All Reviews for Marine Wildlife Encounters

We participated as a three-generation family, from elementary school students to those in their 70s. My mother, who is in her 70s and sensitive to sunlight with frequent bathroom needs, was concerned about not being a burden to others and considered what activities she could join. We decided to try the submarine experience.

The boat to the submarine was large and had restrooms, and as we headed out to sea, we could feel the Hawaiian sea breeze. I believe that as long as one can manage to descend the ladder to switch to the submarine, even older adults can take on this challenge. We were able to see both sharks and turtles. Even though my mother doesn’t understand much English, she said she had a great time, so I think this activity is perfect for participants of all ages.

小学生から70代の3世代で参加しました。
70代で日差しに弱くトイレが近い母親が、他のみんなに迷惑にならないで参加できるものはないかと考察して潜水艦に挑戦しました。
潜水艦に乗るまでの船は大型でトイレもあり、沖に出るのでハワイの潮風を感じることができ、沖で潜水艦に乗り換えるはしごを降りることさえできれば、年配者でも挑戦できると思います。
サメもカメも見ることができました。英語があまりわからなくても、楽しかったと言っていたので、幅広い世代で参加するにはもってこいだと思います。

I was worried about the high prices due to the weak yen, but I chose this plan because it has Japanese staff and allows participation for elderly people as well. I confirmed the days when Japanese staff would be on board in advance on the official Manta University website before making my reservation. The day before, about 20 mantas showed up, but on the day of our participation, there were only 3 or 4. However, the sight of them opening their mouths wide and doing flips up close was a wonderful experience that you can't have in other regions. The Japanese staff provided excellent support, and I was grateful that they shared the manta images taken with the GoPro. However, it seems that participating as an observer didn't have much meaning, so it might be fine to wait at the hotel instead (I'm not sure if waiting at the store is possible, but I wouldn't recommend it since it would be unattended). We used Uber for the round trip, but on the return, we waited about 20 minutes in the darkness, with only the faint light from the store reaching us. If you can tolerate that, there were no problems at all. Depending on the location of the hotel, plans with transportation can be quite expensive. By the way, we were the only ones using Uber.

円安で高いため悩みましたが、小学校低学年の子供と参加するため、日本人スタッフがいる点、また，高齢者も居るため、見学参加できる点でこのプランを選びました。日本人スタッフが乗船する曜日は予めマンタ大学の公式サイトで確認してから申し込みました。前日は20枚ほどのマンタがきてくれたそうですが、参加日は3、4枚でした。が、近くで大きく口を開けてクルクル宙返りをくりかえす様子は、他の地域では体験できない素晴らしい時間でした。日本人スタッフが甲斐甲斐しくサポートをしてくださったし、GOproで撮ったマンタの画像を共有してくださり、有り難かったです。ただし、見学参加はあまり意味がなかったようですので、ホテル待機でも良さそうです（店舗での待機が可能かはわかりませんが、無人になるのでオススメしません）。往復ウーバータクシーにしましたが、復路は、店舗の灯りがほのかに届くだけの暗闇で20分ほど配車を待ちました。それを許容できるのであれば、全く問題はなかったです。ホテルの場所によっては送迎付きプランはかなり高くつくので。ちなみにウーバー利用は私たちだけでした。

I left my hotel near Waikiki at 6:30 AM to meet at the location by 8:30 AM. I thought the shuttle service was a bit expensive, so I took an Uber taxi instead (it cost about 8,000 yen one way).

I arrived at the location in about an hour. It was mentioned that there would be a restroom, but there was no toilet paper and it was extremely dirty, so please keep that in mind when using the facilities. (laughs)

There were a total of 12 members in our group. Before boarding the boat, we had to take off our shoes. Since all shoes can be placed together in a basket, I recommend wearing sandals or something that you don’t mind getting dirty.

After reading reviews from others, I took motion sickness medication before going. After about 15 minutes on the boat, I got seasick. If you are prone to motion sickness, be prepared.

