DRAMAMINE, y'all…read more You're choosing to do the Na'Pali coast from the North Shore, which means smaller boats, and choppier waves. I took one Dramamine, the night before. Then another, an hour before our departure. AND THE BOAT RIDE WAS GREAT. I was all smiles and adventure and breathing -in the ocean air and wind! Unlike, a few folks, who were NOT doing so well. (One or two barfed over the side, but thankfully I didn't notice. Know how your body handles boats and waves. Don't do tours like this, without proper prep. It will NOT be fun if you underestimate it.) Check-In staff was super friendly, and personal. They remembered me from my original email. Sweet. Parking was easy. Shuttles team was super friendly. The strangers we rode with, all turned out to be cool. 2 boats go out (mini-catamarans, with cover from the sun). They expertly traverse the waves, and cliffs, and the caves, giving you some amazing first-hand visuals and photos. But yeah, that boat will be a rockin', during those up-close cave moments. Spoiler: You probably won't see whales, unless you're there before May. But we DID see a cute pod of Dolphins, who cozy'd up to our boat for a while. Our boat had Casey and Spencer. They were wise beyond their years, in all things Kauai. Funny and friendly. Spencer navigated the heck out of those waves, while Casey handled the nauseous passengers with MOTHERLY CARE. Spencer was 50/50 on allowing us to snorkel, based on conditions and a previous scare, a few weeks prior. But he ultimately made the call to GET IN THE WATER. He wisely kept us on a leash (not literally), whistling at swimmers when they got too close to a reef (with waves that could wash you onto the reef). It was fun and chill. Saw a HUGE, MASSIVE KING DADDY SEA TURTLE. He did not enjoy us as much as we enjoyed him and he bounced. Followed by a JR. Turtle, who stuck around a bit longer. Tons of fish. Spencer & Casey gave us good food and hike recommendations, and everyone treated us like friends / family. Highly recommend this team if you're going out. And you already know I highly recommend some Dramamine.

My family of 5 had a tour booked. We got out on the boat and there was a mechanical issue. We…read morefloated around for an hour while they tried to figure it out before being told we had to go back for the mechanic to look at it. After another 30 minute wait it was cancelled completely. We did get a refund but were not offered to be fit in to another tour. Between the time out on the boat, the drive there and the drive back we wasted a full day of our vacation. The captain on the boat was heard telling the other one that he was told this happened the previous day but they got it working. Since this was a known issue they should have cancelled it or fixed the problem before we wasted our time. We could have planned another activity instead of just wasting the day.

I've been on numerous boat tours all around the world and by far this was a top three for me…read more First Captain Phil first mate Jonah worked so well together. Both are Hawaiians and knew their history and this was "their backyard". They were very personable and patient with even the fittest of passengers to the no so coordinate (yes, me!). The boating skills were par none and getting up close with sea life and the caves and shoreline alike. Lala was already starting to brew and the waters were rough. Think rollercoaster-class 4 water rafting combined. Thrilling yet never feeling unsafe. This is a trip for anyone who truly appreciates nature and getting to see the remote NaPai coast. There was lots of wildlife and made me all the more convicted to do everything we can to preserve this beautiful earth. Thanks so much!

Captain Rich and Keali were great at driving the boat and giving their knowledge of the beautiful…read moreNa Pali coast and Hawaiian history. Saw sea turtles when we snorkeled, a thoroughly enjoyable trip. A must see in Kauai!!

This Native Hawaiian family owned chartered bout tour was just what we wanted. The staff and…read moreCaptain were fun, knowledgeable of the beautiful Na pali coastline and there heritage of the people. The staff really encouraged our granddaughter in Snorkeling. We all had a great time.

