All Reviews for Marine Wildlife Encounters

I was very fortunate to see a lot of dolphins, and it was a warm welcome. I also got to see sea turtles, which made me very satisfied. I would love to participate again if I have the chance.

運が良かったのかとてもたくさんのイルカを見られて大歓迎でした。ウミガメも見られて大満足です。機会があればまた参加したいです。

We headed to the meeting place at Honokohau Harbor from Waikoloa by rental car, but there was a long traffic jam heading towards Kailua about 3 kilometers before Kona Airport, so it's better for those using a rental car to leave their accommodations early.

The meeting spot is a bit hard to find, but if you follow keywords like the large parking lot on the north side of the harbor (partly gravel), the big public restroom in the middle, and the building with a yellow fence and blue roof (which is easier to identify as a shed), you should be fine.

The boat can be quite bumpy, jumping on the waves, so if you are prone to seasickness, it's definitely advisable to take motion sickness medication that you bought in Japan. The boat will anchor at the manta ray viewing point, but the slight swaying here can also trigger seasickness.

The Japanese-speaking guide, Ali, is very friendly and cute. She explained the manta rays clearly for first-time participants. You hold onto a surfboard to keep your body horizontal and wait for the manta rays to come. That day, manta rays gathered one after another to feed, and we were able to see them doing flips right in front of us. It felt like they were looking at us with their big eyes, which was quite thrilling. The largest female manta ray is said to be over 4 meters long. I had an incredible and unforgettable experience, and I'm very excited. Mahalo.

集合場所のホノコハウハーバーへはワイコロアからレンタカーで向かいましたが、コナ空港手前3キロ位からカイルア方面に向って長い渋滞が起きていたのでレンタカーを利用して行く人は早めに宿を出た方が良いです。
待ち合わせ場所はちょっと分かりにくいけど、ハーバー北側の広い駐車場（一部砂利）、真ん中にある大きい公衆トイレ、黄色いフェンスと青い屋根の建物（小屋と行った方が分かりやすい）といったキーワードを辿って行けば大丈夫です。
ボートは結構激しく海面をジャンプしたりして揺れるので船酔いしやすい人は絶対に日本で買った酔い止めの薬を飲んだ方が良いです。マンタを見るポイントでボートを停泊しますが、ここでの微妙な横揺れも船酔いを誘発させます。
日本語を話すガイドのアリちゃんはとってもフレンドリーでキュートです。初めての参加の人にも分かりやすくマンタの説明をしてくれました。サーフボードにつかまって体を水平に保ちマンタが来るのを待ちます。この日は次から次へとマンタが餌を食べに集まり、目の前でくるんくるんと宙返りをする姿が直ぐ近くで見る事が出来ました。大きな目玉でギョロッとこちらを見ているような気がしてドキッとします。一番大きな雌のマンタは4メートル以上あるそうです。信じられないような未知なる体験をさせていただき大変興奮しています。Mahalo

The underwater scooter that I had been wanting to try was amazing! (^_-)-☆ I received explanations in somewhat hesitant Japanese from the staff, and I wondered if it would be okay, but they were very kind and attentive when it came time to ride the scooter. I was truly impressed by the beautiful sea!! After getting off the scooter, I was able to snorkel, and for $30, you can download photos and videos. It gets very cold when you get back on the boat, so I recommend wearing a thick jacket, and also taking motion sickness medication. The staff worked very hard, but it would be nice if they had a few more smiles. I definitely want to participate again! (*^-^*)

是非やってみたいと思っていた水中スクーター、最高でした(^_-)-☆
スタッフの方のたどたどしい日本語で説明を受け、大丈夫かなと思いましたが、
スクーターに乗る時はちゃんと親切に対応していただきました。
とにかく美しい海に感激しました！！
スクーターから降りた後もシュノーケルが出来、３０ドル払うと写真とビデオがダウンロード
出来ます。
船から上がるととても寒いので、厚手の上着をお勧めします、それと酔い止めも～～
スタッフの方々は一生懸命に対応していらっしゃいましたが、もう少し笑顔があると
いいな～～～
又是非参加したいと思っています(*^-^*)

Swimming with manta rays in the night sea was one of the things I wanted to do on the Big Island of Hawaii. My husband, who is terrified of swimming and entering the ocean at night, surprisingly enjoyed it as well.