When we reached the area where sharks are spotted, we were divided into two groups: the first half and the second half entered the water. By the way, there was no one among the staff or participants who spoke Japanese. (laughs)

The captain explained the safety instructions in English. He asked if I was from Japan and then handed me a written explanation in Japanese. I can’t speak any English, but surprisingly, I managed just fine. (laughs)

They provide snorkeling gear for free. However, some people brought their own. Since the snorkeling gear is shared, if you’re uncomfortable with that, it’s better to bring your own.

The tour was more fun than I expected, with plenty of sharks around. The time flew by. If it weren’t for the seasickness, I would want to participate again and again. However, since the seasickness was quite severe, I rated it one star lower than the maximum. I returned by bus (it cost about 1,000 yen for two people).

8時半に現地集合のため、朝の6時半にワイキキ付近の宿泊ホテルを出ました。送迎してもらうプランが料金が少し高いと思ったので、Uberタクシーで自力で行きました。(行きのみで約8000円ほどでした)

1時間ほどで現地に到着。現地にトイレがあると書いてありましたが、トイレットペーパーがなくてトイレも壊滅的に汚い為、それを頭に入れてトイレを使ってください。(笑)

メンバーは全員で12人でした。船に乗る前に履物を脱ぎます。籠に全員分まとめて入れられるので、汚れてもいいようなサンダル等を履いてきたほうがいいと思います。

他の方の口コミを読んで、酔い止めを飲んでいきました。船に揺られて15分ほど、見事に酔いました。船酔いしやすい方は覚悟していってください。
サメの出没するポイントにつくと2つのグループに分けられました。前半組と後半組で海に入りました。
ちなみに日本語をしゃべれる人はスタッフと参加者で誰もいませんでした。(笑)

キャプテンが注意事項等、英語で説明してくれます。ジャパン？と聞かれ、その後日本語で書いてある説明書を渡してくれました。まったく英語を喋れませんが、意外と何とかなります。(笑)

シュノーケリングは無料で貸してくれます。ですが、自分で持ってきてる人もいました。使い回しのシュノーケリングなので、嫌な方は自分で持ってきたほうがいいです。

ツアー自体は思った以上にサメがうようよいてとても楽しかったです。
あっという間の時間でした。
船酔いがなければ何度でも参加したいです。
でも船酔いが相当きつかったので、星は最高点より1つマイナスにしました。
帰りはバスで帰りました。(2人で約1000円くらい)

At 6:15 PM, we gathered at the harbor. The only restroom available is a nearby public toilet, which is not very clean. We boarded the boat and headed to a nearby point. There will be a briefing on the boat, but I think it will be manageable even if you don't understand English. It takes about fifteen minutes to reach the point. They provide masks and snorkels, but they are not prescription, so I recommend that those with poor eyesight bring their own masks. We descend into the sea from the back of the boat. Holding a buoy about a meter long, we swim to a metal bar fixed on the surface. There, we place the buoy on the tops of our feet and hold onto the metal bar to float parallel to the water's surface. Looking down, you can see the light shining downwards. After a while, a manta ray swims up towards the surface. It feels like it's coming right at you, which is quite impressive. However, some people might feel scared as the manta approaches in the dark. Small children might be frightened. We maintain this position for about an hour. I felt that twenty minutes was enough for me at first. The remaining forty minutes felt quite long. After floating on the surface for about an hour, we returned to the boat, used the restroom on board, and had a drink before disembarking. I think we disembarked just after 8 PM. It takes about an hour to return to Waikoloa from there, so we would get back to Waikoloa before 10 PM, and I think the driver will be quite tired. Still, I was satisfied with the impressive manta rays.

夕方六時十五分。ハーバーに集合。トイレは近くの公衆トイレのみ。きれいではない。乗船して近くのポイントに行く。船の中でブリーフィングをするが、英語が分からなくても何とかなると思う。十五分ほどの移動でポイントにつく。マスクとシュノーケルは貸してくれるが、度付きではないので、視力が悪い人は自分のマスクを用意することをお勧めする。船の後部から海に降りる。一メートルほどの長さの浮き具をもって水上に固定してある金属製のバーまで泳ぐ。そこで浮き具を足の甲において、両手は金属製のバーを持ち水面に平行になるように浮く。下を眺めるとライトが下方向に照らしているのが分かる。しばらくするとマンタが下から海面に向かって泳いでくる。こちらに向かってくるような感じがして迫力がある。ただひとによっては暗い中でマンタがやってくるので恐怖を感じるかもしれない。小さい子供だと怖がるかもしれない。この体制を一時間ほどする。私は最初の二十分で十分と感じた。残りの四十分は結構長く感じた。一時間ほど海面に浮いてから船に戻り、船の中でトイレを済ませて、飲み物を飲んでから下船した。下船したのは八時過ぎだとおもう。ここからワイコロアまで一時間ほどかかって帰るので、ワイコロアに戻るのは十時前になり、運転手は結構疲れると思う。それでも迫力のあるマンタには満足した。

