All Reviews for Japan Hidden Gems: Secret Islands

I was torn between visiting three or four islands, but reducing it to three turned out to be the right choice as it gave us a bit more time. The system of having staff at each destination detach the vouchers was easy to understand, and it felt less restrictive compared to tours that require constant group participation. The lunch was surprisingly delicious, and we were blessed with good weather, making for a fun day. I think it would be quite difficult to manage such an efficient itinerary on my own, so I'm glad I participated.

3島か4島かで迷いましたが、1つ減らした事で時間にややゆとりが生まれ正解でした。行く先々で待つスタッフにバウチャーを切り離して貰うシステムは分かり易く、常にグループ行動を求められるツアーとは違うので拘束感が薄かったのも良かったです。昼食も予想以上に美味しく、天気にも恵まれて楽しい日になりました。個人手配では中々ここまで効率良く周るのは難しいと思われ、参加して良かったです。

On a clear day, the boat to Taketomi Island was smooth, and we arrived in no time. The building near the ferry terminal had restrooms and a shop, so we waited for our glass-bottom boat while browsing for souvenirs.

Boats were continuously arriving, and after waiting for two, the glass-bottom boat departed. We were able to see many fish as we visited several feeding spots. Next was the bus. Since it was a shared ride, we waited at the ferry terminal for another boat to arrive before departing. We strolled along the beach where we could find star sand and headed to the water buffalo cart station located in the center of the village.

At the reception counter of the building, we received instructions on which water buffalo cart to board. We were leisurely pulled through the town, while the person holding the buffalo's reins sang with a sanshin and guided us. After returning to the water buffalo station, we took group photos, individual photos, and received our boarding certificate photo.

I had made a reservation for the boat back to Ishigaki Island when we arrived at Taketomi Island, so I hurried to catch that bus. I regretted not having more free time to explore the laid-back town. It was a bit of a hectic tour, but it became a wonderful memory. (Departure at 1 PM, return at 4 PM)

快晴の中、竹富島までの船は揺れず、あっという間に到着。船乗り場そばの建物内にはトイレと売店等があり、ガラスボートの時間までお土産を見ながら待ってました。
ひっきりなしに船がはいってくるので、2隻待ってからグラスポートは出発。餌付けされている場所を何か所か周り沢山の魚を見ることが出来ました。次はバス。こちらも混乗なので、別の船到着を船乗り場で待ってからの出発。星の砂が見つかる砂浜を散策し、集落の真ん中にある水牛車乗り場へ。建物の受付カウンターへ行き、どの水牛車に乗るかの指示を受けて乗りました。
のんびりと街中を引いてもらい、また水牛の手綱を持つ方が蛇三線で歌を歌って、案内をしてくれました。水牛乗り場へ戻って集合写真、個別写真を撮り、乗車証明写真をもらいました。
石垣島へ戻る船の予約は竹富島に着いた時に指定していたので、そのバスに乗れる様に急いで行動。
のんびりした街中、自由散策時間があれば良かったと反省。ちょっと慌ただしい観光でしたが、とても良い想い出になりました。
(13時発16時戻り)

The plan included a bus tour and a water buffalo cart. I used this service five years ago, and at that time, the tour explanations were thorough and good, so I decided to use it again this time. However, the water buffalo this time was an old one that would stop to urinate and defecate after walking a short distance. During a time-limited tour, we stopped more than ten times, which significantly reduced our free time. Because it was urinating so often, there was little sightseeing commentary, and on top of that, we were subjected to a tone-deaf song that made it hard to tell whose song it was (it should have been a song by Rimi Natsukawa...). I hope they can improve this with a sense of professionalism, as they are providing a service for which they receive payment from customers.

