All Reviews for Sightseeing / Guided Tours

Veltra service was perfect. The communication through emails from booking to email reminders as reservation day approached to even a phone call was all above board. We had no problems at the park when we got there with our email confirmation for all activities. It was a time saver at the park.

In the early afternoon, I boarded the van for pickup and listened to our guide Matchan's enjoyable commentary. We encountered a magnificent sea of clouds and quickly arrived at the Onizuka Visitor Center. Although it was an early dinner, the warm miso soup was included, and it was incredibly delicious—I even had a second helping. Finally, we were at the summit of Mauna Kea. Being able to drive up to the 4,205-meter peak felt like a dream for the elderly couple. I didn't mind the thin air at all. I was prepared for the strong winds, but I appreciated the thoughtful provision of warm clothing, hats, and gloves. Our guide's professional camera skills prompted me to strike a pose as if I were jumping over the sun. I jumped! I really did! We captured some great photos! The reflection of the sunset created a pink and blue scene that I had never seen in Japan. Next, we drove to a stargazing spot, where the warm drinks and cookies we had were also very tasty. The starry sky was absolutely stunning, and a shooting star fell right in front of us. The guide explained the constellations clearly using a laser pointer. My daughter and her husband participated in the sunrise tour on the same day and were equally impressed, so I hope to join the sunrise tour next time. I would love to rely on your services again then. My satisfaction level was 100%.

昼過ぎの迎えのバンに乗りガイドのマッチャンの楽しい案内を聞き、素晴らしい雲海と出会いあっという間にオニズカビジターセンターに着きました。早い夕食ではありましたが、温かい味噌汁も付き、そこで頂くお味噌汁は最高に美味しくておかわりまでしてしまいました。いよいよマウナケア山頂です。4,205ｍの山頂まで車で登れるとは、老夫婦にとっては夢のようでした。空気が薄くなるのも私は全然気になりませんでした。風が強いのは覚悟の上でしたが、防寒着、帽子と手袋まで気配りが嬉しかったです。また、ガイドさんのプロ並みのカメラさばきに、思わず太陽を飛び越えるポーズ。飛びました。飛びましたよ！！しっかり写真にもおさめてもらいました！太陽が沈んだ後の反射でピンクとブルー色の光景は日本では見たことがないものでした。次に星空スポットへ車で移動し、そこでいただいた温かい飲み物とクッキーもとても美味しかったです。素晴らしい満天の星空でした。流れ星も目の前に落ちました。星座についてもレーザーポインターを使いながら分りやすく説明してくれました。娘夫婦が同じ日のサンライズツアーに参加し同様に感激していたので、次はサンライズツアーに参加できればと思っています。その時はまたお世話になりたいと思います。満足度100％でした。

Mauna Kea on the Big Island of Hawaii, at 4,205 meters, is higher than Mount Fuji, yet it is easily accessible by car. I joined this tour because it offers views of the Subaru Telescope and beautiful starry skies. While several companies operate similar tours, I chose Masashi Nature School because they took photos and provided the option to download them from their website.

The basic schedule was as follows: Departing Kailua-Kona at 1:30 PM, leaving Waikoloa at 2:30 PM, passing through Parker Ranch, and arriving at the Onizuka Visitor Center at 4:00 PM (where we enjoyed a dinner bento and viewed the endangered silver sword plant). After putting on the warm clothing provided, we departed the center at 5:15 PM, taking photos with Mauna Loa and the Subaru Telescope in the background, and reached the summit at 6:15 PM. We watched the sunset at 6:45 PM and departed the summit at 7:15 PM. We descended to about 3,600 meters for stargazing (observing Jupiter and the Moon through telescopes, constellation explanations from the guide, and photo opportunities) and left the Onizuka Visitor Center at 9:00 PM, arriving in Waikoloa at 10:00 PM and Kailua-Kona at 10:45 PM.

I was able to see sights that can only be experienced by climbing to the summit of Mauna Kea, such as the Subaru Telescope, the sunset sinking into the sea of clouds, and the Pleiades star cluster, which I had never seen in Japan.

A few observations: 1. The warm clothing provided (especially hats and gloves) had a very used feel, so I recommend bringing your own if that concerns you. 2. The bento was made by Big Island Grill, famous for its poke, and it was very delicious. 3. On the way down from the Onizuka Visitor Center, you can sleep, but since the descent starts from 2,800 meters, be careful to occasionally pop your ears to avoid discomfort. 4. For the best stargazing, try to go during a new moon. At 4,200 meters, the air is clear, and it truly felt like another world.