First, we boarded a small boat and headed out to sea. The thrill of the speed was exhilarating! The sunset viewed from the boat was breathtaking. When the sun had completely set and it was dark, we arrived at the observation spot. We all held onto the board and floated while waiting for the manta rays. Although I said we were waiting, the rays were quickly attracted to the light beneath the board and came right up to us. I was so excited to see a manta ray glide just below my belly! The manta rays dancing gracefully in the night sea were truly mystical. I was able to take some great photos of them, and I was very satisfied!

However, as others have mentioned, it can be quite nauseating. The gentle rocking of the board was tougher than seasickness. Even my husband and I, who love thrilling rides, felt a bit queasy. It’s definitely a good idea to take motion sickness medication for peace of mind. A girl in our group looked pretty miserable from the nausea.

On the way back, we enjoyed the starry sky and felt the grandeur of the Big Island. If you’re considering participating in this activity, you absolutely should!

夜の海でマンタと泳ぐ‼私がハワイ島でやりたいことの１つでした。
ただ、泳げなく夜の海に入る事を異常に怖がる旦那。でも、そんな彼でも充分に楽しめたようです。
まず、小さなボートに乗って沖へ出ます。スピード感がスリリング‼ボートから見る夕陽は絶景です。
陽も沈みすっかり暗くなった頃に、観測スポットに到着。みんなでボードに掴まり、プカプカと浮きながらマンタを待ちます。待つと書きましたが、ボードの下の光に引き寄せられ、すぐにマンタが寄ってきます。自分のお腹下スレスレを通るマンタに大興奮♪夜の海で、ゆったりと優雅に舞うマンタは神秘的です。マンタの写真もバッチリ撮れて、大満足!!!
ただし、他の参加者の方も書かれているように、けっこう酔います。船酔いよりも、ボードのゆったりとした揺れがキツかった。絶叫系アトラクションが大好きな私たち夫妻でも、酔いました。酔い止めは飲んだほうが、安心です。一緒のグループだった女の子は、酔ってしまいかなり辛そうでした。
帰りのボートでは、星空が楽しめ、ハワイ島の雄大さを感じられます。
アクティビティに参加するか迷っている方は、絶対にやるべきです！

Without a question this is a 5 star experience. This is one of those moments in life you will never forget and will probably want to do again. The staff is very friendly and experienced and they have great respect for the ocean and its creatures. They gave us a safety briefing and explained what to expect with the sharks and what not do, first thing we heard was "keep all the negative associations with sharks at the shore, go in with an open mind".
We got to swim around Sandbar & Galapagos sharks ranging from 5-10 feet, absolutely mind blowing. Some of them were curious and came close to us! It was a little scared first, but the guide kept us safe during the whole time. While we were enjoying that magical moment another crew member took great pictures of the encounter.
Absolutely a must-do activity if you are in Hawaii. I would love to go out with the Islandview Hawaii crew again!

The staff were very kind, asking each person about drinks, sandwiches, and chips. It was also fun to encounter a whale and even a pod of dolphins by chance.

スタッフの方は飲み物やサンドイッチ、チップスなども1人ずつ聞いて回り、とても親切な対応でした。クジラや偶然イルカの群れにも遭遇でき楽しかったです。

I don't understand English at all, but I was relieved that the tour details were provided in advance. However, on that day, the weather was bad with strong winds, and it rained partway through. The yacht was swamped by waves, and several passengers, including myself, experienced seasickness. The crew's response was good. We were able to see whales, so overall, I was satisfied with the experience.

英語は全く分かりませんが、ツアー内容を予め教えておいて頂けたので安心でした。ただこの日は悪天候で風が強く途中で雨も降り、ヨットは波にのまれ、私を含め乗客の数人が船酔いを起こしてしました。乗務員の対応はよかったです。クジラも見ることが出来て内容的には満足です。

Until boarding the submarine waiting at sea, we will travel by boat from the pier. During the journey, the crew members talk about something, but I couldn't understand because I don't speak English...

