Reviewed by: Ann S. St. Paul, MN
My husband and I had a great time on our ride at Gunstock Ranch. Ross, our trail guide, was the best. I haven't been on a horse in years and it was my husband's first time riding. Ross matched us with great horses and took us on a great ride. We helped herd cows, went into the brush and up a mountain for views that were just amazing. This ride was truly one of the highlights of our most amazing trip to O'ahu. Thank you!
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| Attended as: | Couples |
| Posted on: | 2012/07/17 |
Reviewed by: Allen & Melissa J.
My wife & I were first timers visiting during a conference. We located this tour on-line and took a gamble sight unseen. This was one of the best parts of our vacation. Our guide, Chris, was very personable and provided tons of information about the North Shore and the agriculture. He took several pictures for us and was very accommodating. Five stars for Chris. We would recommend this for anyone. The scenery is breathtaking. We recommend the sunset ride and request Chris for your guide!
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| Attended as: | Couples |
| Posted on: | 2012/07/13 |
Reviewed by: 雷太
I experienced horseback riding at Kualoa Ranch twice before, but this time I wanted to see a different view, so I tried the sunset horseback riding at this ranch. It was a small, privately-owned place, which made it easy to talk to the staff. The female guide spoke only English, but she was very kind, and the horses were well-trained, allowing us to enjoy the experience with peace of mind. There were also privately owned horses at the ranch, and one of the horses we encountered while riding was quite mischievous and fell right in front of us, leaving us in shock. Our guide, who also had a nursing qualification, provided emergency assistance and called an ambulance, while we waited anxiously. I realized that dealing with wild animals comes with such risks.
According to our guide, if the horse's personality doesn't match the rider's skill level, accidents can happen more easily. However, the horses at this ranch were well-behaved and properly trained, so we were able to enjoy the ride without worry until the end. We took in the magnificent scenery and sunset, treating the incident as a lesson, and it turned out to be a fun hour and a half of horseback riding.
乗馬はクアロア牧場で2度程体験しましたが、別の景色を見たいと今回こちらの牧場のサンセット乗馬を体験しました。
個人経営でこじんまりしていたので、話やすかったです。ガイドしてくれた女性は英語しかできませんが、とても優しく、馬もよく慣れていて安心して楽しめました。そこの牧場には個人所有の馬もおり、私たちが乗馬中に出会った馬がやんちゃで、目の前で落馬してしまい、唖然としました。私たちのガイドさんは看護師の資格ももっているとのことで、緊急対応し、救急車を呼んだのですが、その間私たちは緊張の面持ちで待機していました。自然の動物を相手にするのはこういったリスクも伴うものだというのを痛感しました。
ガイドさん曰く、馬の性格と乗り手の技量があっていないと、事故も起きやすいとのこと。しかしここの牧場の馬は、性格もよく、きちんと調教されているとのことで、最後まで安心して楽しめました。雄大な景色とサンセットを見て、アクシデントのことは教訓とし、楽しい1時間半の乗馬でした。
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| Attended as: | Families with Young Children |
| Posted on: | 2012/07/12 |
Reviewed by: Joe
Excellent adventure for the family! Crew was very nice and made every effort to ensure we had a good time with a focus on safety since the water was a bit rough. We saw lots of large sharks, definitely a good time.
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| Attended as: | Families with Young Children |
| Posted on: | 2012/07/04 |
Reviewed by: sugarman
On the left side, just past the Polynesian Cultural Center, there is a sprawling ranch. It feels more like Arizona than Hawaii, with mostly white people around. There happened to be families with small children gathered there since school was out, but most were just doing short horseback riding experiences. We set off under the guidance of Amanda, who moved here from New York about a year and a half ago. The exhilaration of galloping through the hills and forests is something hard to experience in Japan. I quit the Crane Riding Club out of frustration and have been riding at the Aso Dream Land Club for about three years, but that place has a lot of hills. Here, the flat terrain makes for the best galloping. Our 30-minute private lunch included a gigantic sandwich, juice, water, a mountain of fruit, and a box of macadamia chocolates, which was way too much to finish. I took the chocolates as a souvenir. I was a bit worried about not speaking English. If you're a beginner, they won't let you ride on a course that includes galloping. It's self-reported, but you'll need to sign a waiver, so you're responsible in case of an accident.
