All Reviews for Marine Wildlife Encounters

We participated as a couple. We left early in the morning and drove for an hour to the West Coast, a place not often visited by tours. During the drive, our enthusiastic guide shared a wealth of information about the tour, Hawaii, personal introductions, and safety instructions, keeping the conversation lively until we reached our destination.

After using the restroom, we changed into wetsuits, which were available for a voluntary fee of $10. They even had sizes for my larger frame. It was a good decision to rent one since the water was still cold. We encountered dolphins shortly after setting sail. Following the captain's and the guide's instructions, we entered the water. There were a lot of dolphins! I never expected to see them so soon; it felt like a natural aquarium. We were treated to numerous dolphin jumps and even spotted sea turtles, along with octopuses and various tropical fish. The weather was perfect, with no wind, making for the best conditions. For my wife, who is not a strong swimmer, they provided something like a floatation device. Normally, life jackets are available, so it's not necessary, but those who feel scared might want to borrow one.

夫婦で参加しました。早朝に出発し車で１時間、あまりツアーで行かない西海岸へ行きます。
車の中でテンションの高いガイドさんから、おもしろおかしくツアーのこと、ハワイのこと、自己紹介、注意事項など盛りだくさんのお話があります。沈黙することなく目的地に到着。
トイレを済ませ、ウェットスーツに着替えます。任意で１０ドルです。太目の私のサイズもありました。海の中はまだ寒いので借りてよかったです。出航してすぐにイルカに遭遇。キャプテンと学級委員（ガイド）の指示で海に入ります。大量のイルカです。こんなに早くお目にかかるとは！天然の水族館です。イルカのジャンプを何度も見せてくれました。ウミガメも見ることができました。他にもタコやいろんな熱帯魚。当日は風もなく天候にも恵まれ最高のコンディションでした。泳ぎの苦手な妻には浮輪のようなものを貸してくださいました。本来はライフジャケットがあるので必要ありません。それでも怖いひとは借りておくとよいでしょう。

It was very fun watching the whales and having excellent drinks! Very awesome experience!

☆Private Dolphin Middle School☆
We were picked up at 6:25 AM, and although we were worried about the cloudy weather in Waikiki, we arrived at Waianae Harbor on the West Coast in about an hour, and the sun started to shine. The dolphin watching was conducted in a classroom format with a tour guide. Mr. TAKAO's explanations (he looked a lot like Tetsuya Takeda) prioritized the safety of the participants, and he prayed in the morning for everyone to encounter dolphins.

Before we reached the point, our feelings and prayers were answered, and we encountered a pod of bottlenose dolphins. Feeling optimistic, we first went snorkeling at a spot with sea turtles and fish to get accustomed to the water. There was an explanation that those who are sensitive to the cold water temperature could rent a wetsuit for $10, and many people took advantage of that. I was fine in the water with my long-sleeved rash guard, but the wind after getting back on the boat was tough; I managed to cope with my towel.

With the keen eyes of our dolphin-finding captain, we changed locations a few times and jumped into the water!

At first, everyone was so eager to see the dolphins that we struggled to communicate with them, and they seemed to swim away. However, after a few attempts and relaxing a bit, we could hear the dolphins' sounds up close, like "kyurukyuru."

With the captain's visual spotting from the boat and Mr. TAKAO's accurate guidance, we heard the call to "look down, look down." A few dolphins swam really close to us. It was such a joy to meet wild dolphins freely moving in the vast ocean!

I definitely want to join this tour again, and next time I want to participate in Dolphin University as well. I'm a little proud of the eco bag we received as a graduation certificate!

☆私立イルカ中学☆
早朝６：２５ピックアップ、ワイキキの曇天を気にしてたけれどウエスト・コーストのワイアナエ港に約一時間で到着どんどん晴れてきて。イルカウオッチングをバスの中から授業形態にしてのツアーガイド。ＴＡＫＡＯさんの説明（武田鉄矢に超似てました）参加者さんたちの安全第一、皆がイルカと遭遇できるように朝一でお祈りしてきてくれました。
　
皆の気持ちと祈りが通じてポイントに到着前に、ハンドウイルカの群れと遭遇。幸先の良さを感じつつ、この日は先にウミガメやお魚たちのいるポイントでシュノーケルの身体慣らし。バスの中から水温が低くて寒いの苦手な方は１０ドルでウエットスーツ借りられる説明があり、何人もの方が借りてました。私は長袖のラッシュガードで水中は全く大丈夫でしたが船に上がってからの風が堪えました、持参のバスタオルでどうにかしのげましたが。
イルカ探しの名人キャプテンの目で数回場所を変えながら、水中にイン！