Inside the submarine, you can listen to explanations in Japanese through headphones.

海で待機している潜水艦に乗るまでは、桟橋から船で移動します。移動中は乗組員さんが何か話してくれるのですが、英語が分からないため理解できず……。

潜水艦の中では、ヘッドフォンで日本語の解説が聞けます。

I thought the guide would be Japanese since they spoke Japanese, but they were actually from an English-speaking country. Haha! Of course, their Japanese was excellent, so it wasn't a problem.

When floating on the surface of the water, it's truly moving to see the manta rays swimming right beside you!

However, while traveling it was fine, but the boat during our stay really made me feel seasick... I took motion sickness medication, but I was still in a pretty groggy state.

Also, the light snacks were basically chocolate bars, haha!

日本語を話せるガイドさんということで、てっきり日本人かと思っていたら、普通に英語圏の方でした。笑
勿論、日本語お上手だったので問題はありませんでした。

海面に浮かんでいると、マンタが本当に身体すれすれを泳いでいくので感動します！

ただ、移動中は大丈夫ですが、泊まっている間の船は本当に酔います……。酔い止め飲んで臨みましたが、普通にグロッキー状態でした。

あと、軽食=おやつ=チョコレートバー的なやつでしたwww

This is my second time participating in a tour where you can see dolphins up close! I was thrilled to see the dolphins swimming nearby again. The spam onigiri and cheese for lunch were delicious as well. If you are prone to seasickness, taking motion sickness medication is a must.

イルカを間近で見る事が出来るツアーで2回目の参加です！やはりイルカが近くを泳いでくれて感激でした。お昼のスパムおにぎり、チーズもおいしかったです。
船酔いする方は酔い止め必須です。

I participated in an underwater scooter experience with two friends. The ride lasts about 20 minutes, which is plenty of time to enjoy it. I've swum a lot in Hawaii and abroad, but that day had the most beautiful sea. The guide mentioned that the water was clear and warm, making for great conditions. Although it felt a bit chilly due to the wind in November, the water was warm, and we enjoyed the summer sun close to noon. If there's wind, the boat can sway a little, so it might be a good idea to take motion sickness medication before participating. SUP at the sandbar is also fun. You can return to Waikiki by 1 PM, making it a great way to use your morning effectively. Additionally, they take photos underwater and send them via email for $45. The pictures of me playing with the fish and the underwater scooter became wonderful memories. By the way, it's $60 if you want a video included. The equipment is clean, and the staff is friendly, so I highly recommend this company!

友人と3人で水中スクーターをやってみたくて参加しました。
乗っている時間は20分ぐらいですが十分楽しめる時間です。
ハワイや海外でたくさん泳ぎましたが、この日が一番きれいな海でした。
ガイドさんも、濁っていないし、水が暖かいからいいコンディションだと言ってました。
11月という事で風が冷たく感じましたが水は暖かく、お昼近くには常夏の太陽も満喫しました。風があると船も少し揺れるので酔い止めを飲んで参加するといいかもしれないですね。
サンドバーでのSUPも楽しいですよ。
1時にはワイキキに戻れますし、午前中を有効に使うにはおすすめです。
あと、水中で写真を撮影してくれますが、45ドルで写真をメールで送ってくれます。
魚と水中スクーターでたわむれている写真はいい思い出になりました。
ちなみに動画付きだと60ドルです。
装備も清潔ですし、スタッフも親切ですのでこの運営会社はおすすめですよ！

This was my first time, and the shuttle bus was easy to recognize with "Sea Life Park" written on it. Once we arrived at Sea Life Park, the Japanese staff provided explanations, which made me feel comfortable and allowed me to enjoy myself. I was also very satisfied with the interaction with the dolphins!

