All Reviews for Marine Wildlife Encounters

The sunset viewed from the boat and the manta rays tumbling far exceeded my expectations!!! I was very satisfied with the tour content!! However, the water temperature was surprisingly low, so I was freezing while watching the manta rays... You can rent a wetsuit for $10, but it only goes up to the knees, so it's still cold in the end. I still recommend renting a wetsuit. I didn't rent one, so I was cold the whole time. The hot chocolate after returning to the boat was soothing. Also, the toilet on the boat was out of order, so I couldn't use it. I was in pain wanting to go to the bathroom after snorkeling. It would have been perfect if the toilet had been fixed!!!!

船から見る夕日と予想を遥かに超えるマンタのタンブリング！！！ツアーの内容はとても満足です！！
ただ、意外と水温が低かったためマンタを見ながら凍えていました。。。10ドルでウェットスーツを借りることができますが、そのウェットスーツも膝上までしかないので結局寒いです。それでもウェットスーツを借りることをおすすめします。私は借りなかったのでずっと寒かったです。船に戻った後のホットチョコレートは体に沁みました。また、船に設置されているトイレが故障中のため使えず。シュノーケルが終わったあとずっとトイレに行きたくて辛かったです。トイレが直っていれば完璧でした！！！！

We attended on Monday October 16. The 4 guys did such a fantastic job making it fun for all of us. It was a unique and exciting experience. I can not say enough good things about it. I highly recommend it and would even go so far as to say it is a MUST DO on the Big Island!!

My husband and I booked this tour for our honeymoon on the island. It was truly amazing to see the many fish and mantas in their natural habitat! I was that person who forgot their motion sickness meds. If you get motion sick/sea sick definitely take them so you can enjoy the whole experience without feeling queasy. If you come from colder climates you may not need wet suits. My husband and I didnt get them as we come from a cold climate and did fine temperature wise. The captain and his crew, Diego, were very knowledgeable and friendly. They also helped out a bunch when I wasn't feeling well. Would recommend this tour to anyone!

We are SO glad we booked this tour with Iruka; we had an absolutely incredible time with tour guides Trevor, Diego and Tamaya (so sorry if I'm misspelling your names or missing anyone) who were so knowledgable and accommodating. It was definitely one of the highlights of our trip to the Big Island; a bunch of the rays got so close to us, we felt super safe and loved the hot chocolate afterwards!

Great shark diving experience. First time doing it and was not scared with this group. Would not have been able to experience it otherwise.

We always felt safe. The support was great. We were there with our 2 sons (4 and 11 years old). Everything worked great and everyone was very attentive. We were able to enjoy it completely as a family. Seeing the manta rays was an unforgettable experience.
Highly recommended!

I participated with my 2-year-old and 4-year-old children. The kids were able to see manta rays while my husband and I took turns. The conditions seemed good, and we were able to see more than five manta rays up close. I took some motion sickness medication just in case, but the kids didn't get seasick at all and had a great time. Thank you for taking photos with the sunset from the boat and for the hot chocolate. I brought warm clothing, so I wasn't cold at all, and everything was fine. I will definitely go again when I visit the Big Island! ♡

２歳と4歳の子供達と一緒に参加しました。
子供達は船上から、私と主人は交代でマンタを見せていただきました。
コンディションも良かったようで、間近に5枚以上のマンタを見る事ができました。
酔い止めは一応飲みましたが、子供達も全く酔う事なく、楽しめました。
船上から夕日と一緒に記念撮影していただいたり、ホットチョコレートをいただいたりありがとうございました。
防寒着も持って行ったので寒くもなく、大丈夫でした(^^)
またハワイ島に行った際には絶対行きますね♡

I never expected to see manta rays so close, which was a bit scary but also moving. The hot chocolate I had on the boat was also very delicious.

まさかこんなに近くでマンタが見られるとは思っていなかったので、少し怖さもありつつ、感動しました。
船で飲んだホットチョコレートもとても美味しかったです。

The water was murky and visibility was not very good, which was disappointing. Since we departed in the early afternoon, it might have been murky because of that. If we had gone in the early morning, the sea might have been calm and clear, allowing for better visibility. However, I was able to experience the thrill of navigating through the 30-meter deep sea.

海の中は濁っておりあまり良く見えず期待以下でした。午後一番での出発だったので濁っていたのかも知れません。朝一番だったら海は穏やかで透明でもう少し良く見えたのかも知れません。水深30メートルの海の中を航行しているというドキドキ感を味わうことができました。

Two Japanese women in their 30s (English: both at a conversational level) went on this tour! We started at 9 AM and encountered a total of six sharks! It was so much fun!! The staff were cheerful and energetic from the morning! Great smiles! They were kind! One of them spoke Japanese very well and explained everything in Japanese, which made us feel at ease.