ハワイ島のマウナケアは、４２０５ｍと、富士山より高いにもかかわらず、車で容易に行くことができ、日本のすばる天文台や、きれいな星空がみられ ると言うことで、このツアーに参加しました。他に何社か催行していますが、マサシネイチャースクールさんは、写真を撮ってくれた上、さらにＨＰか らダウンロードが可能ということで、こちらを選びました。簡単なスケジュールとしては、13：30カイルアコナ出発　14：30　ワイコロア出 発、パーカー牧場の間を抜け、16：00オニヅカビジターセンター着（夕食のお弁当と絶滅危惧種である銀剣草の鑑賞）,貸していただける防寒着を 着用して17：15センター出発、途中、となりの4000ｍ級のマウナロアや、すばる天文台をバックに写真を撮りながら18：15山頂到着。 18：45サンセット19：15山頂出発。3600ｍ位まで降りて星空観測（望遠鏡で木星と月の観測、ガイドさんの星座解説、写真撮 影）21：00オニヅカビジターセンター出発　22：00ワイコロア22：45カイルアコナ着。
すばる天文台や、雲海に沈むサンセット、日本では見たことのない昴　（プレアデス星団）などなど、マウナケアの山頂まで登らなければ見られない景 色を見ることができました。
気づいたことを少し。1.　貸していただける防寒着（特に帽子や手袋）はused感満載なので、気になる方はご自分のものを持参することをお勧めします。2.　お弁当は、コアで有名なビッグアイランドグリル製だそうで、とても美味しかったです。3.　帰り、オニヅカビジターセンターから降りていくときは寝てもいいのですが、2800ｍのところからの下山になりますので、たまに耳抜きをしないと耳が痛くなりますのでご注意ください。 4.　星空観賞は、できれば新月の時が星がよく見えます。4200ｍは、空気も澄んで、文字通り別世界でした。

Our tour guide Mike was fantastic. After a bit of confusion on picking up passengers, we started heading east across the Big Island on Saddle Road in a very comfortable Mercedes van. Mike has a wealth of knowledge, both cultural and local, so he made the tour feel almost personalized for everyone. We stopped at the Mauna Kea Recreation Area for a tasty, fresh lunch. Weather was perfect to see both volcanoes. We stopped along the highway to walk on the lava and see and he explained the different types. We continued to Hilo and watched a video about the volcanes, and then we stopped at Rainbow Falls. Mike knew the best places for nice pictures. After taking the scenic route and getting downtown Hilo, we learned more history about various buildings and the Kamehameha statues around the islands and stopped at Big Island Candies for some tasty samples and quick shopping. Time for the main event!

We went into the Volcanoes National Park. We stopped by some active steam vents and then the Jaggar Museum to see the active crater. Mike tooks us to see other craters and lava flows and stopped to let us walk around and see various formations created by the flow. We went deeper and deeper into the park, making our way almost to the ocean, and then stopped at the Thurston lava tube. Very unique!

From there, we headed for dinner at the Kilauea Lodge. Great atmosphere, great food, great service! Definitely try the soups! After dinner and after dark, Mike took us back to the Jaggar Museum to view the lava glow. Mike must have called on Pele to part the fog, because we were able to see and take pictures of the glow. He provide binoculars and jackets to those who needed it.

Now, heading back to the Kona side at night, we finished the volcano video and watched an "update" video that showed all the eruptions since 1983. We stopped across from the Mauna Kea Rec Area for stargazing. Mike point out constellations, planets, galaxies, stars. BEAUTIFUL!

The web sites all boast of waterfall swims and swimming in rock pools. This does not happen as there is insufficient water at these locations. The rock pools were more like insect infested cess pools and there are warning signs about the dangers of swimming in them. The only swimming option is at the black sand beach where a 30 min stop was taken. I think the description needs to be altered to be more accurate.

Other than that, it was quite interesting but we were definitely ready to get off when it was finished. It is a long and tiring day.

It was very convenient! There were four lines available for unlimited rides, but since I didn't use them that much, it felt a bit expensive. However, I'm glad there was a trolley.