最初は皆のイルカだイルカと気持ちが先走り上手くイルカさんたちとのコミュニケーションが取れず、逃げられちゃってる感じでしたが数回のチャレンジで気負いが取れてリラックスしたせいか「キュルキュル」とイルカさんたちの声まで聞こえる近さに。

キャプテンの船上からの目視とガイドのＴＡＫＡＯさんの的確な判断で「下観て、下観て」の声が。ほんとに近くを数頭が泳いでくるんです。大海原を自由に動き回ってる野生のイルカとの対面うれしかったぁ～＾＾

また参加したいツアーだし、今度はイルカ大学にも参加したいです。卒業証書としていただいたエコバックちょっと自慢です＾＾；

From March 24, 2014, for one week, my family took our first trip to Hawaii (Maui). Since we weren't interested in package tours, I researched and chose one of the option tours myself. I was skeptical about whether we could really see whales so close to the port, but... it seemed like three whales were swimming together, possibly a mother and her calf? To my great fortune, one of the whales jumped out of the water! I couldn't help but let out a joyful shout. The boat searched around for spots where the whales might surface. Nearby, small boats seemed to gather, perhaps aware of the sonar capabilities of the Star of Honolulu. At the end of the enjoyable cruise, we were also able to see a pod of about ten dolphins, making it a truly satisfying whale watching experience.

２０１４年３月２４日から１週間、家族で初めてのハワイ（マウイ島）旅行でした。パッケージツアーに興味がないので、自分であれこれ調べてオプションツアーの一つとしてチョイスしました。港からそんなに遠くない範囲で本当にクジラを見ることができるのか半信半疑だったのですが・・・３頭が一緒に回遊していたようですが、親子でしょうか？なんと幸運にもそのうちの１頭のクジラが海中からジャンプしたのです。歓喜の叫び声が思わず漏れてしまいました。船はクジラ達が海面に出てきそうな場所を探して探し回ります。近くにはスターオブホノルル号のおそらくソナーの性能を知ってか小さなボートも群がってきますね。楽しいクルーズの最後には１０数頭の群れをなすイルカも見ることができて本当に満足のいくホエールウォッチングになりました。

I made a reservation for the morning. I was able to get to the port quickly, but I got lost trying to find the check-in location. It was in a small hut located in the largest pier that juts out into the sea. Please be careful, as there may be a chance you won't see it due to the line.

Now, the boat is two stories, and you can sit wherever you like during the cruise, but it felt like people were moving left and right every time a whale appeared. I was able to see them multiple times, both far and near. I didn't see any jumps, but it was a very satisfying cruise.

朝の時間帯で予約しました。港まではすぐ行けましたがチェックインの場所が迷いました。
海に突き出た一番大きい桟橋の中にある小屋でした。行列の影で見えない可能性もあるので注意してくださいね。
さて、船は２階建てで好きな場所に座りクルーズしますが、クジラが出るたびに人々が右に左に移動する感じでした。
遠く近く合わせて何回も見れました。
ジャンプは見れなかったですがかなり満足のクルーズでした。

I wanted to show my 5-year-old child a whale, but they got bored staring at the ocean for too long and were in a bit of a mood. However, they seemed to enjoy the buffet and ate a lot. We also had a great time making leis after the meal!

5歳の子供にクジラを見せてあげたかったのですが、ずっと海を眺めているのに退屈してしまい、ご機嫌ナナメ。でも、ビュッフェは楽しかったようで、モリモリ食べてくれました。また、食後のレイ作りも楽しかったです！

I participated because I wanted to see whales that are unique to this season. I didn't have high expectations since I heard mixed reviews about whether people saw them or not, but luckily, the weather was clear and hot that day, and I was able to see 5 to 6 breaches! I think I was very lucky. Since photos capture moments, it might be better to use video instead. Also, I opted for the breakfast option, but if you take your time eating, you might miss the moments, so it might not have been necessary. Sorry to the tour staff.

この時期ならではのホエールを見たくて参加。クチコミはあまり見れなかったとか見れたとか色々で運不運もあるかと期待しなかったのですが、この日は晴天で暑かったことも幸いしてか、5～6回の背うちが見れました！とてもラッキーだったと思います。写真は瞬間なので難しいのでムービーかビデオがいいかもしれません。それと朝食付きにしたのですが、ゆっくり食べていると瞬間見逃す場合もあるので無くてもよかったかもしれません。ツアーの方すみません。

What a fantastic time my daughter and I had snuba diving, all three guys were just great and so informative, this was the best part of our trip.