While vacation planning for Kauai, one of the things I wanted to do was see the Na Pali Coast. I…read morewas scared to hike as I'm not physically fit for that and helicopter rides were a no for me. So I opted for a boat tour! I chose makana charters because of how detailed they were in their information as different tours tour the coast in different areas. With this tour, included lunch and snorkeling. What I didn't want was a fancy lunch because what I'm really there for is to see the Na Pali Coast and everything else was just an extra for me. The lunch was very simple which I like especially because it can get very nauseous. I wanted to do the snorkeling part, but I also wanted my husband to do it, but he's not a confident swimmer so I stayed with him and watched people snorkel which was totally fine. We did the early morning tour and it was beautiful! The weather was perfect! Our tour guides went around us as we were enjoying the way to the coast and asked us where we were from. They also showed us the forbidden island and told us some history of the island and how certain areas locals would camp but a permit would be needed. They also tried to get into caves as deep as they can go and also showed us where Mary J Blige recorded her music video for everything. We also saw some dolphins going and come back from the coast! The coast was just as magical and beautiful!

What a great experience! Captain Greg and Caleb were very professional and experienced sailors…read more Water got a little choppy but never felt like they weren't in control. Very knowledgeable of the sites and where the turtles and dolphins were. Saw some baby dolphins on this trip. The cave was amazing and the scenery along the Napali Coast is surreal. Soft drinks, water, and some Subway sandwiches were provided. Snorkeling was amazing as well. Great job guys!!

If you're looking for the ultimate Nā Pali Coast experience, I can't recommend Napali Navigators…read moreenough. We took their Nā Pali Coast Tour and Snorkel Excursion, and it was hands down the best excursion I've ever been on. Captain Greg was an exceptionally skilled captain who made us feel safe and confident throughout the trip. He was incredibly knowledgeable and shared fascinating information about Hawaiian culture, the geology of the Nā Pali Coast, the marine life, and so much more. His passion for Hawaii was evident and made the experience even more meaningful. Captain Greg went above and beyond to make sure everyone had an unforgettable experience. He made a special effort to locate a pod of spinner dolphins and expertly positioned the boat so every passenger had an amazing view. It was truly incredible to watch them in their natural habitat. The Nā Pali Coast itself is breathtaking beyond words. Towering emerald-green mountains, cascading waterfalls, crystal-clear turquoise water, and dramatic sea cliffs create scenery that simply has to be seen to be believed. The entire crew was friendly, professional, attentive, and highly skilled. From start to finish, everything was well organized, and they made everyone feel welcome and comfortable. This tour exceeded every expectation I had. If you're visiting Kauai, this is an absolute must-do. It was truly the highlight of our trip and the best excursion I've ever experienced. Thank you, Captain Greg and the entire Napali Navigators crew, for an unforgettable day!

Without a doubt, the best experience I've had on the island. It was a blast from start to finish…read more If you're more into adventure and thrill, this is the ticket. They take you into caves and aren't afraid to squeeze in. What we didn't expect, getting MAJA island stories and information while the captain/DJ plays some great music and choreographed movie scores to go with the vibes. We met hundreds of SPINNA dolphins and during the one hour snorkel stop, we were escorted by a beautiful Honu across the reef. The wife and I talk about this trip all the time. The jokes and good conversations are something to remember from the staff as well.

Easily One of the Best Experiences of My Life - 10/10 Would Do Again…read more If you're debating whether or not to book with Nā Pali Pirates, just do it. Hands down one of the coolest things I've ever done. Captain Dom was the perfect mix of chill, knowledgeable, and safety-conscious--dude knew exactly how to handle the boat, even when we got up close and personal with some pretty intense waves near the cliffs and caves. And Chaz? Absolute legend. Kept the vibes light with some solid (and delightfully cheesy) jokes, plus he snapped a ton of pics so we could actually enjoy the moment without worrying about our phones. But the real highlights? Getting insanely close to the cliffs and feeling the sheer power of the ocean, then just floating out in the middle of nowhere, taking it all in. Oh, and did I mention we saw THREE whale breaches and a bunch of dolphins? Unreal. If you're on the fence, take this as your sign to book it. Zero regrets, just pure adventure.

