All Reviews for Marine Wildlife Encounters

Since my child turned 10, we decided to try the underwater scooter that we couldn't do last year! We read plenty of experiences beforehand, and we were prepared with motion sickness medication and cold weather gear! Although there were no Japanese-speaking staff, the person who welcomed us and took photos was very polite. The other staff members were also attentive, and honestly, it was the best experience I've had among various tours.

Before boarding the boat, we received instructions on how to use the scooter and signed some documents. We were supposed to watch a video, but it seemed to be skipped due to a late-arriving group. The boat could hold about 25 people and did not have a restroom.

Once we arrived at the spot, we quickly spotted sea turtles swimming around!

We experienced the underwater scooter in pairs, then groups of three, and finally four. Since there were three of us, we were in the middle group. We were told we could snorkel freely while waiting, but we decided to wait on the boat until after our turn with the underwater scooter.

The boat rocked quite a bit. It would have been tough without taking motion sickness medication (laughs).

For the underwater scooter, we started with two scooters, going one by one, creating a time gap. When it was our turn, we had three scooters, and I went down first, followed by my child and then my husband. When my child came up, they took a photo of the two of them, and after my husband joined, they took photos and videos of the three of us. After I came up first, they also took pictures of my child and husband. They even used my handheld camera to take some shots!

Underwater, it was as beautiful as I imagined. The round helmet created a strange view, but various fish gathered around the food, allowing us to enjoy watching them up close, while sea turtles swam above us in a mystical world. The 20 minutes flew by. Snorkeling was also fun, as we spotted sea turtles!

When getting on and off the scooter, you have to dive into the sea, so your face gets wet! Also, the staff gives instructions on how to operate the scooter, so it's manageable even for children.

After everyone finished, we returned to the building where we received the initial briefing to check the photos and videos by group. If we liked them, we could proceed to purchase. We could choose either just photos or a set of photos and videos, with prices varying by the number of people. We got the set for $60. Later, a URL was sent to my email for downloading. They advised downloading on a computer since the data size was large.

On the way back, we were exhausted and fell into a deep sleep (laughs).

Thank you to all the staff for a wonderful time! It was enjoyable, but the waiting times were a bit tough, so I’m giving it one star less.

子供が10歳になったので去年出来なかった水中スクーターに挑戦！
事前に体験談をしっかり読み、酔い止めヨシ！寒さ対策ヨシ！
日本語を話せるスタッフはいませんでしたが、お迎え＋写真撮影のお兄さんは、とても丁寧に対応してくれました。他のスタッフさんもキチンと対応してくれ、今まで色々なツアーに参加しましたが、正直、一番感じが良かったです。

船に乗る前にスクーターの乗り方の説明と書類に署名をしました。
ホントはビデオも見るようですが、遅れてきたグループがいたため省略したようです。
船はトイレなしの25人くらい乗れる船でした。
ポイントに到着すると、早くも海亀さんを発見！2、3匹泳いでました。

水中スクーターは2人組→3人組→4人組の順で体験しました。
うちは3人でしたので、真ん中くらい。
待ち時間は、自由にシュノーケルをしていいよ！と言われましたが、水中スクーターをやってからにしようと船で待つことにしました。

船はかなり揺れます。酔い止めを飲んでなかったらヤバかったかも（笑）。

水中スクーターは最初は2台で､1台ずつ潜っていくので時差ができ､上がって来たら次の人…という感じでした。
うちの順番のときに3台になり、私、子供、旦那の順に潜りました。
子供が潜って来たときに、ふたりの写真を撮ってくれ､旦那が合流して3人の写真や動画を撮り、先に私が上がった後、子供と旦那の写真も撮ってくれました。
あと、手持ちのカメラでも撮ってくれました！
水中は、想像通り綺麗でした。被るやつが丸いので不思議な見え方になりますが、
餌に色々なお魚が集まって来て、目の前でお魚を鑑賞し、頭上を海亀さんが泳いでいる神秘的な世界です。あっという間の20分間でした。
シュノーケルも海亀さんを見かけたり、楽しかったです。

水中スクーターは乗るときと降りるときに海に潜って頭を出し入れするので、顔が濡れます！あと、スクーターの操作は、スタッフさんが指示してくれるので子供でも大丈夫です。

全員終了後、最初に説明を受けた建物に戻り、写真と動画をグループごとに確認して、気に入ったら購入手続きへ｡写真のみか写真と動画のどちらか選べ、人数によって値段が異なりました。うちは、写真と動画のセットで＄60でした。
後日メールアドレスにURLが送られてきて、ダウンロードするやり方です。
データが大きいのでパソコンでダウンロードしてくれ！と言われました。