とても便利でした！
４つのラインが乗り放題でしたが、そんなに沢山は乗らなかったのでちょっと高いかなってところですね‼︎でもトロリーあってよかったです。

I participated in a tour to the North Shore, which is not easy to access when traveling alone, and I had my first horseback riding experience. During the long drive, I had a great time thanks to the guide's talk and quizzes. It was my first time riding, but the horses were very gentle, and I was able to ride comfortably. Even after returning home, the joy of horseback riding lingered, along with some soreness (laughs). I would love to join this tour again!

1人旅では、なかなか行きにくいノースショアと、初めての乗馬体験で参加しました。
長いドライブ中も、ガイドさんのトーク＆クイズで、とても楽しく過ごさせて頂きました。
初めての乗馬でしたが、とても大人しい馬達で快適に乗馬出来ました。帰国後も乗馬の楽しみは、お尻の痛みと共に余韻が残りました(笑)
また、参加したいツアーです‼️

As someone who grew up in new york and then relocated to seattle, I'm used to big city living and never learned how to drive. This was my first trip out to ANY Hawaiian Island so you can imagine my dismay when I realized how limited I was in terms of car service so this tour was a god send when it came to actually being able to see a lot of the big island which I never would have managed on my own. The coach itself was spacious and comfortable and even thought the tour itself was carefully constructed to have a lot of walking breaks I don't think I would have gotten stir crazy even once if we'd done just a complete driving circuit of the island.

Our driver, Jim, was just a fountain of knowledge of not just the sites we visited but also the history/mythos behind a lot of them them and their importance to the indigenous peoples, but also of local attractions that I've totally added to my "to do" list whenever I make it back to the island. Jim was warm and accommodating and the embodiment of 'aloha' . The more in depth stargazing portion of our tour ended up getting rained out which was a disappointment (it was the part I was looking forward to most!) but I did manage to get in a little constellation viewing with Jim while waiting for the rest of the tour group to complete their night viewing of Halemaumau.

It's definitely a tour I would recommend to all of my family and friends, mahalo!

The day started with a hotel pickup, and we participated as a group of seven. Along the way, our guide provided various explanations, and we split up at the Pineapple Station (where we enjoyed pineapple soft serve).

We explored Haleiwa and had a delicious meal at a garlic shrimp place recommended by our guide (not the famous Macky's, but a restaurant run by a Japanese person named Nishikawa, where they carefully cleaned the shrimp). Of course, we also enjoyed Matsumoto Shave Ice.

After that, we were taken to a homey place called Happy Trails for a horseback riding course in Waimea Valley. The guide translated the English explanations for us, so we felt comfortable participating. The horses were as smart as the reviews said, and we enjoyed the ride with views of the ocean. It was my first time riding, and I thoroughly enjoyed it.

From there, we gathered again in Haleiwa to meet the LUCKY HONU (sea turtles)! The guide was truly knowledgeable and took us to a beach where we could reliably encounter them, allowing us to take great photos.

Overall, it was a truly fulfilling day. Thank you very much. I would like to participate in the coastal course next time.

ホテルのピックアップから始まり、3パーティ７人で参加しました。途中の道のりも色々と説明してくれて、パイナップルステーションで其々に分かれました。（そこではパイナップルソフトを食す）
私達は ハレイワ散策をして、ガイドさんお勧めのガーリックシュリンプのお店でおいしく頂きました（有名なマッキーズではございません。日本人の西川さんがやっている、ちゃんと背ワタを丁寧に取ったシュリンプです）。勿論マツモトシェイブアイスも食しました。
その後ワイメア渓谷の乗馬コースでアットホームなhappy trailsに送ってもらい、英語の説明も側で訳してくれたので安心して参加出来ました。
馬も口コミ通りお利口で登り下り そして海も望め、初乗馬でしたが充分に堪能出来ました。
そこから再度ハレイワで皆んな集合してLUCKY HONU（ウミガメ）に逢いに！
ガイドさんは本当に情報を持っていて、有名な所ではなく、ちゃんと出逢える海岸に連れて行ってもらいしっかりと写真に収める事が出来て良かったです。
全体を通して 本当に充実した1日でした。
ありがとうございました。
次回は海岸コースに参加してみたいです。