I hope the following information is helpful:
▶ We took an Uber taxi to the designated location in the North Shore (it was about $60 from Waikiki).
* I think other participants also took a taxi.
* There is a bus that goes from Ala Moana Center, platform 52, to the North Shore, so you can also take the bus (it costs $3 and takes about 1 hour and 30 minutes).
▶ The waves are big and strong, so it's better to take motion sickness medication◎
▶ Once you arrive at the shark point, there will be guidance to get into the cage right away, so make sure to put on your snorkel gear beforehand!

30代日本人女性２人（英語：お互い日常会話レベル）でいってきました！
朝9時スタートのツアー参加で、計6匹のサメに出会えました〜〜〜！とっても楽しかったです！！
スタッフの方々は明るくて朝から元気！いい笑顔！優しい！１人の方は日本語がとってもお上手で、説明も日本語でしてくれたので安心して挑めました。

以下、参考になれば嬉しいです。
▶ノースショアの指定場所までUberタクシー（ワイキキから約60$くらいだった）で向かいました。
※他の参加者の方もタクシーだった気がします。
※アラモアナセンター発52番乗り場〜ノースショアまでバスが出ているのでバスでも行けます（3$、1時間30分）
▶波が大きくて強いので、酔い止めを飲んだほうがよいです◎
▶サメのいるポイントについたらすぐにケージに入るよう案内があるので、シュノーケル装着等はしておきましょう！

Since it's the North Shore, we were navigating through quite rough waves. There were no other Japanese people besides us, and although our English is not great, we managed somehow. Once we entered the water, there were more than ten sharks around, each about 2 meters long. My daughter was super excited! It was truly a valuable experience. On the way back, even though I took motion sickness medication, I ended up feeling nauseous. There were others besides me who also felt unwell.

ノースショアなので結構な荒波の中を進んで行きます。私たち以外、日本人はおらず、私たちも英語は全然だめですが、なんとかなります。いざ、海の中へ入ると2メートル級のサメが10匹以上ウロウロしていました。娘も大興奮！本当に貴重な体験でした。帰りは酔い止めを飲んでいても吐きました。私以外にも気分が悪くなっておられる方がいました。

My son loved this, he was smiling ear to ear, and the dolphin lagoons are just gorgeous

Stepped out on my comfort zone and it was totally worth it!!! What a day!

The crew was great, the manta turn out was amazing, and the boat ride is short (which is ideal for when you’re cold and ready to get warm again haha). We got lucky that it was a small group so there were plenty of options to sit and have a lovely view of the sunset while heading out. 10/10 would do again.

I was able to see a lot of dolphins.
I also saw a baby dolphin.
However, I could only watch them pass by and wasn't able to play with them.
I also saw a turtle.
There was information that a whale shark was spotted, but I wasn't able to see it.

イルカはたくさん見れました。
赤ちゃんイルカも見れました。
ただ遊んではもらえず、
通過していくのを見るだけでした。
亀も見られました。
ジンベエサメを見たという情報がありましたが
見る事は出来ませんでした。

Watching the sunset from the boat before heading to the manta point was the best situation.
Seeing the manta up close was amazing!!
It's incredible to see them so near.

It gets a bit chilly when you come out of the water, so I recommend bringing something to wear.

マンタのポイントに行く前に、サンセットを船上からみて最高のシチュエーションでした。
マンタも間近に見れて感動!!
こんなに近くで見れるなんて最高です。

海から上がる頃には、少し肌寒いので、羽織る物を持って行かれる事をお勧めします。

I got this tour with my 4 boys and my wife it was an amazing experience my kids loved it. staff was super friendly.

The scooters were everything we hoped they would be, we saw tons of fish and the support team was absolutely incredible in ensuring we had FUN. One of the guys found an octopus to bring over for photos and to interact with. We were in the 2nd scooter group, so I got to hop in for snorkeling both before and after my scooter ride. I saw a turtle while snorkeling and it was neat to watch some of the scooters cruising around. Highly recommend adding this experience to your must do list while on Oahu. You won't be disappointed.

It was very cool. Every one was very kind and accommodating. Guide was informative and pilot was very good. We saw a couple sharks and tons of other fish. Kids loved it! (12 and 10) Mahalo!

During the cruise, I encountered a pod of dolphins!! They were jumping around just like you would see in an aquarium, and it was amazing! Also, there were plenty of sea turtles swimming around, which was great!!