帰りの車では疲れて爆睡（笑）。

スタッフの皆様、楽しい時間をありがとうございました！
楽しかったのですが、待ち時間の波がきつかったので星マイナス１で。

Loved the view we had as the captain brought us closer to Diamondhead! Got to see honus and had tons of fun! Definitely recommend! :)

I had missed the chance to see manta rays in Palau and Ishigaki Island, so I joined the tour with the hope that this time I wouldn't miss out. My family was actually quite skeptical, thinking it might be impossible. However, I’m really glad I went! On that day, three manta rays came to us, and they turned around multiple times, which was just amazing! This was the best memory from my experience on the Big Island. I hope everyone can have a wonderful experience at Manta University as well. If I have the opportunity to go back to the Big Island, I would love to participate again.

これまでにパラオ、石垣島でマンタに出会うチャンスをのがしていたので、今度こそとの思いでツアーに参加しました。家族はもう無理じゃない？と実のところ後ろ向きでした。しかし、行ってみて本当に良かったです。この日は３枚のマンタが来てくれて、なんどもターンしてくれてもう大感激でした！！今回のハワイ島での体験の中で一番の思い出です。ぜひみなさんもマンタ大学で素晴らしい体験をしてほしいです。またハワイ島にいく機会があれば、もう一度参加したいです。

The weather was a bit cloudy, but the comfortable climate typical of Maui remained unchanged. It's been two and a half years since then, but I still remember it vividly. I saw whales in the distance doing flips. Capturing the perfect shot is incredibly difficult, but next time I want to bring a good camera instead of just my smartphone!

天気は少し曇り気味でしたが、マウイらしい快適な気候は変わりませんでした。
あれから２年半経っての投稿になりましたが、今でも鮮明に覚えています。
クジラが遠くに見えて宙返りをしてくれました。
シャッターチャンスがものすごく難しいですが、次回はスマホではなくいいカメラを持っていきたいですね！

This was the best idea we had to add to our Hawaiian vacation. I felt very lucky that my family of 3 had a private tour via the ocean from a native. Chris was AWESOME. Super nice. Shared a lot of Hawaiian culture with us. That alone was great but it was even better to get our lesson on sea while looking back at the island. Totally totally worth it. I've already told all our friends to do this. Thank you Chris.

The highlight of our trip. The crew was amazing! The scooters and all the fish were amazing. Humming around the ocean with the family... once in a lifetime opportunity. Thanks everyone!

I was able to interact directly with dolphins, and it was truly healing for my heart! It felt like the dolphins helped me treat my daily stress and worries. (o^^o)

直にイルカと触れ合い心が癒されました！
日頃のストレスや悩みをイルカに治療してもらえた感じでした(o^^o)

It has been number 1 on my bucket list to swim with sharks. I wasn't afraid and in fact first in the water. There were so many sharks and they were so passive and beautiful. I found that the bad reputation sharks had is totally misjudged. I can't wait to do it again. Best experience ever . Forget your fear and do this. Guys were amazing and learned a lot on the boat ride to the spot.

No shuttle plan $110
It takes about 30 minutes by powerboat from the meeting point to arrive off the Sheraton Hotel. The sunset is amazing.
When we arrived, there were about 7 or 8 boats gathered.
After the sunset, we held onto the boat and enjoyed manta ray watching for about 40 minutes.
During that time, we saw manta rays ranging from 50 cm to 100 cm about 10 times.
On the way back, we returned in the powerboat through the darkness for 30 minutes, but it started to rain and it was quite cold and uncomfortable.
I think a tour that meets near the Sheraton would be easier and quicker.

送迎無しﾌﾟﾗﾝ＄110
集合場所からﾊﾟﾜｰﾎﾞｰﾄで30分位でｼｪﾗﾄﾝﾎﾃﾙ沖に到着。ｻﾝｾｯﾄが最高です。
着くと7.8艘のﾎﾞｰﾄが集まっていました。
ｻﾝｾｯﾄ後ﾎﾞｰﾄﾞにつかまりﾏﾝﾀ観賞40分位しました。
その間10回位50cm～100cmのﾏﾝﾀが観られました
帰りはまたﾊﾟﾜｰﾎﾞｰﾄで暗闇のなか30分かけて戻りますが、雨が降ってきてけっこう寒くて辛いです。
ｼｪﾗﾄﾝ近く集合のﾂｱｰの方が楽で短時間でいけると思います。

Julie, Michael, and the other staff members (sorry, I couldn't remember all the names) were all very enthusiastic, and they took care of my son, who was scared to jump into the sea. We were blessed with such great staff, and it was really wonderful.