This is one of the best tours to take while on the Big Island of Hawaii. We were picked up from our hotel in Waikoloa Beach in a very nice and comfortable van. The first stop was at Mauna Kea park where we had a delicious lunch. Our tour guide (Mike - awesome!) even brought placemats for us to use at the picnic tables! We then went along saddle road while he told us very interesting information about Hawaii and the volcanoes. We saw a beautiful waterfall at Rainbow Falls. We stopped at several locations to see the various types of lava produced by the volcanoes. We went to the Jagger museum and saw Kilauea crater, the Thurston lava tube, steam vents, and enjoyed samples of Kona coffee, cookies, and candy at the Big Island Candy factory. Delicious! We had a wonderful dinner at Kilauea Lodge and then went back to the Jagger museum to see the lava flow at night. It was amazing! Mike had binocular, warm coats, hot chocolate, tea, coffee and snack for us. After that, we went stargazing. It was cold at night, so having the coats was great. We had plenty of bathroom breaks throughout the tour and the 12 hours went by quickly. We also watched some incredible videos about the volcanoes on the trip on a large screen in the van. I would definitely recommend this tour! The tour guide was great, food was great, and we met some new friends along the way!

WOW! We totally enjoyed our 11 am to 11 pm volcano trip on the Big Island, learning about the island's history, Hawaiian stories and the beautiful and amazing sights! Our passionate, energetic tour guide Jim Carey was extremely knowledgeable and prepared for everything (umbrellas, warm jackets, water, hot chocolate and so much more). Jim prioritized in our safety, comfort and having great fun! He hit many of the items on our Hawaii "bucket list" from lava tubes, volcano sights both day and night stargazing, waterfalls, stream vents and so many more stops. I loved being able to sit back and enjoy the whole trip without worrying about directions or driving. As we drove home in the dark in the comfortable Mercedes van, Jim played a wonderful video with the history footage of volcanos eruptions on the island.

Great cost performance!
Great service!
Great food !
Great entertainment!

On my third attempt, I finally reached the summit of Mauna Kea. The sunset sinking into the sea of clouds was magnificent. I was moved by the overflowing starry sky. I've added another memory of Hawaii.

3回目のチャレンジで、念願のマウナケア山頂に、雲海の中に沈む夕陽、素晴らしかったです。あふれんばかりの星空に感動しました。ハワイの思い出がまたひとつ増えました。

From the pick-up to the drop off 11 hours later, this was an absolutely fantastic tour! Our guide and driver, Jim Carey was so considerate of everyone from kids to seniors, he was totally accommodating and made excellent use of every minute. The van was clean and comfortable and he had anticipated every scenario. He was prepared with umbrellas, binoculars, flashlights, warm coats, hot chocolate and cookies and warm towels to freshen up after a day of adventures and beautiful sights. Jim was so knowledgeable about all things Kona, plants, birds, stars and he even played the Ukuele for us. Volcano National Park was truly awesome and especially at night. I really can't say enough about this tour from reservation to follow up - I could not ask for more. The lunch and dinner were great! So much thought and effort has obviously gone into this tour and Jim's enthusiasm was the icing on the cake. The concierge at the hotel said she could not even touch this tour and highly recommended Kailani Tours. This is a 10 star for sure!

I must say I was a little skeptical... It turned out to be fantastic. We decided to go on this dinner cruise for my wife's birthday and we thoroughly enjoyed every bit of it. The food was great...surprising for a huge amount of people. The drinks, entertainment, the vessel, the views all spectacular. And the staff were first rate!!!! I would definitely do this again and quite frankly for the price...it is truly a bargain!!!

This was excellent!! Our driver was very knowledgable about Hawaiian history as well as plants, trees and many other points of interest along the way. He knew where to stop so we could take pictures, etc. We debated doing this drive ourselves but are very glad we did this with a driver. We also liked the small amount of people which made us feel we got very personal attention. We loved the stop at the Tropical Plant nursery as well and the girl that showed us the plants, etc. was also great!! Would highly recommend this tour!!

We enjoyed the entertainment. There were a lot of people in attendance which made this a little difficult to see especially when people were standing and crowded around. We would have preferred a venue with a smaller attendance. Food was good.

I joined this time because I really wanted to drink the lemonade in Haleiwa.

The former public servant guide kindly took us right to the shop, so I was able to reach the lemonade I was looking for!

It was incredibly delicious, and I had a wonderful time.

Previously, I didn't have much time in Haleiwa and couldn't see much, but this tour had plenty of time, allowing me to relax.

