All Reviews for Marine Wildlife Encounters

I participated on the first day of the season. I was looking forward to it, but unfortunately, we couldn't see any whales. It was disappointing since the kids were also looking forward to it, but I understand that it's all about luck. If I have the chance to come back in winter, I would like to try again.

シーズン初めての日に参加しました。
楽しみにしていましたがクジラを見ることができませんでした。こればっかりは運もあるので仕方がなかったのですが、子供達も楽しみにしていたので残念でした。
冬に来る機会があればリベンジしたいと思います。

It seems that the whales weren't around for about two months, but I was able to see them, and I also saw dolphins. Above all, our guide, Taka, had an incredible love for whales, and just listening to him was a lot of fun! I will definitely go again!

クジラは2月ほどではなかったらしいけど、見れたし、イルカもみれて、なんと言ってもガイドのタカさん、クジラ愛が凄くて話を聞いてるだけでも楽しかったです！また行きます！

We drove to the port from our accommodation, but if you're going by car, be careful about parking. In Lahaina, the parking lots in the city are almost full by noon, and street parking is not allowed. There are parking lots a bit further away, but I was a bit rushed since we didn't have much time before our meeting.

Due to the boat schedule, we had a bit of a wait, but while relaxing and looking at the sea at Lahaina Harbor, it didn't bother me at all. Right in front of us were Lanai and Molokai islands.

We were the only Japanese family there, and coincidentally, a Japanese guide joined us for the trip, providing us with a personal tour. It was super lucky! Before we headed out, we learned about whale behavior and Maui Island, and soon after, we received the news of a whale sighting. The guide pointed out directions like "10 o'clock" and "2 o'clock." At first, it was difficult to spot them, but as we got used to it, we began to recognize the spots where the whales were blowing water and moving through the waves. Some mother and calf pairs even came very close to the boat, creating a huge excitement on board with cheers all around. In less than an hour, there were over 20 photo opportunities. However, unless you have a telephoto lens, you won't be able to take postcard-like pictures. It seems there are laws regarding the distance from whales, so it might be better to see them with the naked eye.

The guide specialized in whale behavior at university, and since we learned a lot before heading out, I felt like a bit of a whale expert after the tour. I was moved by the affection of the whale mother.

The guide informed us that December, when we visited, was not yet peak season, and that February is the best time. If I can go during that period, I definitely want to join the tour again. During that time, it seems there are spouts of water everywhere.

Regarding seating on the boat, we were advised to sit near the front on the first floor, as that is the best spot for whale watching. Most of the participants went up to the second floor. I realized that having a Japanese guide on board greatly enhances the enjoyment of the tour, even if you're on the same tour. If possible, please inquire about it.

Lastly, a little mishap on my part. I boarded wearing a comfortable dress, but the wind was quite strong, which was a bit embarrassing. Pants would have been the right choice. The noon tour had intense sunlight, and since there was nothing to block it out on the sea, sunscreen is essential. I applied some, but I still got quite sunburned. I took off my hat because it might fly away.

滞在先から車で港へ向かいましたが、車で行く方は駐車場に要注意です。
ラハイナは街中の駐車場は昼にはほぼ満車。路駐は出来ません。ちょっと離れると駐車場はありますが、集合時間に余裕がなかったので少し焦りました。

船の関係で、少々待ち時間が長かったのですが、ラハイナ港でのんびりと海を眺めていると全く気になりません。目の前にはラナイ島とモロカイ島が見えます。

日本人が私たち家族だけで、しかも日本人ガイドさんがたまたま予定があって同乗してくれたため専属でガイドしてくれました。超ラッキーでした！！沖に出るまでに鯨の生態やマウイ島の説明を聞いていると、すぐに鯨発見の知らせが。ガイドさんが、10時、14時の方向・・・と次々と教えてくれます。はじめは見つけることが難しかったのですが、慣れてくると潮を吹いている場所や、波間に動いている鯨の親子がわかってきます。中には、船のすぐ近くまで来てくれる親子もいて、船上は大興奮。歓声があちこちで。1時間弱の間に、20回以上はシャッターチャンスがあったかと。ただし、カメラも望遠でなければ絵葉書のような写真は撮れません。法律でクジラとの距離が決まっているようで、肉眼で見る方がよいかも。