ジュリーさん、Michealさん、他のスタッフさん（すみません、名前を覚えきれませんでした）、スタッフさん全員ノリノリで、海に飛び込むのを怖がっている息子も気にかけてくれました。
とても良いスタッフさんに恵まれて、とってもよかったです。

Guide Julie was absolutely amazing!!
Her motto is "always positive," and her attention to detail was perfect. I had an incredibly fun time♪♪
I got to see 50 dolphins, sea turtles, and stingrays!
I felt my heart being healed as I made eye contact with the dolphins swimming up close. I will definitely participate again!

ガイドのジュリちゃんがとにかく最高！！
『いつも前向き』をモットーに気配り目配り完璧で、本当に最高に楽しかったです♪♪
50頭のイルカ、ウミガメ、エイにも会えました！
間近で泳ぐイルカと目が合い、心が癒されていくのを感じることができました。また絶対参加します！

I made a reservation thinking I would swim with dolphins that are accustomed to being fed and cared for by humans, but it was completely different. We entered the vast ocean where dolphins live naturally, and to avoid stressing them, we observed them while swimming at the surface. It was truly moving. Seeing the cute dolphins swimming gracefully underwater somehow brightened my heart and made me feel happy! I highly recommend it! After that, we also encountered a group of giant turtles, which was very healing!

飼育され餌付けされた人間に慣れているイルカと泳ぐのかなあ？くらいの気持ちで予約したのですが、全然違って、全くの自然に生息しているイルカさんたちの大海原にお邪魔して、水中を泳ぐイルカさんたちにストレスをかけないように、人間は水面を泳ぎなら観察するというスタイルで、とても感動しました。海中をスイスイ泳いでいるイルカさんたちのかわいい姿、見たら不思議と、心が明るくなってハッピイになれますよ～お勧めです❗この後、巨大亀さんの群れにも遭遇、癒されました～❗

I participated with my 70-year-old parents. My father struggled with snorkeling and gave up partway through, but during that time, our guide, Tori, frequently checked on him as we returned to the boat. My mother seemed to be having a great time, looking around in the water the whole time.

The manta rays come very close; it's an incredible experience!

70歳の両親と三人で参加しました。
父はうまくシュノーケルが出来ず、途中で断念しましたがその際もガイドのトリちゃんがちょくちょく心配してくれ、船に戻りました。
母はおおはしゃきでずっと海のなかを見ていて、楽しんでいたようです。

マンタ間近にきます、大迫力ですよ！

I participated at the request of my elementary school child. The best part was getting to see the turtles. There were also photos for sale, which were expensive, but I bought one because it turned out well. Additionally, it was nice that the pressure inside the submarine was constant, so my ears didn't hurt.

小学生の子供の希望で、参加しました。亀に会えたのが1番嬉しかったです。写真の販売もあり、高いですが写りが良く購入しました。また、潜水艦の中は気圧が一定で耳が痛くならなかったのが良かったです。

I woke up early and waited at the designated pickup location, but even after 15 minutes past the scheduled time, no one came to pick me up. I called the phone number provided, but I reached a voicemail saying "outside of business hours." The hotel staff called several times for me, and I finally got through, but by that point, it was already 30 minutes past the pickup time. During the conversation with the staff, they mentioned they "forgot" and suggested I join a tour two hours later. They also said, "As an apology, we will give you a T-shirt," but... I had plans with a friend afterward, but since I was already there, I had my friend change their plans so I could join the tour two hours later. I never received the promised T-shirt, and I ended up causing a lot of inconvenience to the hotel staff and my friend. The response of "I forgot" was just too careless. I would like a refund. The tour itself wasn't very impressive, and the sea was rough, causing the boat to sway, and it was uncomfortable even inside the cage due to high waves. Including the service, I cannot recommend this. Also, I made the reservation here considering the reputation and reliability of Veltra, so I hope Veltra does not list such careless tour operators.