Thank you very much.

今回、どうしてもハレイワのレモネードを飲みたくて参加しましたー。

元公務員のガイドさんがお店の前まで送ってくださったので、目的のレモネードにたどり着くことができましたー！

すんごく美味しくて、幸せな時間でした。

以前はハレイワの時間が少なくてあまり見ることができなかったのですが、今回参加したツアーはたっぷり時間があり、ゆっくりすることができましたー。

ありがとうございました。

What a wonderful tour experience to Kilauea Volcano with Kailani Tours and Chris.  My husband and I greatly enjoyed the entire day and would recommend the tour to anyone seeking a rewarding day with Volcano viewing!  From start to finish, the tour was very well-planned and enjoyable.  Chris was a veritable encyclopedia of knowledge about sites, plants and the best times and places to enjoy Kilauea.  The food, both at lunch and dinner, was first-rate and could accommodate any dietary preference.  All the little touches -- like hot cocoa and cookies and an evening tour of the Thurston’s Lava Tube – made the day even more special.  Our group was lucky enough to see a great view of the glow at the Volcano on a misty night and stars on the trip home. The van is quite comfortable and we were never more than 45 minutes between bathroom opportunities. Count on Chris and Kailani for a tour to exceed your expectations on the Big Island.

This time, I was finally able to go to the Big Island of Hawaii for my honeymoon, and while researching, I came across this tour and was well taken care of. They picked us up at the hotel, and we had a restroom break around Waikoloa (there was a supermarket, so I ended up buying a lot of souvenirs in a short time. Haha). Since we had a little time, they also took us to the beach. After that, we picked up guests from other hotels one by one and set off for Mauna Kea together! First, we had dinner at the Onizuka Visitor Center♪ Dinner was a bento box and miso soup. Eating lunch under a clear blue sky with not a cloud in sight was the best! After dinner, we borrowed warm clothing and finally set off for the summit! I tend to get motion sickness, so I took some medicine (and it was a good decision. The bumpy gravel road made for a lot of shaking). We could see the sea of clouds beautifully from the car, which was already quite moving. When we got close to the summit, the oxygen was thinner than at ground level, so when I got out of the car, my body felt a bit light-headed, but I gradually got used to it. More than that, the sunset was so amazing that I forgot about everything else. I got to see a sunset that moved me so much for the first time. I took a lot of photos, and the tour guide also took many pictures for us. After the sunset, we did some stargazing a little below the summit♪ It was breathtaking! I had never seen so many stars in Japan!! The guide explained a lot about the stars with a laser pointer, so time flew by, and I really enjoyed stargazing. My camera couldn't capture any stars at all, but the guide's high-performance camera took photos of the starry sky with the distant red glow of the Kilauea crater in the background, making for a memorable stargazing experience. I was very satisfied. They also drove us back to the hotel, and I think we arrived around midnight. I was fast asleep in the car on the way back. Haha. The guide talked to us about various things during the trip, so it was not boring at all, and we got some memorable photos, so I truly felt it was great to have been taken care of by this tour! When I have the chance to go to the Big Island again, I definitely want to use this tour again♪ If you go to the Big Island, you definitely shouldn't miss this place!!!

今回、ハネムーンで念願叶って初めてのハワイ島へ行けることになり、色々と調べていたところ、こちらのツアーが目にとまりお世話になりました。ホテルまで迎えに来て頂き、途中ワイコロア周辺でトイレ休憩も有り（スーパーもあったのでお土産等も短時間で沢山買ってしまいました。笑）時間が少しあると言うことで海へも連れてって頂きました。この後、他のホテルの方も順々にピックアップし、マウナケアへ向けて全員で出発です！まずは途中のオニヅカビジターセンターで夕食タイム♪夕食は幕の内弁当とお味噌汁でした。雲ひとつない快晴で青空の下でのお弁当は最高です！夕食後は防寒具をお借りして、いよいよ頂上へ向けて出発！私は酔いやすいタイプなので、酔い止めを飲みました。（結果、飲んでおいて良かったです。砂利道を上がっていくので揺れが凄いかった）車中から雲海も綺麗に見れて既に結構感動物です。頂上付近につくと酸素が地上より薄いので、車から降りると体がフワフワしてましたが徐々にそれも慣れてきます。そんなことよりサンセントが素晴らしすぎてそんなことも忘れてしまいます。初めてあんなに感動するサンセットを見れました。ここぞとばかりに写真も撮り、ツアーの方にも沢山写真を撮って頂きました。サンセット後は頂上より少し下ったところの路肩にて星空観測です♪もう悲鳴ものでした！日本でこんなに沢山の星を見たことが無い！！ガイドさんがレーザー棒で星の説明を沢山してくれたので、時間が経つのも早くとても楽しく星空を鑑賞できました。私のカメラでは星なんて全く映らなかったのですが、ガイドさんの高性能カメラで星空と遠くに赤く映るキラウエアの火口をバックに写真撮影もして頂き、形にも残る星空観測ができて大満足でした。帰りもホテルまで送って頂き、ホテルに着いたのは２４時近くだったと思います。帰りの車では爆睡でした。笑 道中、ガイドさんも色々とお話してくださり退屈しない移動でしたし、記念に残る写真も撮って頂けたので、結果こちらのツアーでお世話になり本当に良かったと思います！またハワイ島に行ける機会が出来たときには、ぜひまたお世話になりたいと思えたツアーです♪
ハワイ島に行ったらこちらに行かないと損ですよ！！！

