All Reviews for Sightseeing / Guided Tours

Since I saw it on TV before, I had been thinking about going to Mauna Kea to see the sunset... It was a wonderful sunset that I had longed for. Unfortunately, there was a full moon for stargazing, but still, I saw many stars and learned a lot! I even spotted a shooting star! The photo of the moon taken through the telescope became a wonderful memory! Thank you, Shinya.

以前テレビで見て以来、夕日を見にマウナケアへ・・・と思っていました。念願の素晴らしいサンセットでした。星空観測にはあいにくの満月でしたが、それでも、たくさんの星に、詳しいお話！流れ星も見つけました！天体望遠鏡ごしに撮っていただいた月の写真は素敵な思い出になりました！しんやさん、ありがとうございました。

Lovely tour with Aunty behind the wheel. The day passed quickly with a reasonable lunch (we bought our own) at Joe's on the golf course.

Aunty's humor and knowledge made the day memorable. Thoroughly enjoyed the stops at the Fern Grotto and Wiamea canyon.

We participated as a family of four. The location was a private beach at the hotel, and there were about 200 participants. Most of them were tourists from Western countries, and there were few Japanese attendees. The seating was on a first-come, first-served basis, and since we arrived just before the opening, only the seats at the back were available. Naturally, the seats closer to the front offered a more intense dance experience. Since we had small children with us, it turned out to be nice to have a spacious area at the back to relax.

Before the dance, there is a dinner (buffet style). The variety is abundant, with many Polynesian dishes, and I think it might be challenging for some Japanese men to try all the different types. There are also seafood dishes, allowing you to enjoy Hawaii's food culture. A significant difference from Japan is that Westerners tend to take a large amount at once and are less likely to go back for seconds, so for Japanese people who usually take smaller portions, there might be dishes they intended to eat later that are already gone. By the way, there is no replenishment of the food. The drinks are free-flowing, but the bar counter closes once the show starts, so please drink as much as you like before the food.

The dance show features not only Hawaiian hula but also various forms of dance from the Polynesian region, accompanied by music. There are no explanations in Japanese, but this actually enhances the atmosphere of being enveloped in a different culture, making it enjoyable. You will have a wonderful evening on the island of Hawaii, where the fire goddess Pele resides.

家族4人で参加しました。ロケーションはホテルのプライベートビーチで、参加者は２００人程でした。ほとんどが欧米からの観光客で日本人は少なかったです。席は先着順で私達は開園直前に行ったので後ろの席しか空いていませんでした。当然前の方の席ほどダンスの迫力が違います。私達は小さな子供達がいたので結果的に後ろの方の席で広いスペースでのんびりとできてよかったです。
ダンスの前にディナー（ビュッフェ形式）があります。品数は豊富でポリネシアン料理がたくさんあって全種類食べるのには日本人の男性では厳しい方もいると思います。魚介類の料理もあってハワイの食文化を堪能できます。日本と決定的に違うのは、欧米人の方は1回で大量に取って2回目以降をとりに行く人が少ないので、1回のとる量が少量の日本人にとっては後で食べようと思っていた料理が無くなっていることもあります。ちなみに料理の補充はありません。お酒もフリードリンクですが、ショーが始まるとバーカウンターも閉じてしまうので、料理の前にお酒は好きなだけ飲んでおいて下さい。
ダンスショーはハワイのフラダンスショーONLYではなく、ポリネシア圏の様々な形のダンスを音楽を交えて披露してくれます。日本語の説明は一切ありませんが、かえって異文化に包まれている雰囲気が高まり楽しめます。
火の女神ペレが住む島ハワイ島での素敵な一晩になりますよ。

This trip to Hawaii was a honeymoon, and it was an experience that far exceeded my expectations, leaving me very satisfied.

First of all, our guide, Mr. Yamamoto, was incredibly entertaining, and we had a great time chatting and making detours along the way. As we approached the summit, the temperature gradually dropped, and we enjoyed a bento dinner at the Onizuka Center, where miso soup was also provided, warming both our hearts and bodies.

The view of the sunset from the summit changed moment by moment, and it was truly beautiful. Furthermore, during the stargazing, I was amazed by the countless stars shining brightly! The night sky felt almost white with the starlight. It was such a dreamlike scene that I really regretted not being able to capture it in photos. Additionally, Mr. Yamamoto provided clear explanations of the constellations, which was very educational.

