All Reviews for Family & Accessible Travel

I was worried I might cry since it was my first time interacting with a horse, but I enjoyed it without any problems. There were various animals (birds, goats, cows, sheep, etc.), and the horses were friendly, so I felt safe touching them.

初めて馬にふれるので泣くかと心配しましたが問題無く楽しんでいました。
いろいろの生き物（鳥、ヤギ、牛、ひつじなど）がいるし、馬が人馴れしているので安心して
触れることが出来ました。

There are many optional tours to Dole, but this tour had a sufficient time of 75 minutes at Dole, which made me hopeful since I have a 3-year-old child and thought we could take our time on the train. However, we were put on the same tour as the horseback riding group, which shortened our time at Dole to 50 minutes. By the time we got on the train, we only had 10 minutes left. After buying ice cream, we barely made it back to the car, leaving no time for a stroll or to look at souvenirs. To make matters worse, we had to wait for the horseback riders to return, resulting in only 3 hours at Haleiwa. The guide kindly took us for a 20-minute drive, but isn't this terrible considering we paid for it? I feel like I would have preferred another optional tour instead. Also, even though we were charged for one child's fare, the bus seat was on my lap. I felt like I lost out.

On the positive side, the guide, Mr. S, was excellent. He was knowledgeable about plants and incorporated current events while explaining the scenery and buildings visible from the bus. He quickly found and spoke to participants and waited in an easy-to-find spot, showcasing his wonderful personality. When I inquired about a forgotten item on the bus, he promptly delivered it to me. Given how fantastic the guide was, it was very disappointing regarding the time management.

　ドールに行くオプショナルツアーはたくさんあるけれど、こちらのツアーはドールの時間が７５分と十分な時間が設定されており、３才の子供がいたので列車にも乗れてゆっくりできるかな・・・と期待して申し込みました。しかし乗馬プランの人と同じツアーにされたため、ドールの時間は５０分に短縮。列車に乗ると、残り１０分。アイスを買ったら車に戻るのがやっとで、散策したりお土産を見たりする時間はありませんでした。おまけに乗馬の人が帰ってくるのを待つため、ハレイワの滞在時間が３時間。ガイドさんが気を遣って、２０分ほどドライブに連れて行ってくれましたが、料金を払ったのに、これってひどくないですか？　これだったら他のオプショナルツアーにしたのにな・・・という気分です。また、子供も１人分の料金を取ってるのに、バスの席は膝の上。損した気分でした。
　良かったと言えば、ガイドのＳさんです。植物に詳しく、時事ネタも取り入れながら、バスから見える景色や建物についてよく説明して下さいました。また、ツアーに参加した人を素早く見つけて声をかけたり、わかりやすい位置で待っていてくれたり、人柄も素晴らしくとても良かったです。バスに忘れ物をして問い合わせすると、すぐに届けてくれました。ガイドさんが素晴らしかっただけに、時間配分の件は非常に残念でした。

The rocking of the boat while waiting was severe, so those who are prone to seasickness should be cautious. There were many sharks swimming, but they lacked impact and were just diving in and out of the water. After that, I continued to suffer from seasickness, and in the end, it became a trip that only left me feeling nauseous. It's disappointing.

待っている間の船の揺れがひどく、船酔いしやすい人は要注意です。
サメもたくさん泳いでいるのですが、迫力はあまりなく、ただひたすら水の中をもぐっているだけでした。
その後も船酔いに悩まされ、結局気持ち悪さだけが残った旅行になりました。
残念です。

I booked a hotel transfer in Waikiki. When I arrived on-site, there were instructions for horseback riding posted in Japanese. Everything else was in English, but the guide at the front provided basic directions like "right" and "left" in broken English. They use horses that have retired from polo, and they were very well-trained and beautiful. The course included muddy areas, steep slopes, and scenery that could only be accessed on horseback, which was quite magical. In the latter part of the ride, I was able to have my picture taken on the horse against a beautiful backdrop of the ocean with my own camera. (There was no pressure to buy photos!!)