It was great experience . we enjoyed celebrated our little ones first bday !! we enjoyed the food it was delicious!! a memorable experience!!!

We saw no sea life at all. Not much seating and the whale guarantee was no good as it didn't cover transportation and times are very limited. Not worth the money, was told by others to take a smaller vessel next time.

The history and the whole thing about pearl harbor was excellent , we were sadden that half of our tour was cancelled and there was no compensation for it .

Many first experiences, with a glowing orange sunset! A sky full of stars!! I was so moved that I couldn't stop talking, it was an exciting tour!!

初体験のものも多く、オレンジ色に輝くサンセット！
満天の星空！！話が尽きないくらい感激して、興奮度満点のツアー！！

On my first trip to Hawaii, I decided that more than anything else, I wanted to see the Subaru Telescope up close and observe the starry sky in the clear air. Among the many optional tours, I chose the stargazing tour at Mauna Kea with "Masashi's Tour" because they use a reflecting telescope and, unlike other tours, they conduct stargazing at a higher elevation than the Onizuka Visitor Center.

On the day of the tour, another vehicle joined us from a different route, bringing the total number of participants to about 13, half of whom were newlyweds. As a couple who are more seasoned (?), we felt a bit out of place, but that feeling quickly vanished thanks to our guide's entertaining and lively commentary, which kept us laughing throughout the journey. The drive around the Big Island takes a long time, so having a fun guide who provides explanations along the way is a big plus. A tour led by a guide fluent in Japanese gives a sense of security and, above all, is enjoyable.

After a restroom break, we first headed to the Onizuka Visitor Center on the slopes of Mauna Kea. Here, telescopes are permanently set up, and we looked through them with other tourists to see sunspots and flares. To watch the sunset from the summit, we had an early dinner (around 4:30 PM). It was already cold at this point, so having warm miso soup in addition to our bento was a delightful service. We stayed for a while to acclimatize to the altitude and put on bright, ski-like cold-weather pants. Suddenly going to an altitude over 4,000 meters can make even simple actions like putting on pants difficult, as it can lead to a lack of blood flow to the brain and the risk of hypoxia. Personally, I often experience headaches, dizziness, and nausea even at Japanese highlands, so I was quite worried about altitude sickness. I followed the guide's instructions to stay awake and took deep breaths to avoid shallow breathing.

Despite some unpaved bumpy roads, we quickly reached the summit without experiencing the nausea or headaches I had feared. The surroundings were bright, but sunset was approaching. Perhaps due to the unfamiliar altitude, I felt a bit distant, and even though there were many people around, it felt strangely quiet. The sight of the sun gradually dyeing the surroundings crimson was nothing short of divine, an overwhelming presence. I watched the sun sinking beyond the sea of clouds below with a prayerful heart.

As the sun set, all 13 observatories around us opened their domes simultaneously to prepare for astronomical observations. To avoid being in the way, our tour had to retreat early. The headlights of cars and lights from tourists passing by would interfere with the observations, so we were informed that stargazing would take place on the descent rather than at the summit, which I understood.