Depending on the season, I highly recommend this experience to anyone visiting the Big Island.

今回のハワイ旅行はハネムーンだったのですが、予想を遥かに超える体験ができ大満足でした。

まず、ガイドの山本さんがとっても楽しませてくれて、道中もいろいろ話したり寄り道をしたりと大盛りあがりでした。
山頂までは徐々に寒さを増し、途中のオニヅカセンターで夕食にお弁当をいただくのですが、お味噌汁も用意され心も体も暖まりました。

山頂からのサンセットの眺めは刻々と姿が変わり、本当にキレイの連発でした。さらに、星空観測では無数の星の輝きに驚かされるばかり！！まさに星明りで夜空が白く感じられるんです。夢のような光景で写真に残せないのが本当に残念です。また、ガイドの山本さんが分かりやすく星座の説明をしてくれるので勉強にもなりました。
時期にもよるかと思いますが、ハワイ島に行かれる方にはとってもオススメです。

I participated in this tour through a friend's introduction. It was our first trip to Hawaii as a couple! Since I had made the reservation online in advance, it was easy to confirm everything by phone once we arrived in Maui. On the day of the tour, I went with my family. At Krispy Kreme, I was amazed that I could eat donuts right away, as in Tokyo you usually have to wait in line! After that, we enjoyed ice cream that can only be found in Hawaii, which was delicious!

After filling our stomachs, it was finally time to start our hike (by car). As we gained altitude, the scenery became incredibly beautiful, but the air got thinner and it started to get cold. Thankfully, I was lent a down jacket, so it wasn't a problem. However, being sensitive to the cold, bringing a heat pack was definitely the right choice! It seemed that Takarin didn't need one, though. Along the way, we saw a flower that only blooms once every twenty years! It was amazing!

Finally, it was time for the sunset! It was a wonderful and emotional moment. It was truly beautiful and an incredible experience that you can't see in Japan! I definitely want to go back and see it again! I hope everyone gets to experience this too. I took a lot of photos. The experience was so amazing that I forgot all about the cold!

Satisfied, we were then treated to Chef Yamauchi's special bento! It was incredibly delicious!

Lastly, we had stargazing. We all exclaimed "Wow!" at the starry sky we had never seen before. The Milky Way, constellations, and the Big Dipper... we were overwhelmed by the stunning starry sky! The crescent moon we saw through the telescope was full of craters. I was also moved by Yamauchi's stories! I feel like my emotions have grown (in a good way). I'm really glad I participated in this tour. It was a great happiness to share so many encounters and emotions with everyone and my loved ones. When I go back to Maui, I will definitely join this tour again to see Yamauchi!

今回お友達の紹介でこのツアーに参加しました。
２人での初めてのハワイ旅行！
事前にネットで予約していたのでマウイ島に着いてからは電話での確認のみで簡単でした。
当日はFamilyと一緒に行きました。クリスピークリームドーナツは東京ではまだまだ並ばないと食べれないのに…なんとすぐに食べられました！
その後は山内さんの好きなハワイにしかないアイスクリームをご馳走していただきました☆ちょーおいしかったぁ~

お腹もいっぱいになって、いよいよ登山開始！(車でね）
標高が高くなるにつれて景色はすごく綺麗で…でもだんだん空気が薄くなり、寒さがやってきました。
でも、ダウンを貸していただいたので問題なしでした。でも…寒がりなまりりんはホッカイロ持参したのは正解でした！！たかりんにはホッカイロは必要なかったみたい。。。
途中で20年に一度しかみることのできないお花をみちゃいました！！！すごいなぁ~
いよいよ☆サンセットです！！！素敵＆感動の瞬間☆
まじで綺麗で…日本では見ることのできない素晴しい感動でした！！！絶対また行きたいし、見たい！！！みんなにも是非行ってほしいです。いっぱい写真も撮っちゃいました。
寒さなんて忘れちゃうくらいすごいんだよ！

満足してその後はシェフ山内特製幕の内弁当の登場！！！
これがまたちょーおいしかったぁ~

☆最後は星空観測☆
今までみたこともない星空にみんなで「すご~い」
天の川とか星座とか北斗七星とか…とにかく満点の星空に感動の連発でした☆☆☆
望遠鏡でみた三日月もクレーターがいっぱいだったよ~
山内さんのお話にも感動しちゃいました！
自分の中で気持ちが大きくなった気がします（いい意味でね）
このツアーに参加して本当によったです。たくさんの出会いや感動をみんなで＆大切な人と感じられたことがすごく幸せでした。またマウイ島に行ったら絶対に山内さんに会いにこのツアーに参加します！

Would do again,also would recommend to a friend.
Drinks very good, but a little pricey if you ran out of tickets...

