Steven and Shawn were amazing captain and guide. Provided us with an amazing tour and really great snorkeling spots around the area! The tour time is perfect to catch sunset and then it gets dark so the water lights up beautifully in the dark. The waves in the ocean are a bit rough so going on an empty stomach is adviseable. We saw 5 manta rays on our expedition. Definitely an attraction to do on the Big Island!! And Kona Ocean Experience is a great company that hosts this amazing experience!!
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Attended as: | Couples |
Activity Date: | 2017/11/26 |
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We signed up for this kayaking tour with a young toddler with us and initially I was a bit sceptical of how well it would go. But Kevin was friendly, informative and really patient through out the activity making sure our first experience in Hawaii and of snorkeling was pleasant and enjoyable. Definitely recommend
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Attended as: | Families with Young Children |
Activity Date: | 2017/11/24 |
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天気は快晴、とてもきれいな海、野生のイルカにもたくさん会え、貴重な経験だった。ただ、ボート操縦の船長は、一人で何役もやるので大変なこともあり、我々が英語がわからないと思ったのか会話も説明もほとんどなく、例えばいきなりシュノーケルを渡され飛び込めと言われて困った。他のツアーの動きを見て、イルカはあの辺にいるんだと参加者が判断して動かないといけなかった。サービス精神に欠ける人だったのが残念だが、ツアー自体は満足した。
この度は、ツアーにご参加いただき誠にありがとうございます。
しかしながら、ご満足いただけるツアーとなりませんでしたこと、心よりお詫び申し上げます。
別途メールでもご連絡をさせていただきました通り、いただいたご意見は催行会社にそのまま申し伝えました。
担当させていただいた船長と話し合いを設け、今後はツアーを皆様に十分にお楽しみいただけるよう、
海に入るタイミングなどを丁寧に案内していくことを約束したとのこと報告がございました。
ご迷惑をおかけしましたこと、大変申し訳ございませんでした。
お客様にご満足いただけるツアーを常にご案内できるよう、催行会社との連携のもと、共に努めて参る所存でございます。
お忙しい中、貴重なご投稿を賜りまして、誠にありがとうございました。
VELTRAカスタマーサポートチーム
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Attended as: | Families |
Activity Date: | 2017/09/24 |
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We had a fantastic time with our Kailani tour of the Big Island that we booked through Veltra. I’ll go through each category of the trip one by one and leave my detailed thoughts:
GUIDE
Our guide, Kevin, was a former U.S. Navy electrical engineer and was quite knowledgeable about the island. He spoke on the microphone throughout the trip, always providing new and interesting information, but never repeating himself or sounding boring. I got the sense that he wasn’t just trying to fill space, but rather that he genuinely had lots of things to share about the island. I also appreciated how he had studied some Hawaiian and was able to translate a number of names and titles to us in English and explain the cultural and linguistic origins.
ITINERARY
I was stoked to get to see Volcanoes National Park because it was on my bucket list and it was beautiful. The guide provided night-time binoculars so we could see the magma spitting out of the volcano crater at night—truly spectacular. Plus, the itinerary was designed so that you avoid the large crowds at the volcano, making stops before and after it erupts. Hilo was nice but quick, so I’d say if you really want to explore the town of Hilo you should go on your own. This one makes a brief stop in Hilo but really just uses it as a jumping off point to explore the volcano.
FOOD
The lunch was pretty simple but fresh – sandwiches with turkey, hummus, and avocado in various varieties. The dinner is quite special though as the lodge is quite intimate, very cozy and offers great food.
TRANSPORT
The transport is a Mercedes 12 seater van with a co-pilot seat, then three rows of three and one row of four. Even if you get a middle seat it’s not bad, because the windows are essentially panoramic on the bus and they are extremely clean. The black leather interior was very comfortable and not one on our ride got carsick.
Overall I highly recommend this tour!
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Attended as: | Families with Young Children |
Activity Date: | 2017/11/24 |
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Was so impressed, our flight was delayed and they were still there.
