美味しいお店の紹介も交えて対応してくれるので、飽きることなく楽しい時間を過ごせます。
はじめはガイド付きツアーで参加するのか迷いましたが絶対にオススメだと思います。
あと、参加後には、海中での記念撮影なども
SNSにアップしてもらえるので本当に至れりつくせりでコスパも最高でした。

The weather can affect your experience, but the sea was clear and visibility was good, making it possible to spot sea turtles and fish. Additionally, since it's shallow, even small children who are not good at swimming can enjoy themselves.

天気にも左右されますが、海も透き通っていて視界が良く、ウミガメや魚を探すことも可能でした。また浅瀬なので小さな子供で泳ぎが苦手な子も楽しむことができます。

The water level on the day was comfortable, with the shallowest part being below the knees.

By the way, you can check the sea level in advance on the linked site.

I encountered a sea turtle that seemed curious, coming close enough to reach out to it.

当日の水位の海面も一番浅いところが膝下で快適

ちなみに海面水位は事前にリンク張ってるサイトでチェック可能

ウミガメも興味があるのか手が届くほどの近距離まで遭遇

Great experience all around. We arrived, check in process was super efficient and we got onto the boat and in the water on time. The crew was well coordinated and found the optimal spot for us to view some mantas.
We saw two total, one passing by several times and very closely (belly almost touching our light board).
Really special experience.
Thanks Sea Quest!

It was a fun cruise thanks to the smiles of everyone at Private Dolphin Middle School and the charm of Captain "Papa." At first, we couldn't see any dolphins, but they patiently searched for us. We were able to encounter a pod of about 30 dolphins. I was very satisfied.

私立イルカ中学の皆さんの笑顔と、船長「パパ」さんの魅力で楽しいクルーズでした。はじめは、イルカに会えませんでしたが、粘り強く探してくださって。30頭ほどの群れに遭遇することができました。大満足でした。

I had a wonderful experience thanks to Maki, and I was able to spend a very enjoyable and valuable time. I was a bit anxious about seeing dolphins on the way there, but that anxiety turned out to be completely unfounded. I was able to swim with dolphins in the beautiful blue sea! It was truly a dreamlike and moving moment to swim so close to them. And to my surprise, I encountered many sea turtles as well. On the way back, I had a great time dancing hula to the ukulele on the boat until the very end. It really became a wonderful memory!

マキさんに素晴らしいアテンドをいただき、とても楽しく貴重な時間を過ごすことができました。行きの船上ではイルカに逢えるか少し不安になりましたが、そんな不安も全く嘘のよう。バッチリ！青い海でイルカと一緒に泳ぐことが出来ました。あんなに近くでイルカと一緒に泳げるなんて、まさに夢と感動の一時でした。そして、何とウミガメにもたくさん出会えるではないですか。帰りは船上でウクレレに合わせてフラダンスを踊りながら最後の最後まで楽しい時間を過ごすことができました。本当に素敵な思い出になりました！

At first, my daughter, who could only swim a little, was frozen in fear when asked if she could swim. Moreover, since we had to jump in, it was quite tough for small children.

As soon as we entered the sea, we saw a pod of dolphins. It was challenging to swim while holding my daughter, but we were able to see them up close, which was moving. My daughter also forgot her fear and was amazed. The sea was very beautiful, and we even encountered a turtle.

On the way back, we encountered a whale! We were able to see it jump as well. We spent an emotional time, having multiple encounters. We also saw sea turtles from the boat several times.

I hope to participate again when my daughter is a little older.

最初は泳げるか確認され、クロール程度しか泳げない娘は恐怖で固まってしまいました。しかも、飛び込んでという流れなので、小さい子には結構厳しいです。
海に入るとすぐにイルカの群れが見れました。娘を抱えて泳ぎながらの厳しい条件ではありましたが、すぐ近くで見られて感動しました。娘も怖さを忘れて感動していました。海はとてもきれいで、カメにも会えました。
帰りの船ではクジラにも遭遇！ジャンプも見れました。何度も会うことが出来て、感動しっぱなしの時間をすごしました。ウミガメも何度も船上から見られました。
娘がもう少し大きくなったら、また参加したいなと思います。

I participated in this tour for the first time in seven years. The members were the same as seven years ago, so it was fun to see people who had changed in appearance and those who hadn’t changed at all.