　バス観光と水牛車のプランであった。5年前にも利用し，そのときは観光の説明もしっかりしてくれていてよかったので今回も利用した。しかし，今回の水牛は老牛で少し歩くと立ち止まりおしっこ，うんこをする。時間に制限ある観光をしているところで，一周する途中十回以上立ち止まり自由時間がかなり削られた。おしっこばかりしているため，観光案内は少なく，さらに，誰の歌であったか分からなくなるような調子の外れた歌を聞かせられるというおまけも付いていた。（夏川りみさんの歌であったはずだが・・・）。お客さんからお金をいただいて行っている仕事であるというプロ意識をもって改善してほしい。

I was a bit anxious about the all-day tour starting early in the morning, but thanks to our guide, Mr. Takahashi, I was able to enjoy trekking at a comfortable pace with my fellow tour members while listening to information about Yakushima and an iPhone workshop!
The miso soup and coffee during our breaks were also very delicious!

I think it's possible to go on your own, but having a guide is definitely safer, and you can learn a lot about Yakushima. Next time I go, I want to visit Mount Miyanoura, so I hope to book again then!

早朝から丸一日掛けてのツアーに不安がありましたが、アクティブ高橋さん(笑）のガイドのおかげで、屋久島の事やi-Phone講座に耳を傾けながら同じツアー仲間の方々と程よいペースでのトレッキングを楽しむ事ができました！
(´▽｀)
あ！休憩時の味噌汁とコーヒー等はとっても美味しかったです！

個人で行く事もできると思いましたが、やはりガイドさんがいた方が安全ですし、屋久島の事をたくさん学べると思います。
今度行く時は宮之浦岳に行きたいので、その時はまたお願いします( ^^)

I participated in the water buffalo cart course. I was very healed by the relaxed and calm time. It's a set that includes a water buffalo cart pulled by Ryuu-kun and a round-trip boat ticket, and it's a great value. I think anyone going to Taketomi Island should definitely purchase it!

水牛車コースに参加しました。
ゆったりとした穏やかな時間にとても心癒されました。
水牛の琉くんの引いてくれる水牛車と往復船のチケットのセットですが、コスパ最高です。
竹富島に行かれる方は是非購入すべきだと思いますよぉ〜♪

The weather was unfortunate, but I was glad to be able to relax. Next, I want to join a snorkeling tour.

あいにくの天気でしたが、のんびり出来てよかったです
次は、シュノーケリングツアーに参加したいです。

I chose the option that included a water buffalo cart tour. However, the route for the water buffalo cart was not great. It didn't pass by the birthplace of Anriya Kumaya and just went through the village. While there are wonderful beaches on the island, during the 3-hour stay, we wasted 30 minutes on the water buffalo cart tour and spent unnecessary time on taking commemorative photos and buying pictures. It would have been enough just to take the round trip boat to Taketomi.

オプションで水牛車観光付きを選びました。
この水牛車のルートが今一つでした。
安里屋クマヤの生家を通らず、集落の中を進むだけでした。
島内には素晴らしいビーチがあるものの、滞在時間3時間のうち水牛車観光に30分、記念撮影やら写真を買えやらで無駄な時間を過ごしてしまいました。
竹富に渡る往復の船だけで良かった。

I participated with two friends in the mangrove cruise in Iriomote, a round trip on a water buffalo cart to Yubu Island, and sightseeing by water buffalo cart and bus on Taketomi Island. We were able to efficiently explore the islands. It can be quite challenging to arrange each ticket individually, so I recommend these package tours.

友人と３名で参加、西表のマングローブクルーズ、
由布島への水牛車往復、竹富島での水牛車とバス観光と
離島を効率よく回ることができました。
個人で各チケットを手配するのは大変なので、
こうしたパッケージツアーがお勧めです。

I had a very good experience.
It is also an issue on the participants' side, but I was concerned that the participation of elderly individuals was challenging and affected the overall activities.

非常に良い体験をさせていただきました。
参加者側の問題でもありますが、高齢者の参加には無理があり全体行動に影響が出ているのが、気になりました。

It was unfortunately rainy, but the boat didn't sway as much as I expected. I don't think I could have navigated this efficiently on my own, so I'm glad I participated in the tour! The water buffalo cart was especially great!

