All Reviews for Marine Wildlife Encounters

It was great to see the sharks, but my children, who are sensitive to motion, got seasick from the boat's rocking before we reached the point and couldn't go into the water. The sea wasn't particularly rough, so those who are prone to seasickness should be prepared.

サメを見ることが出来たのはいいのですが
乗り物に弱い我が家の子供たちはポイントに着くまでの
ボートの揺れで酔ってしまい、海に入れませんでした。
海が特別荒れていたわけではないので
船に弱い人は覚悟したほうが良いかも

Such a wonderful, once in a lifetime experience with very calm and professional tour operators. Even took the time to capture the experience on camera and send all of the photos via email, free if charge. Only wish we had more time to go again!!!!!!!!

4 to 5 manta rays swirled right in front of me, and it was an incredible sight. I was surprised how close their bellies were!

4,5枚のマンタが次々と目の前をぐるぐるして大迫力でした。マンタのおなかが近すぎてビックリしましたよー

I was surprised that we could see them so closely. My parents, who are in their 60s and usually don't dive, were able to take on the challenge. If you're going to Hawaii Island, definitely give it a try!

あんなに近くにみれるとはびっくりです。普段潜らない60代の両親も挑戦することができました。ハワイ島にいくなら是非！！

Very well organized. The crew are fantastic and although we were a little nervous about doing the activity - we needn't have been the crew are there with you every step of the way. The water is so blue you can see all the way to the bottom. Have recommended this to heaps of our friends.

My reason for coming to the Big Island was that I learned about this tour from the Dolphin University I attended on Oahu. This time, I finally got to participate, and I had high expectations.

The manta rays were truly enormous, coming so close with their mouths wide open that I thought they might bump into me. However, it was fascinating how they would spin around without hitting me.

It was an exhilarating experience and a lot of fun. I believe it was a rare opportunity to get so close to so many mantas. The boat ride to and from the point was thrilling as it went at high speed, which added to the enjoyment.

ハワイ島へ来るきっかけは、以前オアフで参加したイルカ大学でこのツアーを知ったことでした。この度、念願かない大いに期待して参加しました。
マンタは本当に大きくて、ぶつかるのではないかと思うほどすぐ近くまで大きな口を開けて近づいてきます。しかし、こちらには当たらずにくるりと回転するのが不思議でした。
大迫力で楽しかったです。たくさんのマンタにこんな接近できるなんて貴重な体験だったと思います。
ポイントへの往復のボートも猛スピードでスリルがあり楽しめました。

I was very disappointed with the restaurant; it was quite poor. Moreover, there was only that one place, leaving no options. If they want to cater to Japanese tourists, they need to improve the food, or else the tour guests will leave. I don't think I will go there again.

レストランがあまりにも貧弱でがっかりでした。さかも、そこ一軒しかなく選択の余地なし。もう少し日本人相手にツアーを組むなら食事を良くしておかないと、ツアー客は逃げて行くと思いました。自分は、あそこは二度と行かないと思います。

We participated as a family, but we were the only Japanese among the 16 participants. However, the Japanese support was excellent, and there were no issues. Being able to see sharks swimming gracefully up close in the ocean was quite an experience, and the whole family was satisfied.

家族で参加しましたが、参加者16名のうち日本人は我々のみでした。でも、日本語対応もバッチリで問題ありませんでした。海の中で、優雅に泳ぐサメを近くでバッチリ見れるのはなかなかの体験で、家族全員満足しました。

It was truly a wonderful underwater walk where I could see sea turtles up close. The supporting divers were kind and efficient, which made me feel at ease even though I wasn't confident in my swimming skills, allowing me to complete the tour without worry.

The children also seemed to have a great time. Thank you very much.

In the morning, when the pickup was happening, I think my name was called twice, but I heard it from a different tour group. While I went to check there, the bus had already started to leave, and if I hadn't noticed, I would have been left behind. Other than that, everything was great.

ウミガメも近くに見れて本当に素敵な海底散歩になりました。サポートしてくれるダイバーさんが親切で手際がよくて、泳ぎに自信のない私も安心して、ツアーを終えることができました。

子供たちも、とても楽しかったようです。ありがとうございました。

朝、迎えの時、2回名前を呼んでもらったようなのですが、違うツアーの方から聞こえたので、そちらに聞きに行ってる間にもうバスの方へ歩き出していたいて、気が付かなければ、置いてけぼりになるところでした。
それ以外は、すべて良かったです。

The wait time was quite long, so the four people besides my wife got seasick...
It's not suitable for those who get seasick.
The underwater scooter was fun!
There are also photos and videos for sale.
Whether $75 for both for five people is expensive or cheap varies from person to person...

