All Reviews for Kaneohe Sandbar Tours & Cruises

We had such an amazing experience on our Kaneohe Sandbar tour. The crew from start to finish was friendly and comforting. They made us feel right at home. Loved being able to purchase snacks and drinks on board. The snorkel experience was so intimate and way different than any other that I’ve done in Hawaii. We got one on one tips and knowledge on the sea life we were witnessing. The sandwich was delicious. I brought my two year old on this tour and she loved it and was able to experience a lot for her age group. 10/10!!!!!

Despite the declaration of a state of emergency and the bad weather, the event went ahead. I inquired via email the day before, and I was very grateful for the prompt response in Japanese.

Due to the rain and wind, and the low water temperature, we got out of the sea after an hour. After that, we enjoyed a pleasant time with live music. The staff were very polite, and we had a great time.

It was a pity that we couldn't see the color of the sea well under the blue sky, but they circled the bay on the way back, so we were able to fully appreciate the atmosphere. Although it was cold and windy, there were many fish in the water, and I was glad to have participated. Thank you very much! 😊

緊急事態宣言が出された中、悪天候でしたが催行されました。前日にメールで問い合わせさせていただきましたが、すぐに日本語でお返事をくださったので大変助かりました。

雨風の中、水温も低かったので1時間で海からあがりました。そのあとは生演奏の音楽の中、心地よく過ごしました。
スタッフの方はとても丁寧で楽しく過ごせました。
青空の下で海の色がよく見えなかったのが残念でしたが、引き上げるときに湾を周回して戻ってくれたので雰囲気は十分に感じ取れました。
雨風が強く肌寒かったですが、水の中はたくさんの魚がいて、参加できて良かったと思いました。
ありがとうございました😊

Weather was bad - cold and windy, not something controllable. (Although given such wind and low temperature , it might have been ethical for the tour to cancel itself.) But 1) the bus had all of the boat waiting after the trip for about 30 minutes, 2) there wasn’t a sufficient wind shelter for everyone, meaning old ppl and babies were exposed to cold wind. The lunch was also meh - bbq is an overstatement for hamburger patties and buns. Crew was friendly.

It was winter when I participated, but I enjoyed it because there was no wind. I recommend afternoon trips on cold days. The performance until we reached the shallow area was also great.

冬場の参加でしたが、風の無い分楽しめました。寒い日は午後からの便をおすすめします。浅瀬に着くまでの演奏も良かったです。

I only did snorkeling and banana boating, but I was very satisfied! Most of the participants were Japanese, but there was a staff member who spoke Japanese well, so there were no communication issues! The live music was lovely, and the luxurious shuttle bus was a comfortable and pleasantly surprising point.

シュノーケリングとバナナボートしかやりませんでしたがとても満足でした！
参加者も日本人ばかりでしたが、日本語上手なスタッフさんがいて意思疎通に困る事はありませんでした！ライブミュージックも素敵でしたし、送り迎えのバスが豪華なのが快適で地味に嬉しいポイントでした。

We weren’t impressed at all about the voyage you take to the sandbar . We literally just went backwards in the boat for 100 yards and we were there. The pictures make it seem as you travel a ways to a destination …. The music was awesome and so was the light skin Hawaiian 🤙🏽🤙🏽🤙🏽……. The crew was nice but for our party of 6 , we all agreed it was lame .

The weather was great, making for an incredibly fun activity. I also tried stand-up paddleboarding (SUP), and the waves were calm, so I was able to stand up and paddle right away. Being pulled at high speed on the bumper tube and banana boat had me laughing more than ever this year. I was also very satisfied to see sea turtles up close.

There are staff members who speak Japanese, and they provided donuts, juice, and water, so it was no problem even if I missed breakfast.

天気にも恵まれて最高に楽しいアクティビティとなりました。SUPにも挑戦しましたが、波も穏やかなのですぐに立って漕げるようになりました。
バンパーチューブとバナナボートで高速で引っ張って貰い今年一番笑いが止まりませんでした。
ウミガメも近距離で見れて大満足。

日本語を話せるスタッフもいますし、ドーナツとジュース、水も提供してくれるので朝ごはん間に合わなくても大丈夫でした

Une expérience inoubliable.
Une journée belle et fantastique.

