App hard to use- glitchy
Having used an older audio tour last time I visited the Island of Hawaii many years ago I had high expectations. This app was glitchy, missed narrations that should have been on the road. When it did work the directions and explanations were good and helpful but I could see by the app when we stopped that it did not activate and speak when in some locations and by then we were long past the area where it would have been relevant.
Show more
Lost Without This!
This self audio tour guided us in the right direction in Kona, HI. We purchased the 5 audio tours. Fully informative and music every drive of the way! Works offline when we didn’t have any cellular service but make sure to download the tours before you drive off! Get you a rental car and save you some $$$$ Worth the purchase!
Show more
Fun way to tour
This guide made exploring easier & fun. Good stories, good directions, and great recommendations.
Talking story
This is a must have app while on Hawaii. Such good stories and interesting information. The kids loved it! Only suggestion I would make is a “free for all” version. What I mean by that is rather than predetermined routes just have it give information as you drive on your routes.
Shaka tours
I recommend anyone visiting the Hawaii islands to download the Shaka Tours. Better than bus tours because you can do it on your time. They are informative and entertaining. I’ve never been disappointed.
Super fun, could be better
We loved using this for our drives around the big island! Tons of good factoids and stories to fill the time while you drive for hours while exploring this amazing place. The only reason we did not give 5 stars are:
1. We really needed the speed limits posted in the app like google maps does. There are so many changes that happen quickly if you are trying to switch between the 2 it gets overwhelming and conflicting directions got us mixed up a few times.
2. The music is much louder than the narration so we had to adjust our volume back and forth a lot. If it was a bit quieter setting that the talking that would have been perfect.
3. Sometimes the directions would be exactly at the point where you were supposed to turn so we missed at least 5 where we had to do a turn around and go back. And then sometimes the directions would be very far out so we would slow down way too early. The map was very helpful but if we lost service it wouldn’t always put us in the right location for the narrator to be correct.
Other than those things we greatly enjoyed our Shaka guide and are excited to try it on another island!!
1. We really needed the speed limits posted in the app like google maps does. There are so many changes that happen quickly if you are trying to switch between the 2 it gets overwhelming and conflicting directions got us mixed up a few times.
2. The music is much louder than the narration so we had to adjust our volume back and forth a lot. If it was a bit quieter setting that the talking that would have been perfect.
3. Sometimes the directions would be exactly at the point where you were supposed to turn so we missed at least 5 where we had to do a turn around and go back. And then sometimes the directions would be very far out so we would slow down way too early. The map was very helpful but if we lost service it wouldn’t always put us in the right location for the narrator to be correct.
Other than those things we greatly enjoyed our Shaka guide and are excited to try it on another island!!
Show more
Response from developer
Aloha! We're so stoked to hear you loved cruising around, soaking up all those factoids and stories! We truly appreciate you sharing the things that could make your experience even smoother. The thing is, to keep our tours working seamlessly offline so you can explore every nook and cranny without needing a constant internet connection, adding real-time speed limits isn't something we can do at the moment. We want to make sure you're free to roam! And mahalo for pointing out the music and narration volume balance! Our ʻohana is actually diving into that right now. We also hear you on the direction timing and those moments when service gets a little spotty. Mahalo nui loa for taking the time to share these feedback.
LOVE this Guide!
We used the Shaka guide in Maui for the Road to Hana 8 years ago and loved it. So we decided to try it again for the Big Island. We did the North island jungle loop tour today. It was so informative, easy to follow, and we all loved it. Even my impossible to please 16 year old daughter mentioned how cool it is- she was so into it, and was listening to every word and wanted to stop at all the stops. It was a great guide, we had a great day! Can’t recommend this enough. I bought the BI package, and we will be using the other tours this trip as well.
Show more
Big Island South Tour
Great!