It's a great time ! Yeeeeeeeeeee! Boat on boat action

The crew was amazing, and the snorkeling was great. I was scared at first but they did their best to make me feel comfortable and they were so patient and kind. I’m so glad I got to experience this with This particular group. They’re passionate and knowledgeable and paid attention to everyone’s safety. Highly recommend renting a wetsuit jacket and an underwater camera from them. Well worth it!

One of the best experiences on our Maui trip

Awsome trip. I'm 66 and would never scuba dive or even snorkel. The sub let me see all the colorful fish, and even a shark underwater. They were all over the sunken ship. So much more wonderful than watching a movie.

I made a reservation for the daytime course. It was good that I could see things from a distance several times. However, the guidance for the boarding area was not clear, and everyone participating was looking for it. This point needs improvement.

昼間のコースに予約。何回か遠くに見ることはできたのでよかった。乗り場の案内がはっきりしていなくて、参加の皆様も探している状況でした。この点は改善が必要。

I participated at the end of January 2024. The weather on the day was perfect, but unfortunately, we hardly saw any whales. We only caught a glimpse of one from a distance, but not everyone in my family was able to see it. At the end, tickets for another boat ride were distributed, but we couldn't accept them due to our travel schedule. This is just how nature is, so there's nothing we can do about it.

2024年1月末に参加させていただきました。当日の天気は申し分なかったのですが、結局クジラはほぼ見えませんでした。一度だけ遠目に見えたのですが、家族全員が見るというのはかないませんでした。最後にもう一度乗船できるチケットが配られましたが、我が家は旅程の関係上いただきませんでした。こればかりは自然相手なので仕方がありませんね。

First, they take photos for you, and you can purchase them before disembarking at the end. All the photos are beautifully edited, so we bought the entire set.

You can have the best experience without getting wet or dirty. We saw a lot of beautiful fish.

It was also fun to see the submarine coming up to the surface for the first time!

We didn't specifically download the Japanese audio guide, but we were busy enjoying the underwater scenery, so it was fine without the audio guidance.

最初に写真を撮影してくれるのですが、最後下船前に購入可能です。どの写真もとても素敵に加工してくれているので、うちは全セットで購入しました。


水に濡れたり汚れる事もなく、最高の体験が出来ます。沢山綺麗な魚が見られました。　　

潜水艦が水面に上がってくる姿も初めて見たので楽しかったです！

日本語音声ガイドはうちは特にダウンロードはしませんでしたが、
海中の景色を見るのに忙しく、特に音声案内は無くても大丈夫でした。

The staff was fun and kept us all in good spirits!
Not everyone in my party was comfortable in the water but the staff came around and kept checking on them until they relaxed.
The sight of the Mantas was unbelievable!!!
Thanks Iruka!!!!

I love dolphins and was thinking about them all the time, but I found out just before my trip to Hawaii that I could see manta rays, and I really wanted to see them! So, I made a reservation.
My father has difficulty seeing, and since it was at night, I was very worried. However, thanks to the person who corresponded with me via email beforehand and especially the support from Tamae on the day of the tour, my family, including my father, had an unforgettable experience that we will cherish forever.
From the moment I peered into the water, manta rays came to us in droves, and I was so excited! I was mesmerized by their graceful swimming. After the tour ended, our family couldn't stop talking about the manta rays.
I also can't forget the sunset we saw from the boat and the magical sky when I turned around while watching the manta rays.
There were many worries, but they provided solid support, so I hope those who are anxious will definitely consider joining.
I'm sure a wonderful experience awaits you!!!♡

