Can't imagine a better tour guide then Kolo! Absolute blast :) great tour with lots of island stories and beautiful scenery

Terrible customer service, son fell and broke his paddle on stand up paddle board. Complete accident. They said it was his fault that it was his fault. And would not listen to anybody that he fell and it hit his board. Had to hand paddle all the way back. Charged us $50 fee for broken paddle. read more

Couldn't find a kayak place on the south shore that just did rentals instead of tours. We decided to make the trip up here (as well as navigate the crazy road closures because of the landslide. Woke up at 5:30 am to make sure we make it past the closure by 7:30). They opened the gate earlier than 8, I assume accounting for some people getting there earlier. We were grateful for that. We rented a two person kayak but they had the option to get single kayaks. You pick up life jacket and paddles and head down to the dock where you get into your kayak and they slide you into the water. The water was low when we were getting out and our kayak got a little stuck at the opening into the river buy we were able to dislodge ourselves. We decided to paddle up the current first (turn right). We were told to can keep paddling until it gets too shallow. Well, it was a rainy day and it never got too shallow... The currents just got too crazy for us to keep paddling against them. That was fun though. Going down stream was much easier. It was raining on and off and we got flash flood warnings. We went all the way to the ocean but it was too choppy to get in the ocean safely. We parked on the sand for a little to stretch out (your butt gets really sore lol... If you have a sensitive butt bring a cushion). It started raining like crazy... And it wasn't letting up. So we paddled back in the crazy rain with the stronger currents. I paddled for five years on a team and my mate is pretty strong. If you don't have paddling experience I advise against going out when it's rainy. The currents can get pretty strong and steering straight can be challenging as well. We had a great time though. 2.5 hours to go the furthest in both directions despite the crazy weather. Unbeatable foggy mountain backdrop with a bunch of waterfalls streaming down them. Interesting birds and turtles along the way. Wear lots of sunscreen and possibly bugspray (if you're like me and the bugs always find you). Bring waterproof bags to carry keys and electronics. There are places to tie stuff onto the kayak. Carabineer clips could be useful. On their website it says you need to have shoes that attach securely to your feet (not clogs). We both wore vibram type shoes. It could be helpful to watch basic steering videos for kayaks because you may need to make a few turns to avoid branches and such. read more

Kama and La'a were awesome as kayak guides! They were so kind and fun, I highly recommend!!

This was a fantastic trip kayaking and snorkeling. Our guides were great fun and very knowledgeable about Hawaiian history. La'a and his brother made it a point to get to know each of us and ensure we all had a great time! read more

Awesome place! We had a great experience thanks to our hilarious and kind tour guide Kola. Despite getting rained on we had a blast. We did the morning explorer tour. The snorkeling portion was my favorite- so cool to swim with sea turtles in the bay. Highly recommend! read more

Our family of 5 rented kayaks on a Wednesday. Got there a little before 8am when they opened and were probably in our kayaks by 8:35am after the tour folks were all taken care of. Hale was super nice and helpful with our gear, equipment, and advice on which route to take. Really easy check-in process and launch from their dock with the help of their very friendly staff was quick and effortless. We ended up going up and down river to the refuge to Hanalei Bay and back in about 2.5 hours even with a stop on the beach to take pictures. If you're a beginner kayaker, be prepared for a good arm and shoulder work out and a blister or two from paddling, but well worth it! Most affordable, fun, and best self-guided excursion for families in Hanalei! read more

I was here in April. So a little late on the review. My parents, my husband and I have collected some really good memories kayaking here. It was a perfect stream and enjoyable surroundings. read more

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We took the kayak/snorkel tour with Kolo and Gabe yesterday. SO much fun. The guides were great guys full of knowledge and helpfulness. The kayaking and snorkeling were great in the Hanalei Bay. We felt 100% safe to explore at our own pace and the water is crystal clear. read more

We loved our guided kayaking and snorkeling tour! We had 2 amazing guides that were funny, knowledgeable, and really made the experience! We got to learn about Kauai while exploring the beautiful river and ocean. We kayaked down the river, into the ocean, stopped at a beach, snorkeled for about 45 minutes, ate lunch on the beach, and kayaked back. We saw eels, sea turtles, fish and more while snorkeling. The food was great! We had sandwiches, dried fruit, juice, chips, cookies, and more. Our guide played the ukulele and sang while we ate, and cut open a coconut for us to drink the water. This was our favorite part of the trip! Totally recommend. read more

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Highly recommend for families! Easy ride for younger children. Great customer service!