待ち時間がかなりある為、妻以外の4人は船酔いでダウンしました、、、
船酔いする方には、合いません。
水中スクーターは楽しかったですよ！
写真と動画の販売もあります。
両方5人で75ドルは、高いか安いかは、人それぞれですね、、、

I had a great time. It was easy to get there because there was a bus shuttle from Waikiki to Sea Life Park. I was healed by the dolphins.

とても楽しかったです。ワイキキからバスでシーライフパークまで送迎があるので行くのも簡単でした。イルカに癒されました。

While waiting to board the boat, I was surprised to see a turtle swimming! The view of Diamond Head from the sea was beautiful. The kids were also thrilled, which was great. The staff's guidance was entertaining as well.

船に乗るまでの待ち時間、カメが泳いでいてビックリ！
海から見たダイヤモンドヘッドが素敵。
子供たちも大喜びで、良かったです。
スタッフの案内も面白かったです。

This was my first experience with my family. Personally, it was my third time, but I’ll briefly outline the pros and cons.

First, the pros:
1. The marina is very close to the points, so the total travel time is short.
2. The boat is large and comfortable.
3. There was a child who gets seasick on board, but since the points are close, I think it was relatively easy for them.

Now, the cons:
1. The explanations are only in English, but I don’t think that will be a problem.
2. The journey is short, so you can’t enjoy the scenery of Kona town.

Depending on the timing, I think the LED lights were strong, and we had a relatively good number of sightings.

I plan to come back here next time as well.

家族連れでは初体験でした。
個人的には3度目でしたが簡単に長所と短所を書いておきます。

まず長所
1、マリーナからポイントまでが非常に近くに全行程の所要時間が短くて済む。
2、船が大きくて快適。
3、船酔いしやすい子が同船してましたがポイントまでが近いので比較的楽だと思います。

で短所
1、英語の説明しかないが困る事は無いと思う。
2、道中が短いのでコナの街の景色を眺める事が出来ない。

タイミングにもよると思いますがLEDのライトが強く比較的沢山来てくれたと思います。

次回からもここにしようと思います。

I was truly moved to swim surrounded by so many dolphins. On top of that, the staff were friendly and made it so much fun. I would love to participate again.

本当にたくさんのイルカに囲まれて泳ぐ事が出来て感動しました。その上スタッフの皆さんがフレンドリーに盛り上げて下さりとっても楽しかったです。
また、参加したいです。

Definitely the best value, best experience of our holiday. Awesome team, good gear and most probably the best value for money in Waikiki. Thanks guys for the experience, the photos and videos and the care and encouragement you gave my nervous wife, she is still talking about the fish and turtles she saw and how safe she felt in the scooter. Photos are now in pride of place on the photo board at home.

I was moved to see the seabed of Waikiki from a submarine. I could clearly see schools of fish and various wreckage on the ocean floor.

潜水艦でワイキキの海底を見る事が出来て
感動しました。魚の群れや海底に残る
いろいろな残骸等良く見えました。

The morning pickup was not at the bus stop I specified when I made the reservation, but at a distant bus stop. The bus stop was right in front of the hotel I stayed at, yet I waited at the designated bus stop on foot. However, when the meeting time came, my name was not called, and feeling anxious, I asked someone nearby, who said, "This is it." When I mentioned my name, they checked the confirmation and made a phone call. It seems there was a mistake on their part, and the guide told me, "The bus stop is different, but get on this bus," so I was able to go. But I can't help but feel frustrated thinking that if I hadn't asked, I might have been left behind. There was nothing indicating "Veltour" on the bus or the guide, making it very confusing. After that, during my stay and even after returning home, I received no apology email, just an email asking for a review of my experience. The tour itself was fine, but I will not use this company again.

朝の迎えが申し込み時に指定したバス停ではなく、離れたバス停に指定された。宿泊したホテルの目の前がバス停だったのに歩いて指定されたバス停で待った。
しかし集合時間になっても名前を呼ばれず、不安になり近くの人に聞くと「ここです」と言われ名前をいうと確認書を見て電話をしていた。どうやらそちらで間違えたらしくガイドに「バス停が違うがこのバスに乗って」と言われ行くことができたが、もし聞かなかったらおいてかれてしまったのかと思うと腹立たしい。バスやガイドに「ベルトラ」と書いてあるものが一切なく、とてもわかりづらいのではないか。その後、滞在中も帰国後もお詫びのメールもなく、いきなり体験談投稿のメールがきた。ツアーの内容は問題なかったが、もうこの会社は利用しない。

The sunset on the distant horizon viewed from the boat. Manta rays swimming right in front of me, gliding past my body multiple times. A kind guide and the boat captain. According to the guide, there were an unusually high number of manta rays this time. It was a wonderful experience.