ガイドさんが鯨の生態を大学で専門に研究している方で、沖に出るまでに色々と教えてもらっていたので、ツアー参加後はちょっとしたクジラ博士になった気分。鯨の母親の愛情に感動しました。

ガイドさんからは私たちが訪問した12月はまだピークではなく2月が最高だと教えてもらいました。もし、その時期に行けるのであれば、是非、その時期に再びツアーに参加したいと思います。その時期は、あちこちで潮が吹き回っているのだとか。

船上の席については、先頭近くの1階の椅子を勧められました。こちらが一番、鯨を見るのが適しているのだとか。ツアーのほとんどの方は2階にあがっていましたが。何につけ、日本人ガイドさんに同乗してもらえると、同じツアー参加でも楽しさが倍増だなあ、と痛感した次第。可能であれば問い合わせてみてください。

最後に、私の失敗談。楽ちんワンピースを着て乗り込んだら、風がかなりキツくて参りました。恥ずかしいことですが。パンツが正解。正午のツアーはかなり日差しもきつく、遮るものもない海上のため日焼け止めも必須です。塗っていたのですが、それでもかなり焼けました。帽子は飛ぶかもしれずで脱いでいました。

The sea was a bit rough, but I encountered many dolphins and a lot of sea turtles. It would be a waste not to go snorkeling.

ちょっと海荒れていたんですが、イルカもたくさん出会え、ウミガメもたくさん。シュノーケリングしないのもったいない。

I made a reservation the day before. It was very convenient since I could get immediate confirmation. I went to the counter at the time indicated on the voucher (30 minutes before the start), but there was no one else there, and people started gathering about 10 minutes before. There are no chairs to wait on, and it was hot, so I think arriving about 10 minutes early is sufficient. Once we boarded the boat, we quickly saw a whale spouting water after about 10 minutes. We spotted around 10 whales before reaching Lanai Island. One whale jumped, and I could see its entire belly, but unfortunately, I couldn't take a photo, which was a bit disappointing. Overall, it was a very satisfying tour with plenty of whale sightings.

前日に予約しました。即時確約出来るのでとても便利でした。当時バウチャーの通りの時間(開始の30分前)にカウンターに行きましたが他に誰もいなくて10分前くらいに人が集まってきました。待つところは椅子もないし暑いので10分前くらいに行くので十分だと思います。船に乗り込み10分ほどするとすぐにくじらが塩を吹くのが見えました。ラナイ島の近くに行くまでに10頭くらいのクジラが見えました。1回だけジャンプしてお腹も全部見えましたが写真には撮れずで残念でした笑笑　くじらたくさん見られて大満足のツアーでした。

【What I Liked】
It's not just exaggerated promotional phrases; you can really swim with the sea turtles. I was also able to see dolphins up close. The sea turtles and dolphins in the area we were taken to seemed to be quite relaxed and accustomed to humans. They were truly adorable...
Additionally, the Japanese staff were extremely kind, attentive, and helpful. I participated in a couple of other marine activity tours, but this one stood out for its exceptional kindness. I highly recommend it!

【Advice for Future Participants】
Definitely take motion sickness medication. I usually have a strong sense of balance and have never experienced seasickness, but I got quite seasick on this tour... I don't usually exercise, so swimming was very tough for me, and I think that contributed to it. In any case, it's better to take the medication, so make sure to do so!!