Response from developer
Mahalo nui for adventuring with us and for becoming a part of our extended 'ohana. We hope to welcome you back to our beautiful islands again soon! 🤙
great app but…
Overall the tours are awesome and we would definitely use this again. But the app doesn’t work well with apple car play. The map on your screen doesn’t track like on your phone.
Perfect for first timers!
We used this app for our trip to the Big Island and loved it. The directions and storytelling were amazing, and we could stop whenever we wanted, for as long as we wanted. Much better than a typical group tour where you make designated stops, and usually end up waiting on that one couple who is always late to return to the tour bus. We skipped some of the stops and spent quite a while at others. This was perfect.. Highly recommend!
Show more
Spotty Audio
I had problems with the audio reconnecting to my speaker when I got out of the car to see the sights. I also thought there should have been more music or talking instead of so much silence. I also feel the content was out of date. It was just ok. Not worth what I paid for it in my opinion.
Highly Recommended
I would recommend everyone use the Shaka guide for navigating Volcanoes National Park. It’s so helpful and informative, and it made our visit truly exceptional.
Get This!
Definitely worth it, it was the best investment for our Hawaii trip. We used the Big Island and Oahu. Both were great , very informative and extremely useful. Will definitely use the others on future visits.
Best Travel Guide App Ever
If I could give this review 10 stars I would. This guided driving tour app was just awesome. We did the package of 5 tours on the Big Island and did them all. There will be a little repeat of some stories if you do all five, but as a history lover it that was ok with me to hear them again. You are guided to all the best spots all over the island with a guide that tells local history and custom stories and shares local spots to shop or eat. The best part is when you are driving and they aren’t talking they play awesome Hawaiian music. It keeps the atmosphere all day throughout the tour. Plus if you don’t finish a tour that’s ok just come back the next day and pick up where you left off. They make it super easy. If you are on the Big Island spend the $40 bucks for all 5 tours I promise you won’t regret it. Thank Shaka Guide we will be using you on our next island adventure and will tell all about you. You made our tours on our honeymoon absolutely awesome.
Show more
Response from developer
Mahalo nui loa for the glowing 10‑star love—and congratulations on your honeymoon! 🌺💍 We’re thrilled the Big Island bundle helped make your trip unforgettable, from the history and hidden gems to the Hawaiian tunes that set the vibe. Thanks for embracing the repeat stories, too! Whenever you’re ready for your next island adventure, Uncle Shaka will be waiting to guide you. A hui hou and safe travels!
#1 tour guide!
We love this app! We would be lost without it. Our third time using it and it was spot on every time. We can’t wait for our next adventure in Hawaii!!
Worth every penny
This app is lovely, flexible, and easy to use. It will direct you to the start of the tour from wherever you are and then picks up from there. The directions are well paced and easy to follow, and all the chosen stops are great. The music is super and sets a nice ambiance. We loved how easy it was to start, stop, deviate from the recorded path, and then resume. The historical and cultural insights are fantastic and it is of value for all visitors to Hawai'i to hear them. Makemake māua i kēia App. Mahalo ā nui!!
Show more
GENIUS Exploring
This is the absolute best way to site see when exploring Hawaii. So simple to follow, such interesting commentary, self paced and cost effective. We completed our first guide today, and will be taking 2 or 3 more over our vacation.
Nice when it works
Difficult to connect. More problems than it’s worth. It would have been nice. Spent an hour of my vacation trying to connect. Don’t waste your money
A must have guided tour
This guide made our trip fantastic. Many people pay $200 per person for each tour. This is GPS guided and there is information and stories throughout the entire trip. There is helpful information, even bathroom breaks through the whole tour. Really a must have.
Volcanoes
We used the volcano national park tour it was awesome! We went on Tuesday 2/25 and spent the day exploring via the guide. We learned so much on the tour. Honestly folks don’t break the bank booking a private tour, all you need is this app! We left the park at 5:15pm and we just missed the Kīlauea eruption!! The park is amazing I wish we had stayed longer.
Show more