Purchased a shirt and hat, they allowed me to try the hat but not the shirt, it fit very small and would not exchange, 5 minutes after, covid doesn't spread on clothing, they are not nice people, never be back read more

EXTREMELY RUDE LADY BEHIND THE FRONT DESK. We were told by the young man working at the dock that we could get out to use the restroom and return to our kayak. Upon returning, the lady at the front desk told us that he did not say that and the policy would be that we would not be allowed to get our kayak back without paying full price. After being called liars, we decided to leave. Would like to speak directly to management if someone can reach out directly. (The river and views are lovely- just make sure to use restroom before) read more

Friendly and helpful staff. Great store with items you could need on the paddle. Actual activity is fun, and of course beautiful scenery. Stars is for their ridiculous policy for kama'aina rate (locals discount) that the kama'aina actually pay. One in our party had not gotten their local drivers license yet and was not allowed to pay forcing us to settle up later. Strange and inconvenient policy. If we whipped out cash instead would they want to see it come out of the locals wallet? read more

Kayak Hanalei - Tours Near Me - Hanalei, Hawaii

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Support a local business that's super friendly, knowledgeable and receptive, even if the paddle isn't the best you'll find on the island. I've been thinking about Kauai's lack of wild animal/creepy crawly diversity and I figure it's an appropriate discussion for this review. Okay, so the reason chickens totally own this entire island: no natural predators (save the occasional feral cat). No snakes, no venomous spiders, the largest mammals are wild pigs and there appear to be perhaps seven bird species (watch me whip, watch me Nene). Everything I just stated can and should be refuted by a simple Google query, but as a general rule, this is just how it goes on this island. This sleepy melting pot makes your experience on the island A) awesome, hey, no worries and B) meh, come on, where's the man-eating lizards, already? Compared with the slew of violence and color happening underneath the water, this island is a total bore. Which makes a kayak trip to a nature preserve, well... It makes two small turtles on a log. At least one was a baby. So cute! We got the discount 1pm rate, which was reasonable, but after 1pm the ocean waves tend to rise too high -- which was the case for us -- meaning we could only paddle the river, which meanders next to the road and eventually into the preserve, for maybe fifty feet, before the turtles tell you to turn around. We could have continued paddling until close, but I guess I wanted more motivation, somewhere to jump out, walk around, and get back in. Instead, our hour-ish rather unmemorable paddle felt much cheaper than it cost. Final verdict: rent in the morning, pay the additional cost, paddle to the ocean, beach the boat and picnic. read more

The best guides! Kolo and Gabe were awesome and extremely knowledgeable about Hanalei and the island of Kauai. Super fun, laidback, and a beautiful tour of Hanalei Beach. Saw a ton of fish while snorkeling and even got our very own concert from Kolo signing with his ukulele. I would recommend this to anyone wanting to get some history and beautiful sightseeing! read more

Male chauvinist-run business not worth your time My family (wife, 2 younger daughters) rented two kayaks hoping for a relaxing afternoon river ride and ended up with the worst experience of any of the dozen times we have been to the Hawaiian islands. We started out around 3:00 and understood we needed to be back by 5:30 with the expectation being we would turn and head back at 4:30 no matter where we were. The first warning sign should have been the life vests that smelled like death but we figured we could wear it over our clothes and wash them later. The trip up and down river wasn't bad but the fireworks started when we were close to docking. The kayak I had with my youngest daughter (9) was a little out in front of the one my wife and older daughter (10) was in. We decided to turn into the tiny, poorly marked docking channel early, hoping to dock and take good video of them coming up the channel to remember our experience. (Seriously the sign for this place on the reasonably-sized river is maybe 8" by 20"). After docking we got out our phone and waited and waited and waited. It became clear they missed the turn in and were headed down river to where it emptied into the ocean. We told the dock workers that and they gave us the shoulder shrug and said they hoped they would find their way back. They didn't. I had to drive down to the beach at the end of the river and as luck would have it, ran into some actual kind locals who took us up river on their boat and towed my wife back to the docking channel, taking me back down river to the car. When they returned ALL the employees had gone home. EVERY ONE. My wife and 10 year old daughter had to dock their own kayak which included them pulling it up on to the ramp at 6:01pm. They could have cared less if that kayak ever came home and whether their customer lived or died. Our reward was an extra $100 charge for being 31 minutes late despite not having to pay any of their employees to stay for us. The next day I stopped back in to have a pleasant conversation with the owner and asked if they could waive the charge in light of the fact that they didn't bother to keep any of their employees late to help. His response: Rather than try and get some memories on video, I should have stayed back to help my wife dock because "we all know women can't be left alone to do things like that!" He took no responsibility for literally almost losing a customer at sea, felt no remorse for letting the workers go home, and welcomed the poor reviews saying "they have no effect on our business." I hope this one at least helps a few travelers avoid the same negative experience. read more