【気に入ったところ】
　大袈裟な宣伝文句ではなく、本当にホヌといっしょに泳げるところです。イルカもかなり近いところから見ることができました。連れて行っていただいた海域のホヌやイルカは警戒心が薄く、人間に慣れている感じがしました。本当にかわいかったです……。
　また、日本人スタッフの方が非常に親切で、面倒見が良く、助かりました。ほかにも２か所ほどマリンアクティビティのツアーに参加しましたが、飛び抜けて親切でした。おすすめです！
【これから参加する方へのアドバイス】
　酔い止めは絶対に飲みましょう。三半規管はかなり強い方で、船酔いをしたことはなかったのですが、このツアーではしたたかに酔いました……。ふだん運動をしないので、泳ぐのが非常につらく、そのせいもあると思います。とにかく飲んで損はないので酔い止めを飲みましょう！！

We had really high expectations, looking at the pictures and reading some of the reviews. Unfortunately, it did not turn out anything like we had expected.
The whole thing took over 6 hours, from the time we were picked up and dropped back. Mind you the actual underwater scooter experience was just 10 minutes of these 6 hours.
We were made to wait on the boat for about 3 hours and obviously lot of people got sea sick.

We participated as a family of five. The children were even happier than we expected, and the Japanese guide was easy to understand and kind. I was worried about the location, but I found it right away.

家族5名で参加させていただきました　期待していた以上に子供達も喜んで日本語ガイドもわかりやすく親切でした　場所が心配でしたがすぐに解りました

I'm glad I got to see the ocean in Hawaii! I had the impression that there were many families around, and it might depend on the sea conditions, but I was a bit disappointed that there were fewer fish.

ハワイの海の中を見れてよかったです！
家族連れが多いイメージで、海のコンディションによると思うのですが、魚が少なかったのが少し残念でした。

I participated with my wife and two daughters, but it was quite difficult because my wife got drunk. The submarine itself is stable, but the waves while transferring from the shuttle boat to the submarine are quite intense. If you're not confident on boats, it's better to take motion sickness medication just in case. As for the tour, we were able to see sea turtles this time, and the kids were thrilled. What you can see depends on luck, though.

妻と娘二人で参加しましたが、妻が酔ってしまい大変でした。
潜水艦自体は安定しているんですが、送迎線から潜水艦に乗り移る間が水面のうねりが凄いです。
船に自信がある方以外は、念のため酔い止めを飲んで挑んだ方が良いです。
肝心のツアーですが、今回はウミガメも見れて子供達は大喜びでした。
何が見れるかは、運次第ですが。

On the day of departure, I was surprised to receive an email saying, "Please change the time."

The person in charge responded sincerely, and I have no complaints about that, but I don't understand why there was a change. I felt inconvenienced by having to frequently check emails on-site and communicate regarding the schedule (like the pickup) on the day of the event.

I hope you will work to prevent this from happening again, and it would be helpful if, in the event of a change, we could resolve it with just one or two email exchanges.

出発日に、「時間変更してください」
とのメールが来てびっくりしました。

担当の方は、誠実に対応してくださり、不満はないのですが、
なぜ変更なのか分からず、当日のスケジュール(ピックアップなど)の問い合わせに、頻繁に現地でメールチェックし、やり取りをしなければならない等、煩わしさを感じた事は否めません。

二度とこのような事がないよう、再発防止に努めて頂きたいのと、
変更があった場合、一往復程度のメールやり取りで済むようにしていただけると助かります。

Great experience all around. We arrived, check in process was super efficient and we got onto the boat and in the water on time. The crew was well coordinated and found the optimal spot for us to view some mantas.
We saw two total, one passing by several times and very closely (belly almost touching our light board).
Really special experience.
Thanks Sea Quest!

It was a fun cruise thanks to the smiles of everyone at Private Dolphin Middle School and the charm of Captain "Papa." At first, we couldn't see any dolphins, but they patiently searched for us. We were able to encounter a pod of about 30 dolphins. I was very satisfied.