ワイキキホテル送迎込を探して申し込みました。現地に到着すると、日本語での乗馬の注意が貼ってありました。その部分以外はすべて英語ですが、基本的な右へ、左へ、は先頭の誘導してくださる方が片言で教えてくれます。POLO競技から引退した馬を使用されているとのことで、とてもしつけの行き届いたキレイな馬でした。ぬかるみや、急勾配、馬でしか立ち入れないようなコースで周りの景色も幻想的でした。後半には海の見える美しい景観の場所で馬に乗った姿を自分のカメラで撮ってもらえました。(写真売りつけたりとかは無いです！！)

It was my first time in Hawaii, so I signed up for the Haleiwa sightseeing and Dole Plantation tour. The guide was very friendly, making the tour enjoyable. For lunch, the guide took us to eat the recommended shrimp, which was incredibly delicious and had no unpleasant smell at all! It was truly tasty. At the Dole Plantation, the scenery while riding the pineapple train was fantastic. The ice cream was also delicious. The weather was great, making it a perfect day. Thank you very much.

はじめてのハワイでしたので、ハレイワ観光＆ドールプランを申込みしました。
ガイドさんが気さくな方でしたので、楽しい観光となりました。
ランチではガイドさんオススのメエビを食べに連れていってもらいましたが、これがまたとても美味しく臭みもなし！！本当に美味しかったです。ドールプランテーションではパイナップル列車に揺られながら見る景色は最高でしたよ。アイスも美味しかった。また天気もよく最高の1日でした。ありがとうございました。

Had Justin as the guide. Very very good - he made the trip!
Think he managed to talk the entire day(!) and added a lot of interesting and useful information throughout. Wife wanted to try the Shrimp Trucks, so that was her highlight, I wanted to see the large surf, so all-in-all, satisfied all our wants. Highly recommended.

MAXX
My husband and I were so pleased
What a Wondrful young lady so nice and very informative
Made are ride on the beach so relaxing very lovely
THE BEST
THANKS AGAIN
JERI LYN & Dean Castillo

I had a pleasant horseback riding experience surrounded by a variety of beautiful scenery, including along the coast, in the bushes, and around the pond. My parents, who are in their 60s, were initially a bit nervous but ended up having a great time. It's a given that the horse will poop or stop to graze along the way. Our guide, Katie, was very kind, and the horses were gentle and well cared for. I highly recommend it!

海岸沿いやブッシュの中、池の周りなどバラエティに富んだ景色の中で気持ちよく乗馬を体験できました。最初はおっかなびっくりだった60代の両親も大変楽しんでいました。途中で馬がフンをしたり道草を食ったりするのはお約束。案内してくれたケイティはとても親切でしたし、馬も穏やかでよく世話されていました。オススメです！

Great day out with the family. Fantastic entertainment and food.

You should all get the super ambassador ! This tour was totally worth it! VIP on the whole island special tours and front row sitting ! Really recommend this tour best of all Hawaii!

Just thinking that my 82-year-old mother joined this optional tour simply because she loves horses still gives me butterflies. It was truly a canyon horseback riding plan, just as described. We skillfully navigated narrow paths that barely fit the width of the horses. It's an experience I still can't believe. I wonder how we managed to return safely after walking through such a canyon with a beginner like me. We lined up for a full hour, walking slowly, but there were slopes, narrow paths, and curves, and it seemed my mother was scared until the end. She was desperately talking to the horse to keep it moving. Although they never acted up, being natural creatures, they sometimes stopped to eat grass by the side or just halted, which left us unsure of what to do. However, the horses were truly smart and safely carried us on their backs for an hour. I don't think I'll ever have an experience like this again. I highly recommend it to young people.