We rented kayaks & stand up paddle boards here for the second time and can't say enough about the very friendly service. Prices seem very reasonable & the equipment is clean & in good shape. Again, I would give them 10 stars if I could just based on the friendly service. Thank you for a great experience! read more

The kayak excursion was fun. You have the option of taking the easier route toward the beach and hanging there for a bit, or taking the route up the river toward the wilderness. We chose the wilderness route as the lady at the front desk recommended it. It's about 2.5 hours round trip, and we came in right at that time. The ride up was a workout for me. I'm a bit out of shape, admitted, but still, don't go thinking you'll just mozy on up the river. It'll take some effort, especially if there is wind. And if you've ever been to Kauai, there is going to be wind. There are some cool parts of the ride that get barrow and you get the jungly like feeling making your way through. There are also friendly fresh water turtles everywhere. You can typically see them lounging on a branch or a log, but once they see you, it's swan dive into the river. Don't take offense. :-) The ride down is obviously much easier and you can take breaks and let the current take you down. Overall, a fun time but again, it's a workout. Enjoy! read more

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Great experience for all ages. Guides were super helpful and informative. Highly recommended for fun!

We had a great experience with our guide! We enjoyed hearing the history/story as we kayaked along the River. A very relaxing and mostly easy kayak. There is a more difficult part where the river meets the ocean but this was only our second time kayaking and we navigated just fine. Our guide stopped along the way to gather some fresh fruit for our lunch and we thought that was extra special. The snorkeling spot doesn't look like much but don't let it fool you! We saw tons of fish and also got to swim with a sea turtle. One of our favorite experiences on our trip. read more

Staff was super helpful and friendly, even recommended other sights close by after our kayaking. We did the self guided tour. Helped get us loaded up and on our. read more

Great service and very inexpensive kayak rentals (only $45/day for a two-person kayak)! Caution: there are two paths you can take. On our way back from one path, we mistakenly missed the station and continued to the other path. The path back to the station is not apparent while in the water and is very easy to miss. Before we knew it, we were at the ocean with no one in sight! read more

Had a great time with Kayak Hanalei. Our guide, Gabe, was very knowledgeable and had tons of information on not only how to maneuver the kayaks and snorkel areas, but also on history of the Garden Isle. Was a wonderful trip for our whole family, would recommend! read more

I forgot the name of the person who helped me couple of days when my wife and I were there, but we saw him jamming at the katchafire concert. Bradda is mean on the drums and his group is on point "KAHA" just wanted to let him know i went to your booth and no cd yet but I got at shirt which I'll be rocking in my hometown SAN FRANCISCO please please please i wanna be first one in the bay to get my hands on that cd as soon as it comes out! Please send me the bands info or his info to get the cd! Mahalo for the hospitality FROM CALI TO HAWAII \m/ read more

Kayak Hanalei - Tours Near Me - Hanalei, Hawaii

By far the best and most affordable kayak joint in Kauai. After the floods, I wasn't sure I could kayak in Hanalei up the river, but I stopped in and Chantelle gleefully told me I could. I was ecstatic because I tried kayaking by Kalapaki Beach and was told no because I had to make a reservation in advance. At any rate, I was happy to get out on the water and traverse the river. For $60 I could kayak for 24 hours. I came in the morning which was perfect timing when the water was calm and no one was on the water. I paddled total for 2 hours taking in the sights. Then I came back the next morning to paddle downstream too, which was awesome. All the staff were so friendly and helpful. I highly recommend this kayak company over all others. read more

Easy peasy and fun blah blah blah to get to the required posting length wait just a few more ... just do it!