My husband and I enjoyed this dinner cruise. Food was very good, but we did not care for the salad..
Overall we had a great time....

Our guide, Dave, was excellent - so well informed and interesting to listen to. He obviously has a passion for what he does, and we found the two our experience to be one of the highlights of our Hawaii trip!

It was my first time attending a luau. The dancers were awesome, and I def. loved the fire dancer. The quality of the foods was good. I'm pretty sure there are people who don't like certain foods, but hey, you are experience something different, right? I liked poi, though not too many people tried it. Overall, it was a great experience.

The driver was great! He shared all kinds of information with us about both the USS Arizona and the USS Missouri as well as Pearl Harbor. He was also able to give detailed information about each historical location we passes as well as Punchbowl Cemetary. It was a great trip worth taking!!!

For you avid birdwatchers, this trip is a must do for the Big Island. You can't catch all the birds on the island without this tour. We only missed one native to Hawai'i! For this tour, we saw them all.

I totlally enjoyed this.

I had a great time on this tour. We only stayed for two days so it was good that we did this tour on our first day to learn about the island. We just went back to the sights and beyond on the next day to explore more on our own. Kauai is such an beautiful, mellow, country island. People were very nice, and you can still feel that old Hawaiian way of living. I loved the Fern Grotto. The little dancing and singing on the boat was fun.

Mahalo!

It was great! We could hear the earth's heart beat here. My five year old wanted to know more about the volcano after the trip, he didn't stop asking me questions!

Haleakala Crater was just amazing! You don't feel like you are in a tropical paradise because it gets cold up there! It is very spiritual and peaceful there, and we can't believe ancient Hawaiians used to climb on foot. Next time, I'd love to hike the crater.

We loved the Iao Needle as well. It was beautiful. Thanks!

Don't miss the tour of the USS Missouri
The memorial symbolises the start of WW2 and the USS Missouri the end

I participated with some skepticism, but I'm really glad I did. I've never seen a starry sky like that. It just happened to coincide with the new moon, so I was able to see many stars, including the Southern Cross! I didn't get altitude sickness and had a great time. I understand now why everyone recommends this tour. I can definitely recommend it!

半信半疑で参加しましたが、ほんとに参加してよかった。
あんな星空見たことありません。
ちょうど、新月にぶつかったのもあって、
たくさんの☆を見れました。
南十字星も！
高山病にもならず、楽しめました。
みなさんお勧めのツアーの理由がわかりました。
お勧めできます♪

After all, this tour is primarily based around a trip to a cemetary. There really isn't that much to see of the Arizona itself, just some shadows underwater really. As I mentioned though, this is a little different to your average tourism spot, no "ooooh's and ahhhh's for the spectacular at the Arizona Monument.

The battleship Missouri is quite impressive though, the tour around the boat itself is quite interesting and is very much worth a look.

The city and punchbowl tour really isn't much at all. You basically drive in and out through the city, that's the tour pretty much. The Punchbowl Cemetary is a three minute detour and probably really isn't woth the bother for what you see there.

The weather was wonderful, and we had a truly spectacular sunset and starry sky. I also made friends with others who participated, and we ended up having dinner together later on Oahu, which was a great encounter. I'm really glad I joined this tour.

This was my second time on this tour, but the starry sky changes with the seasons, so I recommend participating several times throughout the year!

天気にも恵まれ、本当にすばらしいサンセット、星空となりました。また一緒に参加した方と仲良くなりその後のオアフでも夕食をご一緒させてもらうという、出会いもあり、参加して本当に良かったです。
このツアー自体は2回目だったのですが、季節が変われば見える星空も違うので季節を変えて何度か参加することをオススメします！

The Arizona Memorial was 5 star!!! God bless the 1177 soldiers that gave their lives for our country!
The city tour was slow and boring. Recommend other transport to the AZ Memorial.