ポリネシアンカルチャーセンターを過ぎてまもなくの左側に牧場の敷地が広がっている。白人ばかりで、ハワイというよりアリゾナあたりの感じ。たまたま学校が休みで小さな子供連れの家族が群れていたが、ほとんどは短い体験乗馬。NYから1.5年前にやってきたAmandaの案内でいざ出発。丘陵を林を思いっきり駆け抜ける爽快さは日本では味わいにくい。クレイン乗馬クラブを欲求不満でやめ、阿蘇夢大地のクラブで3年ほど乗っているが、あそこは坂が多い。当地は敷地が平坦ゆえ駈足が最高。30分の僕らだけのランチには、特大のサンドイッチ、ジュース、水、山盛りフルーツ、マカデミアチョコ1箱がついていて、到底食べきれない。チョコはおみやげにもらいました。英語ができないとちょっと心配。乗馬未経験者なら駈足なしのコースじゃないと受けてくれません。自己申告だけど免責書類にサインしますから、事故があっても自己責任ね。
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| Attended as: | Couples |
| Posted on: | 2012/07/02 |
Reviewed by: Tok2me64
Considering this is my 2nd submission I will repeat it because it was so fun! I talked my brother into doing this activity with me so when he agreed I was excited. First of all the capt and crew were super cool!! I am a straight out Claustrophobe and was nervous about the snorkel and mask having never used them but after I gained my bearings it was awesome to see we were surrounded by one of earth's most feared predators. There really was nothing to fear but I had been secretly hoping for a Great White drive by but accepted the sharks we were surrounded by. It was phenomonal to be in their domain as spectators. Overall it was a very cool activity that I would definitely recommend to all, minus the fact that after being the first cage down the remaining time was left with me hanging my head over the railing and counting the minutes until our return to shore. What good is dramamine I ask?
Thanks again for the ride.
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| Attended as: | Couples |
| Posted on: | 2012/06/25 |
Reviewed by: Lisa H
First time on surf bus, me(45), niece(25), son(9), daughter(4). Only paid for 1 activity each because we didnt know the time schedule or what would work best. Pick up 8:15am. Nice tour of different beaches at north shore. Finally arrived at 1st activity spot at 10:30 me/daughter went to waimea beach, niece/son waimea falls and walked to us. Others did snorkeling. Picked up at 1pm. Next stop haleiwa where we got 1 paddle board and 1 double kayak. Son loved padded boarding by himself! We switched off and met back at 3. Others walked through town and ate. We did great with just one activity eac (2 waimea waterfall entrance, 1 paddle board, 1 kayak). Others did th snorkel then th paddle board the 2nd half. The falls walk was hot and long but my son still enjoyed. Beach was nice for me and my 4 year old to float in the calmer waves. Definitely enjoyed our trip! Nice ending was a couple days later I realized I had left my daughter's life jacket (brought a good one for my entir vaca
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| Attended as: | Families with Young Children |
| Posted on: | 2012/06/14 |
Reviewed by: Mr. Anonymous
Not much of a tour. Driver OK - very little information given during ride, made a few recommendations. Driver dropped everyone off then went surfing for both the morning and afternoon sessions.
Other folks in group disappointed in the amount of walking, lack of bike helmets and places where the road had no bike trail.
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| Attended as: | Families |
| Posted on: | 2012/06/12 |
Reviewed by: Mr. Anonymous
We had an amazing time!!!! The crew were friendly and fun, saw so many sharks!!! Would recommend to anyone.
The only downfall was we paid $60 for a DVD of us swimming with the sharks, however when we went to watch it, it did not work!! : ( We tried to contact the crew but have had no reply.
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| Attended as: | Families with Young Children |
| Posted on: | 2012/06/11 |
Reviewed by: Mr. Anonymous
My husband and I wanted to do something very unique for our honeymoon in Hawaii so we decided to do Shark Encounters! We were both very excited to do this. On the day of, we drove up to the northshore at 430am because we booked the 6am group. On arrival, the staff were very friendly & knowledgable. However, my husband and I were motion sick the whole entire time that we were out at sea. We did not enjoy this at all. We even took gravol to control our motion sickness but it did not work. When we got into the cage to see the sharks, we were still having motion sickness. It was nice to see the sharks close up but it felt like we were sick the whole entire time. Overall, it was an experience that we would never do again.
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| Attended as: | Couples |
| Posted on: | 2012/06/07 |
Reviewed by: Mr. Anonymous
This was a great acivity. We learned all about the island on the drive to the North Shore. Saw all the great surfing beaches, did some snorkeling and kyaking....a very fun day.