あいにくの雨でしたが、船は思ったより揺れませんでした。個人ではこんなにうまく効率よく廻れないと思うので、ツアーで参加者して良かったです！水牛車が特に良かったです！

We participated as a family. We had so much fun that we didn't mind the rain at all. We want to join again next year.

親子で参加しました。雨でもまったく気にならないくらいに楽しめました。また来年も参加したいと思ってます。

I was keeping an eye on the weather forecast, and sure enough, it was pouring rain from the morning. The wind was strong too. I was worried about what would happen, but the large catamaran from Ishigaki Island to Iriomote Island was stable with little rocking. However, I got completely soaked while switching to the cruise ship. The unique roots of the mangroves were hard to see due to the high water levels, but thanks to that, we were able to dock at a pier where we could see the massive Sakishima suou tree, which is said to be 400 to 600 years old! The glass-bottom boat tour was canceled afterward, but instead, we had a tour of Taketomi Island by ox cart, which turned out to be quite nice. The weather improved a bit in the second half, and I was able to enjoy myself.

天気予報を気にしつつ当日に至ったが、やはり朝から大雨。風も強い。どうなるのか心配だったが石垣島から西表島までは大型の双胴船で揺れも少ない。ただその後、クルーズ船に乗り換える間にずぶ濡れ。マングローブの独特の根っこは増水であまりよく見えなかったが、そのお陰で樹齢400年とも600年とも云われるサキシマスオウの大木の見られる船着場に着岸できた！その後のグラスボートは中止になったが、代わりに牛車による竹富島巡りとなりこれはこれで中々良かった。後半はお天気も少し回復し、楽しめた。

During my stay in Ishigaki Island, the weather was bad, so I was planning to make a reservation for Taketomi Island while checking the weather conditions.
1️⃣ I thought the weather would hold up for tomorrow, so in the afternoon of the previous day, I tried to make a web reservation through Veltra, but for some reason, I couldn't book even though there should have been availability. I had no choice but to look at a different brochure and called a travel agency, where I was informed that I needed to make a reservation by noon the day before. I admit it was my oversight, but I think there was insufficient information about the reservation conditions on the Veltra site.
2️⃣ The next day, I visited Taketomi Island in pouring rain. The bus driver's voice was too quiet, and I couldn't hear the explanations about Taketomi Island well. I would have preferred to have something like a cassette tape to listen to properly.
3️⃣ The bus driver on the way back seemed to think it was enough just to drop us off at the terminal, and in the pouring rain, we were left stranded at the terminal, unsure of which boat to take, leaving everyone confused.

However, Taketomi Island had incredibly beautiful scenery. Despite those issues, even with the heavy rain, it didn't leave a bad memory; the wonderful views outweighed everything else, so I'm glad I went. If the weather had been good, it would have been even better!

石垣島滞在中、天気が悪かったので、天気の様子を見ながら、竹富島の予約をしようと思っていました。
1️⃣明日の天気は持ちそうだからと思い、前日午後に、ベルトラのweb予約しようと思ったら、空きがあるはずなのに何故か予約できず。仕方なく、違うパンフレット見て、旅行会社に電話したところ、前日の12時までに予約しないと行けないとの事でした。自分が確認不足だったと言えばそれまでですが、ベルトラサイトからの予約条件の情報が少なかったと思う。
2️⃣その翌日に、土砂降りの雨の中、竹富島見学。バスの運転手の声が小さくて竹富島の説明がよく聞こえない。カセットテープとかでもいいから、きちんと聞きたかった。
3️⃣帰りのバスの運転手は、ただターミナルに連れてくれば良いと思っているらしく、土砂降りの中、ターミナルに置き去りにされて、どの船に乗ればいいのか、みんな迷ってた。

でも、竹富島はとても素晴らしい景色だった。そんな事があっても、大雨でも、嫌な思い出に残らず、あの、素敵な景色の方が上回るくらいなので、行けた事が良かった。天気が良ければ、もっと最高！

Although it was a bit disappointing to experience the water buffalo cart ride in the rain due to bad weather, I was comforted by the cute water buffalo moving at their own pace. I also enjoyed a relaxing time listening to the stories and singing of the guide.