馬が好きだと言うことだけで82歳の母をこのオプショナルツアーに参加させたと思うと今でもドキドキします。まさに言葉通りの渓谷乗馬プラン。馬の幅も無いような狭い道を上手進みます。今でも信じられない経験です。こんな初心者を乗せてあんな渓谷を歩いてよく無事に帰ってこれたなと思います。1時間たっぷり1列に並んで、ゆっくりゆっくり歩きますが、坂道があったり細い道があったり、カーブがあったり、最後まで母は怖かったみたいです。一生けん命馬に声をかけて乗せてもらっていました。暴れたりすることは決してないのですが、やはり自然の生き物なので、わきの草を食べたり、止まってしまったりするとどうしていいかわからなくなりました。でも本当にお利口な馬たちで、無事に1時間私たちを背中に乗せて歩いてくれました。こんな経験はもうできないと思います。若い人にお勧めです。

On the half-day tour of Oahu, we had a fun guide who felt like a friendly neighbor. The staff in the center greeted us with smiles and friendliness. We thoroughly enjoyed the evening Polynesian show. Changing from standard to a petite deluxe package was a success too! 😊

オアフ島半日観光では、近所のおばちゃん感覚の楽しいガイドさん。
センタ内ではフレンドリーに接していただくスタッフの皆さんの笑顔。
夜のポリネシアショーと満喫しました。
スタンダードよりプチ・デラックスに変更したのも成功でした(^^v

I signed up because I wanted to go horseback riding. There are a total of 9 participants, including the two of us. Before heading to the North Shore, we passed by the high school that Obama attended, and along the way, we were able to hear some stories that are not often shared. Our guide, Nakama, was constantly talking and was very considerate, showing that he was well-informed about history and current events in Hawaii. The horseback riding itself felt like quite a challenging course, but since an 80-year-old grandmother was able to ride, I managed to get through it safely (although I almost fell off while waiting...). I was at the front, riding behind what seemed to be the owner, a funky grandmother who was probably over 70 with long braids. She explained everything in English, but I could only understand simple words, so it would have been very educational if I had been better at English. The content of this tour was more than sufficient. More than that, meeting wonderful people like Nakama became my most cherished memory. Thank you very much.

乗馬がしたくて申込しました。私達2人含め合計9名での参加です。まずはノースショアに向かう前にオバマさんの通った高校を通ったりしながら、道中はなかなか聞けないお話をうかがえました。担当のナカマさんはずーっとしゃべりっぱなしで大変気遣いもあり、歴史やハワイの旬な情報をぬかりなくチェックしているのがわかりました。肝心の乗馬はなかなかキツイコースに感じましたが、80歳のおばあさんも乗れていたので、なんとか無事にこなせました。（待機中落馬しかけましたが・・）私が先頭で、ロング三つ編みのファンキーな70は過ぎているだろう、おばあさんのオーナーらしき人のあとにくっつき乗馬していたのですが、英語でひとつひとつ説明をしてくれているのですが、わたしには簡単な単語しかわからず、英語ができれいれば大変勉強になったはずです。このツアーの中身は充分です。それよりも、ナカマさんのような素晴らしい人たちに出会えたことが一番の思い出になりました。ありがとうございました。

My husband and I were disappointed with the tour guide. We felt he had a attitude about him and really didn't want to be there. At times we thought he was being rude in his manor and attitude. We went on another tour and the guide was so different and really acted like he wanted to be there. It made a big difference on the tour and made it much more enjoyable. The tour itself was great, but it could of been a lot nicer if the guide was more interested in the people on his bus and what he was doing.

Very good, everything we were told it would be. The performers and staff were wonderful, warm and friendly, however, we were a little disappointed in the lava. It was not what we expected. It was more like a group buffet. On the other hand the Breath of Ha show was thrilling and excellent. We would highly recommend it. All in all, a thoroughly enjoyable day.

Before heading to the North Shore, we stopped by places like the Dole Plantation, enjoyed garlic shrimp, and saw turtles. The final activity was horseback riding, which was packed with fun. The horseback riding along the beach was the highlight of this trip for me. It was such a relaxing experience, and I think even beginners can participate with confidence. I would love to join again when I come to Hawaii!