I was expecting to see tropical fish like Nemo since it was a glass-bottom boat, but I only saw some dark, plain fish, which was a bit disappointing. However, I'm glad I participated!

クルーズ途中、イルカの群れに出会えました！！
まるで水族館で見るようにイルカ達が飛び跳ねていてすごかったです！
また、当たり前にウミガメもたくさん泳いでいました！！

グラスボートということでニモをはじめとした熱帯魚が見れると期待していましたが、黒っぽい地味な魚がみられるだけでそこはちょっと残念でした。
でも参加してよかったです！

We couldn't have asked for a better trip. I especially appreciated the small group size - eight people - which meant that we were able to watch the mantas without getting in each other's way. My sister and I were at the end of the line, opposite each other. This meant that as the manta rays turned over and swam upside down just under the light board - only a few inches away from us - we could look right down their throats. I was amazed at how clean and empty their large mouths were. It was fascinating to see their gills from the inside as well as the outside.

It was wonderful to watch the mantas swim. They move so smoothly they hardly seem to be propelling themselves. The patterns on their backs fluoresce in the light, so they're easy to see.

We watched by lining up on either side of a board, holding on to it and floating stretched out away from it, with flotation devices like pool noodles under our ankles. This keeps our bodies away from the mantas, which is for their protection, not ours. (The mantas are harmless. No teeth, no sting. They eat plankton, not people!)

Two tips:

1. The staff had us put the pool noodles under our ankles, but in that location, it's easy to lose the noodle. Try putting it just below your knees instead. It's much easier to keep in place that way, and if your knees are at the surface, the rest of your legs will be also.

2. If you do lose your noodle, don't panic or kick. Keep your head down, relax, stay as flat as you can, and allow the water to support your body. Staff members will retrieve the noodle and slip it under your legs again. Kicking disturbs the mantas, and the stress is bad for them.

I participated in the tour that started at 9:30 AM. Since we were told to meet on-site and check in 30 minutes early, I left my hotel in Waikiki at 7 AM with plenty of time, heading towards Haleiwa. The drive from Waikiki to the freeway was a bit congested, but after that, it was smooth sailing. I arrived around 8 AM near the North Shore and stopped by the 7-Eleven in Haleiwa for breakfast. (They sell pasta, hand rolls, and sandwiches similar to those in Japan.) I reached the harbor parking lot by 8:30 AM. After parking in a spot of my choice, I checked in at a small hut marked 'North Shore Adventures.' When I provided my last name, I was informed in English that "there is no restroom on the boat, so please take care of that in the brown building over there," and "wait around the pink hut until it's time." By the way, this tour company owns four boats, which have Japanese names like 'Kaiou' and 'Abunai.' This time, we were on the boat called 'Kanpai,' and fortunately, the captain was a Japanese person from Kumamoto (I believe his name was Reese; I apologize if I'm mistaken), who communicated with us entirely in Japanese. Once everyone was gathered, we set sail even before the scheduled time. We took off our sandals, placed them in a black box, and boarded barefoot, choosing our seats. After that, the staff provided explanations in English, mainly about "rules on the boat," "shark information," and "group division." This time, everyone except us was foreign, and we were divided into two groups of six, totaling 12 people. It took about 15 minutes to reach the site, and we arrived in no time. As many have mentioned, it does sway quite a bit, so motion sickness medication is a must. (It's not too bad while moving, but after the engine stops, the cage is directly affected by the waves.) If you forget, there is a 24-hour drugstore (Longs Drugs) in Waikiki where you can find "motion sickness" medication. After putting on our snorkels, we descended into the cage using a ladder while holding a GoPro. There were quite a few sharks. They passed right in front of us one after another, so take your time to get into position before starting to film. They are a docile type of shark, so they won't attack. After enjoying it for about 20 minutes, we switched with the next group and waited on the boat. There are no changing rooms on the boat, so we headed back in our swimsuits. This time, we returned to port at 11:30 AM, making it a very compact activity of about two hours from departure to return. If you choose an early morning tour, you'll have the entire afternoon free for exploring Haleiwa Town, shopping, or driving along the coastline, making for a meaningful day. Overall, this became the best memory of my trip to Oahu. I highly recommend it. Thank you very much.

