All Reviews for Japan Hidden Gems: Secret Islands

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！

It's a shame the weather wasn't clear. I was healed by the cuteness of the water buffalo. The golden chrysalis was surprising! It was impressive.

お天気がカラッととはいかなかったのが残念。水牛の可愛さに癒されました。金色のサナギが驚き‼️印象的でした。

The staff's prompt and friendly service.
Although it was a short time, it was an experience of island time.
Since it was a whirlwind trip, this kind of relaxed time was perfect for us.

スタッフの迅速で親切な対応。
短い時間でしたが、島国時間の体験。
弾丸旅行だったので、こんなのんびりした時間が私たちにはピッタリでした。

It was a very fulfilling tour where I could feel the atmosphere of each island! I was a bit disappointed that the meal was a bento, but there were plenty of highlights to see!

島それぞれの雰囲気を感じることができ、とても充実したツアーでした！
食事はお弁当なので、少しガッカリでしたが、見所満載でした！

The water buffalo can hold about 20 people, so depending on your seat, you might not be able to hear the guide's explanations at all. If you're sitting towards the back, you won't even feel like you're riding the water buffalo. I wanted to take a photo while riding, but it was impossible.

水牛は、20人くらい乗れるので
席によっては全然ガイドさんの説明が聞けない
後ろの方は水牛に乗ってる感じもしない。
乗ってるところの写真を撮りたかったけど無理でした

I used this for a family trip. The locals were warm, and I had a great experience. I was very satisfied to buy pineapples cheaply on Yufu Island.

家族旅行で利用しました。
現地の皆さんも温かく、良い経験ができました。
由布島でパイナップルを安く買えて大満足です。

There were some negative reviews, which made me a bit worried, but in reality, it wasn't like that at all. The staff were very pleasant!

However, riding the bicycle can be quite tiring (^^; There are many sandy areas that can get your tires stuck! I wonder if an electric bike or a water buffalo would have been better (´ω`；).

口コミに悪い意見もあり
少し心配していましたが
実際はそんなことなく
スタッフの方々も感じが良かったです！

ただ自転車結構疲れます(^^;
砂地が多くタイヤとられます！
電動や水牛の方が
よかったのかな〜とは
思いました(´ω`；)

I was able to smoothly enjoy the island-hopping tour. During the bus ride from Iriomote Island to the water buffalo cart boarding area, the driver's unique commentary was great, and the staff with the water buffalo cart entertained us with folk songs, making the trip enjoyable. Renting a bicycle to explore Taketomi Island allowed me to take it easy and go at my own pace, which was wonderful.

3島巡りをスムーズに観光する事が出来ました。
西表島から水牛車乗り場へのバス移動の際、運転手さんのユニークな案内も良かったし、水牛車の係りの方も民謡を聞かせてくださり、旅を盛り上げて頂き楽しく過ごす事ができました。
自転車を借りて竹富島巡りはのんびりと自分のペースで過ごせて良かったです。

Since I was traveling with my elderly grandparents, I was looking for a tour-type island-hopping experience rather than going individually. I was able to enjoy Taketomi Island, which I was most looking forward to, and I was also satisfied with visiting Iriomote Island and Yubu Island together. The weather wasn't very good, but the mangrove cruise and the water buffalo were impressive. While I can't say it was completely relaxing, I was able to spend a fulfilling day at a relatively leisurely pace. I'm glad I allocated a longer time for Taketomi Island.

高齢の祖父母も一緒の旅行でしたので、個人ではなくツアータイプの離島めぐりを探していました。
一番期待していた竹富島も楽しめましたし、西表島と由布島も一緒に行けて満足できました。
天候はあまりよくなかったのですが、マングローブクルーズと水牛が印象的でした。
のんびりゆっくり…とは言い切れませんが、それなりにゆっくりしながら充実した一日を過ごせました。竹富島は長めの時間にしておいてよかったです。

I’m not good at deciding on courses myself, so I decided to ask for help here.

Everything went smoothly and on time, and I was able to enjoy myself without any worries like, “Is this the right destination?”

The bus driver on Iriomote Island was the best. The lunch on Yubu Island was delicious. On Taketomi Island, I chose the bus tour and water buffalo ride. There were times when I thought, “Wait, we’re leaving already? I want to stay here a little longer…” but it was a great day packed into about 9 hours.

I definitely want to ask for help again!

自分でコースを決めるのが苦手なので、こちらでお願いすることにしました。

時間通りに、スムーズに活動でき、「行き先はここかな？」等という不安なく、安心して楽しむことができました。

西表島のバスの運転手さん、最高でした。由布島のランチ、美味しかったです。竹富島では、バス観光&水牛を選択しました。え？もう出発？もう少しここにいたいな…という時もありましたが、約9時間の中に、ぎゅぎゅっと詰まった良い１日でした。

是非またお願いしたいと思います！

Although the weather was bad with rain and winds at 10 m/s, the boat ride was smooth and there were no issues. I was able to closely observe the mangroves unique to the Yaeyama Islands from a well-equipped boat designed for rain protection. The tour included a water buffalo cart ride to Yubu Island, a scene familiar from television, and it was enjoyable as a guest. On Yubu Island, the sight of the largest butterfly in Japan, the Papilio garamas, fluttering around was elegant and beautiful! The mangrove walking path is also well-maintained.