ボートから眺める遥かな水平線上の夕日。体をかすめるように何度も目の前を泳ぐマンタ。やさしいガイドさんとボートの船長。ガイドさんの話によれば、今回は、滅多にないほどマンタが多かったとのこと。素晴らしい体験でした。

I was able to see the manta rays, and at the end, one got really close to me—it was amazing! The sunset was beautiful too! 😊

マンタちゃんと見れました、最後にすごく近づいてきて最高でした‼︎
sunsetも綺麗でした(^｡^)

We participated as a family. It seems that the waves were rough on the day we joined, so while others were using the underwater scooters, we had to wait on the boat or could go snorkeling, but many people ended up feeling seasick. I thought the underwater scooter was great because it had some clever features like bait attached to it. The staff were friendly, and they spoke Japanese, which was reassuring. However, I was disappointed that after the tour, even though I was purchasing the photo data, the driver rushed us because the car was already waiting, and I couldn't hear the explanations.

家族で参加しました。私たちが参加した日は波が荒かったようで他の方が水中スクーターをやってる時は船上で待つかシュノーケルができたのですが船酔いする方が続出でした。水中スクーターは餌がスクーターについてる等工夫があってよかったと思います。スタッフの方も気さくですし日本語も通じるので安心です。ツアーが終わって写真のデータを購入してるのに送迎の方がもう車が待ってるからと急かされ説明が聞けなかったのが残念だなと思います。

We are a couple who loves dolphins, so we were very excited. We also spotted a turtle first and were told by everyone, so the photographer Mike nicknamed us "Turtle No. 1!" (laughs) I definitely want everyone to experience this. Thank you for a fun day.

イルカが好きな夫婦なので大感激しました。
カメも最初に見つけてみなさんに教えられたので、カメラマンのマイクにも「カメNo.1!」とあだ名を付けられました。（笑）
是非、皆さんにも経験して欲しいですね。
楽しい一日をありがとう。

It seems that it's quite rare, but around 100 dolphins came to visit us. Additionally, three sea turtles also came to see us, and we were able to see one right in front of us. Meeting the dolphins and sea turtles was a wonderful part of the tour, but the crew members were also very enjoyable to be with. We took many photos, which became great memories. If I have the opportunity to go to Hawaii again, I would love to participate once more.

滅多にないことらしいのですが、100頭ほどのイルカ先生が我々のところに会いに来てくれました。また、ウミガメ教授も3頭会いに来てくれ、1頭は目の前で見ることができました。イルカ先生、ウミガメ教授に出会えたこともツアーに参加してよかったことですが、クルーの人たちが非常によく楽しく過ごすことができました。また、多くの写真を撮っていただき、良い記念となりました。ハワイに行く機会があったらまた参加したいと思います。

We participated as a family of four. Our younger child, who is six years old, was scared to get into the cage, so they watched from the boat while the other three of us went into the cage. After about 30 minutes of heading out to sea, we arrived at the point and split into two groups to take turns entering the cage, which was slightly away from the boat. There were really a lot of sharks swimming quietly around the cage. It was very exciting, but the boat was really rocking! During the trip to the point, while we were in the cage, and even while the other group was in the cage, we were constantly battling seasickness. We drove to the location in a rental car, and since I was the driver, I couldn't take any motion sickness medication (because it makes me sleepy all day), so I just stared at the distant land from the boat to get through it. One of the other participants ended up vomiting, but most of them were fine and enjoyed taking lots of pictures and spotting sharks from the boat. So, for those who get motion sickness, be careful! But I’m glad I participated because I got to see the sharks up close.

家族4人で参加しました。下の子が6歳でケージに入るのは怖いと言うのでボートから見学、ほかの3人でケージに入りました。30分程沖へ進みポイントに着くと2グループに分かれて順番にケージへ入りボートから少し離されます。サメは本当に沢山います、静かにケージの周りを泳いでいます。大興奮ですが揺れがすごいです！ポイントまでの移動中も、ケージに入っている間も、もうひとグループがケージに入っている間のボートも、ずっと船酔いとの戦いでした。私達はレンタカーで現地集合、私は運転手だった為、酔い止めの薬も飲めず(飲むと1日中眠たくなってしまうので)ボートではひたすら遠くの陸を眺めてなんとかやり過ごしました。他の参加者の方々は吐いていた人が1人、大半は酔わずに沢山写真を撮ったりボートからサメを見つけたり楽しんでいました。という事で乗り物酔いする方は要注意！でもサメが間近に見られて参加して良かったと思います。

The scooter is controlled by the guide, so you hardly have to operate it yourself. It was interesting and offered a different underwater sensation compared to scuba diving. You can see fish gathering around the bait right in front of you. Unfortunately, the crew, aside from the interpreter, didn't seem to want to interact much with the Japanese guests, which was disappointing, so I deducted one star.

