All Reviews for Top Places to Visit in Maui

I participated on March 9th. The day before, I went whale watching from Lahaina, and we were able to see whales on the way to the snorkeling point. The captain slows down the boat when he spots a whale, which makes everyone very happy.

On the day of the event, there were about 40 participants, and among them, only five were Japanese, including us. Our guide, Takako (who shares the same name as my wife), took great care of us.

As for snorkeling, the visibility and the number/types of fish were somewhat lacking... But since we could see whales during this season, it was still worthwhile. We also spotted three turtles. If you're just looking for turtles, the rocky area behind the power plant at Kahului Harbor is a sea turtle point. There are about 20 floating around. However, unlike Laniakea in Oahu, there are no sandy beaches here, so you won't see them basking on the shore.

３/９に参加しました。前日はラハイナからのホエールウォッチングに行ったのですが、シュノーケリングポイントへの道中クジラを見ることができます。
キャプテンもクジラを見つけるとボートのスピードを落としてくれるのでみんな大喜び。
当日は４０人ほどの参加者で日本人は我々含め５名、ガイドのタカコさん（女房と同名）がいろいろ世話を焼いてくれます。
純然にシュノーケルとしては透明度・魚の数/種類などイマイチの感が・・・
でもこの時期はクジラを見ることが出来るので良しでしょう。
カメもチラチラっと３匹見ることが出来ました。
カメだけでしたら、カフルイ港の発電所裏岩場がシータートルポイントです。
２０匹位浮かんでます。ただオアフのラニアケアと違って砂浜ではないので甲羅干しは見ることが出来ませんが。

I participated on March 8th. This was my third time joining. This time, there were about 20 Japanese participants along with us. Of course, there was also a Japanese guide on board. To put it simply, there were a lot of us.

The previous times I went were at the end of March, but this time was the best. We were able to see breaching multiple times, and the sound of the tail slapping the water was amazing.

I had a hard time getting good photos; the shutter opportunities were... I think the best approach is to use the continuous shooting mode on my compact camera to snap a bunch of photos and then crop them later.

According to the guide, the peak is around Valentine's Day, so I plan to go in February next year.

３月８日に参加しました。３度目の参加です。
今回は日本人御一行様約２０名も一緒でした。もちろん日本人ガイドさんも乗船
一言でいうとうようよいます。
前回、前々回は３月末だったこともありますが今回が一番です。
ブリーチングも何度となく見ることができ、尾ひれで海をたたく音がまた凄いんです。
写真はなかなかうまく撮れません、シャッターチャンスが・・・・
コンデジの連射モードでパシャパシャパシャっと撮ってから後でトリミングが正解かと。
ガイドさんによるとバレンタインデー辺りがピークとのこと、来年は２月中に行くつもりでいます。

Ron was an excellent tour leader and driver. The trip was excellent! Staff at National Park were full of information--especially Nan. Very cold--but I dressed as advised and was comfortable--hat, gloves, polar fleece liner under my unlined parka. Delicious breakfast at end of tour. Wonderful company with the others on our tour. Thanks to Ron and the others involved with this unique adventure!

Ron was out tour leader. Excellent commentary as we drove from 3 am to 10 am. It was rainy and foggy as we drove up to the volcano in the dark but Ron kept up the banter of telling us information while driving carefully and well. Driving excellent! That was a plus for me. Our group of 22 got acquainted over the trip. Great site to see sunrise at 10,000 feet! It was cold but I wore layers with warm polar fleece liner under my jacket, polar fleece hat and warm gloves and I was comfortable. I felt badly for those who came wrapped in blankets. Excellent staff at the National Park. Nan was especially helpful and informative. As we were driven down the hill, we could see the sites (and the curves) we'd missed due to darkness on the way up. The tour ended with a nice breakfast at a Golf Club. Memorable excursion! Thank you Ron and my fellow participants!

Steve was an excellent tour leader. We enjoyed our trip through the processing plant and fields immensely! We were surprised that we got to taste pineapple on the tour. Delicious! The next day it rained so we were lucky to book the day we did!