悪天候で雨の中での水牛車体験でちょっと残念でしたが　かわいい水牛さんのマイペースで進む水牛車に癒されました。ガイドのお兄さんの話や歌声にも癒されのんびりした時間楽しめました。

In the half-day course in the afternoon, we toured by glass-bottom boat, bus, and water buffalo cart. It rained quite a bit, but I enjoyed it thanks to the guide's explanations. I think the character of the water buffalo, Tomi, was something special. The self-driving water buffalo cart was quite advanced as well.

午後からの半日コース、グラスボート、バス観光、水牛車で回りました。雨が結構降りましたが、ガイドさんの説明で楽しめました。水牛のトミくんのなんとも言えないキャラクターが良かったと思います。それにしても自動運転水牛車は先進的でした。

The water buffalo walking experience was perfect for families with children. The transportation was smooth, which was great. The cost performance was excellent, and I highly recommend it.

水牛の散歩体験など、子連れにはベストでした。また移動もスムーズでよかったです。
コスパは十分あり、オススメです。

I was worried about taking my elderly mother on the tour, but the staff were kind and we were able to travel smoothly and enjoyably. The weather was bad, and the glass boat was canceled, but they provided an alternative plan, so we didn't have any downtime. My mother said she didn't feel any discomfort at all and had a great time.

高齢の母を連れてのツアーなので心配でしたが、スタッフの方々も親切でスムーズに楽しく旅行できました。天候が悪く、グラスボートが欠航になってしまったのですが、代案に変えてくださったので時間を持て余すこともありませんでした。
母も全く辛くなかったし、とても楽しかったと話しております。

We participated as a family of four. The water buffalo cart (with island songs) and round-trip ferry were great value, and we are grateful for the friendly service. It was our first time in Ishigaki Island, and it became a wonderful memory. I definitely want to recommend this to everyone.

家族4人で参加しました。水牛車(島唄付き)と往復フェリー込みでコスパに優れ、親切な対応に感謝しております。初めての石垣島、良い思い出になりました。是非皆さんにお勧めしたいです。

The price for the water buffalo cart and ferry is surprising! It takes about 10 minutes by bus from the Taketomi Island ferry terminal to reach the center. After that, we enjoyed a ride on the water buffalo cart while listening to the guide's stories and the sounds of the sanshin and singing. I could really feel the guide's love for Taketomi Island, which was nice.

At the end, I was able to take photos of the water buffalo up close, which was very soothing. Everyone was delighted and said they were cute. After that, we had free time and could choose a ferry at 4 PM or 5 PM.

It rained, but it cleared up quickly, and I enjoyed strolling around, seeing the island's plants, vibrant flowers, and butterflies. At Kaiji Beach, I felt liberated from everyday life and was enchanted by the cobalt blue sea. I definitely want to stay next time! Thank you very much!

水牛車とフェリーでこの価格は驚き‼️
竹富島フェリー乗り場からバスで約10分で中心地へ到着。その後水牛車に乗ってガイドさんの話や三線と歌を楽しむ。ガイドさんの竹富島愛が所々に感じ良かったです
最後に水牛の写真もとても近くで撮らせて貰い癒されました。皆、可愛いと大喜びでした。
その後は自由行動で16時か17時のフェリーを選び自由行動。
雨が降ったがすぐ晴れて島の植物、鮮やかな花、蝶を見て散策し、カイジ浜では日常から解放されコバルトブルーの海の色に酔いしれました。次回は是非とも宿泊したいです！
本当に有難うございました。

I thought it would be quite difficult to visit three islands in one day on my own, so I signed up for this tour. At the reception counter, I was given tickets, and I handed them over each time I used the boat, bus, water buffalo cart, or had a meal. While there isn't a dedicated guide, there are people waiting with cards displaying the tour number I was given in advance when I got off the boat or bus, and they let me know what to do next. Following their instructions to get on the vehicles, have meals, and gather at the designated times made it easy to enjoy the experience, even as a solo participant.