スクーターはガイドさんが押してコントロールしてくれるので、ほとんど操作することはありません。スキューバダイビングとも違う水中感覚で面白かったです。魚が餌に群がってくるのを目の前で見れます。通訳の方以外のクルーは、あまり日本人と接触しようとしなかったので残念な感じがして星一つ減らしました。

I went to Manta University. The staff were friendly and kind, and I was able to participate in a relaxed manner. I saw several mantas, and they swam right by me multiple times, which was incredibly impressive! I'm glad I participated.

マンタ大学に行きました。
スタッフさんはフレンドリーで親切で、リラックスして参加できました。
マンタも何匹も見れて、しかも間近を何度も通っていって、すごい迫力でした！
参加して良かったです。

We participated as a family of four. I joined 20 years ago and saw sea turtles and beautiful fish in their natural environment, so I wanted to show my children. However, the biggest point is that I didn't realize, since I didn't have kids last time, that the transfer boat to the submarine caused quite a bit of seasickness. It wasn't just us; many other participants were affected, and some adults were even down for the count. While the waves were a bit rough, the real issue seemed to be that we had to wait for about 15 minutes on a rocking boat while picking up people who had been on the submarine. The submarine itself doesn't rock at all.

The guide suggested taking motion sickness medication, but that doesn't help once you're on board. I think it would be better to clearly state in advance that "motion sickness medication is essential" for those who are prone to it. However, they might avoid mentioning this beforehand to maintain a good image.

Additionally, due to the deterioration of the natural environment in recent years, the beautiful coral reefs that were present 20 years ago have significantly decreased, and sea turtles are now rarely seen. The water is often murky (this is all based on what the guide said, so it's not just my impression). It seems that the views may not meet expectations anymore (this is my interpretation).

This tour has been popular for many years, but it might be reaching a transitional period. However, the staff and guides were very friendly.

One more point: when I made the reservation through Veltra, the voucher I received stated "this is not required to bring," but during the boarding process, they asked for proof of the reservation. I was glad I had printed it out just in case.

家族4人で参加しました。私は20年前に参加し、ウミガメや美しい魚が自然の環境で見られたので、子供たちにも見せようと思って参加したのですが・・。
まず最大のポイントは、前回は子供がいなかったので分からなかったのですが、潜水艦乗船までの間の乗り継ぎの船で、かなり船酔いしてしまうということ。我が家だけでなく、他の参加者にもかなり見られたし、中には大人でダウンしている人もいました。確かに少し波は粗いのですが、プレミアムと一般のツアーの乗船場所を回って行く点と、前の回に潜水艦に乗っていた人を帰りのためにピックアップするので、その間15分くらい、揺れる船の上で静止したまま待たないといけないのが辛かったようです。潜水艦自体は全く揺れません。

ガイドの人は酔い止めの薬を飲むよう呼びかけてはいますが、乗船後では何の役にも立ちません。船に弱い人のために、もっと強く事前に「酔い止め必携」を明記した方がいいと思います。ただこれを事前に出すとイメージが悪いので出さないのかもしれないですが・・・。

あと、近年は自然環境の悪化で、20年前はキレイだったサンゴ礁がかなり減り、またウミガメも減ってめったに見られなくなっている上に、海水が濁ることも多い（これらはすべてガイドさんが言っていたことなので、私の印象や創作ではありません）そうで、期待通りの眺望が得られなくなっていることも多いようです（ここは私の解釈）。
長年人気のツアーですが、そろそろ過渡期を迎えているのかもしれないですね。ただ、スタッフ、ガイドさんはとてもフレンドリーでした。

もう1点、ヴェルトラさんで予約をした際に返信されたきたバウチャーには「これは持参不要」とありましたが、乗船手続きの際には予約を取った証拠の提出を求められました。念のためプリントアウトしたものを持っていっておいてよかったです。

The hotel transfer and the captain's Japanese were a bit uncertain, but there aren't any complicated procedures, so you can rest assured. This person, despite their shaky Japanese, occasionally throws in jokes, which can make understanding a bit tricky (laughs).

On the day of the trip, it was quite windy, and my entire family got seasick. They asked us to please vomit at the back of the boat.