Now, the guide who picked us up in the morning spoke suspicious Japanese, and during the car ride, he explained everything in English without any warnings, and we arrived at the destination. Even there, the explanations were in English, and just when I was wondering about it, he finally explained in Japanese, which relieved my whole family.

At the local boat, they provided proper assistance in Japanese. What was wonderful was that we had about an hour for sandbar, turtle watching, and snorkeling, so even my wife, who can't swim, had a great time snorkeling with a life jacket and float. Perhaps we looked like we were having too much fun, as my parents in their 70s decided to try snorkeling for the first time! However, they needed help right away ( ;∀; ). They said they were still okay, but I think it was a nice decision to get assistance.

For lunch, we had hamburgers, which were very delicious, and I wanted a second helping. Also, the crew here was very cheerful and lifted our spirits with their "Aloha!" greetings. The guide who picked us up in the morning played the guitar and sang during lunchtime, which seemed to be part of his job. Overall, it was a great experience. I would like to participate again when my daughter is able to snorkel.

このツアーに７年ぶりに参加しました。
メンバーも７年前と変わらないメンバーでしたので、見た目が変わった人やまったく変わらない人など楽しかったです。
さて、今回も朝迎えに来たガイドさんが、あやしい日本語、車内では、英語で全部説明、何の注意点もなく、現地へ到着しました。現地でも英語での説明で、あれ？と思っていたところ、やっと日本語で説明して頂いたので、家族全員ほっと一安心。
現地の船では日本語できちんと対応してもらいました。すばらしいのは、サンドバーとカメウォッチ、さらにはシュノーケルが１Ｈぐらいあったので、泳げない嫁でも、ライフジャケットと浮棒？でとても楽しくシュノーケルをしていました。今回あまりに私たち夫婦が楽しそうにみえたのか？、７０代の両親がシュノーケリングに初挑戦！！したところ・・・すぐにヘルプで助けられました( ;∀;)
本人曰くまだまだ大丈夫だったはずと言っていますが、やっぱり助けて頂いたのはナイス判断だったと思います。
ランチは、ハンバーガーでしたがとてもおいしく、おかわりがほしいくらいでした。また、ここのクルーはとても陽気でアローーーーーーーハァーのあいさつで気分を楽しくしてくれました。朝迎えに来たガイドは、ランチタイムに、ギターを弾いて歌っていましたが、結局それが仕事みたいでした。全体的にとても良かったです。娘がシュノーケリングできるようになったらまた参加したいと思いました。

Lovely time on a light board looking at Mantas. We saw three of these beautiful creatures and many other local fish. The underside of the ocean at night was amazing.

It is a bit chilly and the water can be choppy.
The mantas were not abundant or very close to us on the night we were out because of an anticipated swell the next day.

Great fun though and I will try again in the future.

Our large group of nine enjoyed this adventure. Watched the sunrise as we waited for the boat and enjoyed a light snack for breakfast. Costco muffins, juice and coffee. Snorkeling gear was good quality and the staff was very helpful. The crew leader, Jill, was funny.

Saw whales and turtles and fish of course. Great day.

You might be disappointed. The experience is heavily influenced by the weather, and the boat was quite rocky on the day of the tour. Even I, who have never experienced motion sickness, became quiet towards the end. At the first point, we were forced to jump into the sea one after another after just putting on life jackets, fins, and goggles. If you're not confident in your swimming abilities, the fear can be quite overwhelming. Even though you know you won't sink, the waves were high that day, and some people panicked with the dolphins. "Shitamite~", "Okinohou~", "Yamanohou~". To be honest, you can see the pod of dolphins, but the beauty of the sea is definitely much clearer in the remote islands of Okinawa. At the other turtle point, it seemed like about half of the participants were resting on the boat due to feeling unwell. After that, there was a light snack of cheeseburgers, but I passed on it. A fellow participant said it was salty and not tasty. Also, the use of the toilet on the boat was strictly prohibited by the Japanese guide, and you should go see for yourself why. They really need to fix it soon. It's unacceptable for both to be unusable. As for the tour content, I think it's about what you would expect for the price.