今回初めてだったのですが、お迎えのバスもシーライフパークと書かれた車でわかりやすかったし、シーライフパークについてからも日本語スタッフが説明してくれて安心して楽しめました☆
イルカとの触れあいもできて大満足です(*^-^*)

It was amazing. The manta rays were so close that I could touch them while they were feeding. I was so excited that my adrenaline was pumping and I almost had trouble breathing.

凄いです。マンタさんが触れるぐらい近くで捕食に夢中。アドレナリン出まくりで呼吸困難になるぐらい興奮しました。

A manta ray approached so closely that it almost bumped into me, and it was incredibly impressive. I could see its belly and large mouth right in front of me, which was moving. Small fish also gathered around, and it felt like I could catch them, which made me very satisfied.

目の前ぶつかるくらいにマンタが迫り、迫力満点でした。おなかや大きい口の中まで目の前で見えて、感動しました。小魚も寄ってきて、つかみ取り出来そうで大変満足しました。

The tour was concerning because the pickup was about 20 minutes late. Once we arrived at the site, we had to wait about 20 minutes to board the boat, but we could take our time with the restrooms and such. The end time for the activity was as scheduled, so perhaps the time allocation was generous...?

Once we boarded the boat, we could see many swimming sea turtles and fish from above, which really boosted our excitement! They also gave us bread, and we could feed the fish while waiting. Water, Lay's chips, and Doritos were all-you-can-eat♪

As for the snorkeling cruise, it was cold until we got in... I had to dive in, and at that moment, it was so cold that I felt like I might have a heart attack... I couldn't take my time because there was a line, and it was panic-inducing, which was the worst. However, once we started, the underwater scenery was beautiful, and they took photos with my camera, creating wonderful memories! I got to touch many fish and even swam with a sea turtle, albeit from a distance♪

However, the waiting time on the boat was long, and by the time we returned, I was pale from seasickness and the cold... It's necessary to have motion sickness medication and, depending on the season, some light warm clothing.

ツアーは、送迎が20分くらい遅れて心配になりました。現地についても20分くらい船に乗るまでひたすら待つ時間がありましたが、トイレ等はゆっくりできました。アクティビティの終了時刻は予定通りだったので、余裕のある時間配分になっているのでしょうか・・・？
舩に乗り込んでからは、泳いでいるウミガメや魚が船の上からもたくさん見えてかなりテンションがあがります！パンもくれて、待っている間餌付けもできました。
水とレイズとドリトスは食べ放題です♪
肝心のシュノーケルクルーズですが、入るまで寒かった。。。一度潜って乗るのですが、その時に寒くて心臓発作を起こしそうでキツかったです。。。後がつまっているのでゆっくりも出来ず、パニックで最悪でした。ただ、乗り始めると海の中はとても綺麗で写真も手持ちのカメラでとってくれて、とてもいい思い出になりました！魚もたくさん触れたし、ウミガメも少し遠くですが一緒に泳げました♪
ただし、船の上での待ち時間も長く船酔いして帰るころには寒いしで青ざめていました。。。酔い止めと、時期によってはちょっとした防寒が必要です。

I participated at my mother's request. I was able to see dolphins and sea turtles up close, and it was very healing. This is one of my fun memories from Hawaii, thank you.

母の希望で参加しました。
イルカとウミガメを間近で見ることができて、癒されました。
ハワイの楽しい思い出の一つです、ありがとうございました。

This was a great experience, the crew was amazing and very knowledgeable!

Our whole family thoroughly enjoyed this adventure... crew and in particular the host were fabulous .... definite must do whilst in Waikiki !!!!

Pick up from hotel was great! Scooter ride was really fun and you get up close to the fish!

On our second visit to the Big Island on October 17, we decided to challenge ourselves with manta watching. We were a bit anxious at the start since our beautiful driver couldn't speak Japanese, but it turned out to be lucky as we were the only two Japanese participants on the tour, allowing us to have the shuttle and our guide, Tori, all to ourselves. The boat ride to our destination off the coast of Kona was thrilling, comparable to a ride at an amusement park, and we all cheered while enjoying the fun journey, plus we got to admire a beautiful sunset. On the way back, we also enjoyed a starry sky, so we never had a dull moment during the trip. During the main event, it was an incredible day as manta rays continuously swirled beneath me with their mouths wide open, making me gasp in awe. I was amazed by how many times the mantas brushed against the bar I was holding onto, yet I felt no fear at all. I think this might be my last chance to visit the Big Island, but I had a truly moving experience and created wonderful memories. Thank you to all the staff.

