Disappointed... no sunset, no seafood, no snorkeling
If I had known what this tour would be like, I don't think I would have booked it.
Granted, part of the disappointment is the weather (cool, gray, and cloudy... and no chance to see sunset.) They can't control that.
However, they DID have the power to do some things better. For example, as a solo traveler, I book tours like this assuming I will have a secure place to put my belongings (phone, wallet, etc) while I snorkel. This was not the case, which means the only way I could snorkel would be if I had some sort of waterproof bag to take in the water with me. Wish this had been communicated. Also, they advertised that it was going to be grilled seafood for dinner. As a pescatarian, I was fine with this... but I am not okay with eating the chicken they are serving instead, and I didn't even get a chance to request a vegetarian meal because I was never informed they would be serving chicken instead of seafood. So... this tour so far includes no seafood, no sunset, and no chance for me to snorkel. The only good thing I can say is that the guides are friendly and do their jobs well, so that's why I am giving a 2 instead of 1 rating for this review.
I am writing this as I sit waiting 1 hour for them to cook a different meal than what was advertised, under the cold cloudy sky, with no way to snorkel or do much of anything on PakBia island.
事業者からの返答
We appreciate your feedback and are sorry to hear your tour didn't meet your expectations. We'll address the issues you raised regarding storage for belongings during snorkeling and the advertised seafood dinner. We'll also review our communication process to ensure accurate information is provided to our guests. We're glad you found our guides friendly and will work to improve the overall experience.
L
Lisa_B
January 4, 2025 · via Viator
Must-do amazing experience. Skip the plankton tours that don’t let you swim/snorkel. This one is amazing!
Has to have been on of the best tours we’ve been on. The first parts of the tour were good with beautiful lagoon and beaches to swim/snorkel/sunbathe and then a tasty bbq dinner on the beach.
The absolute highlight was the snorkeling with bioluminescent plankton. They do not glow unless you agitate the water a little, so the tours that only kayak wouldn’t be able to appreciate as much. The water is quite warm despite the late hour. Once you’re in the water, just move your arms and the plankton glow and it is so cool. It’s like magical special effects in Disney! We had ample time to enjoy before heading back.
G
GoPlaces64212210245
March 22, 2024 · via Tripadvisor
Great day out.
Hong island is beautiful but unfortunately there were many jellyfish so we could not go in the sea to snorkel after my husband was stung.
Climbed the stairs for a spectacular view.
Boat trip well organised and. Host was very courteous and knowledgeable.
Barbecue was lovely.
Sunset view was beautiful.
Would recommend.
事業者からの返答
Dear GoPlaces64212210245
Thank you so much for your review! We're thrilled you enjoyed the Hong Island trip, especially the spectacular view, boat trip, courteous host, delicious barbecue, and beautiful sunset. We understand the jellyfish encounter in the sea was unfortunate, and apologize for any inconvenience it caused.
We are always looking for ways to improve our guests' experience. Your feedback helps!
V
Vaso_L
February 12, 2024 · via Viator
Ok but disorganised
The guide himself and the actual places were really nice, but quite disorganized. We were picked up from the hotel 1 hr later, we couldn’t swim or snorkel at the Hong island or go into the lagoon because of the low tide (which is almost same timing every day, so they knew about it). The bbq is just some food served, so don’t expect to sit around a bbq and watch the sunset. You can watch the sunset only from the boat for a while. The boat is quite packed as well, so hard to stand up and take photos etc.
事業者からの返答
Dear Vaso_L
Thank you for taking the time to share your feedback on your recent tour with us. We sincerely appreciate your kind words about our guide and the beauty of the locations visited.
We understand your concerns regarding the disorganization and the limitations encountered during your tour. Please accept our apologies for the late pick-up and the inability to swim or snorkel at Hong Island due to the low tide. While we cannot predict natural phenomena like tides, we strive to plan our tours with awareness of such factors and communicate potential limitations clearly to our guests.
We acknowledge your feedback regarding the BBQ experience and the crowded boat. We are continuously working to improve our offerings and ensure a comfortable and enjoyable experience for all our guests. We will take your comments on board as we assess and optimize our tours.
We value your feedback and hope you will consider giving us another chance to showcase the beauty of this destination and deliver a tour that meets your expectations. Please feel free to contact us directly if you have any further questions or concerns.
C
Charlotte_G
January 15, 2024 · via Viator
Great trip
Really enjoyed this trip - lots of beautiful views and good snorkelling. Would have liked a bit longer on Hong Island itself which was beautiful & amazingly quiet for peak season. By far our best bit though was snorkelling with bioluminescent plankton at the end! Loved it!
事業者からの返答
Dear Charlotte_G
We're so thrilled you enjoyed the highlights of your trip, especially the bioluminescent plankton swim! We appreciate your feedback about Hong Island, and we'll consider ways to optimize stop times in the future. Thanks for choosing us!
P
Prasil C
March 12, 2023 · via Tripadvisor
Relaxing and fun!
Compared to other tours, this is more relaxing. The only disappointing part was the bioluminescent part as it was quite hard to see. But still, it was a fun experience and I recommend it.
事業者からの返答
Dear Prasil C
Thanks for joining the real special trip to Hong Island including sunset and bioluminescent plankton swim - of course the later depends on the day and moon.
J
Julie_M
January 18, 2023 · via Viator
Great Tour on Hong Island!
We felt the tour was well organized, there were plenty of staff to accompany us on the trip. We were fortunate during the sunset tour that there were only a couple of longtail boats at Hong and we ended up being the only ones on Pakbia for dinner!
Pickup & drop off at our hotel was prompt.
Our guide A.J. was knowledgeable and spoke English well (although he apologized for his lack of English).
They allowed us plenty of time for photo opportunities on the long tail boat in the lagoon and even offered to take photos of us on the beach.
The buffet dinner on Pakbia Island was plentiful and offered grilled shrimp, fish, chicken, spring rolls, rice, corn plus fruits for dessert with water and pop to drink. It was really nice to see the sunset there.
We were really tired afterwards and could've done without the bioluminescent plankton part of the tour. We didn't get into the water, so they dumped buckets onto the longtail boat so we could see the plankton glow. It's not as spectacular as the photo depicted in the brochure, nevertheless, still cool.
Personally I feel this part could be done as a separate tour, since most of us were underwhelmed by the plankton.
This said, everything else was great and absolutely worth every penny.
事業者からの返答
Dear Julie_M
Thanks for your review, we are super delighted that you enjoyed the sunset on Hong Island. On some days the glowing plankton cannot be seen very well. You should choose darker nights with a new moon - that is the best time to see it.