がっかりするかもしれません。天候に左右されますが、当日の船は相当揺れました。乗り物酔いしたことのない私も最後の方は無口になりましたしね。最初のポイントでライフジャケット、足ひれ、ゴーグルをつけただけで次々に海に飛び込みを強制させられます。泳ぎに自信がないと恐怖は相当なものと思います。沈まないことが分かっていても当日は波が高く、パニックになる人もイルカと。「シタミテ～」「オキノホウ～」「ヤマノホウ～」。はっきり言ってイルカの群れは見えますが海のキレイさは沖縄の離島の方が断然きれいです。もうひとつのウミガメポイントでは気分不良で半分ぐらいの方は船上で休憩している印象でしたね。その後チーズバーガーの軽食でしたがパスしました。食した同行者が言うにはしょっぱくておいしくなかったそうだ。あと船上トイレの使用が日本人ガイドから厳重に禁止されていましたが、理由はまあ行って自分で見てみてください。はやく修理はした方がいいですよ。2つとも使用不能はあり得ません。ツアー内容は値段の割にはまあこんなものではないかと。

Everything was amazing.
I want to go to the sandbar again.

I was also surprised by the high quality of the hamburgers. Both the taste and the portion size were perfect.
It was great to have a wide variety of drinks as well.

Everything was good, but the instruction on how to use the snorkel really stood out. I felt like I was having fun for the first time with snorkeling! I was able to swim with many fish.

I had my kids with me, and there were preparations like children's goggles and life jackets, so the kids enjoyed it too.

It was a really great tour. I highly recommend it.

全てが最高でした。
サンドバーまた行きたいなって思いました。

ハンバーガーのクオリティの高さにも驚きました。味、ボリュームどちらも満点です。
飲み物も種類たくさんで良かったです。

全て良かったのですが、シュノーケルの扱い方を教えて頂いたのがポイントアップです。シュノーケルが初めて楽しい！って思えました。たくさんの魚と一緒に泳げました。

子供連れでしたが、子供用のゴーグル、ライフジャケットなど準備があり子供も楽しめました。

すごく良いツアーでした。オススメです。

Hawaii Island is much larger than I expected. There are many breathtaking views that can only be seen by helicopter. Waipi'o Valley was the most beautiful scenery I've ever seen in my life. It was an experience worth more than the price.

ハワイ島は、思った以上に広い。
ヘリコプターでしか見ることのできない絶景がたくさん。
ワイピオ渓谷は、人生で一番美しい景色でした。
お値段以上の感動です。

Fantastic experience! The turtles were amazing as advertised. Boat crew was friendly and helpful! I recommend this excursion. It was a great way to start our Hawaiian vacation.

The driver of the shuttle is very helpful and funny. The design of the activity is very family friendly. Kids won't feel too tired or bored.

Every year i come to Hawaii i get the bicycle and ride to my spots and just relax. When the time is right, head on back and eat some Pizza! I wanted to kayak to the island, but got sidetracked scuba diving. I am going back again in May and will be doing this for sure!

The captain and crew were fantastic. They made sure everyone had a great experience. Being underwater on the scooter was a little piece of heaven as I do not swim. I got to see the beauty of the ocean. The view of crater and fish etc. Were a work of art. I will return the next time I visit and every time after that!!!!! Bring a smile, towel, and sunscreen.

First, it's a good idea to thoroughly check the tide schedule and book your tour on a day when the low tide aligns with the sandbar experience. This will determine everything about the tour. We went on a day with a water depth of about 60 cm (which was the best day for us). Since we were aware of this, we weren't disappointed, and even with a water depth of 60 cm, it was still an amazing experience, so we enjoyed it thoroughly.

During the snorkeling, although there weren't many types, we were able to see a lot of fish. For lunch, we had healthy food, which is great during a trip when it's easy to lack vegetables. On the day we went, there was a decent amount of wind, so the sea kayaking was canceled, but we were able to do a little bit of stand-up paddleboarding (they teach you how to ride beforehand), and the kids could play with floaties and on the sea carpet, allowing us to spend a very fulfilling time. We even saw a sea turtle!

まず、潮の満ち引きをしっかり調べて、旅行の日程の中から干潮とサンドバー体験の時間が合う日を狙って予約するといいです。
それによって、このツアーは全てが決まります。
私たちは水深60cmくらいの日に行きました（これが一番合う日でした）。
分かっていたことなのでがっかりすることもなかったですし、水深60cmでもやっぱり凄いことに変わりはないので、充分楽しめました。
そして、その後のシュノーケルでは種類は少ないもののたくさんの魚を見られました。
お昼ご飯は、野菜不足になりやすい旅行中には嬉しい、ヘルシーなものです。
私たちが行った日は風がそこそこあり、シーカヤックは中止でしたが、少しだけSUPもでき（事前に乗り方を教えてもらえます）、ちびっこたちは浮き輪や海の上のじゅうたんでも遊べ、かなり密度の濃い時間を過ごせました。
ウミガメも一匹見られましたよ！

This was my second time participating. I had made a reservation for Christmas, which thankfully was still being held, but it was canceled due to bad weather. Fortunately, I was able to adjust to another day and participate.