10/17　2度目のビッグアイランド訪問でやり残していたマンタウォッチに夫婦でチャレンジしました。迎えの美人ドライバーが日本語しゃべれないのでちょっと不安なスタートでしたが、当日のツアーは日本人の参加者が私たち二人だけでしたので送迎車も日本人ガイドのトリさんも独占状態でラッキーでした。コナ空港沖の目的地までのボート移動もライド系アトラクション並の衝撃とスリルでみんなで歓声を上げながら楽しい移動を体験でき、おまけに綺麗な夕日が鑑賞できました。帰路も満天の星空鑑賞付でしたので移動も暇をもてあそぶことはありませんでした。本番も、大当たりの日で私の下をひっきりなしにマンタが大きな口を開けて旋回し続け、声にならないうめき声をあげつつけていました。つかまっているバーの手に何度もマンタが触れてくるという接近戦に感動しつつも恐怖心は全くありませんでした。ビッグアイランドに来れるのも最後かと思いますが最後に感動的な経験をできいい思い出ができました。スタッフのみなさんありがとう。

We used this service for our honeymoon (﹡ˆˆ﹡). First of all, as others have mentioned, I had trouble finding the meeting point; I'm glad I planned to arrive a bit early. Once we arrived, we changed into half-pants wetsuits and boarded the boat for departure! The boat ride was thrilling, comparable to a roller coaster, and the 15 minutes until we reached the snorkeling area were a blast! (It might have helped that I took motion sickness medication beforehand...)

On the boat, our cute guide "Ali-chan," who spoke Japanese well, explained interesting facts about manta rays! This made me even more excited about seeing them!

Once the sun set, we began snorkeling. We all held onto a board with a rope while snorkeling. My husband can't swim, but he had no problems snorkeling at all!! (He was very happy about this ^^)

As for the mantas, we saw them five times that day☆ I was really happy to see them five times, but according to Ali-chan, that was fewer than usual... After swimming, we returned to the harbor while sipping warm cocoa. The starry sky was beautiful!!!

If I have the chance to go to the Big Island again, I would love to participate again!!

新婚旅行で利用させていただきました(﹡ˆˆ﹡)
まず、ほかの方が書いているように集合場所が見つけられず迷ってしまいました;;少し早めに着くつもりで行動しておいてよかったなと思いました。
着いたら、半ズボンタイプのウェットスーツに着替えて、ボートに乗って出発です！このボートが、ジェットコースター並にスリリングで、シュノーケリングエリアに着くまでの15分ぐらい終始楽しかったです！(事前に酔い止めを飲んでいたからよかったのかもしれませんが･･･)
船の上では、可愛くて日本語も上手なガイドの「アリちゃん」が、マンタに関する知識を解説してくれました！これで、余計にマンタに対する楽しみな気持ちが高まりました！
日が沈んだら、シュノーケリングの開始です。
みんなでロープのついたボードにつかまってシュノーケリングをします。ですので、私の旦那は泳げませんが、何の問題もなくシュノーケリングできました！！(本人はこれにとても喜んでました^^)
そして肝心のマンタですが、この日は5回マンタが見れました☆私としては、5回も見れてとても嬉しかったですが、アリちゃんによるといつもよりも少ないそうです･･･
泳ぎ終わったら、あったかいココアを飲みながら帰港しました。星空がとても綺麗でした！！！
また、ハワイ島に行くことがあれば、参加したいです！！

This was an awesome experience. I had done the shark cage before, but I never thought that I'd be able to swim with the sharks without cage. I was a bit skeptical about the safety, but once I was in the water, I didn't feel threatened at all. It was just a calm and relaxing experience, and the sharks were not interested in humans at all. The sharks we saw were mostly Sandbar Sharks and Galapagos Sharks, and they only eat fish. They were more attracted to the sound/vibration of the boat engine. So the guide instructed us to stay away from the boat, and we stayed together as a group. We only have a group of 5 with 1 guide and 1 photographer in the water, so the experience was very intimate.