早起きして指定のピックアップ場所で待ちましたが、時間を15分過ぎても迎えが来なかった為、記載されていた電話番号に電話をしましたが、“営業時間外”との留守番電話で繋がらず。
ホテルスタッフも何度か電話してくれて、やっと繋がりましたが、この時点でピックアップ時刻を30分も過ぎていました。
スタッフとのやり取りで「忘れてた」との事で、2時間後のツアーに参加を勧められました。
またこの時、「お詫びにTシャツを差し上げます」と言われていたのですが…。
このあと友人と予定があったのですが、せっかくだし、友人にあとの予定を変更してもらって2時間後のツアーに参加しました。
約束されていたTシャツは頂ける事はなかったし、ホテルスタッフ、友人など沢山の方に迷惑をかけてしまう事になりました。
とにかく「忘れてた」とか対応がいい加減過ぎます。
返金して頂きたいぐらいです。
ツアー自体も迫力はそんなにありませんし、海が荒れて舟が揺れるのはもちろん、ゲージの中でも高波で苦しいです。対応も含め、おすすめできません。
また、自分自身、ベルトラの知名度や信頼度も含めてこちらで予約させて頂いているので、ベルトラもこのようないい加減なツアー催行会社は掲載しないで頂きたいです。

I was very happy to meet both Dolphin Sensei and Professor Turtle. The staff were kind and friendly, making for a wonderful experience. The boat rocked quite a bit, so it was a good decision to take motion sickness medication before going.

イルカ先生にも海がめ教授に出会えてとても良かったです。スタッフの方も親切&フレンドリーで素晴らしい体験をすることができました。
船はけっこう揺れたので酔い止めを飲んで行って正解でした。

We had a great time on the boat with our two kids and baby. They lived seeing the fish and turtles through the glass. The captain and his mate were very friendly. We would do this again!

We had a blast! The instructors were great. You can't do anything about the people who panic in the water... Wish you could though.

The arrangements were smooth. The pickup after arrival was also seamless, making it a great value and very convenient. I will definitely use this service again next time.

手配までもスムーズです。到着後もスムーズに送迎してもらえるので料金もお得で大変便利でした。次回もまた利用させて頂きます。

It was an early morning tour, but it was so much fun that it completely wiped away any sleepiness, allowing us to experience the beauty of nature. On that day, we were able to see many dolphins! My 7-year-old and 4-year-old were both thrilled. Even my 4-year-old, who snorkeled for the first time, was able to clearly see the dolphins underwater. Luckily, we also got to see a sea turtle gracefully swimming among many tropical fish, which excited the parents as well. When I asked the kids, they said it was the most enjoyable time of the trip.

I definitely want to participate again the next time we go to Hawaii! ✨

朝早くからのツアーでしたが眠気もふっとぶくらい楽しく、自然の素晴らしさを味わえたツアーでした。
当日は沢山のイルカ達に会う事ができました！7才と4才の子供も大興奮。4才の子も初のシュノーケリングでしたが海の中のイルカをしっかり確認。ラッキーな事に沢山の熱帯魚のなかを優雅に泳ぐウミガメを見ることもできました！これには親も大興奮でした。
子供達に聞いてみたら、今回の旅行の中で一番楽しかった時間だったようです。

次回もハワイに行く時には是非参加したいと思います✨

Expected the glass to be under our feet but we had to get up and look through box, it was ok

I was able to meet the dolphin teacher! However, on the day I participated, there were very few teachers, and it felt a bit random. I think the intention was to allow us to meet them as soon as we jumped in, but the wait on the boat was long, and it seemed like many people felt unwell. Being on a stationary boat for an extended period can be a bit tough.

Also, while we were advised to be "quiet," the staff shouted instructions to participants when the dolphin teacher approached. Was it really necessary to be that loud? I participated in another dolphin tour before, and they only used hand signals.

In any case, there were a lot of participants, which made it challenging. Joining alone felt quite lonely.

イルカ先生に会えました！
でも、参加日は先生方が少なく、気まぐれ。
飛び込んだらすぐに会えるようにとの配慮だと思いますが、船の上での待機が長く、
気分が悪くなる人も多かったように感じます。
やはり止まっている船の上にずっといるのは少しきついかも。
また、「静に」との注意をうけておりますが、スタッフがイルカ先生が近づくと
大声で参加者に指示します。そこまで大きな声は必要でしょうか？
以前に別のイルカツアーに参加しましたが、手での合図のみでした。
とにかく参加者が多いので大変。
一人参加はかなり寂しいです。

A large manta ray turns multiple times right in front of me. It was an impressive sight, just inches away from my face! You can truly feel the magnificent nature unique to the Big Island of Hawaii.

目の前で大きなマンタが何回もターンをします。顔スレスレで大迫力でした！
ハワイ島ならではの大自然を感じられます。

Waited sence I was a kid to go on that tour, my grandmother went on it in 2000 and it was worth the wait got to experience a lot of ocean life. And the people doing the tour were great.