イルカが大好きでイルカのことばかり考えていましたが笑、マンタが見られることをハワイ渡航の直前に知り、ぜひ見たい！！！！と思い、予約しました。
私の父は目が見えずらく、夜の海ということもありとても心配していましたが、事前にメール対応をしてくださった方と、何より当日のたまえさんのサポートのおかげで、父を含めて家族みんなで一生心に残る最高の体験をすることができました。
海の中を覗いた瞬間から、マンタがたくさんきてくれて大興奮！優雅に泳ぐ姿にうっとりしました。ツアーが終わった後から、私たちの家族はマンタの話題で持ちきりです。笑
船から見えた夕陽と、マンタを見てるときにふと後ろを振り返った時の幻想的な空も忘れられません。
色々と不安なことも多かったですが、しっかりとサポートしてくれるので、不安な方もぜひ参加してみて欲しいです。
きっと素敵な体験が待っているはずです！！！♡

I boarded the ship after a long time. The always courteous service makes sightseeing enjoyable. This time, I was able to observe sharks, sea turtles, rays, and many other fish, which left me very satisfied. It's rare to encounter a situation as perfect as this, but I think a leisurely stroll underwater is enjoyable, so if you have the time, I definitely think it's worth participating.

久しぶりに乗船しました。いつも丁寧な対応で楽しく観光出来ます、今回はシャーク、ウミガメ、エイ、他多くの魚を観察することが出来非常に満足でした。今回の様な完璧と言える場面にはなかなか遭遇しませんが、ゆっくりと海中散歩は楽しいと思いますので時間合えば是非参加してみる価値はあると思います。

The staff was bright and fun, and it was clear that they genuinely enjoy and love the ocean. Thanks to them, I was able to have a truly moving time in the sea. I understand that there might be concerns about safety during the shark swim, but the staff prioritizes the safety of their guests above all else. They guide you while maintaining a balance that is considerate of the sharks in terms of distance, timing, and duration. I felt that this was very important, especially since it was a cage-free swim, and having good control is crucial. I look forward to coming back to Hawaii and would love to rely on their services again. Thank you for the wonderful experience! ALOHA!!!

スタッフは明るく、楽しいメンバーで、心から海を楽しみ、愛してるのが伝わってきました。おかげですごく感動的な海の時間を過ごすことができました。シャークスイムはやはり安全性も心配かと思いますが、スタッフはお客の安全を1番に考えています。距離感、タイミング、時間配分とサメに無理のないバランスを保ってガイドしてくれます。ゲージフリーのスイムだからこそとても大切な事であるし、統制が取れていることは重要と私は感じました。また次にハワイに来る時はお世話になりたいと思っています。感動をありがとうございました！ALOHA!!!

I participated with my elementary school child. There is a reception at the Hilton Hawaiian Village beach, so when we went there, we were told to head to the boat dock at the end of the pier. It was close, and since that was the only option, it was easy to find our way.

There were about 30 participants in the tour at the same time. First, we took a boat out to sea and then transferred to a submarine. We were blessed with good weather, and the scenery during the boat ride was very beautiful and enjoyable.

The submarine experience was relatively monotonous, but I was satisfied because we were able to see sharks and rays.

小学生の子供と二人で参加しました。
ヒルトンハワイアンビレッジのビーチに受付があるのでそこへ行くと、桟橋の先の船乗り場に行くように言われました。近いし、それしかないので、迷いようもなく簡単でした。
ツアーは、同じ時間帯に、30人ぐらいかなと思いますが、参加者がいました。まず船で沖合に行き、潜水艦に乗り換えました。お天気に恵まれて、船での移動も景色がとても良くて楽しかったです。
潜水艦の方は割と単調で、でもサメやエイも見れたので満足です。

I've been to Hawaii several times, but this was my first experience participating in this tour. I've seen sharks through glass and from a boat, but this time, even though there was a cage, the sensation of swimming right next to them was thrilling and very enjoyable. If I could experience it at a deeper level with something like an air walk that supplies oxygen, it might be even more fun. I definitely plan to participate again if I have the chance.