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Attended as: | Friends |
Activity Date: | 2017/11/24 |
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Diese Tour fand mit ca. 18 Personen auf einem modernen Katamaran statt. Man befindet sich ca. 45min im Wasser, wobei man neue Neoprenanzüge trägt. Der Trip wurde professionell durchgeführt, es fanden sich neben den Teilnehmern stets 2-3 Sicherheitsschwimmer im Wasser. Wir sahen 5-6 majestische Mantarochen - selten was eindrucksvolleres erlebt. Ich empfehle Mittel gegen Seekrankheit, denn die Tour findet auf offenener See (Wellengang) und bei Dunkelheit statt. Kann diese Tour auf jeden Fall empfehlen.
Thank you for taking the time to review your manta tour. We are happy to hear you enjoyed the experience. Hope to serve you again in the future.
Aloha!
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Attended as: | Couples |
Activity Date: | 2017/11/05 |
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きちんとしたフラダンスショーを見るのは初めてでしたが、踊りも素晴らしくてとても良かったです。ショーの前にはバイキングに出る豚の丸焼きのパフォーマンスや、カメハメハ大王がいかだに乗って登場したり、伝統的な遊びをしたりと楽しめました。
ただ、プランの中に写真撮影も含まれていたはずですが、お金を要求されて20ドルもしたので結局買いませんでした。レイも花ではなくて残念でした。
この度は、ツアーにご参加いただき誠にありがとうございます。
しかしながら、ご満足いただけるサービスを提供できませんでしたこと、心よりお詫び申し上げます。
含まれるものに記載しておりました「写真サービス」は、ショーの合間に写真の撮影をさせていただくというサービスでございましたが、
記載がわかりにくく申し訳ございませんでした。
また、会場ではシェルレイ(貝のレイ)をお渡ししておりますところ、含まれるものに「レイ」とのみ記載しておりましたために、
花のレイを期待され、結果として残念なお気持ちにさせることとなってしまいました。
ご案内に不十分な点がございましたこと、大変申し訳ございませんでした。ツアーページの記載は修正をさせていただきました。
いただいたご意見を真摯に受け止め、催行会社とともに、今後一層のサービス向上に励んでまいります。
お忙しい中、貴重なご投稿を賜りまして、誠にありがとうございました。
VELTRAカスタマーサポートチーム
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Attended as: | Couples |
Activity Date: | 2017/11/19 |
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Frantastic. Trip could not have. Been better well worth the money
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Attended as: | Couples |
Activity Date: | 2017/11/04 |
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Trip was great captain Jon was funny/informative. Chelsea and Rachael were both awesome would definitely book again and look forward to seeing them all soon
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Attended as: | Solo Travelers |
Activity Date: | 2017/11/03 |
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Loved the event and tanner made it fun! They broight drinks and snacks, and we agree with rahguard shirts and a hat are great choices!
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Attended as: | Couples |
Activity Date: | 2017/11/21 |
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My wife and I were celebrating our Honeymoon in Hawaii and were lucky enough to have a full day of entertainment with this tour! The Big Island can require a lot of driving time to get to see the numerous sights it has to offer. The tour we booked provided us with an experience I know we would not have gotten on our own. I cannot speak anymore highly of our awesome Tour Guide Jim Carey (I know and yes he has the same name). He made the whole experience that much more memorable by his genuine appreciation for Hawaiian culture. He was extremely knowledgeable about EVERYTHING which made the tour in depth and interactive. His added commentary was great while visiting the waterfalls and volcano. The day flew by and we were continuously more and more impressed with everything the tour offered. The provided lunch and dinner were both delicious. Every part of the day flowed very well and it was capped off by our last stop back at the volcano to stargaze. We were able to set up the telescope and see the lava erupting in the volcano! I definitely would recommend this tour to anyone and everyone and I can't thank our tour guide enough. Jim made the whole experience 10 times better! Thanks Jim!