I participated in the underwater scooter, snorkeling, and sandbar activities, but the underwater scooter was the main focus, with snorkeling and the sandbar as waiting activities. At the sandbar, there wasn't much to do, and it felt both boring and cold, but I think many people felt it was better than getting seasick on the boat. I wish they would consider adding more content to the experience.

水中スクータとシュノーケリングとサンドバーの部妾に参加しましたが、水中スクータがメインで、待ち時間にシュノーケリングとサンドバーといった感じでした。
サンドバーでは特にすることがなく、暇なうえ寒いといった感じでしたが、船上にもどって酔うよりはマシといった人が多かったと思います。
もう少し内容を考えてほしいと思いました。

We went for a premium tour with a large submarine (65 seats). The windows are large but tinted and the view is therefore less clear. Aided by loads of sand that cannot settle by so many submarines' tours during each day, the visibility is really low. The tour includes views of two ship racks and some airplane racks that turned artificial coral reefs. All of this is on a sandy bottom and there is no fish in between the racks. So overall, very little is seen really on those tours. I fully support the decision not to disturb the natural reefs and fish habitats but I think that the tour is overpriced for what one can see on this tour.

The glass bottom boat was a great experience that didnt break the bank. The tour guides were friendly, casual, and knowledgeable. Definitely recommended for a chill day out on the water.

This is definitely a must-have experience and believe me, you won't regret. You don't have to know how to swim, by the way.

This was my first girls' trip to Hawaii. I had to contact them before the day of the tour after arriving, but I overlooked it and realized it just before the pickup time on the day itself. I was very anxious, but when they came to pick me up, I was so happy and relieved.

Finally, we got on the bus and set off! The guide's enthusiasm in Japanese was at its peak! They talked the whole way, and their passion really came through, as well as their earnest desire for us participants to enjoy ourselves. Above all, their love for the dolphins was incredibly evident, and I learned the importance of connecting with them. I also learned a lot about Hawaii, which was very educational. I felt intuitively that choosing Dolphin School was the right decision, especially considering how hard they worked from early in the morning. I didn't think it was noisy at all (laughs). Please keep it up!

And then, into the ocean we went!! It was so moving and thrilling!! I got to meet so many dolphins♡ Thanks to everyone's hard work, I created such wonderful memories. Thank you.

I want to remember the importance of connecting with dolphins and the feeling that we humans are allowed to enter the living spaces of many sea creatures, starting with the dolphins.

I was also very happy to meet many turtles. The final hula was fun too♪

When I go to Hawaii again, I will definitely rely on you all. I received so much happiness with smiles all around♡♡ Thank you so much, everyone♡♡

初ハワイ女子旅でした。
現地に着いてから、ツアー参加の前日までに連絡をしないといけなかったのですが…
見落としてしまっていて、気づいたのが当日のピックアップ時間直前。
とても、不安でしたが、ちゃんとお迎えにきてくださった時は、すごく嬉しくて安心しました。

いざ、バスに乗り出発ーーっっ！！
日本語にてガイドさんのテンションもMAX！！
着くまで、ずっと話してて、すごく熱意も伝わり、私たち参加者へ楽しんでもらいたいという一生懸命さも伝わりすぎました。
そして何よりも、イルカ先生への愛が凄く伝わり、心を通わせる大切さも学ばせていただきました。
そして、ハワイのことも色々と教えていただき、とても勉強にもなりました。
朝早くから大変な中、本当に熱心で、イルカ中学を選んで良かったなって直感で思いました。
うるさいだなんて思っていないですよ(笑)
これからも、続けてくださいね(*´∀`)♪

そして、いざ海の中へっ！！
もう、感動！！感激！！
たくさんのイルカ先生に逢えました♡
皆様が本当に一生懸命してくださったおかげで、こんなにも楽しい思い出ができました。
ありがとうございます。

イルカ先生と心を通わせる大切さ、そして私たち人間がイルカ先生をはじめ、たくさんの海の生物の生活の場に行かせてもらっているという気持ちを忘れずにいきたいです。

そして、カメ教授にもたくさん逢えて嬉しかったです。
最後のフラも楽しかった♪

また、ハワイにいく時は、ぜひぜひお世話になります。
ずっとニコニコ笑顔で、幸せもらいました♡♡
本当に、皆様ありがとうございました♡♡

My kids loved it! Would definitely recommend it friends and family!