We were very lucky to sail on a lovely evening with lots of whales surrounding us and they were quite active. The crew were great, we enjoyed the snacks and drinks. It was just about perfect, loved the boat, could have stayed out on the water for hours if allowed. Definitely will do again and recommend this cruise.
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Attended as: | Couples |
Activity Date: | 2024/02/05 |
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Although this is now the only way that you can visit the Waipio Valley it is so worth taking the guided tour. Our guide was so knowledgeable and enthusiastic about the history and culture of the valley, and shared loads of local insights and stories which made this one of the best tours we have ever experienced
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Attended as: | Couples |
Activity Date: | 2024/02/26 |
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Decided to try this luau after researching luau options on the big island, and unfortunately it fell short of expectations.
There are three main areas I judge in a luau, and I'll expand on each category for this place; location/setting, food/drinks, and entertainment.
First the location setting. Although located at the Fairmont orchid resort, a beautiful and well kept property, the luau itself was "makeshift" utilizing cheap plastic chairs and tables and placed between the golf course and tennis courts, over a mile away from the coast with no sunset or real ocean view. Most other luau's I've been to are more like restaurants with permanent structures set right on the coast.
I had read rave reviews about the food, and while it too fell short of expectations - it wasn't all bad. I'll definitely give it credit for a large selection and variety, but the food was overall "meh." The poke, fish, shrimp and chicken were good but the beef and pork were awful. There was no actual hog roast; the pulled pork they served was clearly not from a recently dug up roasted pig - and it tasted disgusting; this was the biggest let down as you expect amazing pulled pork when you goto a luau. They lacked variety in drinks, so not much to choose from in terms of wine (only "red" or "white") or beers (a few cheap varieties in cans, no IPAs), and the mixed drinks were also limited in ingredients (for example, they couldn't make me an old fashion), but they had the basics to make most decent cocktails. My biggest complaint with the drinks is that the line was long and clearly a bottleneck only having 2 bartenders making drinks for the entire group. Other luaus I'd attended always had the basic drinks ready to go so you could grab a basic drink at anytime if you wanted.
As for the entertainment; also very meh. Not a big production (again, due to the "makeshift" nature of this luau), but it contained all the basic elements to not fall completely short.
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Attended as: | Couples |
Activity Date: | 2024/02/24 |
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以前にオアフ島でホエールウォッチングに参加しましたが、その時はほとんどクジラに会えなかったですが、今回は早い時間帯から次ぐから次に見ることができました。
帰りには、船の周りをイルカが来て、ジャンプまで見せてくれて、最高のホエールウォッチングになりました。
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Attended as: | Couples |
Activity Date: | 2024/01/31 |
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One of the best and most impressive tour we ever made!
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Attended as: | Couples |
Activity Date: | 2024/02/24 |
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Such an enjoyable experience!! Nearly all the food items were gluten free ( I have Celiac disease). The only suggestion I would make is to not put the gluten free dessert on the same plate as the glutinous items as there is chance of cross contamination. The wait staff were phenomenal. Our waiter Geno was on top of all our needs. The performers were out do this world and the musicians with equal talent. Loved the experience and encourage others to attend.
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Attended as: | Couples |
Activity Date: | 2024/02/02 |
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We’ve been to Waipio Valley several times but have never taken a guide-led tour, and it made a huge difference. The guide was charming, knowledgeable and experienced. We saw parts of the valley that we wouldn’t have been able to in the past, and certainly now that the valley is closed to non-residents. Highly recommend!