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Attended as: | Couples |
Activity Date: | 2017/11/09 |
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After a self-guided drive and tour of the Haleakala volcano in Maui, I decided to let a professional do the drive from Kona to the Kilauea National Park. After reading many of the TRIP ADVISOR reviews (97% excellent), I felt confident this was the tour for my wife and I. It did not disappoint! I hate bus tours because it seems you spend half your day loading and unloading the 50+ passenger buses. Our 11 person tour allowed us to spend much longer times at each wonderful stop with no pressure. Our guide, Kevin Hasting, just said “Come back when you have seen enough.” Fantastic! In addition, Kevin had an encyclopedic knowledge of Hawaiian culture, lifestyle, history, geography, ecology, you name it. He was also an excellent storyteller between stops which made this tour a unique and personal adventure. Lastly, Kevin was so proficient at navigating the Eastern Coast, Hilo area and park that he was somehow able to adjust his routes and timing to avoid the many rain squalls and downpours common to this area. I cannot say enough about how great this tour is. Don’t drive yourself, you will miss so much. One piece of advice. Take some warm clothes with you as it gets cold at night at the high elevations. I carried a light windbreaker jacket, a hoodie, a knit cap and a pair of pullover slacks to put on at night. I ended up giving my hoodie to a fellow passenger to wear who was shivering. The tour does provide emergency blankets and jackets.
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Attended as: | Couples |
Activity Date: | 2017/11/14 |
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My girlfriend broke her ankle trying to go snorkeling so going again was out for us. The next best thing or better even was this tour; Kat, our guide, answered every one of our questions and it was super fun! We saw all kinds of critters and fish and it felt like you were under the waves yourself! Clear and colorful! I’d do it again, and the price was the most reasonable of all the activities we’ve tried so far on the Big Island ;)
Aloha Scott, Glad you had a great time and thank you for such a nice review. Sorry to hear about your girlfriend, hope she is better now...ankles take time healing though!
Mahalo,
jeannie
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Attended as: | Couples |
Activity Date: | 2017/11/17 |
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This was my second trip up to the summit of Mauna Kea for the Sunset & Stargazing Adventure. The drive up this time was smoother than the first, thankfully, and our guide was excellent. You could tell he was well-informed on all the topics he discussed. The catered Hawaiian dinner was very tasty, and in sufficient quantity to satisfy a good appetite. The only drawback this time was that the clock-drive on the telescope was not working, which took away from our ability to look at celestial objects at high magnification. I recommend this trip, and also that the tour company repair their clock drives!
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Attended as: | Friends |
Activity Date: | 2017/11/04 |
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Such a nice way to be greeted! The company called in advance to make sure the flight info was accurate.
Aloha!
Thank you for taking the time to review your lei greeting experience! We hope that this lei greeting was a meaningful kick-start to your Hawaiian vacation. We enjoy making sure that details are always correct so we can making your lei greeting happen. It is wonderful to have learned your greeting went well, and we hope to have the opportunity to serve you again in the future!
Mahalo!
-- Jesse I.
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Attended as: | Couples |
Activity Date: | 2017/10/28 |
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This was one of the best tours ever! The high lite was the star gazing, holy cow was it fantastic!
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Attended as: | Couples |
Activity Date: | 2017/11/14 |
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John was super helpful, never surfed before and rode quite a few waves during the lesson. Very positive, upbeat, and skilled! Had a blast!
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Attended as: | Couples |
Activity Date: | 2017/11/14 |
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We had a great time in our trip. Our guide jeff was fantastic and took the time to make sure everyone had a great night. Highly recommend this trip.
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Attended as: | Couples |
Activity Date: | 2017/11/12 |
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What a wonderful evening. The cruise was great. The crew was extremely attentive and helpful. The live music was excellent. And I enjoyed seeing the sites. I would definitely take this cruise again.
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Attended as: | Couples |
Activity Date: | 2017/11/07 |
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This tour is very informative. You get to see black sand, volcanoes, waterfalls, and more. Our driver/guide was excellent.
There was more walking than indicated on the website, including climbing lots of stairs. Therefore I was not able to see some of the sites. But if you don't have any mobility issues, I recommend this tour.