ノースショアに行くまでにドールプランテーションなど立ち寄ってガーリックシュリンプも食べれてカメも見れて最後は乗馬と盛りだくさんのプランでした。
特に最後の乗馬は今回の旅行で一番楽しかったです。海辺をゆっくりと乗馬しながらの時間はとても心地いい時間で、初心者でも安心して参加できると思いました。
ハワイに来たらまた参加したいと思います！

A few years ago, I experienced beach horseback riding and canyon horseback riding, and those enjoyable moments have stayed in my heart. I wanted to participate again to relive that excitement while I'm still energetic.

I was worried that the tour would be canceled since I had booked it for a weekend when a rare typhoon hit Oahu, but it ended safely despite the heavy rain. Eleven participants of various ages joined in, with the ocean waves crashing and rain pouring down.

It was a 45-minute ride while wearing the borrowed helmet and raincoat. My pants and shoes were soaked, and my makeup was washed away, making it an unforgettable experience. I appreciated the thoughtful care provided by the four women who took care of us.

数年前に海辺の乗馬、渓谷の乗馬を体験して楽しい経験がずっと心に残っていました。
もう一度、元気なうちにあのワクワク感を味わいたくて参加しました。
　めったに来ない台風がオアフ島を襲った週末日を予約していたので、きっとツアーが
キャンセルになるのではと心配しましたが、大雨の中、無事終了してよかったです。
海の波も荒々しく、吹き付ける雨の中、年齢もさまざまな11名が参加しました。
お借りしたヘルメット、合羽を着ての45分でした。ズボン、靴はずぶぬれ、お化粧も落ち
忘れられない体験になりました。
お世話をしてくださった女性達4名の細かい配慮がうれしかったです。

The scenery was beautiful, and even for older people, it was an easy and nice course. However, having to wait for the others in the group to return was tiring, as it took a long time.

景色がよくて歳がいってても歩きやすくよいコースでした。ただ他のプランの人たちの帰ってくるのをまっていなくてはいけなくて長いあいだ待たないといけないのは疲れました。

Riding horses by the seaside was pleasant. The van for transportation was crowded and cramped, which was tough. The guide spoke quickly and was a bit hard to understand, but they were very dedicated.

乗馬が海辺で気持ち良かったです。移動のバンは人数多くて狭くてしんどかったです。ガイドさんは早口であまりわかりにくかったですが一生懸命でした。

This was a once in a lifetime experience! The crew was great and very informative. It was so much fun!

We did the full day PCC package and definitely loved it. However, its all about the tour guide. If you go try to get cousin Main he was extremely knowledgeable and manage to get us in the front row for all the events. Also, learning about how the majority of the proceeds go to student tuition it is a nice to know. Lastly, the HA fire show definitely is one of, if not, the best fire show luau ever.

Got caught in the "hang loose" spirit of Hawaii. The activity was booked for transporation at 9.45AM. The day before the activity a message was left at the hotelphone that transport fell through and I had to confirm (before 6PM) new transport time of 5.15AM! Of course I got back at my hotel after 12PM and wasn't able to confirm early pick-up. So I decided to go to the meeting point anyway, but no transport. Office opened at 6AM when I could finally phone in. Service level was low, merely a "No transport, sorry, reschedule please" Since that was not an option for me we had to come up with a solution. After a lot of back and forth (cab will cost you 200 one way!!)I decided to go on a citybus for 2.5 hrs which cost me 2.50 dollars and I made it with an hour to spare. Veltra was very service friendly. They contacted me and booked transport money back right away, without me even asking for it. So lesson learned: No pick-up service for shark tour!
I never even got a sorry from the Shark tour operator and the captain didn't know my name I had become a plus one!
The harbour of the tour itself was a bit dingy at best. The public toilet was filthy with bloodstains and glass bottles, but the boat had no changing option, so you have to use it.
The boat is very nice and the boat ride is awesome (unless you have motion sickness, in that case you will get sick, trust me!)The shark cage is not big, but big enough for the six per group that went in. Pay for the DVD, taking pictures yourself is very hard. The life vest will keep you floating and the ocean slams you into the cagebarrier.
The sharks are amazing and worth every bit of inconvenience. The crew is friendly and knowledgeable. They care for your safety and for the ocean wild life. It's not scary at all. When you get back I recomment getting lunch at Halewa Joe's. Just sit there and review your tour. If you can visit North shore or Turtle beach on your way back. The total tour is highly recommendable (without transport)

This is a must see attraction. Of course very touristy but very well done. So much to see . Arrived around 12.30 had a quick lunch it was go go go for 5+ hours.It was very entertaining and informative. I want to come back to see what I missed. The extra $25 for lunch and guided tour was well worth it. Loved the Luau and night show . Don't think about this one just go!