個人で3島を1日で回るのはなかなか大変と思い、このツアーに申し込みました。
受付カウンターでチケットを渡され、船・バス・水牛車・食事を利用するたびにチケットを渡していく感じ。専属のガイドがつくわけではありませんが、船やバスを降りれば、事前に教えられたツアー番号のカードを持った方が待っており、次にどうすればよいか教えてくれます。その指示に従って乗り物に乗ったり、食事をしたり、時間になったら集合するだけなので、一人参加でも気軽に楽しめました。

This was my first time visiting the Miyako Islands. I came to visit a friend, but I was able to join a quick tour in between, and I could take some photos, which made for great memories! It was my first time seeing the Milky Way with my own eyes, and I think it was worth the price. It felt like being in a planetarium.

However, if the sky is cloudy, the tour gets canceled, so I would have appreciated getting the cancellation notice a bit earlier. The meeting place is a completely dark area with no lights (which is to be expected), so it's a good idea to have clear markers or bring a flashlight.

はじめて、宮古諸島に来島にしました。
友人訪問が目的で来たのですが、ちょっとした合間にサクッとツアーに参加できて、撮影ができたので、良い思い出になりました☆★
肉眼で天の川が見られたのは、はじめてで値段の割には、良いと思います。
プラネタリウムにいるような感覚です。

ただ、曇り空だとツアー自体が中止になるので、催行の連絡をもう少し早めにいただきたかったです。。
集合場所は、電気もまったくない暗～い場所（当たり前ですが）なので、
わかりやすい目印や懐中電灯を持っていくと良いです。

I'm glad I was able to join an efficient tour that was compact and well-organized due to my short travel period. It felt like a tour that took all the best parts without any waste. The stories from the man handling the water buffalo were interesting.

旅行期間が短いので、ぎゅっと凝縮した効率の良いツアーに参加できて良かったと思います。無駄のないいいとこどりのツアーという感じです。水牛をあやつるおっちゃんのお話が面白かったです。

I used a tour to Taketomi Island. There was a shuttle from the ferry terminal, but the bus was smaller than I expected, and the road was worse than I imagined. Families with children should be careful.

竹富島へのツアーを利用しました。
フェリーターミナルから、送迎がありましたが、バスが思ったやり小さかったのと、想像以上に道が悪路でした。お子様連れは気をつけてください。

I had a full day of fun. It's definitely easier than arranging everything on your own. I can confidently say that it's worth paying for this tour! I highly recommend it!

１日たっぷり遊べました。個人で手配するより断然楽。これだったらお金を払ってもよい！と断言できるツアーでした。おすすめですよ！

I participated with my uncle and aunt, and it became a wonderful memory. I recommended it to my friends! I would like to participate again.

おじさんおばさんで参加しましたが、とてもいい思い出になりました^_^
友人達にもお勧めしました！
また参加したいと思います。

I experienced trekking in Shiratani Unsuikyo during my first visit to Yakushima, and thanks to the guide accompanying us, we were able to hike at a comfortable pace. The guide also provided explanations about the highlights at each point, which made the trekking even more enjoyable.

初めての屋久島観光で白谷雲水峡トレッキングを体験しましたが、ガイド同行のおかげで余裕あるペースで登山できました。またガイドさんから各ポイントで見所について説明があり、よりトレッキングを楽しめました。

I participated with three friends. Unfortunately, as forecasted, the weather was bad with a completely cloudy sky. I received a call saying that the forecast predicted it would clear up after 10 PM, so they changed the schedule and would call again around that time. It really did clear up, and I was surprised that the weather prediction was accurate! I was also amazed by the beautiful starry sky! We were able to take some wonderful photos. Thank you very much!

