NaPali Coast Tour: Explore Kauai's Sea Caves

Discover Kauai’s NaPali Coast with a 200-year-old Native family-run boat tour. Explore sea caves, learn local history, and enjoy a 5-hour adventure.

Duration: 5 hours
Cancellation: 24 hours
Highlights
  • Na Pali Coast - During the winter season, from late November to April, afternoon tours focus on whale watching and enjoying the sunset instead of snorkeling. Join an incredible 5-hour snorkeling and lunch tour along the stunning Na Pali Coast! This area is rich in historical significance and teeming with diverse marine life, including dolphins….
What's Included
  • Shared Catamaran Trip
  • All Fees and Taxes
  • Fuel surcharge
  • Lunch
  • Snacks, water, and soft drinks
  • Photography Opportunities
  • Usage of snorkel equipment
  • Insurance for visitors
  • On-board restrooms
What's Not Included
  • Pick-up and drop off
  • Gratuities
  • No Accommodations
  • Towels
Additional Information

If you’re visiting Kauai, you absolutely can’t miss seeing the stunning NaPali Coast. We offer a one-of-a-kind experience to do just that. As a Native family-run company, we are very fortunate to have been right here at our shop for 200 years, gathering our family’s documented history to share about the NaPali Coast. Our Captains and Crew would love to…

Location
185 Aka Ula St
Aka Ula Street
We do not provide any transportation to and from our departure location. Referred contacts for transportation: H3 Taxi & Tours - 808-346-0870 Shaka Kauai - 808-720-7139 Dave's Taxi Service - 808-212-8274
Cancellation Policy

For a full refund, cancel at least 24 hours before the scheduled departure time.

Customer Ratings
4.9
(1360 Ratings)
5 stars
4 stars
3 stars
2 stars
1 star
Nancyau7884zm
Feb 13, 2026
This tour was awesome! - This is one of the best tours we have ever been on! The driver, Mike, was excellent. He drove us into caves and under waterfalls. We saw a gorgeous rainbow in addition to whales - even babies. The food was good and there were plenty of drinks. Only negative was the weather which was a little rainy. I would definitely recommend this tour.
Review provided by Tripadvisor
Michelle_l
Feb 13, 2026
Best excursion - This experience is well worth the money. The crew was friendly and knowledgeable and geared towards making our day extremely enjoyable and exciting. They were very accommodating and helpful with any problems above and beyond. By far, my favorite experience in Hawaii and possibly in all of my traveling experience. I would highly recommend doing this experience. I would do this again.
Review provided by Viator
Carrie_h
Feb 13, 2026
Magical - It was a magical experience on the Amelia K. The crew was the best. They were so informative. We came during the storm and thought we were not going to be able to snorkel. It ended being sunny and calm out for snorkeling. The crew said it was the first time in months that it was that nice out to experience everything from the beatiful Napoli coast to the waterfalls, sea caves that we got to go in, snorkeling, dolphins and seeing the majestic hump back whales. Highly recommend.
Review provided by Viator
S6084pxalexs
Feb 9, 2026
Excellent NaPali Coast Tour - The experience was great from start to finish. The crew was welcoming, organized, and social with the tour guests. They were so knowledgeable! We were able to snorkel, see spinner dolphins, whales, and sea caves. It was an incredible experience.
Review provided by Tripadvisor
570lindseyb
Feb 9, 2026
Whales, dolphins, and great tour guides. Don't expect to snorkel in winter months. - This was our first trip to the NaPali coast and we were so impressed. Although the surf and wind were too high for us to snorkel, our guides used the time to explain the various Hawaiian native settlements and gave us plenty of viewing time on the coast. We also encountered humpback whales, spinner dolphins, bottle nose dolphins, a hammerhead shark and flying fish. It was a great experience! Beware if you are prone to motion sickness - if the surf is high you will get sick. The tour guides were friendly, informative and funny. Highly recommend this tour
Review provided by Tripadvisor
Andrea_g
Feb 7, 2026
So much fun!! - Had the time of our lives!! The crew was truly incredible and kept it lively and fun especially for our two young kids! Made sure we were taken care of the whole time!! I’m so glad I looked at the reviews before booking with them because now I know they are the absolute best! Thanks to the crew it was a great day!
Review provided by Viator
Chaosreins
Feb 7, 2026
Exceptional experience from start to finish - Before jumping into my actual review, I want to briefly mention cancellations and rescheduling. I was originally booked for a Tuesday morning trip and received a call from the tour office on Monday morning. Thinking it was spam, I didn’t answer, but they left a voicemail explaining the trip was being canceled due to rough seas and asked me to call back. They also followed up with a text. They clearly went above and beyond to reach me, and once we connected, they were incredibly accommodating and made rescheduling easy. Now the review: Absolutely incredible morning on the water with Makena Charters! From the moment I stepped aboard, the crew was warm, friendly, and genuinely excited to make sure everyone had an amazing experience. The staff was not only super helpful with every guest—answering questions, offering tips, and making sure everyone was comfortable—but also impressively knowledgeable about the Nā Pali Coast and the surrounding ocean life. Their experience really showed when it came to finding whales. They clearly knew exactly where to look and how to approach respectfully, and we were rewarded with unforgettable whale sightings that felt both thrilling and intimate. The crew shared fascinating facts along the way, which made the experience even richer. We weren't able to snorkel due to the water conditions, but the captain found a spot where we could swim around for a while. There were even a few daredevils doing cannonballs from the upper level of the boat The views of the Nā Pali Coast were absolutely stunning, and the entire tour felt well-organized, relaxed, and personal. You could tell the team truly loves what they do, and that enthusiasm is contagious. If you’re looking for a top-notch boat tour with incredible scenery, wildlife sightings, and a fantastic crew, Makena Charters is an easy five stars. Highly recommend! 🌊🐋
Review provided by Tripadvisor
Shoium
Feb 7, 2026
Beautiful shore line trip, with whale viewing and evening sunset. - We were lucky to have beautiful weather. We were the last trip for several days, due to high surf. The guide, Mike was knowledgeable and very interesting. He maneuvered the boat into little cave like areas, which were beautiful as was the entire NaPali shore line. Saw a lot of whales surfacing and some breaching in the distance. Ethan was a hoot and really fun to have on board, explaining things and taking great photos. All in all a great trip.
Review provided by Tripadvisor
Phillip_b
Feb 7, 2026
Thar she blows! - February tour had multiple whale citings, dolphins and more. Crew was very attentive and enjoyable. Highly recommend.
Review provided by Viator
Jet187464
Feb 10, 2026
Not recommended! - I was so disappointed in the NaPali Boat tour. The biggest disappointment was the tour was oversold. They have bench seats with could potentially hold three people but everyone placed their bags between them leaving not enough seating. Two people had to sit on the crews bench and my husband and I either stood the entire time or were forced to sit on an ice chest that was continually needing to be opened for drinks. When I spoke with the crew he stated "it's ok, everyone will be moving around so there will be seats" which was true but everyone wanted to return to their original seat after getting up. I rarely write a negative review but this trip was just awful. I think if the captain would have explained better that the expectation was three people to a seat (even though I couldn't sit with my companion) it would have been managed better. I will never book/recommend this company to anyone. So sad!
Review provided by Tripadvisor
From $214
up to 15 guests
1 - Adult
Cancellation: Free cancellation up to 24 hours before the start of your experience (local time).