I have to say that The Polynesian Culture Center is my favorite memory about Hawaii. I learned so much with this experience. We adored our Tour Guide "Cousin ViVii" she was very informative and a pleasure to be around. Not only is it my favorite memory of Hawaii, but a favorite memory of my life.

I participated in a one-day course from morning to evening with nine people, including myself. Since I was the last to be picked up, I waited for 15 minutes and was really anxious about whether they would actually come, but after that, everything went smoothly. In addition to horseback riding, we visited Moanalua Gardens, a pineapple plantation, and saw sea turtles (which we miraculously spotted!). We had lunch at a delicious shrimp restaurant, and since we had some extra time, they kindly took us to a soap factory. Our guide, Jimmy, was a Japanese-American who was fluent in Japanese and very experienced in guiding. He translated all the instructor's explanations during the horseback riding, so there were no issues at all.

Now, regarding the main horseback riding experience, the horses were well-trained thoroughbreds used for polo, and they responded very well to the reins even without a bit in their mouths. There were no problems for beginners at all! The ride was supposed to be an hour and a half, but with explanations and time spent mounting the horses, we actually rode for about an hour and fifteen minutes. It was so enjoyable that it felt like no time at all. When you hear "valley," you might imagine a river flowing, but we simply walked along mountain paths at a steady pace, going up and down repeatedly, and finally reached a spot where we could see the beach in the distance for a commemorative photo on horseback. Shortly after that, we dismounted. After finishing, we immediately got into the car and headed for lunch, so I was a bit disappointed that we didn't have time to interact with the horses or relax at the ranch, but it was a very fun day.

Since we were mostly walking, it might be a bit unsatisfying for intermediate to advanced riders, but I think it was a great experience to create wonderful memories of Hawaii.

朝から夕方までの1日コースで、私を含めて9人が参加しました。ピックアップの順番が最後だったので15分またされて、本当に来てくれるのかとドキドキしましたが、そのあとは順調でした。乗馬のほかにモアナルアガーデン、パイナップル園、ウミガメ見学（奇跡的に見られました！）、おいしいシュリンプのお店でお昼、時間が余ったので特別にソープファクトリーまで連れて行っていただきました。ガイドのジミーさんは日本語が堪能の日系の方でガイドにとても慣れていました。乗馬もインストラクターの説明を全て通訳してくださったので全く問題ありませんでした。
さて、メインの乗馬ですが、馬はポロ競技用によく調教されているサラブレッドで、口にハミを付けていなくても手綱の指示で本当によく動いてくれました。初心者でも全く問題ありません！時間は、1時間半コースでしたが説明や馬に乗る時間があるので実質1時間15分乗ったか乗らないかくらいでした。楽しかったのであっという間でしたね。渓谷と聞くと川の流れを想像させるのですが、ひたすら山道を並足で進み、上り下りを繰り返し、最後に遠くにビーチを望む場所に出て馬上で記念撮影。そのすぐ後に下馬になりました。終わったらすぐに車に乗って昼食に向かったので、馬と触れ合ったり牧場でのんびりしたりする時間がなかったのがちょっと残念でしたが、とても楽しい1日でした。
ずっと並足だったので乗馬の中上級者にはものたりないかもしれませんが、ハワイのいい思い出を作るには盛りだくさんでいい体験かなと思います。

My wife & I love Shark Week so this activity was a clear must do. There is so much to talk about for this activity, but I'll just break it down to pros & cons. Pros: the water is really warm and about 80ft of visibility, the crew was nice, the sharks ranged at a decent 10ft to 12ft, the sharks get extremely close to the cage where you can touch a fin (but they tell you don't so beware), and most importantly not even Jaws can get through that cage (super thick bars). Cons: it's a small boat so if your prone to motion sickness you NEED dramamime since your out there for about 2 hours, no food or snacks so bring some because after your 30min dive you will be hungry and its about 1-2 hrs before you get back to Waikiki, and this is a tip from the wife - the bathroom at the dock is a park restroom so no seat covers so byosc ;). Wish I had a photo to share off my phone since it was really cool but its all on the gopro.

