Page 2) Churaumi Aquarium and Sightseeing Bus Tour (from Naha, Ginowan, Chatan and Onna) reviews, Okinawa Main Island tours & activities, fun things to do in Okinawa Main Island | VELTRA

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Churaumi Aquarium and Sightseeing Bus Tour (from Naha, Ginowan, Chatan and Onna)

Overall Rating

4.25 4.25 / 5

Reviews

100 reviews
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It was bad..

Reviewed by: Jasmine from Osaka, 2018/12/30

The tour itself was fine but most people going from Naha have to be ready to waste 2-3 hours picking up people in other areas before actually going to the attractions. (Same with going back home)

The bus driver was rude af and racist towards the foreigners.

At first I thought the guide was fine but then oops nope changed my mind. In the aquarium it was very windy and we had to stop 3 times in random places outside the building to hear her explanation in Japanese so its like wasting 20-30 minutes while having yourself blown by the strong wind.

And when she distributed the ticket, she called in all of the Japanese passengers first by their names and after all the Japanese have their tickets. She gestured to all the foreigners to come to her and get the tickets by ourselves. Which is very rude and racist.

The tour says it will provide english, chinese and korean guides throughout the whole day but none. Only some random english tapes are played and the guide talks in Japanese a lot throughout the day.

And mind you 60% of the people who joined are foreigners and only 20% speaks English. I genuinely feel sorry for the Chinese and Korean who comes to the tour thinking it will provide them with some guides but no.

Also the bus driver, he makes noises from inside the bus every 5 minutes before the departure time at each spot as if reminding us to hurry up. And he talks to the tourguide keep blaming how the "foreigners" are slow blablabla probably thinking "foreigners" don't understand Japanese.

The bus driver is very racist and rude also the whole tour is just okay.

Went by another company the next day and was surprised at how interactive the guide was plus it was 100 times wayyy better.

Rating:
Attended as:Families
Activity Date:2018/12/28
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Very nice experience

Reviewed by: Rainbow, 2018/11/30

Very nice experience~ Suggest all of you to join if you haven't yet planned.

Rating:
Attended as:Families
Activity Date:2015/03/03
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Good for easy access to Churaumi Aquarium

Reviewed by: Alex, 2018/11/20

Positives:
1) Comfortable access to Churaumi Aquarium without worrying about bus connections
2) Friendly and knowledgeable tour guide & bus driver (only in Japanese)
3) Sightseeing places I wouldn't otherwise visit if I were to travel on my own

Negatives:
1) Long pick up & drop offs add an extra 5 hours to my tour experience (I was first on & last off)
2) Some places feel rushed cos other travellers did not keep to the meet up times
3) Old coach so not the best ventilation

Impression: This tour does take the hassle out of using public transportation & brings you to hard to reach places but be prepared to be waiting around for other people & to be transported around in a stuffy old coach.

Advice: 1) Give yourself plenty of time - a full day for the tour. 2) Do this tour during Spring or Autumn (cooler months).

Rating:
Attended as:Solo Travelers
Activity Date:2018/11/02
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Very beautiful Trip !!

Reviewed by: Thomas, 2018/11/12

i attended this bus tour as solo traveller and i enjoyed it very much. it was very informative and the Churaumi Aquarium is breathtaking !! Yui (i think that was her name) was even singing original okinawan songs for us in the bus during the drive. a really nice daytrip worth the money it costs !!

Rating:
Attended as:Solo Travelers
Activity Date:2018/11/10
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Very Good

Reviewed by: Ida, 2018/11/06

Everything worked well. The guide didnt speak any english. It didnt matter though. The tour was nice. Kids liked it very much

Rating:
Attended as:Families with Young Children
Activity Date:2018/11/02
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Pros and cons

Reviewed by: Pros and cons review, 2018/11/04

Pros: we did not have to rent a car. Aquarium was outstanding.
Cons: Because the bus stopped at a some six hotels along the coast to pick up and drop off passengers it took about 4 hours to travel from the aquarium back to our hotel at 8:00pm.

Rating:
Attended as:Couples
Activity Date:2018/11/02
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Good

Reviewed by: Loseinjp, 2018/10/10

Good trip! But poor lunch! It would be better if your staff can speak some english.

Rating:
Attended as:Couples
Activity Date:2018/10/08
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The bus tour

Reviewed by: Justin , 2018/07/22

Try to spend more time at the Pineapple stop.
Kind Regards

Rating:
Attended as:Families with Young Children
Activity Date:2018/07/20
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Awesome trip to Churaumi Aquarium and other sites!

Reviewed by: Rock Family, 2018/06/27

We are a Family traveling with two young kids. We had a great time going from site to site and then finally to the Aquarium. Pineapple Park and the Butterfly Garden were both hits with the kids. Aquarium was incredible.

Tour guide speaks Japanese only. Guide ensures non-Japanese speakers have audio guides. Audio guides are okay.

Rating:
Attended as:Families with Young Children
Activity Date:2018/06/24
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There was no English language in record. But everything was ok.