友人と４人で参加しました。
あいにく予報通り天気が悪く、一面の曇り空でした。
電話を頂き、22時過ぎに晴れてくる予報なのでその時間くらいにまた電話します。と予定変更してくれました。
本当に晴れて来て、天気が当たった事にもビックリ‼️一面の星空にもビックリ‼️
素敵な写真を撮って頂きました。
ありがとうございました❗️

Although it didn't rain, it was cloudy and windy due to the typhoon's influence. Due to our schedule, we went in the afternoon on the day we arrived in Ishigaki Island.

The high-speed boat to Taketomi Island is smaller and tends to sway more, almost bouncing over the waves. It was great that we arrived at Taketomi Island quickly. On the way back, we took a larger boat which was much steadier.

Our first sightseeing activity was a glass-bottom boat. The captain was very experienced and showed us shallow areas where the glass bottom of the boat was almost touching the coral reefs. He was very familiar with the points of interest. As expected, some people had to use the sick bags.

The water buffalo cart moved very slowly, allowing the water buffalo to take the lead on the path, and I was impressed that the cars could pass without scraping on the narrow roads. The island bus tour included stops at places like Hoshizuna Beach, and the guidance was very kind. We were able to experience the sightseeing points of Taketomi Island in a compact manner.

雨こそ降らなかったけれど，台風の影響で曇りで風が強かったです．日程の関係で石垣島到着日の午後に行きました．
竹富島まで行く高速艇は小さいほど揺れます，というか波の上を跳ねていく感じです．竹富島が近くて直ぐに着いてよかったです．帰りは大きめの船で落ち着いていました．
最初の観光はグラスボートでした．船頭さんは非常にベテランで大揺れの船底のガラスに珊瑚礁が当たるすれすれまで浅いところを見せてくれました．ポイントを熟知しておられます．案の定エチケット袋を使うかたが出ました．
水牛車はとてもとてものんびり走行し，水牛に走行路を任せていますが，狭い道を車が擦れないで通るのは感心しました．島内バス観光は星砂の浜などのコースですが親切な案内でした．コンパクトに竹富島の観光ポイントを経験できました．

It's an ambitious course that you can't fully explore in a day, yet somehow time moves slowly. Starting with a mangrove jungle cruise, I was surprisingly relaxed on the water buffalo cart, and cycling on Taketomi Island was refreshing! Each of the three places had a different vibe and atmosphere, and I was very satisfied!

自分では、1日で周りきれない欲張りコースなのに、何故か時間がゆっくり動きます。マングローブのジャングルクルーズから始まり、水牛車には自分でもびっくりするほど癒されて、竹富島ではサイクリングでスカッとしました〜。
3箇所全部違う顔、雰囲気があり大変満足でした！

At first, I thought about going without a guide, but I believe it was the right decision to have one! The guide informed us about pacing, restroom breaks, and rest times in advance, which motivated us with "just a little more to go!" 😊 It was also great that, even when traveling in a group, the guide could take photos of all of us together. The bus was direct, so there was no hassle of transfers, allowing us to relax both going and coming back! I slipped on a rock and injured myself right after we started heading back from seeing Jomon Sugi, but the guide quickly rushed over to help, and even in moments when I felt my spirits dropping, they encouraged me multiple times, making the descent enjoyable!

始めはガイドさんをつけないで行こうかと思っていましたがガイドつけて正解だったと思ってます！
ペース配分、トイレや休憩のタイミングを事前に教えてくれるのであともうちょっと！と励みになりました(^^)
複数で行ってもガイドさんがいたら全員で写真も撮ってもらえるのも良かったです☆
バスも直行だったので乗り換える手間もなく行きも帰りも車内でゆっくり出来ました！
縄文杉を見て折り返しが始まってすぐに岩で足を滑らせて怪我をしてしまいましたが、ガイドさんがすぐに駆け寄ってきてくれたし、テーション下がってしまいそうな場面で何度も声をかけてくれて楽しく下山することが出来ました！