As we parked on a flat area along the road, we finally arrived at the much-anticipated stargazing time. That day, there was a half moon, and unfortunately, the moonlight was too bright for a star-filled sky, but we could still see the winter Milky Way. Among the many stars, I noticed Orion, which is located in the southern sky in Japan, near the zenith, while the North Star and Cassiopeia were positioned low in the northern sky. We spotted the first-magnitude star "Canopus" high in the southern sky, and my husband and I cheered. Then we looked at the moon's surface through the telescope and took a break with warm tea and cookies. Finally, we took commemorative photos against the starry sky, and the observation session concluded as we headed back.

At the Onizuka Visitor Center, where we stopped for a restroom break, it was overflowing with other tours and individuals who had come to stargaze, and the constant headlights of passing cars made it difficult to quietly enjoy the starry sky. Of course, the stars were much more beautiful than those seen from the ground, but I was glad to have chosen this tour where we could observe in a smaller group.

Howeve

　初めてのハワイ旅行では、ワイキキでの買い物ツアーよりも何よりも、すばる天文台を間近で見て、その澄んだ空気の中で星空観測をしたいと決めていました。数あるオプショナルツアーの中からマウナケアでの星空観測を「マサシのツアー」に決めた理由は、反射式望遠鏡を利用することと、他社のツアーとは違ってオニヅカビジターセンターよりも標高の高い場所で星空観測を行うとあったからです。
　当日は別ルートからもう一台途中で合流し、合計13名程度の参加者だったそうですが、そのうち半数が新婚さん。ウチのように熟年(？)にさしかかった夫婦はあまり参加しないのかと少々場違いな感じもしましたが、そんな気分は吹き飛ぶようなガイドさんの楽しい弾丸トークに道中笑いっぱなしでした。ハワイ島ツアーは車での移動時間が長いので、ガイドさんのトークが楽しく、また移動中に周辺の説明をしてくれるのはポイントが高いですね。日本語に堪能なガイドさんのツアーはやはり安心感もあるし、何より楽しいです。
　途中トイレ休憩をはさんだりしながらまずはマウナケア中腹のオニヅカビジターセンターへ。ここでは望遠鏡が常設されていて、他の観光客と一緒に望遠鏡をのぞき込み、太陽の黒点やフレアを見ました。山頂で夕日を見るためにこの場所で思いっきり早めの夕食(時刻はまだ４時半頃)。この地点で既に寒かったので、お弁当の他に温かいお味噌汁は嬉しいサービスでした。高度に身体を慣れさせるためしばらく滞在し、スキーウエアのような派手な防寒着のズボンもこの場で着用。標高4000メートルを超える高地に突然行くと、ズボンをはくような動作だけでも血液が脳に回らなくなり、脳が低酸素状態になる危険性があるからだそうです。私自身、日本の高原に行っただけでも頭痛やめまい、吐き気に襲われることも多く、高山病が怖かったので、ガイドさんの指示に従って眠らないようにしたり、深呼吸をして浅い呼吸にならないよう気を付けたりしました。舗装されていない凸凹道もあったものの、心配した吐き気や頭痛に襲われることもなくあっという間に山頂に到着。辺りは明るいけれど間もなく夕日が沈む時刻です。
　慣れない高地にいるせいか、耳が遠いような、気が遠くなるような気分で、大勢の人がその場にいたにもかかわらず、周囲が妙に静かな気がしました。刻一刻と周囲の色を朱に染めていく太陽の姿は神々しいとしか言いようのない、圧倒的な存在。眼下に広がる雲海の向こうに沈みゆく太陽に、ただただ祈るような気持ちで見入った時間でした。
　夕日が沈むと、周囲の13ある天文台は一斉にドームを開け放ち、天体観測の準備にかかります。その邪魔にならないように私たちのようなツアーは早々に撤退しなければなりません。山頂を行き交う車のヘッドライトや観光客が照らす明かりだけでも観測の邪魔になるため、その場にとどまっての星空観測ではなく、下山して行うのだという説明に改めて納得。さて、他の車がオニヅカビジターセンターまで下っていくのを横目に、道の途中、車を寄せられる平たい場所に停車していよいよお待ちかねの星空観測タイムです。
　当日は半月で、月明かりが明るすぎて降るような星空は残念ながら体験できませんでしたが、それでも冬の天の川も見えましたし、たくさんの星々の中に日本では南側にあるオリオン座が天頂付近に見え、逆に北極星やカシオペア座が北側の低い位置にあることなどを実感。日本では見ることのできない一等星「カノープス」を南の高い位置に見つけ、夫と二人歓声を上げました。それから望遠鏡で月面の様子を見せてもらって、温かい紅茶とクッキーで一休み。最後に星空を背景に参加者それぞれの記念撮影をして、観測会は終了、車に乗って帰路につきました。
　途中トイレ休憩のため立ち寄ったオニヅカビジターセンターでは、他のツアーや個人で星を観にやってきた人たちとその車であふれかえっていて、ひっきりなしに通る車のヘッドライトが気になって星空を静かに眺めるという雰囲気ではありませんでした。もちろん下界で見る星空より数段きれいでしたが、やはり少人数で観測できる、このツアーにしてよかったです。
　ただ、唯一そして最大の残念だったことは、せっかく準備した望遠鏡で見たものが月面だけだったという点。きれいな星空を見られたのは嬉しかったけれど、望遠鏡で色々視られると期待していたのでせっかくなら上り始めた木星や、オリオン座の大星雲なども望遠鏡で見せてほしかったなぁ。そこが本当に残念でした。ツアーを申し込む前にその点を確認しておくべきでした。
　でもその点さえ除けば、道中も楽しく、素晴らしいツアーだったと思います。
　ハワイ島に行かれる方は、ぜひマウナケアで太陽と星空を観測するこのツアーに参加してみてください！一生心に残ること請け合いですよ。