朝9時半スタートの回に参加しました。現地集合、30分前にチェックインとのことでしたので、時間に余裕を持ってワイキキのホテルを朝7時にレンタカーで出発、ハレイワへ向かいました。ワイキキからフリーウェイまでは多少混みますが後はスイスイ、８時過ぎにはノースショア辺りへ到着、ハレイワのセブンイレブンに寄り朝食をとりました。（日本のセブンに近いパスタや手巻き、サンドイッチが売られています。）8時半にはハーバーの駐車場へ到着。好きな駐車スペースへ停めた後『North Shore Adventures』と書かれた小さな小屋で受付です。ラストネーム（苗字）を伝えると英語で「船にはトイレが無いからあそこの茶色い建物で済ませておくこと」、「時間までピンクの小屋周辺で待機すること」など伝えられます。ちなみにこちらの催行会社では船を４隻所有しており、『海王』や『危ない』など日本語の名前が付いています。今回は『乾杯』という船でしたが、たまたま運よくキャプテンが熊本出身の日本語の方（おそらくReeseさん、違っていたらごめんなさい。）で終始日本語で対応して頂けました。全員揃い次第、時間前でも出航です。サンダルを脱いで黒い箱に入れ裸足で乗船、好きな席へ座ります。その後スタッフから英語で説明、主に「船でのルール」「サメの説明」「グループ分け」についてです。今回は私たち以外は全員外国の方で全部で12名、6名ずつの２グループに分けられました。出航から現場まで15分ほど、あっという間に到着します。皆さん書いている通りかなり揺れますので酔い止め必須です。（走行時はそうでも無いですがエンジン停止後と、ケージが海面のため波の影響をもろに受ける）。もし忘れた場合、ワイキキには24時間営業のドラッグストア（Longs Drugs）がありますのでそこで「motion sickness」で探せば見つかります。シュノーケル着用後、GoProを持ってケージの中へハシゴで降ります。サメはかなりの数います。次から次へと目の前を通り過ぎるので、焦らずしっかり体勢を整えてから動画撮影開始です。おとなしい種類のサメですのでもちろん襲ってきたりはしません。約20分ほど楽しんだ後次グループと交代、船へ上がって待機です。船には更衣室はありませんので、水着のまま帰路に付きます。今回は帰港時11:30、出航から帰港まで約２時間の大変コンパクトなアクティビティでした。午前早目の回を選べば午後はまるまる空きますのでハレイワタウン散策やお買い物、海岸線をドライブなど有意義な１日を過ごせると思います。総合的に今回のオアフ島旅行で一番の思い出になりました。かなりお勧めだと思います。ありがとうございました。

I had a bit of fear during the night snorkeling tour, but there was a Japanese female staff member who frequently checked in on us, which made me feel at ease to participate. I was thrilled to see twelve manta rays. The hot chocolate on the boat afterward was soothing. We also received wonderful underwater footage, creating lovely memories. Thank you very much.

ナイトシュノーケリングツアーで少し恐怖もありましたが、女性日本人スタッフの方がおられて、たびたび声をかけて下さるので安心して参加させていただきました。
マンタが１２まいも見ることができて感激しました。
終わってからの船の上でのホットチョコレートは身体にしみわたりました。
すばらしい水中での映像も頂いて、素敵な思い出になりました。
本当にありがとうございました。

This was such a breathtaking experience! Trevor and Diego were excellent captain and crew, with a great sense of humor too. They ensured I felt safe which was huge because I had never snorkeled before. I would recommend this company to anyone who asks, they provide everything you need including prescription goggles which was an amazing surprise. Diego also gave us manta ray facts as we were snorkeling and we loved it. The night began with a sunset boat ride, leading into the manta ray snorkel, and then a quick boat ride back to the harbor with snacks and hot cocoa. I will never forget this experience.

We were happy we got to see some mantas, it was so fun to have a night experience!

Pods of dolphins made the whole family swim! Lots of knowledge given while on board.

Mahalo to the tour guides on this fabulous day, heading over to Lanai is so awesome.

The staff who spoke Japanese provided support not only before the experience but also afterwards, allowing me to focus on the dolphin experience with peace of mind!

日本語の話せるスタッフの方が体験前だけでなく、その後もフォローしてくださり、安心してイルカ体験に集中できました！

We had a blast and seeing the manta rays was amazing. We also saw a bristle worm, which was cool too. The team was fabulous and knowledgeable. We will do again next time we swing into Kona. We recommend this excursion 100%. You won’t be sorry. If you get seasick, take the anti nausea medicine first. It can be a bit harder on your stomach in the dark.

The staff were amazing; friendly, funny and full of knowledge. Felt safe the whole time, and the sights themselves were amazing. Seeing sea turtles, sharks, eels, stingrays and schools of fish on sunken ships was amazing. Worth every penny.

They had water and bathrooms on the boat, just not on the sub. But time seems to fly by down there, you’re in a different world.