私立イルカ中学の皆さんの笑顔と、船長「パパ」さんの魅力で楽しいクルーズでした。はじめは、イルカに会えませんでしたが、粘り強く探してくださって。30頭ほどの群れに遭遇することができました。大満足でした。

You have plenty of time on the submarine to fully enjoy the scenery underwater. I was able to see sharks and sea turtles! (Maybe I was just lucky.) The elementary school children also seemed to have fun looking for fish. The boat before switching to the submarine swayed quite a bit, so I noticed a few people feeling seasick before the main event. I recommend taking motion sickness precautions for those who are not confident on boats.

潜水艦に乗っている時間はたっぷりあり、海の中の景色を十分楽しめます。鮫やウミガメも見れました！（運が良かったのかも。）小学生の子どもたちも魚を探したり楽しそうでした。潜水艦に乗り換える前の船が結構揺れるので、メインイベントの前に船酔いしている人もちらほら見かけました。船に自信のない人は酔い止め対策をおすすめします。

Lovely time on a light board looking at Mantas. We saw three of these beautiful creatures and many other local fish. The underside of the ocean at night was amazing.

It is a bit chilly and the water can be choppy.
The mantas were not abundant or very close to us on the night we were out because of an anticipated swell the next day.

Great fun though and I will try again in the future.

Motion sickness medication is a must. The view from the boat is great, and riding in the submarine is fun, but there weren't many fish on the seabed... I thought they had artificially created a fishing ground on the sandy bottom. It's a 45-minute experience of watching the little fish gather there. Since it takes about three hours, please weigh it against other events you want to do before deciding to participate!

酔い止めは必須です。船からの眺めは良いし、潜水艦に乗るのも楽しいのですが、海底に魚は…あまりいませんでした。
もともと砂地に人工的に魚場を作ったんだなと思いました。そこに集まる小さなお魚達を見つめる45分です。
時間は３時間ほど取られるので、他にやりたいイベントと天秤かけて参加を決めて下さいね！

I participated in this when I traveled with my family. The picking in Waikiki went smoothly without any issues. The guidance was entirely in English, but it wasn't a problem even if you didn't understand it. As for the tour, I was able to see a whale spouting water at the very end, which was fantastic. I was very satisfied. However, due to the weather, the boat rocked quite a bit, so everyone felt a bit seasick, which was a little tough.

家族で旅行した時に参加しました。ワイキキでのピッキングも問題なくスムーズでした。案内は終始英語ですが、わからなくても特別問題ないです。肝心のツアーですが、最後の最後で潮を吹き上げる鯨の姿を見る事ができました。大変満足です。ただ、天候の影響か、船がかなり激しく揺れたため、全員船酔い気味で少し辛かったです。

I had heard that the chances of encountering whales in December are low, so I didn't have high expectations and planned for a relaxing cruise instead. However, I was lucky enough to encounter a mother and calf whale. I'm glad I participated in the tour.

12月は、遭遇出来ない確率が多いと聞いていたのでクルージングのつもりであまり期待していませんでした。
しかし、ラッキーにも親子のくじらに遭遇出来ました。
ツアーに参加してよかったです。

The captain and crew were fantastic. They made sure everyone had a great experience. Being underwater on the scooter was a little piece of heaven as I do not swim. I got to see the beauty of the ocean. The view of crater and fish etc. Were a work of art. I will return the next time I visit and every time after that!!!!! Bring a smile, towel, and sunscreen.

I was really able to see a lot of sharks up close! I was surprised at how big the gaps in the cage were at first, but it was safe and enjoyable!

ほんとに至近距離でほんとにたくさんのサメをみることができました！
思っていたよりもかごの隙間が大きくて最初はびっくりしましたが安全で楽しめました！

I was prepared for cancellation due to the strong winds that could knock down palm trees, but thanks to the efforts of the staff, we were able to proceed somehow. The experience with the two dolphins was the best experience for the children.

椰子の木が倒れるほどの強風の中、中止も覚悟しましたが、
スタッフの尽力のおかげで、なんとか行うことができました。
２頭のイルカとの体験は、子供にとっても最高の体験でした。

The transparency of the sea was not great. I was hoping there would be a few more fish, but unfortunately, that wasn't the case. There weren't enough headphones, and there weren't any available for us.