Merci

Had a wonderful time. The excursion was great! Everybody was very helpful. We appreciated the bar service. Lots of fun!

My family of 4 persons enjoyed this attraction very much. I recommend to anybody who reads this message that you guys need to go with this attraction.

The weather wasn't great, but the waves were calm, so we were able to enjoy various activities. Other activities, like interacting with turtles at the deep sea or the venue, can be quite challenging for children, but turtles also came to the sandbar, and the experience of seeing them up close in the shallow water was fantastic. I highly recommend it for families with kids. The staff who spoke Japanese (local people?) were very kind.

天気に恵まれなかったのですが、波が穏やかでしたので諸々楽しめました。他のアクティビティは深い海の底や会場でカメと触れ合うため子供には大変ですが、サンドバーにもカメがやってきてくれて、浅瀬でカメを間近に見れる体験は最高でした。子連れにこそおススメです。日本語を話せるスタッフさん(現地の方？)がとても親切でした。

Best customer service. Best shuttle driver to pier with Kaplan. He is amazing. Very personable and knowledgeable about Oahu. Excellent communicator in both English and Japanese. He is a great ambassador for the tour and for Oahu.
Snockel crew was excellent. Very personable and helpful. Made all guests feel comfortable. Communicate in both English and Japanese. Very helpful in pointing out marine life. Jaime was excellent.

Satomi and her group had an amazing time, and the live music on the boat was wonderful! It was a bit cold, but we could do as much snorkeling, stand-up paddleboarding, and kayaking as we wanted! The fish were so big that it was a little intimidating. Seeing the black, fast sea turtles in person was like being in heaven.

サトミさん御一行が最高に楽しくて、船の生演奏も素敵！少し寒かったけど、シュノーケリングのサップもカヤックもやり放題！魚はデカすぎてちょっとビビります。黒くて早い海亀も生で見れて天国でした。

The tour wasn't bad, but it wasn't as fantastic as I had hoped for. "Lunch" was a simple sandwich and a pack of chips that left us hungry. The sandbar was beautiful but snorkeling was underwhelming.

The captain and staffs are amazing. They take good care of us and make sure we are safe while having fun. The boat provided spam musubi, chips, cookies, granola bars and drinks. We had fun playing SUP on the sandbar and the water is so clear. The snokeling is the most fun part of the tour. We were able to see sea turtle that swim by us so close. Highly recommended to join if you are coming to Hawaii.

Crews are so friendly, music is great, sandwiches are delicious, everything is good except the cloudy weather, so definitely gonna book again when the weather is nice

We brought our family of 3 on this excursion. For reference our kids are 11,9 and 6. They had alot of keep the entertained. Paddle boarding, kayak, snorkeling and snacks. As well as a bathroom on board their boat. The boat was nice and clean! It was a fun excursion that took about half of the day with travel time from our resort at the Aulani. Defintely worth our time! The weather was nice and sunny on the day we went so it was nice to relax on their floating raft.

**[Positive Aspects]**
During the transfer, the driver kindly introduced us to recommended restaurants along the way. He was very friendly and left a good impression.

We were able to see sea turtles. We took photos from the boat and also saw them swimming nearby while snorkeling.

It was great to take commemorative photos while doing activities like stand-up paddleboarding (SUP).

**[Negative Aspects]**
The time when you can see sandbars like those shown in guidebooks and on websites is quite limited. Although we were there during a relatively low tide, the sand was completely submerged, and the water level was above an adult's waist.

This is due to weather conditions, so there's not much that can be done, but on the day we participated, there were strong winds, and the current was quite fast. The SUP was being swept away, so it didn't feel like a leisurely activity, and we ended up exhausting ourselves.

Again, this is due to the weather, but because it had rained right before and there were strong winds during the activity, the sea didn't look very clear. (We didn't see many fish while snorkeling.)