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Attended as: | Families |
Activity Date: | 2024/01/04 |
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早めに受付をして、席を確保し、マイタイを飲みながら、開演を待ちました。同じテーブルの人たちと和気藹々。とても楽しかったです。ハネムーンカップルや、お誕生日の人などをお祝いしたり、ステージに上がってダンスをレクチャーされたり、とても楽しい時間を過ごしました。ブッフェスタイルでしたが、取りに行く流れをちゃんとスタッフの方がコントロールしていて、スムーズでしたし、とても美味しかったです。ハワイアンダンスは優雅で素晴らしく、司会のトークも受けていたようです。ステージの向こうの海、そして夕陽が素晴らしかったです。
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Attended as: | Couples |
Activity Date: | 2023/12/29 |
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あいにくの雨でした。どんどん雨脚が強くなりレインコートが配られ、気温も下がり、食事もずぶ濡れでほとんど食べられず、飲み物も2杯飲んだ程度。円安料金が気になりつつもハワイ気分を盛り上げようと予約しましたがコスパの悪い結果となりました。悪天候については気が回っていなかった。予約される方は天気のチェックをお忘れなく。ファイアーショーは見応えありました。
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Attended as: | Couples |
Activity Date: | 2023/12/24 |
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My wife and I took this tour with our three young kids. We had a very knowledgeable guide for our tour—Ray. He is a native of Waipo Valley and he had a lot of good information to tell us both about Waipo Valley and Hawaiian history in general. Beyond this, the valley itself is breathtakingly beautiful! All of us thoroughly enjoyed this tour.
Overall, this was an excellent tour!
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Attended as: | Families with Young Children |
Activity Date: | 2024/01/05 |
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英語のみの解説、鯨は潮吹きと背びれが数回遥か彼方にしか見えず、期待に反して満足度はもう一つでした。船上からの眺めは最高でした。
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Attended as: | Couples |
Activity Date: | 2023/12/17 |
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I HIGHLY recommend this experience to everyone. My crew enjoyed a shuttle ride down to Waipio Valley with the most knowledgeable and engaging guide. We learned so much about history, culture, farming, and geography of the valley.
Five Stars.
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Attended as: | Families |
Activity Date: | 2024/01/02 |
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We had a wonderful time on our Waipio Shuttle experience with an exceptional guide, timely service, and of course, incredible scenery. Looking back on our family vacation to the Big Island, this was one of my favorite activities we got to share! Highly recommend, and look forward to returning.
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Attended as: | Families with Young Children |
Activity Date: | 2023/11/27 |
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A must do experience on the big island. The tour guide did a great job of driving the very steep and very bumpy road and explaining the history of the valley. If you get car sick or can't handle a really bumpy ride, you may want to wait til a hiking trail is made. At this time, this is the only way to see the valley. We finished our tour with a Hawaiian lunch at the food truck down the road and a fruit stand. It was a perfect day.
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Attended as: | Families with Young Children |
Activity Date: | 2023/12/26 |
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An absolute must see. The tour guides are from Waipio, so it's a great opportunity to really learn and experience the history and beauty of the land.
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Attended as: | Solo Travelers |
Activity Date: | 2023/12/22 |
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We had 6 adults and 2 toddlers, this was the perfect activity for all of us to do. Short enough, interesting and interactive.
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Attended as: | Families with Young Children |
Activity Date: | 2023/11/26 |
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Amazing experience this is the best way to get into the vally and hear the story's from your guide I came back to the island to do just this and it did not disappoint.
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Attended as: | Solo Travelers |
Activity Date: | 2023/12/13 |
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Awesome trip down into the valley with incredible photo opportunities. Forest did an excellent job telling us the history and plant life even got to eat fresh passion fruit from a very nice local.
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Attended as: | Families with Young Children |
Activity Date: | 2023/12/12 |
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Fun and exciting. Nice view of the ocean and beaches. Saw lots of fish, a green turtle, an eel, and amazing coral. Staff was very knowledgeable. Of the two glass bottom trips I took, this was by far my favorite. was the one with the most fish.
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Attended as: | Couples |
Activity Date: | 2023/12/11 |
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We had such a great time! The crew was so nice. We had a great snorkel day, saw lots of fish. The water activities were a great bonus. The slide and platform were fun too! We went as a couple but great for families/children also. Had pastries and yogurt for breakfast, burgers for lunch, and cash bar open the entire time. I do wish for the price at least 1 drink could be included, but it was still a great time. We even saw some dolphins following our boat shortly before docking at the end
Thank you for joining us! We are thrilled that you had a five star experience!