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| Attended as: | Families with Young Children |
| Posted on: | 2012/06/04 |
Reviewed by: Shawn Driscoll
Swimming with the sharks was awesome with Hawaii Shark Encounter..... I liked how the boat was smaller so it was our family and 1 other group. We saw at least 15-20 sharks and they swam very close to us. The cage was a good size and you were able to move around freely. It was surreal being under water with the sharks. I would recommend if you have an Iphone to get the case so you can take the iphone under water. We had an old school underwater camera and it was difficult taking pictures with it and holding onto the cage. We will see if any of our pics turned out. In summary highly recommend this activity and Hawaii Shark Encounter was great!!!!
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| Attended as: | Families with Young Children |
| Posted on: | 2012/06/02 |
Reviewed by: Mr. Anonymous
Great adventure...We could see many sharks may be 40-50 or even more...
Just be careful and try NOT to eat anything before coming to this activity as there are high chances of you puking after u are done and also u might feel like relaxing the rest of the day ...so donot plan something very important on the same day...
Though very exciting...I personally felt it is little dangerous too...
Staff did assure us the safety and told us they have been doin this since 11 years and not even a single person was hurt by a shark so far....which is gud
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| Attended as: | Couples |
| Posted on: | 2012/05/17 |
Reviewed by: アイーダ
I imagined a ranch like a grassland, but it turned out to be a wilder course with a bit of a mountain path. At the top, I could see the ocean, making it a fun experience. The horses taken care of by the cowgirls were well-trained, and I felt completely at ease riding them. The duration was just right, and I definitely want to come back.
草原のような牧場をイメージしていましたが、ちょっとした山道を登っていく思ったよりワイルドなコースで、頂上では海も見え、楽しい経験となりました。
カウガールたちの世話している馬たちは、よく調教されていて乗っていて全然不安を感じません。
時間の長さもちょうど良く、ぜひまた来たいと思います。
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| Attended as: | Couples |
| Posted on: | 2012/05/04 |
Reviewed by: 匿名希望
The shark tour was canceled during departure (due to wave conditions). Given the circumstances with the weather, it can't be helped, but I would have appreciated being informed about the cancellation before departure. Also, I felt a bit uneasy that there were no staff members available who could communicate in Japanese.
今回のシャークツアーに出発途中で催行中止になってしまいました(波の都合で)。さすがに、天候等の都合の事なので仕方がないですが、できたら出発する前に催行中止を教えてほしかったです。また、日本語対応できるスタッフさんがいらっしゃらなかったのが少し不安でした。
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| Attended as: | Families |
| Posted on: | 2012/04/13 |
Reviewed by: 匿名希望
I attended in April, but it was cold. There were a lot of sharks, and it was fun!
4月参加でしたが寒かったです。サメうじゃうじゃ楽しかったー!
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| Attended as: | Couples |
| Posted on: | 2012/04/12 |
Reviewed by: Mr. Anonymous
One word...INSANE! By far one of the coolest things I have ever gotten the chance to do. Some of the sharks even sueface and you can see their fins cutting through the water like Jaws. They are very non-agressive...they know you are there but they could care less...they just want some crab. I was able to go mid-March during whale watching season and the whales gave us a great show...one actually came out of the water about 100 yards from the boat, it was absolutely breath taking. I would definitely go again and drag everyone I know! Thank you North Shore Shark Encounters for an unforgettable experience!!
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| Attended as: | Friends |
| Posted on: | 2012/04/11 |
Reviewed by: しず
We went on a small boat, but there was quite a bit of rocking, so some people felt unwell. → I felt like I was going to throw up...
We go inside a cage, so it's safe, but the waves were pretty rough, which made it quite challenging. Depending on where you are in the cage, you might be able to take good photos or see the sharks up close, so there is some variation. I desperately dove down to take pictures, but since I was using goggles and an instant underwater camera, the subjects were often misaligned, and the shadows didn't come out well, which was disappointing. However, the sharp eyes of the sharks are clearly etched in my memory♪
In March, it’s still cold, so a cover-up is essential. Some people stayed in their swimsuits, but for those not used to the sea, I think a jacket about the thickness of a sweatshirt would be good.