I was nervous at first but the staff made it easy to get into the BOB. The divers were excellent and guided me at first and then sent me on my way. I've done other excursions and saw more fish and turtles on this trip. The pictures turned out very professional. I have told my daughter and her fiancé to definitely do this next month on their visit.

I signed up because I wanted to take pictures of whales. Since it was the end of the season on April 13, and someone who went in January said they "didn't see any," I participated without much expectation... But, wonderfully, the whales showed up! In fact, they appeared 4 to 5 times (their heads?). I couldn't hear the captain's (or guide's?) announcements about whale sightings well in English, but I followed the dash of the foreign children, and somehow managed to take some pictures. It would have been perfect if I could have taken photos a bit closer, but seeing this much is enough, right!? I signed up without lunch this time, and it was the right choice because if I wanted to keep taking pictures, there wouldn't have been time to eat.

クジラの写真を撮りたくて申し込みました。
4/13ということでシーズン終わりで、1月に行った人が「見れなかった」と言っていたので、期待せず参加しましたが・・・。
見事、クジラさん出てくれました！それも4～5回（頭？）も！
船長（？）によるクジラ発見案内は英語でよく聞き取れなかったのですが、外国の子供たちの歓声とともにダッシュする後をついて行って、写真を何とか撮ることが出来ました。
もう少し近くで撮影することができれば最高ですが、これだけ見れれば十分でしょう！？
今回ランチなしで申し込みましたが、常に写真を撮りたかったら食事している暇はなかったので正解でした。

I was able to see 3 to 4 whales spouting water and showing their dorsal fins and tails at the surface of the sea. They appeared quite frequently, so it was a satisfying tour overall. It would have been amazing to see them jump, but perhaps they were tired, as they only swam at the surface.

３～４頭の鯨の潮吹きや背びれ・尾ひれを海面に出すところを見ることができました。結構な頻度で姿を現したので、それなりに満足できるツアーでした。
ジャンプまで見れれば最高でしたが、お疲れなのか海面を泳ぐまででした。

This was a great adventure! The staff was quite fun to be around. One of the crew-- Alex (I believe) was especially great in providing information and he had great energy and an awesome attitude!

We would definitely recommend this cruise!

Amazing experience! Well over a dozen sharks swimming around, close to the cage. Plenty of time in the water. I would definitely recommend the video which probably adds a few minutes to your experience and is reasonably priced. The staff was personable and safety focused making for a great experience. Of all the activities we have done this trip this is the one we will do again our next time out.

I had heard that it was the season to see a lot of whales, so I was a bit anxious about whether we would see any... but I was very satisfied because we saw plenty. The boat was also large, so I was glad I didn't get seasick. It was great that it was a morning tour, allowing us to return to the hotel around noon, so we could enjoy plenty of activities in the afternoon.

クジラが多く見れる時期と聞いていたので、見れるのかなぁ...と不安でしたが、いっぱい見れて満足でした。
船も大きかったので、船酔いしなくて良かったです。
朝からのツアーで、お昼頃にはホテルに帰ってこれるので、午後にたっぷり遊べるのも良かったです。

I stayed at a guesthouse in Kaanapali next to Lahaina. We departed at 6:50 AM, took 5 minutes to reach the public parking lot, and then walked for another 5 minutes to the meeting point. There were already a lot of tourists gathered.

We boarded at 7:30 AM for a 2-hour whale watching tour. I was hoping to see whales like in the pictures, but all we saw that day was just a glimpse of a tail. It felt like the end of the season. I want to try again next year.

Lahaina隣のKaanapaliの民宿に宿泊、6時50分出発、パブリック駐車場迄5分、その後5分歩いて集合場所に行った。すでに大勢の観光客が集まっていた。
7時半に乗船し2時間のウオッチング。写真で見るようなクジラを期待していたが、この日は少し尾ひれが見えただけ。シーズン終わりの感がした。来年再チャレンジしたい。

The submarine tour is really amazing. How often can you say that you were in an actual submarine. The sub is air conditioned and really very spacious and comfortable. There is never a dull moment. Fish, coral eels and ship wrecks. Plenty to see and experience.

The best kick ass time in Hawaii, the divers were very attentive. Seeing the ocean from underneath is awesome for this non-swimmer.Younger kids could enjoy this. Bring cash for the pictures as credit cards not accepted.