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Attended as: | Couples |
Activity Date: | 2023/12/08 |
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ハワイらしいショーが見たいと、妹と選んだショーでした。すごく沢山の参加者に驚きながらスタッフさんに案内され、その時の対応がとても良かった。風が強くてビックリでしたが 華やかなショーに参加できて、選んで良かったと思いました。素敵な思い出が出来ました。飲み物、食事、お出迎えのレイ素敵でした。
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Attended as: | Families |
Activity Date: | 2023/11/14 |
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It was almost magical, definitely a fun tour to a place you cannot go on your own. Waipoi valley is like going to a hidden paradise that only a few outsiders get to visit and I feel envigorated that I was one of them. I saw many people in regular vehicles at the view point over looking the valley but only residents and tour groups are allowed to enter the valley and if you request it you can get off the 4x4 van and walk to the beach and catch the next vehicle back for a small fee. Overall I very nice experience.
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Attended as: | Solo Travelers |
Activity Date: | 2023/11/11 |
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Staff, dancers, food and everyone involved was amazing!
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Attended as: | Families with Young Children |
Activity Date: | 2023/11/21 |
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From the moment of arrival the staff was friendly and very attentive (we did pay for the VIP section and it was worth it for the service). The were almost too many food choices to choose from and it was all very delicious. The host was engaging and entertaining, the music wonderful, and all the dancers were great. We enjoyed that they were telling stories in their dance, not just there for show. Overall it was a wonderful experience, the only negative I have is location because you can't see the ocean from the luau venue and it does help the ambience we feel.
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Attended as: | Couples |
Activity Date: | 2023/11/07 |
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I like that it was short, and that we were able to get on the water, we saw many little fish and a turtle.
The staff was excellent!
Mahalo for your feedback! We enjoyed having you aboard!
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Attended as: | Families |
Activity Date: | 2023/10/21 |
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After hiking this trail years ago and taking the van trip this time (2023), I would never choose another way to go other than the van ride. Pleasant driver and informative. Felt safe.
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Attended as: | Couples |
Activity Date: | 2023/11/07 |
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It was so nice we did not have to be there first to get a good seat. They were pre assigned and we were led to them by a very friendly staff member. We thought we would be the only ones there with a baby but there were other families with young children. Baby made to feel welcome. The food had a great variation with possible allergens noted at dish. Very thoughtful as my daughter can not eat dairy products while breast feeding her son. The maître D was lovely with a very soothing voice and good story and history teller. The dancers were very good and were smiling the whole time. It made for a happy time. Setting was beautiful. The fire dancer was very talented. I worried he would get burned, but he didn’t, thank goodness. All in all, the food, company of others beside us we got to meet, and the show was well worth the money spent. Thank-you
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Attended as: | Families with Young Children |
Activity Date: | 2023/11/04 |
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Absolutely amazing. Highly recommended for everyone. Food was fabulous and the dancers telling the island story heart felt.
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Attended as: | Families |
Activity Date: | 2023/10/28 |
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The performers and food was really good. Only comment I had been to the same Luau 4 years earlier and the story was much more in depth . We truly enjoyed it but 4 years ago you got to hear the complete story of Hawaii.
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Attended as: | Friends |
Activity Date: | 2023/10/08 |
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約3時間のルアーショー、素晴らしい踊りと歌に酔いしれてました。ハワイの伝統文化を舞台近くで鑑賞できて感動で一杯です。スタッフの皆さんも笑顔で対応されていて、印象も良かったです。
観光客をショーの間に入れて、コミックな踊りに皆さん笑いが広がってました。
参加者の中に、日本人が少ないのは残念です。私が参加したショーには、数名かなと思います。もっと日本人が気軽に参加できるようにと希望します(料金が高い設定かなと)
最後の写真も最高出来栄えで大変嬉しく思ってます。ハワイ島に来ましたら、是非参加したいと思います。マハロ。
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Attended as: | Couples |
Activity Date: | 2023/10/22 |
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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.
Aloha,
Thanks for taking the time to provide feedback about your Sunset Cruise and also for including that beautiful photo. We're so happy to read that you enjoyed the trip, the onboard amenities, the whales, and your interactions with our crew!
We know there are a lot of ways to watch the sunset when you're in Hawaii and we're honored you chose to spend one of yours with us and that we've earned your recommendation.
Mahalo and A Hui Hou