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Attended as: | Couples |
Activity Date: | 2017/11/06 |
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If you have the opportunity to visit Hawaii and the big island is on your agenda, the tour to the top of Mauna Kea is a must do !! The journey up and down the mountain is exhilarating, the views on the way up, stunning and the views from the top at sunset - unforgettable!!!!
Of course the weather gods can have their say and you could be unlucky.
Very impressed by the capability of our driver Joe who also made our star gazing even more memorable with his explanations and knowledge. You will leave with an impression of how “special” it is to visit the top of Mauna Kea and with an understanding of why the Hawaiian people see it as a place to be treated with respect
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Attended as: | Solo Travelers |
Activity Date: | 2017/11/09 |
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There was 6 people in our party it was all our first time and our captains were amazing. They made us feel safe and secure and made sure we had a great time. Definitely will do it again. We did the early bird and it was a great time to be up there to start the day.
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Attended as: | Families |
Activity Date: | 2017/10/31 |
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My friend had traveled more than 24 hours & was dead-beat weary! Veltra arranged a warm welcome, speedy transport, and safe baggage handling.
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Attended as: | Solo Travelers |
Activity Date: | 2017/10/18 |
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On time and friendly! I love using yoir services because I know that I will be more than satified.
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Attended as: | Friends |
Activity Date: | 2017/10/17 |
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雄大に泳ぐクジラに出会えて、とても感動しました!船の大きさも、人数も多すぎず、少なすぎず、ちょうど良いと思いました。ぜひまた参加したいと思います。
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Attended as: | Solo Travelers |
Activity Date: | 2017/03/02 |
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レンタカーで早めに到着、日焼け止めを塗って準備万端!
それでも、シュノーケルの体制から、ふくらはぎから太もも
の裏がメチャ焼けました。
十数人の参加者の中で、日本人は私たち夫婦のみ
スピードゴムボートで移動し、シュノーケルスポットに到着
透明度も良くお魚もたくさんいました。
お昼にサンドイッチを頂き少し移動、二度目のシュノーケルでしたが、
数百メートル移動しただけなのであまり変化無しでそこは残念でした。
帰りは、数か所波で浸食された場所で止まりキャプテンが説明
もちろん英語で、私たちはチンプンカンプン((+_+))
イルカの群れにも会えドルフィンジャンプに胸キュンでした。
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Attended as: | Couples |
Activity Date: | 2017/10/06 |
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Solo middle aged female traveler arriving at night in the unknown: felt comfortable and safe with the process. Friendly informative driver. Recommend!
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Attended as: | Solo Travelers |
Activity Date: | 2017/10/30 |
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Solo middle aged female traveler: a friendly informative and interesting driver. Ease of requesting and ease of transportation. My only complaint: didn't want to leave Hawaii!!
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Attended as: | Solo Travelers |
Activity Date: | 2017/11/02 |
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Its was a great tour as advertised, Pick up was on time. and Gordon is a good driver, friendly, take good cares of everyone. He and his buddy provided a great service for the entire tour. This is a great tour to take if you are just visiting big island for vacation. We were traveling light, dont want to prepare winter cloth. the tour provides what we need on the mountain. It was one of the best tour we took in big island. definitely will do again~~
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Attended as: | Couples |
Activity Date: | 2017/10/15 |
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Service was excellent. I am disabled with difficulty walking and use a walker. The driver was a great help helping me up the steps at the Royal Sea Cliff Resort where there were inadequate hand rails at the time due to painting. He also carried the suitcase up to reception as well as carrying up the walker. The driver should be commended for his help.
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Attended as: | Couples |
Activity Date: | 2017/11/02 |
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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.
Mahalo for submitting a review of your Sunset Cruise & Night Manta Swim with Kona Ocean Experience! We appreciate hearing that you felt our KOEX crew of dive guide, Steven and Captain Sian, as well as the tour they provided were "amazing"! And pleased that you would recommend our company to others looking to experience a manta ray tour with our company. Mahalo nui!