I highly recommend this activity to anyone, and really observe the sharks in their environment. Forget about Shark Weeks, Jaws, etc., and go see them with their own eyes so you can cure people's misconception about these beautiful creatures.

I think it's an activity that anyone can easily enjoy underwater, even if they can't swim, since you're just sitting on a scooter. However, it states that your face won't get wet, but when getting off the scooter, you're told to get off in the water, so you end up submerged. For the 4.5 people after the first, they also had to get on the scooter from underwater, so everyone was soaked. Perhaps because there were so many people, the wait time was long, and there was no snorkeling. However, the underwater scenery was beautiful, so I think it's worth experiencing at least once.

スクーターに座っているだけなので、泳げなくても誰でも簡単に水中を楽しめるアクティビティだと思います。ですが、顔が濡れないと記載されていますが、スクーターから降りる際水中で降りろといわれるので、結果水中に潜った形になってしまいます。4.5人目以降の人たちはスクーターに乗る際も、水中から乗る形になっていたので、みんなビショビショでした。人数が多かったせいか、待ち時間が長くシュノーケリングもありませんでした。ですが水中は綺麗だったので一度体験されるといいと思います。

Unfortunately our scheduled Friday night cruise was cancelled due to rough conditions. The staff were fantastic to reschedule a daytime cruise for us on Sunday since we were leaving the next Thursday. The boat crew were very friendly, informative, safe and competent. We managed to see some green sea turtles and view the island scenery from the water. We were able to capture some wonderful photos to remind us of our visit to Oahu.

This time there was a discount campaign, so I thought it might be a bit expensive, but I decided to go ahead and make a reservation. I was very satisfied swimming while holding onto the dorsal fins of the two animals and being lifted up by having my feet pressed.

今回は割引キャンペーンだったので、少し高いかな？と思いましたが、思い切って予約しました。2頭の背びれにつかまり泳いだり、足の裏を押してもらって持ち上げてもっらったりと、大満足でした。

The submarine experience was nice. The inside of the sub was cool and comfortable. The only downside was that I was expecting to see the ocean floor teeming with fishes and corals which was not the case. Instead there were deliberately sunken ships and airplane ruins that served as artificial reefs or the ocean floor would have otherwise been bare. Didn't see any natural corals. But I guess it's not the fault of the tour though their ads were a bit overhyped and misleading with colourful fishes so you would tend to over expect. A fun and unique activity nevertheless for first timers!

The included transportation was very satisfying. The price might be a bit high, but if you're going to Hawaii, you should definitely go! It's close to Waikiki, and we had the best time with Atlantis in the morning and shopping in Waikiki in the afternoon.

送迎付きとあり、大変満足のいく内容でした。
値段は、高いかもいらないけど、せっかくハワイ行くなら絶対行くべし❗️
ワイキキからも近いし、午前中にアトランティス、午後からはワイキキでショッピングと最高のひとときでした。

The dolphins were incredibly cute. The instructor was also very kind. I was moved to be able to swim with the dolphins.

イルカがサイコーに可愛いかったです。インストラクターの方も親切でした。イルカと泳げるなんて感動しました。

This was a tour I was looking forward to on my first trip to Maui with my eldest son. It was a morning tour, and we were able to see a mother and baby whale at quite a close distance, which got us both very excited. I thought it would have been helpful to have an explanation about the parking, but I would like to participate again when I visit Maui next time.

今回、長男と2人で初めてのマウイ島旅行で楽しみにしていたツアーでした。朝からのツアーでしたが結構近い距離でクジラの親子を見ることができ、親子で大興奮でした。駐車場の説明があると助かったなぁと思いましたが、またマウイ島に行った時には参加したいと思います。

My family and I enjoyed the boat ride. The staff was amazing and the scenery was beautiful in the water. Would definitely go again!