The underwater scooter is always held by a diver at the back, so it's reassuring. The first four people won't get wet above the face while riding the bike, but you will definitely get wet when getting off.

The underwater scenery is quite beautiful and full of fish. You can get bread to put in the net, and when you do, the fish come rushing over. A turtle was swimming nearby too!

Snacks were all-you-can-eat, but a South American family was stuffing their bags with them.

After the underwater bike ride, I didn't have the energy to enjoy snorkeling and was completely exhausted on the deck... I was thinking, "Please get me back to land quickly." Everyone else seemed to be having fun... how nice!

They take photos and videos underwater, and you can check them on a computer when you return to the office. If you like them, you can purchase the photos and videos for US$75 in an upload site format. They are very well taken, so I think it's worth buying. You can pay in cash on the spot or wait to pay at the hotel after the transfer.

The staff had slightly fewer smiles, which made me a bit anxious, but I felt they were doing their best while considering safety.

ホテル送迎&船長の方の日本語が微妙で不安でしたが実際にはそんなに難しい手順は無いのでご安心ください。
この方、日本語微妙なくせにたまにジョーク入れるので理解を難しくさせてくれます(笑)

当日はかなり風が強くて我が家族は全員船酔いになりました。吐く方は船の後方でお願いします。
とのことです。

水中スクータは常にダイバーの方が後方で掴んでいてくれるので安心です。
最初の４名までバイク搭乗時に顔から上が濡れませんが、下車時に必ず濡れます。

水中はかなり綺麗で魚だらけです。網に入ったパンをもらえるのでてでモフモフすると魚たちがワーっと寄ってきます。カメさんも近くを泳いでいました！

スナックは食べ放題でしたが、南米系(?)の家族がドンドン自分のBAGに詰め込んでました。

水中バイク後のシュノーケリングを楽しむ余裕はなく、甲板でグッタリしてました。。。
は、早く陸地に返して〜という思いでした。
皆さんは楽しいでらっしゃいました。。。いいなー

水中で写真や動画を撮影してくれているのでオフィスに戻ってパソコンで確認させてくれます。
気に入ったらUS$75で写真も動画もアップロードサイト形式にて購入できます。
非常によく撮れているので購入した方が良いと思います。
代金はキャッシュでその場で支払うか、送迎後にホテルで待っててもらって支払うこともできます。

スタッフの方々はすこーし笑顔が少ないので不安になりますが、皆さんなりに安全面も考慮して一生懸命やられていると感じましたよ。

Highly recommend it to any age saw 3-4 sharks probably 10-12 ft each. They are amazing creatures! Mac and Max were very helpful and funny!

It seems like it was a very lucky day, as we encountered a pod of dolphins right after departing. We were thrilled to see them jumping on the surface and swimming right below us while we were snorkeling! Since we encountered them early, we had plenty of time with the dolphins. When we moved to another snorkeling spot, we quickly discovered a sea turtle! It came so close that we felt like we could touch it, but there was a rule against touching, so we even yielded the way. The optional photo data sale was $50 for download and $55 for a USB, if I remember correctly. Payment by credit card was possible on the day or during our stay. While the price wasn't cheap, the quality of the hundreds of photos taken by the professional photographer was really high, capturing moments from boarding and the underwater scenery, so it was definitely worth purchasing! It was also fun that the guide and the staff were high-energy and entertaining!

とても運の良い日だったようで、出港してすぐにイルカの群れに遭遇しました。海面でジャンプする姿も、シュノーケリングしている私たちの真下を泳ぐ姿も見ることができて大興奮！ 早めに遭遇できたためか、イルカとの時間はたっぷりありました。さらに別のシュノーケリングスポットへと場所を変えたら、これまたすぐに海亀を発見！触れてしまいそうなくらい近くまで来てくれて、でも触ってはいけないルールなので、こちらが道（？）を譲ったほどでした。オプションの写真データ販売は、ダウンロードが＄５０、ＵＳＢ渡しが＄５５だったかな？ 当日または現地滞在中のクレジットカード払いが可能でした。値段を聞くと安くはありませんが、プロのカメラマンさんが何百枚も撮ってくれた写真は本当にクオリティが高く、乗船時の様子や海中での景色など、本当にたくさんあったので購入して正解でしたよ！ ガイドさんを始め、スタッフの方々がハイテンションでおもしろかったのも楽しかったです！！

An 8-year-old was able to handle everything, including the foot push. It was fun.
Note: You can't use a credit card unless you have a photo ID or a passport with you.

8歳児でもフットプッシュ他、すべてこなせました。
楽しかったです。
注意:クレジットカードは写真付きでないとパスポート携帯してないと使えませんよ。