何度かハワイに来てますが、このツアーの参加は初めて体験してみました。サメをガラス越しに観察や船上から見たことはありますが今回はゲージがあるとはいえ直ぐ足元や横で一緒に泳いでいるという感覚はスリルも感じとても楽しかったです。エアーウォークみたいに酸素を送りもう少し深い位置で体験出来たらもっと楽しいかもしれない。また機会があれば是非参加してみようと思います。

The weather was great, the scenery was wonderful, and I had a lot of fun.
My English is not very good, but I felt reassured because they kindly taught me.

I was worried about whether there would be sharks, but there were no problems at all, and they were swimming around everywhere. I was able to see many sharks.

The voucher from Veltra mentioned beach sandals or slippers, but in reality, I was told to go barefoot when getting on the boat, and I was barefoot the whole time on the boat.

When I ordered a DVD, I was told that the camera was broken because it was bitten by a shark! They said sorry.

There were various differences from the information provided by Veltra, but overall, I had a great time.

お天気に恵まれて、景色も素晴らしく、楽しかったです。
英語はさっぱりなのですが、親切に教えてもらえて安心でした。

サメがいるかどうか、心配してたのですが、まったく問題なしで、うじゃうじゃ泳いでいました。たくさんのサメを見ることができました。

ベルトラさんのバウチャーには、ビーチサンダルかスリッパと書かれていたのですが、実際は船に乗るとき裸足になるように言われ、船に乗ってからはずっと裸足でした。

DVDを頼んだら、サメに噛まれてカメラが壊れた！ごめんねと言われました。

ヴェルトラさんの情報とは異なるところがいろいろありましたが、総合してとても楽しかったです。

We saw fish, turtle, sea urchins, sea cucumbers and had a great time! Guide and captain were very friendly and knowledgeable. Highly recommend for a quick and short excursion!!! We stayed at Hilton Waikoloa and we were 5 min drive.

This time, I came to Hawaii with my 8-year-old grandson, and we participated in a tour where we could play with dolphins at Sea Life Park. It was an experience that we can't have much in Japan, and my grandson was very happy. At first, he was a little scared, but the staff guided us well, so he gradually got used to it and seemed to have fun. I also enjoyed it, feeling nostalgic since it had been a while since my last visit.

今回は8歳の孫と一緒にハワイに来たのでシーライフパークでイルカと遊べるツアーに参加しました。日本国内ではあまり経験できないことができて、孫は大変喜んでいました。最初は少し怖がっていましたが、スタッフの誘導が上手なので徐々に慣れてきて、楽しそうでした。私も久々に訪れたので懐かしさもあり楽しめました。

We were the only Japanese people, but our Japanese guide Ken was very polite and explained everything thoroughly. During the first jump, we were able to see many dolphins. Thanks to Ken's warm hospitality, it became a wonderful experience. Thank you!

日本人は私たちだけでしたが、日本人ガイドのKenが着いてくれてとても丁寧に説明してくれました。最初のジャンプでたくさんのイルカを見ることができました。ホスピタリティ溢れるKenのおかげでとてもよい経験になりました、ありがとうございました!

This was my first time snorkeling with manta rays, so I was a little apprehensive. But the crew members were reassuring and had a "chill" attitude that put me at ease. They also explanined everything very well. Also, expect that you might not see manta rays right away. I think it took almost a half hour before they appeared in our area of the bay. But overall, this was so much fun as seeing these otherworldly creatures up close was amazing!

The plan included a bus pickup, so there were no particular inconveniences getting to the location. The whales were different from what I had imagined, but I think it was nice to have a wonderful boat trip. The boat felt rockier than I expected. Some people were sitting, but most were on the deck on the third floor watching. They announced when we were likely to see whales, so we could spot them quickly, but most of what we saw were just tails or backs, and we couldn't really see the full picture as I had imagined. However, the weather was nice, and it was a fun boat trip, so I was happy with it.