Additionally, there were participants who were confused when they were told on-site that you cannot participate in snorkeling if you can't swim. I think it would be good to include this information in the participation guidelines.

**[Varies by Person]**
As mentioned by another reviewer, the Japanese-speaking staff used casual language throughout. While some may appreciate having someone who can communicate in Japanese during an activity abroad, others might find this somewhat rude. I think this depends on how individuals perceive the quality of service relative to the price paid.

Since the staff cannot judge how well someone can swim, I understand that self-assessment is necessary, but I think it would be helpful to have some criteria or steps to determine participation eligibility in shallow areas. Some people might feel like they were treated coldly or dismissed.

【良かった】
送迎の際にはドライバーの方が道中にあるおすすめレストランなど紹介してくれました。とても親切な方で好印象でした。

ウミガメを見ることができました。船上から写真を撮ることも、シュノーケリング中に近くを泳いでいるところを見ることもできました。

SUPなどしながら記念撮影できたのはよかったです。

【悪かった】
ガイドブックやサイトHPに掲載されている写真ようなサンドバーがみられる時期はかなり限られています。比較的干潮に近い時間帯でしたが砂は全く見えず、水位は大人の腰より上でした。

これは天候によるものなのでどうしようもないですが、自分たちが参加した日は強風で、潮の流れがかなり早かったです。SUPもどんどん流されてしまうので、優雅に遊ぶという感じではなく、体力を消耗しました。

これも天候によるので仕方ないですが、直前まで雨が降っていたことと、アクティビティの時間帯に強風が吹いていたため、海はあまりきれいに見えませんでした。（シュノーケリングはあまり魚を見つけられませんでした。）

また、平泳ぎができないとシュノーケリングには参加できない。ということを現場で伝えられて戸惑っている方がいました。参加時の注意事項に記載してもよいかと思いました。


【人による】
別の方も口コミで書かれていましたが、日本語スタッフの方は終始タメ口でした。
海外で参加するアクティビティにもかかわらず、日本語でコミュニケーションをとることが可能な方がいてくれるのでありがたい。ととらえる方もいると思いますし、応対がやや失礼に感じると思う方もいると思います。これは払った料金とサービスの質を各位がどうとらえるかによるかと思います。

どの程度泳げるのかはスタッフでは判断できないので自己判断というのは分からなくもないですが、目安となる基準や、浅瀬で参加可否を判断してもらうためのステップとかはあってもいいのではないかと思いました。人によっては冷たく突き放されたように感じてしまうかと思いました。

This was my third time participating, and depending on the timing and the people going, the condition of the sandbar varied, which made it enjoyable. I was able to see a lot of sea turtles 🐢. During our free time, I had fun doing stand-up paddleboarding (SUP). The snacks, spam musubi, and drinks on the boat were plentiful. It was a tour that went by in the blink of an eye. The female staff were all lively and wonderful.

3度目の参加　行く人時期時間によりサンドバーの状態違い楽しめた
海亀🐢たくさん見れた
自由時間　SUPもできて楽しかった
船でのスパムむすび　スナック　飲物充実　あっという間のツアーでした
スタッフ女性で皆さんイキイキ素敵でした

I’ve been on various snorkeling tour options before, but this one was quite disappointing for the price. There was no thorough explanation, just “do as you like.” The cold weather was unavoidable, but everyone felt cold on the boat. In the end, they managed to serve us tea, but it was too late; many were already shivering. I wish they would consider the situation a bit more at those moments.

今まで色々のシュノーケルのオプションツアー行ったけど結構値段の割には残念
好きなようにって全然丁寧な説明なしで
寒かったのは天候で仕方なかったけど船の中でみんな寒いって感じで最後なんとかお茶出してくれたけど遅い結構みんな震えてたもう少しその時その時考えてほしい

I absolutely loved the Hawaiian singers on this tour. It was the highlight of my tour and my whole trip. Lived the Guava jelly song.

The staff was very kind, and they were friendly and funny, which made for a great experience. My 6-year-old child also participated and had a lot of fun. I would like to request their services again when I come next time.