Our family, party of 5, all adults, took this tour on 6/14/23. Bart was our "tour" guide. He was…read moreanything but a tour guide. Very nice man, but this was not a tour. It was a car service. Bart did not share any history about the island. He only shared movie/tv knowledge. He did not share any cultural or historical knowledge. Don't waste your money or time! If you have a rental car, you can see everything for yourself. We paid for the "Ultimate Kaiya Private Tour, " which cost our family $1600.00 (with tip). The ONLY reason we tipped is because we feel it's important to support the local economy, and as I shared Bart was a nice guy. We did contact the business about our concerns, and they gave us a canned response telling us that they will tell Bart to do better. Hence the reason I am taking it to this review so that others can be warned. We feel we were dupped and that this business has unethical practices.

This was a wonderful day and well worth the time and money. Who wouldn't want a tour of the island…read moreby a private driver and seeing the sites by someone who lives and breaths Hawaii? We learned things we never knew even after 20 years of visiting the island. Saw some amazing homes and the history of who lives there, saw beach's that we had no idea were there, and just had an amazing day talking about the history of Kuaui. Steve who was our driver for the day was very informative and we enjoyed the day with him immensely. We couldn't have asked for a better day! Would definitely do it again!

Asher gave us skills for life at ACE. We were able to go to a wonderful location and be greeted by…read morethe clear blue waters of the Hawaiian reef. Asher took us to outcroppings and showed us the hunting techniques that we brought back to our local community as well. We were able to make some awesome fish tacos for the rest of our time on island with our daily catch.

Asher is an amazing guide! I took my 3 boys out for a day of spearfishing including my 12 year old…read moreson. He was extremely knowledgeable. Really took the time to instruct and teach before leaving the beach and in the water. I was comforted knowing he's a trained lifeguard here on the island and has years of professional and recreational spearfishing experience. Highly recommend!

We were scheduled for a Waikiki Sunset & Wine Turtle Snorkeling Cruise at 4 PM this evening and…read moretheir operator forgot to pick us up. We tried the number listed several times from 4:15 until after 5 PM and no answer - not even a voicemail. We finally received a call back at 5:12 PM because she realized she had several missed calls from my number. Needless to say we traveled all the way from Missouri on our honeymoon and was not able to experience this excursion, so we are not happy. Had they answered when we first tried reaching out, we may have been enjoying this experience right now. Do better. Maybe make a roster of names and hotels of the pickups and cross them out as you pick them up... try that. Very, very discouraged.

From the owner: Enjoy Waikiki's beautiful sunset and Friday night fireworks aboard the Oceanstar. Have an evening…read moreto remember while snorkeling with turtles with a spectacular sunset, views of Waikiki Beach and Diamond Head Crater. As we sail back, enjoy our complimentary home-made charcuterie board and wine. You are welcome to bring your own snacks and beverages as well.

Kayak Hanalei is a great activity, and the setup is excellent. We didn't do a tour; we rented our…read moreown kayaks for the day. You park in the back lot, rent your kayaks, and they put them out on ramps leading into the river. You climb in with your gear (a dry bag is a good idea -- you can rent one from them if you don't have your own), and they launch you off. From there it's a picturesque, serene trip upriver to the wildlife sanctuary. We spotted lots of freshwater turtles lounging on branches near the shore, a few herons in the trees, and beautiful scenery the whole way up and back. Fantastic day out. We went the upriver route, but you can also head downriver to Hanalei Bay and back, which is a shorter trip and gives you the option of hanging out and swimming at Hanalei Beach. Don't forget to use ample sunblock and it's a great idea to have a long sleeved swim shirt, wide brimmed hat, and sunglasses. Bringing a towel to cover your legs is also a good idea. You are on top of the kayak in direct sun (or cloud cover UV rays) for 2-3 hours.

Amazing experience, everyone was very friendly, knowledgeable and accommodating!!…read moreBest so far