As for my thoughts after the experience, I want to participate again (laughs)♪
小型の船で行きますが、
横揺れがかなりありましたので、
気分が悪くなっている方もいらっしゃいました。
→海にモドシマス。。。
檻の中に入りますので、安全ですが、
波が結構荒くて、大変っていえば大変です。
檻の中の場所によって、
写真がよく撮れたり、サメが近くに見れたり
多少は差があると思います。
私は必死で潜って写真とりましたが、
ゴーグルして、水中カメラ(インスタント)でしたので、
被写体がずれたり、
日陰がうまく写ってくれなくて、悲しかった。
でも、サメの鋭い目は記憶にはっきりとあります♪
3月はまだ寒いので、羽織るものは必須です。
水着のままでいる方もいらっしゃいましたが、
海になれてない方は、
トレーナー位の厚さの上着でも良いと思います。
終わっての感想ですが、
また参加したい(笑)♪
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| Attended as: | Families |
| Posted on: | 2012/03/24 |
Reviewed by: Josh G
Booked this activity about 2 weeks before I left for Oahu. Pure excitement before launch. It was a quick ride out to the location, easy intrusctions and pure fun and amazement being able to see sharks in the natural habitit. They seemed to be flying effortlessly through the water around the cage and the boat and showed no aggression towards us, only curiousity. Such a great experience and wish I could of done it each day for the rest of my vacation. i highly recommend this for EVERYBODY.
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| Attended as: | Friends |
| Posted on: | 2012/03/23 |
Reviewed by: 匿名希望
There was no pickup, but The Bus was sufficient. For us, who practice equestrianism in Japan, this ranch was the best and made us so happy. It felt like being a cowboy. The staff were friendly (American).
On the way back, I think it would be great to get off at Kahuku and enjoy shrimp, corn, and more!
ピックアップは無いけれどThe Bus で充分行けました。日本で馬術している私達にとって、これ程嬉しい牧場は最高でした。カーボーイ気分です。スタッフも親切(アメリカン)。
帰りはカフクで降りてシュリンプ、コーンなど召し上がったら良いと思うわ!!
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| Attended as: | Families |
| Posted on: | 2012/02/10 |
Reviewed by: Familyof4
This horse ride was all it was promised to be!! We rode on the beach for a good long time! My family and I were looking to do horseback riding that wasn't just on a land trail. Staff was friendly and helpful.
A little more expensive compared to the other locations on the island, but the horses are wonderful and location by the beach makes it even better!
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| Attended as: | Families with Young Children |
| Posted on: | 2012/02/08 |
Reviewed by: Janny Buruma
i had a great time with the shark adventure crew. the staff was very funny and gave lots of information! the sharks were amazing but didnt come to close to the cage when i was in there which i was hoping to see. if u are going with a large group of people u dont get to be in the water long either which i though it would be 30min but only ended up 15 min at most, but all in all great experience and i would do it again and i recommend it to anyone who visits the island.
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| Attended as: | Couples |
| Posted on: | 2012/02/02 |
Reviewed by: Mr. Anonymous
It was OK. No transportation goes to this activity to start with, so you have to rent a car to get there. They ask you to be the 1/2 hour early, but there is no good reason why because they tell you to go take a walk and are late anyway. The reason you need to bring a swim suit is to use their pool. It has nothing to do with the ride which is nose to tail and they not only would not late us take a camera but never volunteered to take any for us. The woman who seemed to run the tour had no personality at all. But the scenery was awesome :)
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| Attended as: | Families with Young Children |
| Posted on: | 2012/01/09 |
Reviewed by: Mr. Anonymous
My granddaughters and I went for the trail ride in November 2011 and were more excited about this activity than any other we were doing. We were told to be there 1/2 hour early and we were, but we had to wait, not only for other people, but for the instructors who said it was just because they were laid back. We then had to go through 1/2 hour of lecturing about the horses being athletes and spooked very easily and exactly how to do and not do EVERYTHING - from how to hold your hands almost to how to breath so you didn't spook these magnificent animals. We were not allowed to take cameras because the click of the camera may spook them and we were never offered the opportunity for anyone to take photos of us riding anywhere - especially on the beach. The unpleasant female who did all these instructions never came out of her funk. When we finally rode, the horses walked nose to tail and very slowly and never showed any signs of spunk or being spooked by anything. When we were done,
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| Attended as: | Families with Young Children |
| Posted on: | 2011/12/30 |
Reviewed by: t.shiohara
The location is great, and the horse training is very well done, so the horses are calm and you can enjoy trail riding with peace of mind.
At first, we did a 90-minute family trail ride at a walk. Other beginner families also participated, and we were able to enjoy it safely and happily.
Next, we went for a canter and encountered many horses and cows while they were grazing. Advanced riders can also enjoy this experience.
There are no vending machines here, so I think it's better to bring your own drinks.
It was a ranch where you can experience the authentic atmosphere of an American farm. It was nice and simple since it hasn't been commercialized as a tourist spot.
