I lived on Oahu for 9 months for a travel therapy contract and during that time I had the chance to visit 3 other islands, Kauai being one of them. Because my working schedule was Monday-Friday, I was only able to visit Kauai for 2 days. Luckily for me, it was only a 30-minute plane ride and $70. Choosing how I spent my precious time on Kauai was crucial. How can I see the whole island and have an adventure of a lifetime in just two short days?! Although I may not have been able to fit everything in, there was one non-negotiable. The Na Pali Coast.
People from all over come to witness the glorious, majestic, breathtaking views of the Na Pali Coast. From the stunning sea cliffs, the waterfalls, pristine beaches, and lush valleys, the Na Pali Coast is truly something spectacular. I knew that in my precious time on Kauai I had to witness this myself. That’s why I decided to book an epic adventure through Kauai Sea Tours!
WHERE TO BOOK THIS EPIC ADVENTURE
When I’m booking an excursion for my vacation I always look on Viator first! They’re my go-to when it comes to finding the best tours and activities around the area! I’ve booked countless trips through them and have never been disappointed!
Viator has everything from relax and chill to adventurous and thrilling! Me and Paige were looking for excitement! For heart-racing, adrenaline pumping adventure! And that’s when we came across the half day raft and snorkel adventure with Kauai Sea Tours on Viator.
We immediately booked the excursion because it was exactly what we had been looking for! For 6 hours we would be on a motorized raft speeding through the open ocean, chasing whales, snorkeling in coves, checking out the sea caves, and of course admiring the Na Pali Coast. The cost per person was roughly $218. For the experience we had, it was worth every penny!
Book your Kauai Sea Tours Adventure HERE!
If this excursion is a little too intense for you, check out some of Viator’s other options! There are all kinds of tours to choose from!
WHAT TO BRING ON YOUR EXCURSION
For a trip like this, you don’t need much! Most things are provided for you! And when you’re booking through a reputable company, who does this multiple times per day, year-round, they have everything you could possibly need!
On the day of your excursion, you’ll meet at Kauai Sea Tours. Here, you will make sure all waivers are signed, you’ll go over safety instructions, and the day’s route. You will also have some time to use the restroom, and I would highly suggest you do so. It’s a long day with no pit stops, if you know what I mean…
Kauai Sea Tours will provide you with a life jacket, snacks, lunch, water, drinks, all snorkeling gear, and a dry bag if you didn’t bring one. Here are a few things I would recommend bringing.
That’s it! Not too much to worry about. Just don’t forget to bring you adventurous spirit and fun attitude!
EXPECTATIONS OF THE NA PALI COAST TOUR
Don’t skip over this section! It is very important to fully understand what you are getting yourself into. This isn’t a fun, little snorkeling adventure for the whole family to enjoy. You will not be sailing off into the sunrise while whales and dolphins swim around you. In fact, you may not even see the Na Pali Coast at all…
THE UNPREDICTABLE OCEAN
Here’s what you need to understand. The ocean is unpredictable. The weather can be unpredictable. Any time you are booking an outdoor excursion there will be factors out of your control.
We did our Na Pali Coast tour during January. The weather and the waves were a huge factor as to whether or not we would see the cliffs or not. Luckily the morning of, our guide told us we would try to make it to the coast, but there was a good chance that on the way back the waves would start to get pretty gnarly. He wasn’t lying. But what that meant for our tour specifically was that snorkeling was a maybe, going into the sea caves was a definite no, and we might have to skip seeing the Na Pali coast if the waves got too intense.
So, for your trip, be prepared for a few things.
One, if the weather is bad the trip could get cancelled altogether. You will be reimbursed if Kauai Sea Tours cancels the tour. Two, you may not get to see the Na Pali Coast. If the waves are too large making it unsafe to visit that side of the island, then your tour guide will reroute you to a safer destination. Three, depending on wave size, you may or may not enter the sea caves. Our waves were 15ft, which meant entering sea caves were deemed unsafe. Four, depending on the season of your tour, whales may or may not be migrating in the area. The best time to see whales in Kauai are November-May. And five, snorkeling may or may not happen. If your excursion is during the summertime I think it’s a pretty safe bet to say your snorkeling experience will be better than ours!