It was a great cruise and saw many whales, had the chance to listen to them and the crew did a great job explaining much about the humpback whale, the travels to Alaska and back, and made the trip fun. Thanks to them! This was something my wife has wanted to do for a long time and she thoroughly enjoyed it!

It was my first time seeing a whale up close. I was very moved by the sight of it swimming while spouting water and the image of a mother and calf swimming together, realizing that they are lives living on the same planet. When the captain spotted the whale, he brought the boat closer, and I think I was able to enjoy the experience. Thank you very much.

真近でクジラを見たのは初めてでした。潮をふきながら泳いでいる姿や母と子が一緒に泳ぐ姿に同じ地球上で暮らす命なんだととても感動しました。クジラの姿が見えると船長さんが船を近づけて下さり、楽しませて貰えたとおもいます。ありがとうございました。

I participated in the early morning plan with my wife. Although we couldn't see the sunrise, we were welcomed by many whales. We went to Maui specifically for this, so I am satisfied that we achieved our goal. I would like to participate again if the opportunity arises.

妻と早朝プランに参加しました。ライジングなどは見られませんでしたが、多くのクジラが迎えてくれました。今回はこのためにマウイに行ったので目的が達成できて満足です。また、機会があれば参加したいです。

We took the 7:30 am cruise and had a great time. We saw numerous "Mom and baby" pairs and got to take great pictures.

The crew was friendly and entertaining.

Highly recommended!

Fun activity. Saw a multitude of humpback whales. Crew was friendly, very helpful. Great photos to keep as souvenirs.

Our 7:30 a.m. Kaulana Whale Watching Cruise from Lahaina Harbor well exceeded our expectations. The whales were so plentiful the day we went out, swimming and breaching in every direction. So much so, we never really knew where to look. It was, by far, one of the best activities we partook in while in Hawaii. It was one of the most incredible events all of us had a privilege of witnessing
Thank you Veltra Tours for an incredible morning! :)

Amazing! the most beautiful sunset; astonishing pod of whales (better than any whale watching cruise!) Dinner was fantastic! Crew Excellent!! Couldn't ask for anything better!! Wow 10 out 10++++ Thanks

Excellent luau. The food was delicious and the show was very spectacular. The performers all seemed to love what they were doing. Loved the historical storytelling - very interesting! The seating was great and the venue, near the ocean was really a bonus since we were able to see some whales.
I would definitely recommend this luau and would attend it again on our next trip.

The boat was late coming into the dock mainly because a cruise ship had shuttles in the dock space for our ship. We didn't board the boat until at least 15-20 minutes after it was supposed to have left. I felt the harbor was overly accomadating to the cruise ship.
The young man narrating did a pretty good job though it was difficult to hear him at times.
We did see some whales which was nice.

I really liked the sound of the ship's engine, and countless whales came to visit us. I was very happy.

船のエンジンの音を気に入っているとかで、数え切れないほどたくさんのクジラが寄ってきてくれました。
とても嬉しかったです。

This was my third participation in two consecutive years. I joined last March and, due to bad weather, I only paid for the lunch box to try again, and this time is my third.

Last time, the sunset was very beautiful, but there were few stars because it was close to a full moon. This time, although I couldn't see the sunset due to bad weather, the starry sky was magnificent near the new moon! I was moved by how many stars there are.

While sitting outside, Mr. Yamauchi explains the stars and shares various stories, but he tends to speak quickly during the star explanations, which is quite disappointing for participants who are not familiar with stars. Since the stars are so beautifully visible, I think it would be a better experience if we could listen to the star stories more slowly and remember them to take home.