Reviewed by: Aleksandr, 2018/06/18

)))))))))))))))))))))))))))))))))))))))))))))))))))))))))))))))

  • We were not alone)))

Rating:
Attended as:Couples
Activity Date:2018/06/16
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See a lot in one day

Reviewed by: Michelle Meas, 2018/06/11

This tour was really good for visiting many places in one day at a really inexpensive price. I went to four really interesting spots.
While there was an English audio guide on the bus, it wasn't that good and the actual guide doesn't speak English. Which is fine because you don't necessarily need that because most of the location had employees that do speak some English. Also the tour guide sang a few, what I assume, traditional Ryukyu songs.
I wish I had more time in some places and less in others, but like I said for the price it can't be beat. Just be prepared for a long bus ride.

Rating:
Attended as:Solo Travelers
Activity Date:2018/06/09
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Fun time, bring your own snacks

Reviewed by: Kelly, 2018/05/18

The Good:
Overall a very good time, had lots of fun at all 3 attractions, though I would have loved more time to spend at the Charaumi Aquarium.

I really do recommend the butterfly garden--even if you can't book this tour, that was a really lovely experience, would have loved to spend more time there as well.

Despite the "English Audio" label, neither tour guide or driver could really speak or understand English, but the trip still went really smoothly despite that. I think I missed some extra info (like special highlights of the area, or feeding times for the animals), but the tour guide was really nice, and really tried to be helpful despite the language gap.

The Bad:
My trip started at 8AM when the bus picked me up and ended at 6PM, and while the trip hit 4 different gift stores, they mainly sell a wide variety of sweets. Lunch wound up being a bowl of ramen soup--tasty, but it's not enough to cover breakfast and dinner together.

I didn't like the final gift store that was part of the "free little gift" package, where we got a free cookie with any other purchase, because by the end of the day I was ready for my hotel and real food. However--and I'm assuming the tour company was getting a kick-back from the store--we were parked there for 30 minutes, and after 10 minutes 90% of the group was sitting on the bus waiting to leave.

I realize "dumping tourists in a gift-store" is a common business practice, but when you're inconveniencing and irritating most of your guests, you should probably stop it.

Rating:
Attended as:Solo Travelers
Activity Date:2018/04/22
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Very good value!

Reviewed by: Anita, 2018/05/14

This was the perfect tour to see many sites in northern Okinawa esp since we did not rent a car. It is very good value for your money. The time spent at the pineapple park is a bit short but sufficient to see the gift shop. We have seen the dole plantation so was ok with the time.

Rating:
Attended as:Families
Activity Date:2018/05/11
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Great tour

Reviewed by: Leo, 2018/03/25

This tour was great for accomplishing a lot in one day. The free food was of good quality and there are many chances to get souvenirs. It's a great deal since travelling in Okinawa can be quite complicated and expensive, especially since the bus routes aren't available on Google Maps. This tour was good compared to others because you have 3 hours to explore the aquarium and its surrounding attractions; any less and you'd be in a rush. The tour guide was also very kind and did some great singing of Okinawan songs! The tour is in Japanese with English audio guides; if you are learning Japanese and want to try and listen to the Japanese explanations, the language was quite complicated, so I recommend the audio guide as a backup.

Rating:
Attended as:Friends
Activity Date:2018/03/23
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The tour was great and the price was worth it!

Reviewed by: Eleonor, 2018/03/24

For just under $50, the tour included the bus ride-round-trip, the tickets for Pineapple Park, Butterfly Garden, Churami Aquarium, and the souvenir shop that is quite cheap (plus they give you a coupon). It was really worth it and they give you adequate time to see the attractions!

Rating:
Attended as:Friends
Activity Date:2018/03/20
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Quick and convenient

Reviewed by: Yury Zuenko, 2018/02/12

The Rado tour to Shurami aquarium is quite convenient by its time, price, and organization. We were a bit hurry in each place, but as the result we returned back in the best time. The guides were charming, although they spoke in Japanese only.

Unfortunately, pick-up from southern Naha (airport, Oroku station) was not possible - it was not convenient for us.

Rating:
Attended as:Couples
Activity Date:2018/02/08
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Family tour at Aquarium

Reviewed by: Lee, 2017/12/19

Our family enjoy the visit at Churaumi Aquarium and after the Pineapple park, we even received a surprise gift of pineapple ice cream and it taste very delicious

Rating:
Attended as:Families
Activity Date:2017/12/14
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It was ok

Reviewed by: Pedro, 2017/12/02

Good value for money but the guides spoke no english so that was weird.

Rating:
Attended as:Solo Travelers
Activity Date:2017/11/29
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Great Experience, Great Value

Reviewed by: anonymous, 2017/12/01

Total price includes lunch and entrance fees so you don't have to worry about anything. Was also nice enough to drop us off anywhere we wanted

Rating:
Attended as:Friends
Activity Date:2017/11/29
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Amazing experience

Reviewed by: Ateev, 2017/12/01

Value for money. You can get the whole trip for so cheap

Rating:
Attended as:Friends
Activity Date:2017/11/29
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Okinawa Tour

Reviewed by: Justin, 2017/11/29

Had an awesome time even though we barely speak Japanese. Very good value!