After reading so many reviews, we expected this experience to be great; however, we found most of the evening to be okay at best. The prime rib and seafood, "prime" dining, is not good. Much of the hot food was luke-warm, the roast beef...I mean prime rib...although pretty sure it was roast beef, was way overcooked and just gross, and much of the food was slimy and just inedible. There was one hot seafood item which was somewhat hot/somewhat still frozen, and my husband said was disgusting. It was not prime dining. I would suggest skipping dining there altogether.

We had some time to walk around; however, most of the exhibits are just artifacts or movies/shows. The Samoa live show was interesting and entertaining, but the videos were boring and I can't imagine what you could spend an entire day there doing (we went late at 4 PM and had plenty of time). The "Ha, Breathe of Life" show was the best part for sure. The show was entertaining; however, it was very long. We went to another luau and show earlier in our trip, booked through the cruise line, and I would say that show was better. "Ha, Breathe of Life" was very long and had a lot of repetitive dancing. They do a part of the show for each Island, so after awhile the dancing gets repetitive. Some aspects were really neat: fire dancing, a few of the dances with props, etc, but it would have been better if it hadn't been so extremely long and repetitive.

Overall, I can't say that I would recommend this experience. If I did, I would recommend the show, without eating dinner. Additionally, be prepared to pay extra for everything and have things that cost money constantly offered to you (I understand, it is a vacation destination, but for the Polynesian Cultural Center, which doesn't allow tipping and is all about culture, it just seemed weird after awhile). Next time we go to Hawaii, we will try a luau closer to the resort area, and skip the Polynesian Cultural Center.

I participated in this tour because I wanted to enjoy horseback riding slowly on the North Shore for the first time. Not only did I get to ride, but I also enjoyed visiting Moanalua Gardens, Dole Plantation, Turtle Beach, and trying garlic shrimp in Haleiwa! The horseback riding through the valley was on a trail with more ups and downs than I expected, but the horses were really well-trained, and it was a 90-minute ride while enjoying the surrounding scenery. I definitely recommend this for anyone who wants to enjoy horseback riding in Oahu. If I could wish for anything, I would have liked a little more time to explore Haleiwa.

初ノースショアで乗馬もゆっくり楽しみたくてこちらのツアーに参加しました。
乗馬だけでなく、モアナルアガーデン、ドールプランテーション、海がめビーチ、ハレイワタウンでガーリックシュリンプなど、堪能できました！
渓谷乗馬は思ったよりアップダウンが激しい道でしたが、馬は本当に訓練されててまわりの景色を楽しみながらの90分でした。オアフで乗馬を楽しみたい方にはぜひオススメです。
欲を言えば、ハレイワの散策時間がもうちょっとあればよかったなぁと思います。

When we first booked this tour it was at the recommendation of my parents who had visited a few years previously. My husband and I were originally going to explore the center on our own, however, after spending an hour on the bus with Jermaine (hope I spelled that right) and learning that he was giving the tour, we decided to pay a little extra and join the tour group. Best investment we made on our vacation. Not only was Jermaine knowledgeable, friendly, and seriously hilarious, but he got us to all the shows and we saw more than if we had tried to navigate the center ourselves. Highly recommend this place to everyone, and pay the extra for a guide. Well worth it.

After spending the first couple of days in Hawaii walking everywhere, it was nice to sit and relax in the tour van and watch the island slide by out the windows. The hike through Wiamea Valley to the falls was beautiful, although I wish more plants and flowers had been in bloom. Lunch was awesome. This tour is alright, but we could easily have seen everything on our own with a car rental.