Hawaii
It seems that I almost missed the pickup due to the hotel checkout being right on time, but when I hurriedly called, the receptionist arranged for the driver to come back. The bus was mostly filled with Western travelers, and it was at full capacity. I imagine it was challenging for them to handle the sudden situation and explain things to other guests, but the driver was very kind and made various considerations while saying, "I'm sorry." I truly felt relieved and am very grateful. While American service can often feel quite dry, this company has a long history of dealing with Japanese travelers, so I felt a very Japanese spirit of hospitality.
ホテルのチェックアウトが時間ギリギリでピックアップとすれ違ってしまったようですが、焦って電話したところ再度戻ってきてくれるように受付の方が手配してくれました。バスは欧米の方がほとんどでしたが満席状態、順番にホテルを回っていたとのことで急な対応や他のお客さんへの説明も大変だったと思いますが、運転手さんも優しい方で、ごめんねーと言いながら色々気遣ってくださいました。本当にホッとしましたし、ありがたい限りです。アメリカのサービスは往々にしてドライと感じることも多いですが、日本旅行者との付き合いも長いので、すごく日本的なサービス精神を感じさせる会社さんです。
Highly recommend this! We had so much fun, the view was breathtaking. My family enjoyed it and by far the best experience ever. Our pilot was amazing and so knowledgeable about everything. He did an awesome job with educating us about the island. If you ever are in Kauai please don’t miss this amazing experience.
What a great day! Wonderful crew, musicians made the day extra fun and special. Sandbars, kayaks, paddle boards and float… you can’t go wrong.
The boat ride went off without a hitch. Seating was comfortable. Crew was polite and respectful while reminding everyone there is a face mask mandate.
The tour was enjoyable due to the guide Adam’s knowledge of horticulture, Hawaii’s history and lots of folklore.
Thanks Adam for a wonderful day spent on the tour!
The Smith’s Wailua River Cruise was a beautiful way to spend our morning. Start off by learning some island history and geography by a native guide from the Smith Family. Ours was Wade.
Once you arrive at the Fern Grotto, you’ll walk a beautiful path to get there and learn about its natural history and cultural significance as well as anything you’d like to know about it. We learned so many fascination facts and it was so beautiful and peaceful.
On our way back, we were treated with professional musicians and a top notch dancer. Everything about the small group of performers was beautiful from the sweet sounds of the musicians to the graceful display of cultural dance. You couldn’t get better quality and for the price!
It was an honor and gift to ride with the Smith Family. Looking forward to coming back with the kids.
I get this on every tour, but newbies need instructions on how not to be rude. Don’t flip in my face. Stop swarming at me, and please… there is no reason to flail your appendages rampantly for no reason when there are 50 swimmer right next to you. Please explain this to swimmers before hand. In fact, in a small area, there is no reason for flippers. This would have been much more enjoyable if no one had them.
Turtles were neat. I would not tell anyone else if you see one because everyone swarms and hits you in the face/gut/you name it, as they flail to see it.
We took the cruise last Thursday. The cruise time from the harbor to the site was a little long but worthful. The sunset view was beautiful. And we were so lucky to see a group of dolphins. The two girls were super nice and very helpful. Also, they offer a different price for people with ride-only. It was a great experience. I regret for not giving tips because my wallet was left in the car. I hope they could accept Zelle/Apple pay of tips later.
Germaine's Luau was very entertaining for my family and I. However, there was a lot of sitting around and waiting for things to happen. We were met with a mediocre box of lettuce and fruit to start with, there was some entertainment and then 1.5 hours later we were able to get other food; buffet style. The food was delicious but by the time my kiddos were fed, they were cranky and had enough. I am happy to say that I have been to a Luau and experienced the food and entertainment.
Aloha Family of Five, Thank you for your feedback. I apologize that your family had to wait so long for your dinner. It has a lot to do with the strict guidelines in place from our State Government that we have to follow, from the Check process, to how we serve the food, and it all takes time. I hope you were able to enjoy the scenery by the ocean, perhaps the beautiful sunset! I'm happy that you enjoyed the food as a luau should also be relaxing and entertaining...away from the hustle and bustle of the resort area. Thank you for choosing Germaine's Luau, and hope you will return to our island again, when we get back to normal. Mahalo, Germaine's Luau Ohana
Kayaking was fun but it was a little disappointing to find that the sandbar and related islands are all under water. The pictures showed a sandbar above water where you could exit the kayak and walk or play. In reality, the sandbars are 3-4 ft. under water. You can stand on them but you are just standing in the shallow water. According to the employee, the sandbars are under water most of the time - rarely are they exposed, due to tidal conditions. Need an extreme negative tide and the right time of the year to actually see sand. Would have been nice to know before we showed up for our trip.
The manta ray night snorkel was AMAZING! Our guides were so friendly and knowledgeable. They took the time to meet each one of us individually. Being in the dark ocean with these amazing creatures is a breathtaking experience that can’t be put into words or explained with videos. You just have to do it. We have 5-6 rays that barrel rolled under us continuously for about 20 minutes.