THE INTENSITY OF THE TOUR
The last thing I want to make sure you are fully prepared for is that this tour is a workout! The motorized raft in which you are in is what the Navy Seals use. This raft is fast, bumpy, and makes quick, sharp turns that could easily throw you off the boat if you are not holding on. After 6 hours of this absolutely epic tour, we were wiped! Our entire body was sore from the neck down. You are holding on for dear life the entire time. And while we were loving every second of it, and crying because we were laughing so hard, others were not enjoying it as much…
Before you set foot on the boot, your guide will give make sure you are fully aware of everything I am telling you. But it’s important that you listen. If you do not think you are capable of holding on for 6 hours, speeding through the open ocean, and bouncing up and down until your insides feel like scrambled eggs, then this might not be the excursion for you.
If you love scrambled eggs, then I promise you will have the trip of a lifetime!!
THE ADVENTURE TO THE NA PALI COAST
Now that you booked your experience, have everything you need, and are fully prepared for the adventure you’re about to have, let me tell you about ours!
TO THE NA PALI COAST WE GO
We set out to sea as the sun was starting to make an appearance. The water was calm, the sky was colorful, and the Na Pali Coast was calling our name. The ride to the coast takes about an hour, and what a magical hour it was. Our tour guide, Paul, was having fun in the waves, showing off his boating skills. We took a morning dip in the ocean. And then continued our ride while hundreds of little pink spinner dolphins showed us the way.
As we began inching closer to the majestic sea cliffs, Paul told stories of the Hawaiian culture and what the Na Pali Coast signified to the community. He showed us caves, and beaches, and ancient burial sites.
For the next hour we traveled up the coast in awe and amazement. What a sight to behold! It was truly majestic! Paul found a nice spot for us to take a break and enjoy the views. We all excitedly jumped out of the boat and swam beneath the cliffs. This moment for us was one we will cherish forever!
LUNCH AND A SHOW
After the best morning of our lives, we had a spectacular afternoon! Kauai Sea Tours provided us with a delicious lunch, sandwich, chips, and a drink. And because it was migrating season for whales, our eyes were peeled for a spout! We spotted one off in the distance, and off Paul zoomed. To our surprise, there were three males fighting over a female! What a show we got with our meal!
We continued our journey back home and like Paul said, the waves were starting to get gnarly! Adam and I were in the front of the raft laughing so hard with every crash and bounce that the waves brought, but the members of our group in the back of the boat were not having as much fun. They were getting absolutely soaked. So, Pro Tip: sit in the front!
OUR SNORKELING ADVENTURE
The tour is called a half day raft and snorkel adventure. So, I guess I was expecting something a little more exciting. Granted, our excursion was in the middle of January and that’s typically not the best time to snorkel.
We pulled over into a little cove where a few other tour groups were snorkeling as well. We geared up and jumped in. The water was freezing, the cove was pretty murky, and the waves were still going strong. We have lived on Oahu for 8 months at this point, so snorkeling for us wasn’t as big of deal because we could walk across the street and snorkel whenever. But for those that book the adventure solely for the purpose of snorkeling on the Na Pali Coast, then I would highly recommend booking during the summertime! The waves will be calmer, the water will warmer, and where you will snorkel will be different.
Our snorkeling adventure wasn’t all bad though! In the 15 minutes that we swam we did follow a sea turtle and that’s always cool! Once everyone was nice and cold, we hopped back in the boat and headed home.
CONTACT US
Our trip to Kauai may have been short, but our experience to the Na Pali Coast was the one of the best tours we’ve ever done! We would do it again in a heartbeat. If you have more questions regarding our experience, or the tour itself please contact us! If you book this excursion, I would love to know your thoughts in the comments below! Have fun and stay safe!
MEET THE TRAVELING COUPLE:
ADAM & PAIGE SCHWENT
Hi! We’re Adam & Paige! We travel the states in our RV on travel therapy contracts. We love to share epic hikes, local spots, and fun excursions all over the U.S. Contact us if you have any questions about Travel PT or U.S. based adventures!