On Taketomi Island, I leisurely enjoyed my time exploring the Okinawan village by water buffalo cart and on foot. I returned to Ishigaki Island at 4:15 PM and took a photo with Yoshitaka Gushiken—what a thrill! The popular tour had a well-organized schedule, which was reassuring. It was unfortunate about the unpredictable weather. Lunch was somewhat disappointing compared to the delicious meal from the previous day. It would have been perfect if there had been more choices.

雨混じりで１０ｍ風速で悪天候であったが、ボートでの移動も揺れ少なく、
問題なかった。八重山諸島特有のマングローブも雨対策の完備したボートで
近くで観察できた。テレビでお馴染みの由布島への水牛車風景巡りであったが
お客主賓で楽しかった。由布島では日本で最も大きい蝶、オオゴマダラが飛び交う姿は、優雅で美しい！マングローブ遊歩道も整備されている。
竹富島では沖縄集落を水牛車と徒歩散策でゆったり時間を楽しんだ。
石垣島へ帰ったのが4時15分、具志堅用高と写真を撮り万歳！
人気のあるツアーで手慣れたスケジュールは安心できる。
天候不順は残念。昼食は前日美味しい食事だったので、やや不満足でした。
もっとチョイスが出来れば満点。

The weather wasn't very good, which was disappointing, but it was an easy tour. I would like to try going in the summer next time. I want to choose a plan with a bit more activities next time.

天気があまり良くなく残念なところもあったが手軽なツアーでした。次回は夏に行ってみたい。次回はもう少しアクティビティーの高いプランを選んでみたい

We came to Yakushima for a 3-night, 4-day trip with 7 members who had previously gone mountain climbing together. The group consists of members in their 50s, 60s, 70s, and the eldest is 79 years old. There was a strong desire among the members to visit Yakushima for the last time in their lives, which led to the planning of this tour. With both first-timers and those who had visited 2 or 3 times, we struggled to decide on a destination and ended up signing up for a one-day island tour of Yakushima.

We were surprised when the guide came to pick us up at the guesthouse. A foreign guide in Japan?? However, they provided attentive service and offered fascinating explanations about the mangrove trees that grow in seawater, the rare species, the beach where sea turtles lay their eggs, and we walked through the woods in light rain to see the thousand-year-old cedar at Shiratani Unsuikyo, where we had lunch. The Yakushima macaques, which are not afraid of humans, and the slightly smaller Yakushima deer were also introduced to us. Everyone thoroughly enjoyed their first experience in Yakushima. Finally, we soaked in the ocean hot spring, creating wonderful memories.

私たちは以前に山登りをやっていたメンバー7名3泊4日で屋久島へ来ました。
79歳を筆頭に、70代・60代・50代のメンバーです。メンバーの中からどうしても人生最後に屋久島に行きたいと言う声が上がり企画したツアーでした。初めての方、2・3回目の方の参加で行く場所に悩み屋久島の1日島内観光ツアー
に申し込みました。最初民宿に迎えに来られたガイドさんに驚きました。日本で外人のガイドさん？？とでも細やかな対応で、興味深い説明、海水で育つマングローブの樹と珍しい種、ウミガメが産卵する浜、小雨の中、木々の中を歩いて千年杉まで行き昼食を食べた白谷雲水峡、人間を怖がらない屋久さる、少し小さい屋久鹿、説明を交えて案内して下さいました。みんなが初めての屋久島を堪能しました。最後に海中温泉に入り、とてもいい思い出が出来ました。

I thought it would be a tough day since it was a tour of Mishima, but I was able to enjoy it leisurely! Even though it was just one day, it turned out to be a meaningful day with so much to see.

三島巡りだったのでハードだと思いましたがゆったりと満喫できました！一日でありますがこれだけ回れ有意義な日になりました。

The weather was great on the day of the trip, making it a wonderful journey. The shuttle service was shared with other groups, but the staff was efficient, and I had no complaints. The tour started and ended in Ishigaki Island, visiting Iriomote Island, Yufu Island, and Taketomi Island, and it had a well-organized schedule that allowed us to fully enjoy the islands. If I had gone on my own, I wouldn't have been able to cover so much in one day. I look forward to using Veltra again for my next enjoyable trip.

当日は天気が良く素晴らしい旅になりました。
送迎はほかの団体客と同乗でしたが担当者さんはキビキビしていて別段不満はなかったです。
石垣島発着で西表島、由布島、竹富島を周遊するツアーでしたが、ツアーならではの無駄のないスケジュールで離島を満喫しました。
個人で行ったらこんなに効率的に回れず１日で周るのは無理でした。
また次回もベルトラを利用して楽しい旅をしたいと思います。

I participated with two friends.
Since the moon wasn't out, the Milky Way looked really beautiful!
I also had the optional wings drawn, and I absolutely love them!!

友達と3名で参加しました。
月も出ていなかったのでとてもキレイな天の川が写りました！
オプションの羽も描いてもらって、すごくお気に入りです!!