We did a lot on Oahu - custom tour throughout the island, Pearl Harbor, and more - plus we enjoyed every minute (except maybe the charging to hold our bags at Pearl Harbor, but that's a different review).
Our ATV time on the ranch was hands down the most fun we had. The ranch is packed with movie shooting sites, and they clearly denote where these movies were filmed. The guides were funny, humble, and fantastic photo-takers.
We arrived just after a Forrest Gump style rain... one we thought would surely cancel our tour, but there's no chance in that. On the ranch, any weather is good weather (but we're sure glad the sun came out).
Do yourself a favor and book this tour!
I so wanna do it again!. You will definitely like this experience! There are also free soda drinks. Guys, enjoy!
Capt. Ige and crew was great. They treated us very good and showed us a great time. I am definitely going to do it again with other friend that comes up from abroad. Beach volleyball was fun and snorkeling near the reef was a blast as we were close to a sea turtle.
My family really enjoyed the trip/tour. They had a shuttle to pick up us from the hotel in Waikiki. We saw so many fish and sea turtles. Definitely want to do it again!
Aloha and Mahalo! We're very pleased to hear that you had a great time in the sandbar. Thank you so much for your kind words. We look forward to seeing you again in the near future.
I paid for and experienced the sunset Manta Ray Night Time Snorkelling on Dec. 23, 2021. I completely understand that these are wild animals and that it's extremely unpredictable whether or not you'll get a good chance to see them up close and personal. That said, that is what this company is selling and what we are paying extremely good money for. if you are going to charge for it, then every effort should be made to deliver on that experience.
The crew overall did a decent job, but once we arrived at the area where the Manta Rays were supposed to be, I was surprised to see a huge number of boats of various sizes and setups. I then realized that perhaps our setup was not ideal. I noticed that some arrange the snorkelers in a circle or square formation, making it more likely for everyone to get a good view of the Manta Ray if it shows up. Our setup was just some floating paddle boards, and our particular location was not ideal. I would say all of us on our particular paddle board barely caught a glimpse of a Manta Ray, whereas others I believe based on what they said got a much better view. This was extremely disappointing. I'm sure those who did catch a good shot will talk about a different experience, but all of us who were on the boat paid good money, not just those who got a good view of the Manta Rays.
This makes it hard to recommend this particular outfit to others
Aloha Chris, thank you for taking the time to share your feedback as we are always looking for ways to improve our tours. We are deeply sorry that your encounter with the Manta Rays fell short of expectations on our tour. Our captain and crew went to great lengths to provide a memorable experience, but the unpredictability of wildlife and ocean conditions can sometimes pose challenges. We hope you can join us again in the future to restore your impression of our tour and see more Mantas up close. Mahalo
When I knew I was bringing my kids to Kauai, this was the number one experience I wanted to share with them. I had done a similar flight over 25 years ago with my family and had never forgotten it. We booked the flight easily through Veltra (when trying to book all our experiences in one website).
From the moment we got to the offices their staff were friendly and their safety protocol was top notch (which also included Covid safety restrictions as well while we were there). They fit my family of three with another couple and off we went. The views were breathtaking! It was so hard to believe that views you can usually only see in a movie or TV show we’re playing out before your very eyes. I will never forget passing by Jurassic park waterfall with the soundtrack playing in my ears. I love things like that!
The pilot was constantly telling us about different things we were seeing telling us what to expect in the rest of the trip as far as directions. She was also very attentive and offered to fly back a smoother route when unfortunately one of my kids did have side effects from the motion.
I can’t wait to go again and maybe I will try there helicopters on the various different islands. It is an unforgettable experience and so worth the money. I wish we would’ve bought our DVD now!
The ATV tour was extremely fun. My family enjoyed every bit of it. Luckily it stopped raining as our tour was about to start, but it added a little extra excitement as we drove through puddles and wet landscape.
The ranch is beautiful and well kept. Our guides were very informative and fun to be with. I would book this tour again when we come back to Oahu in the future.
We are a family of 4 (2 adults and 2 kids 9yr old and 6yr old). Instructor was very patient enough to guide us how to snorkel. He provided us some tricks to make snorkeling easier for beginners. He was always there to help us out and made us feel comfortable. Except for my spouse everyone else in the group are non-swimmers, the instructor helped us navigate through the water, and to top it he took amazing videos of us while snorkeling :)
Since it was the season, I was able to see whales. That said, they were quite far away, and I only saw their spouts and tails... Unfortunately, during the dolphin swim, I didn't encounter any dolphins, but on the way back, I was able to see some resting dolphins from the boat in the shallow waters where they make their beds. There was also time for snorkeling, but since a large group was chasing the turtles all at once, both the fish and turtles got scared, and I only got to see them properly for about five minutes. Depending on luck, it does feel a bit overpriced, especially since I paid over 20,000 yen, but considering the transportation and lunch included, I guess this is what you get with the high prices in Hawaii and the impact of COVID-19 on the tourism industry. However, the staff were truly kind and reliable; even though I participated alone, they were always considerate, and I had a great time. Due to the holiday season, the boat was fully booked with people from Europe, America, and China, but the waves were high, and the boat was rocking, leading to many people getting seasick. After the middle of the trip, it turned into a scene from hell. It might be better to aim for the off-season for various reasons.