Rating:
Attended as:Friends
Activity Date:2017/11/27
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Convenient for Hotel Transit

Reviewed by: Terence, 2017/11/18

Apart from the Aquarium, the pineapple and butterfly gardens are disappointing.
Audio guide requested but not provided.
Save time & money for hotel transit from Onna to Naha.

Rating:
Attended as:Couples
Activity Date:2017/11/09
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Great experience!

Reviewed by: Cezie, 2017/11/16

This was our first time to use veltra and I was a bit nervous what will be our tour like. I am happy to say IT WAS AWESOME!!! The tour guide and the bus driver was really nice. My daughter and I was very happy to the experience and I am already planning to book for our another VELTRA tour. I hope our next tour will be as good as this one.

Rating:
Attended as:Families with Young Children
Activity Date:2017/11/14
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Nice tour

Reviewed by: Frankie, 2017/11/03

Covers several interesting sites plus aquarium, great for. first rime visitors, enjoyed very much, hotel pickup is heloful.

Rating:
Attended as:Friends
Activity Date:2017/11/01
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Made Northern Okinawa Accessible!

Reviewed by: Allen, 2017/10/25

We were in Chatan for diving and a typhoon prevented our plans! The aquarium and other sights sounded so good but we hadn't prepared to rent a car, and thought it was going to not happen...

Fortunately this tour allowed us to see the sights and aquarium in a single day at a reasonable cost. Many more things were provided in the package than expected! The staff was friendly, and everything went off without a hitch.

A note, the tour will be focused on the primary language of the participants, and instructions and timelines are provided in several languages. The language practice was very good though, the tour program reviewed local names, crops, and history.
Our tour guide even went as far to sing a couple folk songs!

A good way to pack a day full of activities.

  • Butterflies!

Rating:
Attended as:Couples
Activity Date:2017/10/23
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A super bargain for a super place

Reviewed by: Still Just Jerry, 2017/10/17

The tour guide spoke entirely in Japanese so if you are an English speaker, don't expect much from the running commentary. But the trip through the less populated areas of the island, the views from the windows, all were very good. The cost of the entire trip was less than bus fare round trip, and included a couple of interesting side trips. The pineapple farm was pretty, smelled good, and was loaded with interesting gift shops. The butterfly exhibit, where we were provided a simple Soba noodle lunch, was unexpectedly pleasant. Though getting older and a bit run down, the butterflies were gorgeous. I am sure you will read lots about Churaumi elsewhere. Just understand the the pictures I took of the whale shark are the most impressive to all my friends. It is beautiful, and the design of the tank puts him right above you when he swoops by.

You will find yourself wanting to go back, as the 3 hours passes by very quickly. A great tour for a great price. A day well spent!

Rating:
Attended as:Couples
Activity Date:2017/09/22
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Cost Efficient Way to Visit the Aquarium and more

Reviewed by: Victoria L, 2017/10/15

The tour was very punctual and the tour guide was very nice and professional. She even gave out some treats during the long ride between destinations. Overall, great value and comfortable ride to and back from the aquarium. It's a much longer journey time-wise due to the multiple stops to pick up additional customers, but if you're looking for a cost-efficient way to visit the aquarium, this one-day tour is a great option to consider, especially taking into account how many other additional sites are included.

  • Bus driver placing the sign indicating departure time.

  • Admission to aquarium is included in the tour price.

Rating:
Attended as:Solo Travelers
Activity Date:2017/09/24
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Efficient tour with plenty of time at Aquarium

Reviewed by: Lindsay , 2017/10/10

The tour went smoothly and they didn't waste too much time at the lesser sights (pineapple park and butterfly garden). There was plenty of time at the aquarium, which is the highlight of the tour. The traffic coming back was pretty bad so the drop off time was later than expected.

Rating:
Attended as:Friends
Activity Date:2017/10/08
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Great way to see the area and the amazing aquarium

Reviewed by: Janine, 2017/09/20

Booking this trip was really easy and the coach arrived right on time. The lady who was our guide apologised for not being able to speak English but managed to pass on all relevant details without a problem. She was very polite, attentive and friendly.
To make up for not being able to understand the guides commentary we were issued with a personal headset to listen to information. However, I found this frustrating as despite the guide giving an almost constant narrative as we went along we only got a couple of sound bites, most of which were adverts for the goods being sold at the stops. It was also difficult to hear over the guides microphone so we missed some of the information. I feel it was a lost opportunity for me to learn more about where we were.
As is usual with this kind of trip you don't get nearly enough time at each of the stops and I felt if we'd not bothered with the butterfly place and gift shop and used the time else where it would have been better. However the route we took meant you got to see quite a bit of the coast and a bit of countryside which was very nice.
However, the aquarium is the best I've ever seen and the large tank is totally awesome!

Rating:
Attended as:Couples
Activity Date:2017/09/18
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Aquarium Bus Trip

Reviewed by: VFB, 2017/08/26

Very convenient way to see the Okinawa Aquarium from the Kadena area. The Nago Pineapple stop was a pleasant surprise. Well organized and a good value.

Rating:
Attended as:Couples
Activity Date:2017/08/05
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