バスでお迎えに来てくれるプランだったので現地までは特に不自由ありませんでした。
クジラは想像していたのとは違いましたが、素敵な船旅ができたので、まあよかったかなと思います。船内は思ったより揺れていた気がします。座っているひともいましたが、ほとんどは３階とかのデッキで見ていました。クジラが出そうなところをアナウンスしてくれるのですぐ見れるのですが、ほとんどがしっぽだけとか背中だけで、なかなか想像していたような全体像をみることはできませんでした。
でも天気が良く楽しい船旅だったので良かったです。

Good things:
1. Surprisingly, the inside of the submarine was spacious.
2. We properly went out to sea and boarded the submarine.
3. Was the submarine moving? Was it being pulled by something? In any case, it moved gracefully.
4. I saw a turtle, which really felt like Hawaii.
5. The fish were beautiful to see.
6. The crew was kind.

Disappointing things:
1. I thought there would be Japanese guidance, but there was none at all...
2. Did I need to install Japanese? I forgot to do that...
3. The meeting point was hard to find.
4. When there are a lot of people inside the submarine, it's difficult to peek out the windows.
5. I wish there were a few more attractions.
6. It would have been more fun if we could see a bit more fish.
7. The price they asked for the final photo was unusually high.

良かったこと
①意外と潜水艦の中は広かった
②キチンと沖に出て潜水艦に乗った
③潜水艦が動いていた？何かに引っ張られた？
とにかく優雅に動いた
④亀が見れてハワイって感じがした
⑤魚を見れて綺麗だった
⑥乗組員が親切
残業なこと
①日本語案内だっと思ったが、全く日本語なし…
②日本語インストール必要だった？インストールするのを忘れた…
③待ち合わせ場所がわかりづらい
④潜水艦の中に大人数いると窓を覗くのが大変
⑤もう少しアトラクションがほしい
⑥もうちょっと魚が見れてたら楽しいなぁ
⑦最後に写真を請求されたのが異常に高い

The dolphin tours were booked so we can watch dolphins. Boy did I spend 500$ for that which got wasted as we did not spot a single one. Very disappointed. My kids were so excited to watch dolphin and we could not. I would not recommend this service to anyone ever.

The pickup was just on time! Ms. Tamae's explanations and guidance were clear and perfect. After watching the beautiful sunset from the boat, we entered the sea to start manta watching. We could see many mantas swimming, and when they began rolling right in front of us, it was incredibly moving. Even in July, it felt a bit cold underwater at night, so I think it's better to rent a wetsuit.

ピックアップもジャストタイム！
たまえさんの説明や誘導も分かりやすく完璧でした。
ボートから美しいサンセットを見たあと海に入りマンタウォッチング開始。
多数のマンタが泳ぐのが見え、その後目の前でローリングを始めると最高に感動しました。
7月でも夜は少し水中だと寒く感じたので、ウエットスーツは借りた方が良いと思います。

It seems that there are days when you can see them and days when you can't, but we were lucky to see a pod of dolphins right after we set off.

All the staff were kind and attentive, and even though we weren't used to being in the water, we were able to enjoy snorkeling with peace of mind. Thank you so much, Shella, Rebbeca, and Laurence!

運によって見れる日や見れない日はあるようですが、私たちは出発そうそうイルカの群れ見れて、ラッキーでした。

スタッフは全員親切と丁寧で、水に慣れていない私たちも安心してシュノーケリング楽しめました。
Shellaさん、Rebbecaさん、Laurenceさん、本当にありがとうございました！

Gentle giants for certain!! What amazing creatures to get to play around with in the water

The boat is an afternoon ride so it is pretty hot, but the second you get to jump in the Maui waters its all worth it

The crew was really nice, and we have such a great experience. I was scared at first, but swimming with the mantas was really cool. This is definitely a must do in your trip to Kona.

The inside of the submarine was clean, and it was nice to see the ocean clearly through the windows. However, I only saw small fish and didn't encounter any large or unusual fish, or turtles at all. This is left to nature, so it's certainly not the fault of the tour, but it was disappointing. I wouldn't mind if the price were higher; I would like to be taken to a place where I can see various tropical fish and sharks.

潜水艦の中はきれいで窓からは海の様子がはっきり見えてよかったのですが、小さい魚ばかりで大きい魚や珍しい魚、亀などは全然みることはできませんでした。これは自然任せなので、決してこのツアーのせいではないのですが残念でした。料金は高くなっても構わないので、色々な熱帯魚やサメなどが見れる場所に連れて行って欲しいと思います。