とても親切な対応、優しくて面白いスタッフさん達でとても良い体験ができました。6歳の子供も参加して楽しんでました。また今度も来た時はお願いしたいです。

The couple enjoyed canoeing together, and even the wife, who can't swim, had a great time snorkeling in the sea! The tour participants helped each other with getting on and off the canoe and stand-up paddleboarding, creating a lively atmosphere that transcended national borders.

夫婦でカヌーに乗ったり、泳げない妻もシュノーケリングで海を満喫！ツアー者同士でカヌーやサップの乗り降り等で助け合いながら、国を超えて大いに盛り上がりました。

I had made a reservation for two people, but due to unforeseen circumstances, I participated alone. I was nervous, but the captain and the staff were very kind, and I had a great time even by myself!

It was such a valuable experience to see sea turtles up close like that! There was also a staff member who provided Japanese interpretation, which made me feel very at ease! Everyone was kind, and it was a lot of fun!

2名で予約していましたが
急遽1名での、参加で緊張しましたが
キャプテンとスタッフさんが良くしていただか、一人でもとっても楽しめました！！

あんなにも、近くで海かめを見ることができるなんてとても貴重な経験ができました！
日本語通訳してくださるスタッフさんも、いてとても安心です！
みなさま優しくたのしかったです！

We participated as a family. Since my family isn't very good at English, we were a bit anxious about going out to sea, but my fourth-grade son had a blast and we were able to create wonderful memories. There were staff members who spoke Japanese perfectly, which made us feel at ease. It has become a place we want to visit again. Thank you!

家族で参加しました
英語が得意ではない家族だったので、海に出る事が少し不安でしたが、
小学4年生の息子も思いっきり楽しめて、最高の思い出が作れました。
日本語バッチリのスタッフさんもいて安心できました。
また訪れたい場所になりました。
アリガト〜

On this day, the water level was deep, and when I got off the boat, the water was up to my chest. I was a bit disappointed because I had imagined a white sandy beach. However, I switched gears and decided to try banana boating for the first time in my 60s! I screamed with excitement after a long time, and it was so much fun. They also took me to a spot where there were turtles. Next time, I want to go when the sandy beach is visible.

この日の水位は深く、船から降りると胸まで水がありました。
白い砂浜を想像していたので、ちょっとガッカリでした。
気持ちを切り替えて、60代で初のバナナボートに挑戦！
久しぶりにキャーキャー叫んで、とても楽しかったです。
亀のいるポイントにも連れて行ってくれました。
次は砂浜の出る時に行きたいです。

I almost drowned a little and got a cut, but the response from our guide, Izumi, was great. Thank you very much.

ちょっと溺れかけたのと、切り傷をしてしまい、ガイドさんのいづみさんの対応が、よかったです、
ありがとうございました。

I have gone on several excursions in my travel experiences. This excursion was extremely organized, the people were remarkably friendly and the amount of activities to keep you engaged were fantastic.

The weather was rainy and cloudy, but the day was filled with adventure and family time. It made for a perfectly beautiful day. Captain Bobs was safe and comical and the lunch was great!

I used the first flight on the morning of December 30th for the New Year's holiday. The captain spoke in English, but then a female staff member named Izumi kindly explained everything in Japanese, which made my first snorkeling experience worry-free.

The weather was a bit cold, and it rained partway through, but not only were we able to see many sea turtles, we also got to swim with them.

There were other tours with various options that I considered, but I'm glad I chose Captain Cruise!

年末年始（12月30日）の朝一便を利用しました。
キャプテンは英語を使用されますがその後で女性スタッフのイズミさんが日本語で丁寧に説明してくださり、初めてのシュノーケリングも不安なく体験できました。

天候は少し寒く、雨も途中降ったりしましたが、ウミガメを沢山見ることができただけでなく、一緒に泳ぐことも出来ました。

色んなオプションが付く他社ツアーもあり、悩みましたが、キャプテンクルーズを選んでよかったです！