On the third day of our family's first 3-night, 5-day trip to Maui, we joined an early morning tour that was a good deal, even though it wasn't the time for the Japanese guide. We thought we might see whales while looking at the ocean. It seemed like we went out far enough where other tour boats didn't go. We even encountered whales crossing right in front of our boat. ...And the guide exclaimed "Incredible!" because we took the best photos. And it was all with an iPhone. It was the best whale watching experience on our first trip to Maui. I would love to participate again.

家族4人の3泊5日初マウイ弾丸旅行の3日目、日本語ガイドが乗る時間帯ではないが海を見ていればクジラが観れるだろうと早朝のツアーが割安だったので参加しました。ほかのツアーの船がいかない沖まで行っていたように思えます。船のすぐ前を横切るクジラにも会えました。・・・そしてなんとガイドさんもIncredible!と叫ぶほど最高の写真が撮れました。しかもiPhoneでです。初マウイで最高ホェールウォッチングでした。また参加したいと思います。

To fulfill my mother's dream of swimming with dolphins, we participated in "Dolphin Adventure." My mother, who can't swim, was anxious, but the staff were very friendly and kind, and she was able to realize her dream safely! We touched and kissed the dolphin LAKA, and swam together! In reality, the swimming lasted only about 10 seconds, but both my mother and I were super excited! It was a valuable experience for us. Thank you, LAKA!

イルカと泳ぎたい！という母の夢をかなえるため、“ドルフィンアドベンチャー”に参加しました。
泳げない母は不安になっていましたが、スタッフの方もとてもフレンドリーで優しく、無事に夢をかなえることができました‼︎
イルカのLAKAちゃんに、触れたり、キスしたり、そして一緒に泳ぎました！実際、泳いでるのは10秒ないくらいのあっという間の時間でしたが、母も私も大興奮‼︎
貴重な経験をさせて頂きましたo(^▽^)o
LAKAちゃん、ありがとう♡

This cruise was awesome, the staff were very knowledgable, fun and professional all at the same time. We had a lot of fun. Saw a few whales as well

This was probably the best experience in my life. So awesome and a must do if you're in Oahu! I'm definitely doing it again and bringing more friends! The sharks come so close and if you get lucky like us, you'll see some whales! Definitely do it!

I decided to join this tour after seeing the reviews, as it seemed interesting. Our hotel was in Waikoloa, and since there are five of us in the family, I wanted to minimize expenses by opting for a local meeting point. However, since there was no transportation available for the return, I chose the option with pick-up. The young man who came to pick us up was very friendly. He couldn't speak Japanese, but he had a name similar to my son's, which helped us bond quickly and made it enjoyable.

It was a bit chilly, so I borrowed a wetsuit. Without it, I wouldn't have been able to stay out long because it was too cold. It was everyone's first time going out into the night sea, and we were all nervous, but our guide, Leon, provided great support, making it enjoyable even for my first grader. (He speaks Japanese almost like a native.) I was worried that my child might be screaming out of fear, but it turned out to be excited shouts as the manta rays came so close they almost bumped into us. Although we shouldn't touch them, they were so close that we truly felt the wildness of the experience.

The water was so clear that we could see the bottom (it was dark, but occasionally the lights illuminated it), and many manta rays' white bellies floated up, creating an exhilarating and moving sight! It was definitely worth it. I'm really glad we went!

Leon said, "The joy of this job is knowing that the kids will remember today for a long time," which left a strong impression on me. We also visited Oahu during this trip, and when I asked the kids what they remembered most, they said it was this "Manta Tour." It's that impactful of an experience. I highly recommend trying it!

書き込みを見て、このツアー面白そうと思い決めました。ホテルがワイコロアだったのですが、家族５人なので少しでも支出を抑えたくて現地集合にしようと思いましたが、帰りの交通手段がなかったので送迎つきにしました。でも、お迎えに来てくれた青年がとても気さくで、日本語は話せませんが、息子と名前が似ていたのですぐ打ち解けて楽しかったです。

肌寒かったのでウエットスーツを借りました。着ないとと寒くて長くは見ていられなかったでしょう。夜の海に出るのは皆初めてでドキドキでしたが、ちゃんとガイドのリオン君がサポートしてくれたので、小１の子も楽しめました。(日本人なみに日本語話せます)怖さで絶叫しているのかと心配していたら、マンタがぶつかる位接近してくるので、興奮しての雄叫びでした。触れてはいけないのに、マンタからぶつかってくるので、まさしく野性を肌で感じられるツアーです。海の底が見える程の透明度のなか(暗いけど時折ライトで底が見える)、沢山のマンタの白いお腹が浮かび上がり、その迫力に興奮と感動！間違いなしです。本当に行って良かった！

リオン君が「子ども達が、今日のことをずっと覚えていてくれる事が、この仕事をやっている喜び」と言っていたのが印象的でした。今回の旅行はオアフ島にも行ったのですが、子ども達に何が一番心に残ったか聞いたら、この「マンタツアー」でした。それ位キョーレツなツアーです。是非おためしを！

I went on this with my boyfriend and we had lots of fun! Def was not scary but very neat to see the sharks from a different perspective.