ロケーションも良く、また馬の調教もとても良くできていて、馬もおとなしいので安心して外乗できます。
初めはファミリーで常足外乗90分しました。他の初心者のファミリーも参加しましたが安全に楽しくできました。
続いてキャンター外乗しましたが、放牧中のたくさんの馬や牛と出会いました。上級者の方も楽しめます。
ここは自販機が無いので飲料を持参するほうが良いと思います。
アメリカの素の牧場の雰囲気を味わえるRANCHでした。観光地化されていない分、素朴で良かったです。
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| Attended as: | Families with Young Children |
| Posted on: | 2011/12/28 |
Reviewed by: Scarantinos
Me, I am not a horse lover. But I had a fantastic time. The horses were wonderful and easy to navigate.
My daughter, she rides every week. She loved the ride along the beach and really enjoyed riding western for a change.
My was has ridden before. She was a bit of a sceptic, but the beach ride got her too. She thoroughly enjoyed the ride and would love to do it again.
Highly recommended.
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| Attended as: | Families with Young Children |
| Posted on: | 2011/12/01 |
Reviewed by: Cy Talbot, England
This trip is worth every penny if you haven't experienced something like this before, or even for another visit. They said we were guarranteed seeing some sharks and they didn't disappoint. On my trip we saw about 15 - 20 circling the cage.
Shuttle bus picked me up from the hotel on time and we were taken to the harbour in the north. Boat ride out to the cage was about 3 miles (20 mins or so) and then the passengers were split into 3 groups of 8, each group having 20 mins in the water surrounded by 10ft sharks. Great!! No need to be nervous, you're totally safe in the cage.
The staff were friendly and ready to answer questions.
Would recommend one of the earlier trips, i went for the 9am one.
One final tip, take at least two underwater cameras as the shots are amazing!!!
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| Attended as: | Friends |
| Posted on: | 2011/11/03 |
Reviewed by: M Ramsburg
The ride itself was very nice along the beach area. I was a first time rider and the staff work with me providing instructions on controlling the horse, so don't be afraid to try this experience if you have never rode a horse.
The only difficulty is that we were staying in Waikiki and the event took place on the North Shore. There is no transportation options offered by the event, but we rented a car for the day and were able to tour more of the island following the ride.
Overall, I highly recommend this activity.
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| Attended as: | Couples |
| Posted on: | 2011/10/15 |
Reviewed by: Sandy
The place was about an hour away from Honolulu but that wasn't problem. The website said to be there 30 min early and we were but the horse handlers said that wasn't neccessary. They were short handed and we ended up waiting more than an hour to ride but the place was majestic so we weren't bothered by the wait. The guides prepared us and were concerned about everyones safety. The ride was perfect. They guides were professional and took time to take our pictures while we were on the beach. I would do it again and would recommend it to anyone visiting Hawaii.. It was a great family experience.
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| Attended as: | Families with Young Children |
| Posted on: | 2011/08/18 |
Reviewed by: Mr. Anonymous
My family and I enjoy horseback riding but this one was not up to par. I booked a private lesson and was told we would be able to do more with the horses beside just walking them and also would not be a nose to tail ride but that's exactly what it was. We were told many things but none were true. A couple of the horses did not like having another horse so close to it's tail so they would constantly kick backwards. You're only on the beach for a short time to cross to the dusty path were you spend most of the time until you cross back over the beach to go back to the club. Our guide was also an unpleasant women who never spoke unless it was to tell us what we were doing wrong. It was definetely not worth the money we spent and would not go back.
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| Attended as: | Families with Young Children |
| Posted on: | 2011/08/18 |
Tips and suggestions
Reply from activity provider
An unexpected error has occurred. Please go back to the previous page and try again, or wait a few minutes and try once again.
We are truly sorry that you could not participate due to the bad weather on the day of the tour. Your safety is our top priority, and we decided to cancel the tour. Additionally, please note that this tour is conducted in English, and there may be instances where the tour is canceled after leaving the hotel due to changing conditions on the North Shore. We appreciate your understanding. We hope you will consider joining us on your next trip to Hawaii. We sincerely look forward to your visit!
この度は、当日の悪天候を理由にご参加いただけず誠に残念に思っております。お客様の安全を第一に考え、ツアーの中止を決定いたしました。また、こちらのツアーの催行は英語にて行われており、ノースショアでの状況の変化によりホテル出発後に催行中止が決定する場合もございます。何卒ご理解ください。またハワイにご旅行の際に参加をご検討いただけましたら幸いです。お客様のお越しを心よりお待ちいたしております!