シーズンということで、クジラも見れました。と言ってもかなり遠くで、潮吹きと尾っぽのみでしたが…肝心のドルフィンスイムではイルカに出会えず、帰り際にイルカたちが寝床にしている浅瀬で、お休み中のイルカを船上から見ることができました。シュノーケリングの時間もありますが、大人数で一斉にカメを追いかけるため、魚もカメも怖がってしまい、まともに見れたのは5分程度です。運次第ではありますが、2万円以上払っただけに全体的には割高感は否めませんが、送迎とランチ付きでハワイの物価の高さ&コロナ禍の観光業となるとこうなってしまうのかとしれません。ただ本当にスタッフの皆さんは優しくて頼もしく、1人参加でしたが常に気遣ってもらい楽しく過ごせました。なおホリデーシーズンのため欧米や中国の方で満席状態でしたが、とにかく波が高くて船が揺れるため船酔いする人が続出。中盤以降は地獄絵図と化していました。色々な意味でシーズンオフを狙った方が良いかもしれません。
Aloha Maimu,
Thank you for your comment.
The conditions change daily for encounters with wildlife in the natural environment.
It was unfortunate that you couldn't meet the dolphins this time, but please come back for another chance!
Mahalo
Aloha Maimuさん
コメントありがとうございます。
自然環境の中、野生の動物との出会いのため毎日コンディションが変わってまいります。
今回はイルカに会えず残念でしたが、次のチャンスがありましたら再チャレンジしにきてください!
Mahalo
The was the BEST parasailing we’ve ever done - and we’ve done several on both coasts of the mainland and different islands. Although the seas were a bit rough, the parasailing was outstanding. The captain and crew of Freedom were gems. My son said he would give them a 6 out of 5 stars - lol.
Definitely go for the 1000 feet! The windy day really had us flying well above any of the competition.
Will do this one again on our next visit.
It was a very windy day unfortunately so we couldn’t paddle out to the proper sand bar ( they told us not to). We paddle to the smaller sand bars closer to the shore, but we should have needed a guide, it was hard to know if we were in the right place and we saw almost nothing such as fishes and stuff, we did see one turtle that raced past us so fast. We had booked for a half day but we where only away for 2,5 hours because also the water was cold…
Maybe this excursion should be during the summer months and not during winter time.
The crew where really nice and friendly and did there best to help us and guide us, although next time we would pay a little bit more and get a guide and maybe take a boat!
We had a fantastic time on this tour. The staff was great and we had a great time. Great!
On behalf of Capt. Bruce, Aloha and Mahalo for your support!
Staff were great. Food was good. Entertainment was fun.
Despite the horrendous weather forecast; we had an amazing experience with Air Maui. Out pilot transported us to a different world, seemingly untouched by human hands. With a calm and knowledgeable voice, we were given an incredible tour of Molokai and the dormant volcano in West Maui.
Incredible. Would highly recommend to anyone visiting Maui.
There was an instructor who spoke Japanese, and although there was only one Japanese person, I was able to have a great time. However, there are blocks in the water near the beach that are hard to see from above, so while I could stand, I bumped my legs on the way back and scraped both knees, which was painful. The shop lends long-sleeved rash guards, so my upper body was fine, but those participating in shorts need to be careful about sunburn as well.
日本語の話せるインストラクターもいらっしゃり、日本人ひとりでしたが楽しく過ごすことができました。ただ浜辺近くは上からは見えにくいブロックが海中にあるため、足は着くものの戻る際に足をぶつけて両膝とも擦りむいて痛い思いをしました。お店が長袖のラッシュガードを貸してくれるので上半身は大丈夫ですが、短パンで参加される方は日焼け対策含めて注意が必要です。
It was fun , would recommend and do again. Everyone was helpful and nice.
Thank you so much for joining us and shared your experience with us. We look forward to seeing you again. Mahalo!
Although the see condition was rough, we had a wonderful time viewing the famous Na Pali coast line. This cruise in winter time is good for people who do not get sea sick.
Besides, we saw a number of whales jumping out of water around our boat. It's the mating season for whales, therefore, they are very active. Seeing whales jumping out of water nearby was out if my expectations. I'd definitely recommend this cruise.
We are so happy to be a part of memories you'll be looking back on for years to come! Thank you for choosing us here at Holo Holo Charters and for letting us know what a great time you had! Until we meet again... Mahalo and Aloha
Yuki and the entire team are a fantastic crew. It’s clearly one of the best activities on the island. Highly recommend them! The volleyball on the sandbar, turtle sightings, and snorkeling along with all the food and drinks were very well coordinated.
Overall great experience! probably one of the best place to go kayaking in Hawaii. However, please be mindful that the sandbar would be under water in December. It's still shallow enough to enjoy and have a nice photo though!
Aloha! Thank you so much for joining us for a kayak and snorkel adventure! And thank you for leaving such great feedback. We really appreciate that. Hope to see you again soon! Mahalo!