Kolo was funny,full of information and made the trip fun despite the weather conditions limiting the snorkeling. Had a blast with my husband and son! Highlight of the trip! The scenery was beautiful the turtles followed us up the river! Just a great time and I learned how to weave fish out of palm fronds! read more

Best tour experience we had in Kauai! We were on the bay tour. The tour guide is very friendly, warm hearted and funny. He is very knowledgable in various things related to Hawaii (language, old techniques, culture, stories, etc). We tried our first time in life snorkeling and kayaking here and it was fantastic. During lunch break, we were served with fresh coconut juice, sandwich, guava juice and some snacks, all tasty. And the tour guide (sorry I can not really spell his name, but he is a cool guy!) sang some beautiful songs with ukulele. Romantic. All in all, best tour, best guide, and best experience we had in Kauai. read more

This was a highlight of our trip! You kayak through a river with breathtaking scenery that leads you to a small beach in Hanalei Bay. The water was choppy at the beach, which made me nervous, but the guides made us feel at ease and safe. There was so much sea life at the snorkel spot. Again, the water was choppy which made it murky, but we still got to see so many fish and sea turtles! Great experience! Great guides! Highly recommend! read more

Friendly employees greeted you with a warm welcoming smile! Very accommodating hours of operation. Prices are great and no extra add ons! Looking forward to go back again and again! Mahalo! read more

This was a fun trip for our group! We saw a number of birds and a couple turtles. The kayaking was enjoyable and not too challenging. However, I cannot recommend this establishment as the business is poorly run. We paid for everything before the start of our adventure. Upon our return, the sales person said she made a mistake and needed more money. When asked if she could waive the charge as it was no fault of our own, she refused. She then made an additional mistake with the second charge, resulting in a third credit transaction. If you choose to patronize this business, make sure the pricing is transparent (and doesn't go up after you complete your trip). read more

Such a fun and relaxing time going down the canals and looking at the wildlife. We found a coupon for 15% off in a pamphlet we were given from our concierge. When we arrived to purchase, the lady wouldn't honor it (we let our hotel know to stop recommending them). Besides that, everyone else was very friendly and helpful. Which is why I added the 4th star. read more

Wow! What an amazing beautiful experience kayaking! We checked this out the day before - people were super cool. We came back the next day and took a 6 hour excursion. Rentals are for 24 hours. So you can rent one day - and come back the next for the rest of your time. Kayaking out there was a breathtaking adventure. So much untouched land and wildlife to see. We ended kayaking to the ocean and walked along the beautiful beach. We are planning a trip back and will def rent kayaks and paddle boards again from this wonderful business! Thank you!! Aloha!! read more

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Hubby and I are immediate level paddlers and the Hanalei River was just right for a leisurely paddle for us. We chose KH because we didn't have to load then drive to a launch sight. Do that enough at home:) Also, since you rent for the day you can paddle and come back to get lunch in town then return to paddle the other direction. And we were able to rent a kayak and paddle board at the same place. The ladies at the office were helpful and had good suggestions for lunch. The guys at the dock were also helpful and answered our questions about the river and wildlife. Enjoyed this scenic river! read more

The people working here are super friendly. The equipment was clean. We went both directions and it was beautiful. When renting kayak or SUP this is the place to go. read more

I'm so happy we picked this spot! Right in the heart of Hanalei. The whole experience was so smooth and convenient. Lots of parking, walk up and pay, grab your life vest and paddle, then get into a kayak on their private dock and head out. They provide small and large dry bags with more than enough space for your stuff. The views were just gorgeous, and I love that the river leads you to the Hanalei beach. Highly recommend the afternoon special: at 1 pm a double kayak is $45 instead of the normal $60. Mahalo for the awesome experience! read more

Had a lovely afternoon paddling up the river. It was so easy to rent here, there was plenty of parking, the staff was great. We had already spent the morning in the bay so we decided to go up the river. It was very beautiful, we saw lots of turtles! read more

Kayak Hanalei - Paddling up the river towards the bridge - Tours Near Me - Hanalei, Hawaii

AMAZING VEIWS!! DON'T LEAVE Hanalei without stopping here. What a lovely afternoon we had kayaking down the river. Easy, inexpensive and so enjoyable. Its also nice to support a local family owned business. We had a great time, thank you!!! read more

Kayak Hanalei - Enjoying God's creation - Tours Near Me - Hanalei, Hawaii

The worst experience renting equipment. Their equipment breaks while in use and they are rude. Never ever rent from here. read more