Our tour started at 11:00 AM and ended at 11:00 PM. Our guide, Jim, gathered us together into what felt like a family outing, not a tour with strangers. He sang to us, played the ukulele, chanted and prayed in Hawaiian. He told stories he learned directly from “kahunas,” the gurus of the Hawaiian culture. And his stories had messages beneath the messages that elucidated the world the ancient Hawaiians inhabited when they reached the Hawaiian Islands in 1200 AD that mysteriously still affected me this day. When we arrived at Rainbow Falls, which is more than 75 feet high, I didn’t expect to react that way I did. The falls and turquoise pools beneath them were so majestic that they didn’t seem quite real. I kept looking for the frame around the picture.
“Pele,” the goddess of the volcano, has shimmering black hair that sometimes looks like smooth volcanic rock that oozes out of the craters. Her fiery eyes smoke by day, but they become visible at night. When we returned to the craters to meet her on her terms, at night, suddenly, modern science merged with ancient magic and mysticism, and Jim’s stories took on a haunting inference I hadn’t heard in the light. After several short excursions to the perimeter of Hawaii’s Volcanoes National Park that even included a walk through a lava tube, Nahuku, we stopped for a scrumptious dinner in an inn reminiscent of a European, mountain lodge. As the sun set on a day filled with new information that caressed my mind and opened my imagination, I was ready to return to the smoking, lava flows to see Pele’s fiery eyes shooting glances back at me at night, asking me to question the beauty and truth of this world we live in – asking me to quietly contemplate the meaning of my life and whether paradise could actually be something real – whether promises do get fulfilled for those who learn to make a difference.

It was great to see the locations used in the show and see how they made some of the scenes work.

When we booked our trip to HI my husband had been 3-4 times already. I hadn't been at all. He convinced me not to book a luau. We really like food and figured we'd save the money for something else. Once we got to HI I was really-really bummed we didn't have a luau on the docket, and it was too late to book anything.

This cruise was amazing and once we did it we weren't so bummed about missing the luau. The cruise is so peaceful. The guide is a smith family member and his family owns the land surrounding the river. He knows so much about the land and has tons of stories he tells while you cruise up and down the river.

You stop at the fern grotto, which is so cool. It's a must see on any trip to Kauai. The musicians on the cruise play songs and play a special song to people who have just gotten married or celebrating anniversaries.

Then on the ride back the musicians play native songs. It's the next best thing to a luau.

Already did it once but will do it again!

The show was really great. I've never seen this show before, I would suggest everyone see it at least once.

Since arriving on the Big Island, the weather has been very windy, so I was worried about the conditions at the summit, but it was completely calm! There was a bit of altitude sickness, but more than that, the view of nature from 4,000 meters was breathtaking!

ハワイ島に着いてからずっと強風の天候だったので、山頂の天気を心配していましたがまったくの無風状態！
多少の酸欠もありましたが、それ以上に４０００ｍから眺める大自然は迫力がありました！