二年連続、三度目の参加でした。
昨年の３月に参加し、悪天候のため滞在中にお弁当代のみで再挑戦、そして今回が三度目。
前回はサンセットがとても美しく見えましたが満月近くで星の数が少なく、今回は悪天候でサンセットは見られなかったものの、新月近くで満天の星空！
星ってこんなにあるんだなぁ…と感動しました。

屋外でイスに座って山内さんが星の説明や色々なお話しを聞かせてくれますが、星の説明の時に早口になってしまうのは星に詳しくない参加者にはとても残念です。
せっかく綺麗に星が見えているので、星のお話をもっとゆっくり聞いて覚えて帰れたら、よりよい体験になると思います。

This was my first time in Hawaii.
I only participated in this optional tour.
The sunset went by in an instant, but the 360° view of the horizon during sunset was breathtaking!
The starry sky in Maui was filled with so many stars, so close that it was dazzlingly beautiful.
However, what made this tour great was not just the sunset and the starry sky.
It was the guidance of our friendly guide and the drive to the summit of Haleakalā!
I learned a lot about Maui, and the guide helped me when I was struggling with English at the hotel.
Honestly, without this person, my enjoyment of Maui might have been halved (laughs).
And the drive to the summit, which I never even thought about... was so much fun!
We drove above the clouds! I never imagined that (laughs).
The wonderful scenery and the guide's stories made for an enjoyable drive!

However, one thing I thought I should be careful about next time is to take it easy on the day I arrive in Hawaii and rest my body.
I couldn't sleep much on the flight there and was sleep-deprived.
If you want to enjoy Hawaii 100%, I think it's best to have a relaxed schedule on the first day.
Mahalo!

はじめてのハワイでした。
オプショナルツアーは、こちらだけ利用させていただきました。
サンセットはあっという間でしたが、360°ほぼ地平線のサンセットは、圧巻でした！
マウイの星空も、すごくたくさんで、すごく近くて、目がおかしくなるほどの美しいキラメキでした。
ですが、このツアーの良かったところは、サンセットや星空だけでありません。
それは、親切なガイドさんの案内や、ハレアカラ山頂までのドライブです！
マウイのことを、いろいろ教えていただきましたし、ホテルでも英語がわからなくて困っているところを助けていただきました。
ほんとうに、この方がいなければ、マウイの楽しさは半減していたかもしれません（笑）
そして、考えてもいなかった、山頂までのドライブ。。。楽しすぎでした☆
車で、雲の上にいくのですから！そんなこと、思ってもいませんでした（笑）
素晴らしい景色と、ガイドさんのお話で、楽しいドライブになりました！

ただ、次回は気をつけようと思ったのが、
ハワイに着いた日は一日ゆっくりして、体を休めることです。
行きの飛行機では、あまり寝ることができず、寝不足でした。
ハワイを100％楽しむなら、一日目はゆとりのあるスケジュールがいいと思います。
マハロ！

A late lunch at Buzz's Wharf restaurant located at Maalaea Harbor. I parked my car behind the restaurant (free). The shrimp fry sandwich was delicious. Since our boarding was delayed, both the captain and the whale expert were very generous, and we thoroughly enjoyed the watching experience. The whales approached the boat that had its engine off, which was quite exciting! The captain remembered my first name and was very pleasant. The Trilogy boat is smaller, so it was much better than the boat I rode on before. On larger boats, it can be hard to see because of the crowd. Since the sun is strong, a hat and sunscreen are essential. Inside the boat, you take off your shoes, so I recommend wearing socks that are easy to remove or sandals without a sole. On the way back, I bought a whale T-shirt at the shop inside the Ocean Center. I definitely want to come back next year!

集合場所のMaalaeaハーバーにあるBuzz's wharf レストランでちょっと遅いランチ。車はレストランの裏に停めました(無料) 。エビフライサンドイッチ美味しかったです。乗船が予定の時間より遅れたので、船長も鯨の専門家のお兄さんも大サービスでウォッチングを堪能しました。鯨もエンジンを停めた船に近づいて来て結構エキサイトしました！船長はファーストネームを憶えてくれていて、とても感じの良い対応でした。トリロジーの船は小さめなので、以前乗った船より、ずっと良かったです。大きな船は人が邪魔で良く見えない事もあります。日差しが強いので、帽子と日焼け止めは必携です。船内は靴を脱いで裸足になるので、すぐに脱げる靴下を履くか、素足にサンダルが良いと思います。帰りにはオーシャンセンター内のショップで鯨のTシャツを買いました。来年も絶対来たいです！！

Since it was close to the hotel, I chose the tour departing from Kaanapali, but on the day of the tour, due to strong winds, I confirmed whether the tour would be canceled and found out it had been changed to depart from Lahaina. On the boat, I sat in the empty front seats without thinking, and ended up getting splashed by big waves several times. Looking back, it seems the English-speaking guide had warned us about that... On the boat, the staff distributed juice and water, and the guide continuously explained about the whales (of course, in English). When the whales actually appeared, everyone got excited and it was a lot of fun. I think it's highly recommended to go to Maui during this season.