海の透明度がいまいち。
もう少し魚がいるのかなぁ、と期待していまさしたが、残念でした。
ヘッドホンの数が足りておらず、私たちの分がありませんでした。

The catamaran was a lot of fun, but I couldn't see any whales. I did receive a free change ticket, but since I'm scheduled to return home the next morning, I can't use it. I don't have any plans for my next trip to Hawaii, so I might not be able to use this ticket. I wonder how long it is valid for.

カタマラン号はとても楽しかったのですが、鯨は見ることができなかった。フリーの変更チケットはいただけたのですが、次の日朝には帰国予定のため使えず。次回のハワイ行きの予定が今はないのでこのチケットは使えないのかも。有効期間はいつまでなのかー。

This was my first experience with my child. We were excited to see fish and sea turtles up close. We had to wear something like a helmet, but it became difficult because at first, the pressure underwater was manageable with just a little ear equalization, but suddenly the accompanying instructor pulled the plug, and the pressure caused pain in my eardrum. I wonder why that happened? I desperately tried to endure until the time was up, plugging my ears with my fingers. I wanted to ask for adjustments, but there was no one nearby, and I was scared. The boat was shared with about 15 people. We ate some snacks and regained our energy.

今回は初めて体験を子供としました。
お魚やうみがめは近くで見れて、はしゃぎました。
ヘルメットのようなものを被るのですが、大変なことに最初水中の圧力が耳抜き少ししただけで合っていたのに、突然付き添いのインストラクターさんがいきなり、栓を引っ張り、超圧力で鼓膜が痛かったです。何故でしょうか？耳に指で栓をして必死に時間まで耐え頑張りました。調節お願いしたかったけど、近くに誰もいず怖かったです。
船は相乗りで、１５人くらい同乗でした。
スナック菓子を食べて、元気回復しました。

First, you have to take off your shoes before boarding, but this was not communicated in advance. I was told to wait at the front of the deck to see the whales, and then I got completely soaked from a big wave! This was also not mentioned beforehand. I participated last year and didn't see any whales, so I tried again this time, but there was no sign of them at all. Other tours have been operating since January, but I participated at the end of December. Is it really possible to encounter whales at this time? The chances of seeing them seem almost zero. I won't be participating again at the end of the year.

まず、乗船するまえに、靴をぬがなくては行けない。が、その事は、事前連絡なし。
クジラを見れるとデッキの前にでてと言われて、待機していたら、大波で、びしょ濡れに！それも事前に伝えてもらえず。
昨年も、参加し、クジラが見えなかったので、
今回リベンジしましたが、見える気配さえありませんでした。
他のツアーでは、
1月からの催行になっていますが、
12月末の参加で、実際に本当に
クジラに遭遇できるのでしょうか？
見える確率は、ゼロに等しいのではないでしょうか？
年末にはもう、参加しません。

The submarine was a bit offshore, and it took about 10 minutes to get there by boat, but the view of Diamond Head and the beach from the boat was amazing. The wreckage of the submarine, along with the remains of ships and walkers that have been sunk to create a reef, was impressive. I also learned about the efforts to protect Hawaii's marine environment, which made me realize once again the importance of preserving nature. While most of the fish were small, we encountered a sea turtle along the way, making it a memorable experience.

潜水艦が少し沖にあり10分程度船で移動しますがその時の船上から見るダイヤモンドヘッド、ビーチの景色は最高でした。潜水艦も海底に沈めた、船とか歩行器の残骸の漁礁が印象的でした。またハワイの海の自然を守る活動を聞いて努力して維持していること知り改めて自然を守る大切さを感じました。魚は小さいものが中心ですが、途中でウミガメにも遭遇し、印象に残る体験でした。

The price was high, but it was a worthwhile experience. The meeting point at the Marriott Hotel is hard to find, so it's better to ask the Japanese-speaking staff at the front desk. The restroom is shown to you before boarding.