Just beware that the tour may last longer than the promised 12:30 return time. I was very worried when our tour guide told us that the previous day they hadn't even entered the AZ Memorial until 11:00 and that we may not get back until after 2pm. It turned out that it all worked out and, fortunately, we got in an early tour. The tour was nice and we really enjoyed the City Tour, which we weren't really expecting!

I took my girlfriend to this dinner cruise cuz I heard great things about it. It def. met my expectation, but I wish I had more money to do 5star. We did three star, and it was still good, but if you are really into that person you are with, you should do 5 star (no offense to my gf... next time...) i had a chance to peek the top floor, and it looked really nice inside. Neverthless, we enjoyed ourselves very much. Thanks!

I participated on June 21.
It was absolutely amazing! To be specific about what was great:
1. The journey
As we made our way to the summit, we picked up guests while touring around the hotel, and the scenery along with the guide's commentary kept us engaged. We stopped at beautiful spots along the way to take photos.
2. Japanese cuisine
You might wonder why we had Japanese food for dinner while abroad, but once you taste it on-site, you'll understand. The miso soup enjoyed in that magnificent scenery and cold weather is exceptional!
3. The scenery
It can't be conveyed through photos. It's simply incredible. I was left speechless beyond that word. It's something I want my loved ones to see.
4. The starry sky
Even as someone who is used to seeing stars living in the countryside, I was moved by its beauty. I could see satellites and the Milky Way. I also spotted several shooting stars. They showed us Saturn's rings and Jupiter's stripes through a telescope. The guide's extensive knowledge and enjoyable explanations enhanced the experience.
5. Warm clothing
I believe it was warmer than the cold-weather gear from other companies that were also at the summit.
6. The guide
Their knowledge, personality, and reliability were all top-notch. I will definitely return!

６月２１日に参加しました。
とにかく最高です！何が最高なのか具体的に書くと
１.道中
　　ホテルを回りお客さんを拾いながら山頂へ向かって行きますが、景色とガイドのトークが飽きさせません。山頂までの途中、景色の良いところで下車し写真撮影もさせてくれます。
２.和食
　　なぜ海外なのに夕食に和食が出るのかと思いますが、現場で食べて見ればわかります。あの雄大な景色と寒さの中ですする味噌汁は格別です！
３．景色
　　写真では伝わりません。凄いの一言です。この言葉以外言葉を失いました。大切な人に見て欲しいものがそこにあります。
４．星空
　　田舎住まいで星に見慣れている私ですら感動する綺麗さです。人口衛星も天の川も見れました。流れ星もいくつも見れました。望遠鏡で土星の輪や木星の縞模様も見せてくれました。ガイドの知識の豊富さと楽しい解説が魅力を引き立ててくれます。
５.防寒着
　　同じく山頂にいた他社の防寒着より暖かいものだと思います。
６.ガイド
　　知識、人柄、頼りがい、どれをとっても最高でした。またリピートします！

Cousin Carl was great ! He did a wonderful job informing us of Pearl Harbor, and the City tour. Full of information. Everyone should take this tour.

My family and I enjoyed the tour very much. Our tour guide, Cousin James, was great. After the Pearl Harbour tour, we went around the city, but like one of the comments said we only had 15 mins to roam around. If you have a car you can go back to those places anyway, or just get off at one of the stops and not continue with the tour, then take "The Bus" back to your hotel. I would recommend this tour to everyone especially first timers.

The whole roasted pig was delicious.

豚の丸焼きはおいしかった。

On June 6, 2008, I participated with four colleagues from work! When we saw the sunset, it was super cold! I thought, "Is this really Hawaii???" but they lent us jumpsuits, so we managed to get through it. (Personally, I think I should have worn more layers underneath...) After that, we went down a bit from the summit to see the starry sky, and it was just a sky full of stars☆★ They used a laser pointer to explain everything clearly. I saw the Milky Way for the first time and the Southern Cross! It was an overwhelming experience. Furthermore, our guide, Shinya, seemed to have a hobby for photography and took pictures of us with the stars in the background. This will be a treasure for a lifetime. Thank you so much!!

I truly believe it was the right choice to select this tour company! If I come back to the Big Island, I would love to join this tour again!! MAHALO!!