Very good 2.5 hours spent aboard the catamaran. The crew seemed knowledgeable and were happy to point out a whole host of things to look at. We managed to see about 10 sightings of whales, some jumping out of the water, some 'blowing' and some fantastic tail shots. Would recommend to others.

I'm glad I got to see wild whales for the first time, but they didn't jump or anything, so I didn't feel much excitement. But I guess that's just how whales are (laughs). They seemed to swim alongside us for a long time, occasionally blowing air and showing their backs. The staff were all very nice, and you could tell they wanted to make it enjoyable for everyone. It's a big boat, so it's less likely to make you seasick, but it's still a good idea to take some motion sickness medication just in case.

野生のクジラを初めて見れてよかったですが、ジャンプなどしてくれるわけでなかったので迫力は感じられませんでした。でもこれはクジラの気分なのでしょうがないです（笑）
ずっと横には泳いでいたようなのですが、時々潮を吹いて背中が見えるくらい。
スタッフはみなさん感じがよく、楽しませようという感じが伝わってきました。
大きい船なので酔いにくいですが、酔い止め薬を飲んでおいた方が安心です。

It was a great whale watching tour for family. The crews are friendly and knowledgeable. We enjoyed the time a lot...

We had a great time! The food was good and we loved the view of the ocean. When we first arrived they took a family picture of us. It was nice to have a group picture. :) Even though it was windy that day we still saw some whales. It was amazing to see whales!!! It was too bad that it didn't jump high, but it was still exciting to see their backs and tails. The leis and ukulele class were on at the same time. It did go by fast so we didn't get to join both classes. However, we loved making leis with real flowers!! We had a wonderful experience.

I only saw one manta in the distance. It just passed by in an instant. The water was cold, like a punishment game. The staff was friendly. I was able to walk from the office to the boat.

マンタは遠くに一匹のみ。
一瞬通り過ぎただけでした。
水は冷たく、罰ゲームのようでした。
スタッフはフレンドリー。
事務所から船までも歩けました。

My friend was visiting Oahu for the first time, so I chose this experience thinking we could enjoy various aspects of Hawaiian culture on board. We made leis, danced hula, and played the ukulele. Since it was a weekday, there were no group tours, so we didn't have to wait in long lines for the buffet. Depending on where you sit, it seems you could also see dolphins and whales. It might be worth a visit.

お友達が、オアフ島への訪問が初めてだったので・・船内でハワイの文化を色々体験できると思い選びました。レイを作ったり、フラダンスを踊ったり、ウクレレを弾いたり、平日だった為か団体ツアーが入っておらずバイキングでも長蛇の列を並ぶ必要はありませんでした。座る場所次第でイルカやクジラも見えた様です。行ってみても良いかも。

I chose a package where we could interact with rays because my second daughter loves them. Suddenly, we were handed snorkeling gear, and my 4-year-old and 7-year-old daughters, along with my 71-year-old mother, all tried snorkeling for the first time in their lives. Floating in a deep pool with swimming fish felt refreshing, as if we were entering a fish world. The sensation of touching the belly of a large ray was unlike that of a dolphin, with an indescribable smoothness. I was also thrilled to see fish swarm around the lettuce I held in my hand.

For those who might feel uneasy about floating in a pool where they can't reach the bottom with just a life jacket, it could be challenging.

次女が「エイ」が大好きなので、エイとも触れ合えるパッケージにしました。
いきなりシュノーケルを渡され、４歳、７歳の娘たちも７１歳の母も人生初シュノーケリングに挑戦。
魚が泳ぐ深いプールにぷかぷか浮かび、魚の世界に入れてもらう感じが新鮮でした。
大きなエイのおなかにタッチした感触は、イルカとも違って、なんともいえない滑らかさ。
手に持ったレタスに魚たちが群がるのにも感激しました。

シュノーケルや足が絶対届かないプールにライフジャケットだけで浮かぶことに抵抗がある方には、難しいかもしれません。