値段は高かったですが、それに見合う体験でした。マリオットホテルの集合場所がわかりづらいので、フロントの日本語が話せるスタッフに聞いた方がよいです。トイレは乗船前に案内されます。

We took a boat to the submarine, and it felt great to look at Waikiki and Diamond Head from the sea. However, the submarine experience was more about staring at the blue ocean rather than seeing a variety of colorful fish, which might get boring towards the end. Additionally, the monotone of the Japanese audio guide made me gradually feel sleepy while listening.

潜水艦に乗るところまでは船で向かい、海からワイキキやダイヤモンドヘッドを眺めて気持ち良かったです。潜水艦は色とりどりの魚が見られるというよりも、ブルーな海中をずっと見ている感じで後半は飽きてくるかもしれません。さらに日本語オーディオガイドのトーンが単調なせいか、聞いていると次第に眠くなってしまいました。

The photo session with the dolphins at Sea Life Park was very enjoyable and fulfilling. However, while waiting for the departure bus, it arrived about 10 minutes later than initially scheduled.

The meeting point was in front of a different hotel, and as other tour buses continued to arrive, I started to worry that I might have gone to the wrong place or that I had missed the bus and been left behind. This anxiety lingered throughout the wait.

In Hawaii, it's not uncommon for things to run late, and I don't mean to criticize that mindset. However, the voucher stated, "Departure is at 8:30 AM. Please gather a little earlier," so I assumed the bus would arrive with a bit of extra time built into the schedule.

What was most disappointing was that there was an emergency contact number listed, and when I called because the bus was taking so long, I heard a recording saying, "The office opens at 10 AM." What does "emergency" mean in that context...? This only heightened my anxiety.

Ultimately, the bus arrived 10 minutes late, which was a relief, but if they weren't going to respond to emergencies, I would have preferred not to have an emergency contact number listed at all.

Sea Life Park was fun and incredibly enjoyable, but since the ocean was right in front of us, I took the opportunity to escape and go to the beach. The ocean was unbelievably beautiful, and I was glad I made the trip.

シーライフパークでのイルカとの写真撮影などはとても楽しくて充実していました。しかし、行きの出発のバスを待っている際、当初よりも10分ほど遅れてバスが来ました。
違うホテルの前での集合だったのですが、他のツアーのバスもどんどん到着してくるので、もしかして場所を間違えたのではないか。
それても見逃して置いてかれたのか、そのような不安がずっと付きまとっていました。
ハワイ時間ではオンタイムに到着なんてあり得ない。そのような考え方に是非を申す訳ではありません。しかし、バウチャーには「8時30分には出発する。少し前に集合してくれ」と書いてあったので、てっきり少し余裕をもったスケジュールでバスが来てるものかと思いました。
一番残念だったのは、緊急連絡先という項目があり、なかなかバスが来なかったので電話したところ、「オフィスは10時からあいてます」というテープレコーダーが流れてきました。
緊急の意味とは……？
と、更に不安を煽られました。

結果的に10分遅れでバスが来たので良かったのですが、緊急なのに対応してくれないのならば、緊急連絡先など載せて欲しくはなかったです。

シーライフパークは楽しかったのですが、もの凄い良かったのですが、せっかく海が目の前にあるので、抜け出して海へ行きました。
信じられないほど美しい海で、来て良かったなと思いました。

This was my third whale watching experience. In the previous two, I didn't see any whales. Even this time, when we arrived at the spot, there were no whales, and I thought it was going to be another disappointment. However, on the way back to the port, the staff shouted "Whale!" When I looked up, a mother and calf whale appeared. I was really glad. The staff's response was also very good.

3回目のホエールウォッチング。前回まではクジラが見れませんでした。今回もポイントに着いてもクジラは現れず、今回もダメだったかと思いながら港に引き返す途中で、スタッフがホエールと叫びました。顔を上げると親子のクジラが出現しました。本当に良かったです。スタッフの対応も非常に良かったです。