２００８年６月６日に会社の同僚４人で
参加しました！サンセットを見た時はめっちゃ！！
寒くてここハワイ？？？って思うぐらいでしたが、
ツナギを貸して頂いたので何とか凌ぐことが出来ました。
（個人的にはもう少し中に着込んで行くべきだと思いましたが・・）その後、山頂から少し降りて星空を見ましたが、これがもう満天の星空☆★レーザーポインターを使って分かりやすく説明していただきました。初めて見た天の川に、南十字星！感動の嵐。さらにガイドのしんやさんはカメラが趣味？らしく星をバックに写真を撮ってくれました。
これは一生の宝物になります。本当にありがとうございました！！

ここのツアー会社を選んで本当に正解！だったと思っています。またハワイ島に来ることがあればまたここのツアーに参加したいでーす！！MAHALO!!

The description of the Falls "hike" should be reworded to "casual stroll". All the interesting parts that might be qualified as hikes were barred as off limits for falling rock or just closed off. Also, the change in elevation was laughable. It was more like going to a park.

The waterfall actually had water, but not enough water yet for swimming, which was teh main point of it. That part was very underwhelming.

The snorkeling on teh beach was great. Amazing area and great knowledgeable staff/tour guides. highly recommend that part.

I participated in 2007.
I recommend it for those staying in Hawaii on Independence Day.

I think it would be nice to go a little early, have a meal at Hooters in the Aloha Tower Marketplace, and then join the event.

On the way back, there is a tremendous traffic jam, so if you take a taxi back to the hotel, the meter will go up quickly, so you should be careful.

2007年に参加しました。
独立記念日にハワイに滞在している方にはお勧めです。

ちょっと早めに行って、アロハタワー・マーケット・プレイス内にある
ＨＯＯＴＥＲＳでお食事してから参加するのもいいと思います。

帰りはものすごい渋滞なので、タクシーでホテルまで帰ると
メーターがガンガン上がるので、気をつけたほうがいいですよ。

This was my third time participating in the tour, and I enjoyed it every time with new discoveries! The conversations during the car ride were lively, and it was great to see everyone getting along in such a friendly atmosphere.

When we watched the sunset, a very cold wind was blowing, but I was really happy to be lent a warm long coat and a jumpsuit (which can withstand minus temperatures).

During the stargazing, I was able to see my birth constellation, and the thrill of looking at the moon through the telescope was breathtaking! I hope to see shooting stars next time. I would like to come back when we can see "Subaru."

Thank you to our guide, Shinya, for the fun tour and for taking beautiful photos. I would love to join Shinya's tour again. I look forward to it!

３回目のツアー参加でしたが、毎回新たなる発見があり楽しめました♪
　移動中の車内でのトークで盛り上がりお客さん同士も和気あいあいの和んだ雰囲気でよかったです。
夕日を見るときは、とても冷たい風が吹いていましたが
暖かいロングコートやツナギ（マイナス何度まで耐えれるという）を貸していただきとてもうれしかったです。
　星空観測は、自分の誕生星座が見れ、月を望遠鏡で見たときの感動は息をのむすごさでした☆
　できれば、流れ星が見れるよいいなーと思いました。
次回は、「すばる」が見れる時期に来たいと思います。

　ガイドの“しんや”さん楽しいツアー＆きれいな写真を撮ってもらってありがとうございました。
　また、しんやさんのツアーに参加したいと思います。その時はよろしくお願いします♪

I participated with my mother and daughter from the King Kamehameha Hotel on February 16! I wonder if Minorin remembers me? I'm really glad I joined this tour! Minorin's talk was fun, and we enjoyed the sunset from the summit, the horizon, the mountain shadows, and the stars, fully experiencing the nature of the Big Island! I was impressed by Minorin's incredible knowledge of stars, haha. Thank you so much for the wonderful memories!☆☆☆

２月１６日にキングカメハメハホテルから母娘で参加した者です！！みのりん覚えてるかなぁ？
このツアーに参加して本当によかったです！！みのりんのトークは楽しいし、山頂からの夕日や、地平線、山の影、星などハワイ島の自然を満喫しました！！みのりんの星の知識は半端ないと感心していました笑
素敵な思い出をどうもありがとうございました☆☆☆