ホテルから近いのでカアナパリ発にしたのですが、当日強風だったためツアーが中止にならないかを確認したら、ラハイナ発へ変更となっていました。船では、何も考えずに空いている先頭の席に座ったところ、何度か大波をかぶってしまう羽目に。考えてみれば、英語のガイドさんが注意していたような。。。船では、スタッフがジュースやお水を配ってくれて、ガイドさんがずっとクジラの解説をしてくれます（当然英語ですが）。実際クジラが現れると、みんなであっちだこっちだと大騒ぎとなり、とっても楽しかったです。この時期マウイに行くならおすすめだと思います。

We had an amazing encounter with this one whale that came under our boat. It happens but it's very rare, and this male whale did it twice! We could really see how huge this animal was up-close. I'd highly recommend doing a whale watching cruise in Maui. It's AWESOME!

I participated because it was close to my hotel, departing from Kaanapali Beach. February is said to be a great time for whale watching, and I was able to see many whales up close. Visibility gets poor in the afternoon, so morning is recommended!

カアナパリビーチからの出発で自分の泊まっているホテルから近かったので、参加しました。ちょうど2月はホエールウォッチングに良い時期らしく、とにかくたくさんのクジラを間近で見ることができました。昼は視界が悪くなるので、朝がオススメです！

I was able to cruise for a very long time.

I did whale watching, snorkeling, and sailing for lunch—all of it.

I think being out at sea longer than any other boat in the harbor shows the quality of service.

I will definitely use this again when I come to Maui.

とても長い時間をクルージング出来ました。

ホエールウォッチング、シュノーケリング、ランチにセーリング全て出来ました。

港のどの船よりも長い時間海に居れたのが、サービスの良さを表していると思います。

また、マウイ島に来た時は絶対利用します

My wife and I had a great time and would highly recommend it to anyone considering doing a whale tour.

LOVE IT LOVE IT LOVE - TOO FUN AND COMFORTABLE A GREAT WAY TO SEE EVERYTHING WITHOUT GETTING WET!

THE MEAL AND SHOW WERE OUT OF THIS WORLD. SO HAPPY WE PICKED THIS ONE!

THIS WAS ONE OF MANY TOURS WE BOOKED WITH YOU THRU OUR TRAVEL AGENT AND WE COULDN'T HAVE BEEN MORE PLEASED WITH IT. FROM START TO FINISH EVERYTHING WORKED PERFECTLY!

THIS WAS ONE OF MANY TOURS WE BOOKED WITH YOU THRU OUR TRAVEL AGENT AND WE COULDN'T HAVE BEEN MORE PLEASED WITH IT. FROM START TO FINISH EVERYTHING WORKED PERFECTLY!

A delightful small group of six experience. John was right on top of everything- He was knowledgable on how to use all the equipment and guided us to the best-ever reef for snorkeling.
We saw many whales and two even gently surfaced about 15 feet away from our kayak.
The reef was beautiful and very active with sealife- including giant turtles that hung around to greet us as we snorkled.
Refreshing fresh food picnic. Best deli-style turkey sandwhich ever!

What an experience to be so close to these huge, beautiful creatures. The guides were friendly and a wealth of information. I learned so much that I was the expert when I returned to the cruise ship we were on and was able to share some impressive information about the hump back whales behaviors. Not to be missed if you are visiting during the winter.

Molokini is one of the best spot for snorkel/snuba the water is way more clear then the beaches, tons of exotic fish for you to swim with and this group of guys are the best. Delicious food, ice cold drinks and everyone are very friendly, the best customer service I have encountered. With the captain's guidance we were able to spot lots of whales and sea turtles as well. If you decide to go to molokini make sure you go with these guys, you will not regret it.