The boat had changed since my last visit, and it had been upgraded in various ways! Unlike Mikurajima, it was disappointing that diving was prohibited where the dolphins were, so we could only watch from above, but I was glad to see them multiple times.

Since it was a busy season, there were many participants, and I noticed several people getting bruised from bumping into each other while swimming. There were also quite a few people feeling seasick. Taking precautions is important.

It was disappointing that I couldn't see any turtles while snorkeling this time, but the crew was great at keeping the energy up, and the hula was wonderful, so it was definitely worth participating!

2回目の参加でした。
クリスマスもありがたいことに催行されていたので予約していたのですが悪天候のためキャンセルになりました。運良く別の日に調整できて参加できました。

前回から船も変わっていて、色々とパワーアップしていました！
御蔵島と違い、イルカがいるところでは潜るのが禁止だったので上から見るだけなのが残念でしたが、何度も見られたので良かったです。
繁忙期なので参加者が多く、一緒に泳ぐのでぶつかってあざになっている方が多く見られました。あと船酔いしてる方も多々見られました。対策は重要です。

今回はシュノーケリングで亀が見られなかったのが残念でしたが、クルーのかたが盛り上げ上手で、フラも素敵でしたし、参加した甲斐ありました！

It was hard to get up in the morning while traveling, but thanks to that, I was able to spend a fulfilling morning.

The scenery was amazing.

Unfortunately, I couldn't swim with the dolphins. However, two adorable dolphins swam alongside our boat for a while, which was very soothing.

Important note!! Many people suffered from seasickness. It's essential to take motion sickness medication from places like ABC Mart beforehand.

We also took the motion sickness medication we got from ABC Mart as soon as we woke up, and we had no problems at all. Oh, I felt a little nauseous on the way back, though.

The staff were incredibly cute and enthusiastic!!

Even if you can't meet the dolphins, you can still have a great time.

朝なかなか起きられない旅先ですが、おかげさまで、充実の午前中を過ごすことができました。

景色最高。

イルカは、残念ながら一緒に泳ぐ事は出来ませんでした。ただし、かわいらしい二頭が、その後
船にずっと付き添って泳いでいてくれ、和みました。

重要事項!!　多くの方が船酔いで、苦しんでいました。
ABCマートなどで、必ず酔い止めを飲んでおくことが大切です。

私たちもABCマートで求めた酔い止めを、起床とともにともに飲み、全く問題なく過ごすことができました。
あ、帰り際には少しだけ気持ち悪くなりましたが。

スタッフの方々の可愛さと盛り上げが最高です!!

もしイルカに会えなくても、充分に楽しめます

The guide was very kind, and they took a lot of wonderful photos at the sandbar. I was also able to see many sea turtles.

案内の人がすごく親切で、さんどばーで素敵な写真いっぱい撮ってくれました。ウミガメにもたくさん会うことが出来ました。

We had a great time doing this. The guys were super friendly and relaxed and nice. My brother and I had some experience with scuba, but our kids--ages 16, 13 and 11--did not. It was a quick orientation and we were in the water. We walked right in off the beach. The kids did great. My son had a little trouble being comfortable breathing through a regulator, but still enjoyed it. He just stayed up closer to the surface. The other two had no difficulty with it at all. I was actually surprised at all the different fish we saw. It's not like you're swimming with hundreds of fish all around you, but that's just not available in an outing like this. But it was a great experience that all of us enjoyed and it didn't have to be an all-day commitment.

There were plenty of fish while snorkeling, and we also played beach volleyball. The weather that day wasn't very good, but I had a great time! The staff were all very kind, and I would love to participate again if I have the chance.

シュノーケルもお魚がいっぱいいたり
ビーチバレーもしました。
その日天気はあまり良くなかったのですが
すごく楽しめました！
スタッフも優しい方ばかりでまた機会があったら参加したいと思います。

Everyone was great, experience was wonderful. Crew made you feel really safe