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One of the most popular sights on Kauai is the stunning Napali Coast. Located on the north west side of Kauai, the 17 miles of coastline is absolutely spectacular. But it’s inaccessible by car, so if you’re hoping to see it (which you definitely should) you’ll need to go by boat, helicopter/plane, or by foot. 

There are a lot of different tours to choose from. We’ve listed our top five picks below to help you find the best option for your trip. Read on to learn more about the best NaPali Coast boat tours and book your trip.

If you’re planning a trip to Kauai, make sure you check out some of our best resources:
– Our full Kauai travel guide has nearly everything you need to know for your trip
– Check out our favorite places to stay on the island
– There are so many amazing things to do! Here is our best list

NaPali Coast Boat Tour FAQs

The ride to the Na Pali Coast can be rough. We have yet to go on a tour where someone doesn’t get seasick. So if you are prone to seasickness (or even if you’re not!) you might want to consider taking seasickness medication to help. 

What are the different boat options for the NaPali Coast boat tours?

Choosing the right type of boat for your adventure is important. The two main options are rafts (including Zodiac rafts) and catamarans (both power and sailing).

Rafts are easily maneuverable and fast, but you’re in for a less leisurely ride. Think of it as an adventure! An adventure where you’ll likely get wet and there’s a chance there won’t be shade. This is something Jordan and I would do but we wouldn’t bring our five-year-old son or our parents on a trip like this. 

A catamaran is a more comfortable ride but you do miss some of the pep you get with a raft. It’s not quite as easy to zip in and out of sea caves (conditions permitting). But you’ll have shade and you likely won’t get wet if you don’t want to. 

Where do NaPali Coast Boat Tours depart from?

There are three main locations that you’ll find as departure points for Napali Coast Boat Tours:

Port Allen: Located just 15-20 minutes from Poipu on the south shore of Kauai, this is the most popular departure point for Na Pali Coast tours. Click for directions to Port Allen.

Kikiaola Small Boat Harbor: 30 minutes from Poipu, this is the closest departure point to the Napali Coast from the south side. Click for directions to Kikiaola Small Boat Harbor.

Hanalei Bay: On the north shore there are a handful of tour operators that leave from Hanalei Bay. This is the closest point of departure to the Na Pali Coast but the seas do get rough. Tours depart here March/April through October as the winter brings in large swells.

Where should you stay on Kauai? That’s a tough decision.

What’s the best time to visit the NaPali coast?

You can visit the NaPali Coast any time of year, but if you’re aiming for the calmest seas, your best bet is in the summer. During the winter months (October through March) waves can get large and the surf can get rough. The trip to and from the Na Pali Coast is rarely super smooth, but it’s usually better in the summer than in the winter. 

That said, we’ve done the trip in mid-November and had an absolute blast. 

Not sure when to plan your trip? We have you covered with our best time to visit Kauai article.

What’s included on a NaPali Coast Boat tour?

There are two ways to see the Na Pali Coast: on a snorkeling tour or on a sightseeing tour. We include options for both below. 

On snorkeling tours you can expect a meal (or two!), drinks (water, juice, soda, and occasionally alcoholic beverages), as well as snorkeling gear and a knowledgeable guide. 

On dinner cruises, drinks and food are included as well as a knowledgeable guide.

Is a trip to the NaPali Coast worth it?

If you’re coming all the way to Kauai, I think a trip to see the stunning Na Pali coast is absolutely worth it. The stunning mountains and coastline are not accessible by car, so seeing it by boat, helicopter, or plane, or hiking is the only way to experience it. The beauty is extraordinary and by taking a boat you also get to enjoy the wildlife that you meet along the way (often dolphins).

It’s one of our favorite things to do on Kauai! If you have young kids who can’t go on a NaPali Coast boat tour, check out our 24 Things to Do on Kauai with Kids.

A NaPali Coast boat tour can be a rough ride for those with children or prone to seasickness. We recommend taking motion sickness medicine the night before your boat tour.

If seasickness or the chance of rough seas (winter months) doesn’t sound good to you, consider these other ways to see the NaPali Coast of Kauai or go snorkeling on Kauai.

• Napali Coast Helicopter or Airplane Tour (best safety record on the island)
• Napali Coast Hiking Tours
• Snorkeling with Sea Turtles from South Shore (Poipu)

The 5 Best NaPali Coast Boat Tours

There are a lot of excellent tours on the island, but we’ve narrowed it down to share with you what we think are the best NaPali Coast boat tours around.

NaPali Coast Tours from Hanalei Town (North Shore)

If you’re staying on the north shore in the summer, you are close to the Na Pali coast! So close in fact, that it’s only a 15-minute ride from Hanalei to the start of the Na Pali coast. But we warned — a trip from Hanalei is an adventure.

The tours run from March through October only (the north shore experiences huge surf in the winter). The catamaran holds 18 passengers and is available for both a morning and afternoon snorkeling tour (4 hours) as well as a 2-hour sightseeing tour (no snorkeling included).

There is no bathroom aboard the boat, so plan accordingly!

Learn more about the Hanalei to Napali tours

The rest of the best Na Pali Coast boat tours depart from Port Allen and Kikiaola Small Boat Harbor.

Custom-Built Boats for the Na Pali Coast

Explore the Na Pali Coast on Kauai-built boats — both a sailing catamaran and a power catamaran that take a max of 41 and 49 passengers, respectively. The owner Kevin is a boat builder. He designs and builds all the boats for Holo Holo Charters. 

We’ve gone out with Holo Holo a number of times and we’ve always enjoyed our trip! We have a video at the end of the article of one of our experiences.

Holo Holo Charters offers four different tour options that all leave from Port Allen:

• Ni’ihau and Na Pali Super Tour: 7 hours
• Na Pali Snorkel Sail: 7 hours
• Na Pali Sunset Dinner Sail: 4.5 hours
• Na Pali Sunset Dinner Tour: 3.5 hours

We’ve done both the Ni’ihau and Na Pali Super Tour and the Na Pali Snorkel Sail and both were excellent. 

Boats are shaded in the cabin area and tours are available to children ages 5 and over.

Snorkeling tours include snorkel gear, breakfast, and lunch, as well as beverages. Sunset cruises include dinner and drinks. 

Na Pali Coast Sailing Tour

Blue Ocean Adventure Tours (Na Pali Explorer) offers twice-daily power catamaran tours. On each catamaran, you’ll have a max of 40 passengers. The tours leave from the Kikiaola Small Boat Harbor, so it’s the closest spot on the west side of the island to the Na Pali Coast. 

Both the morning and afternoon tours offer 45 minutes of snorkeling and snorkeling gear is included. On the 4.5-hour tour, you’ll also have a Hawaiian-style BBQ lunch with water, juice, and soda. 

And for the kids (and really adults too), there is an inflatable water slide on the boat. 

Book the Napali Explorer morning tour

Book the Napali Explorer afternoon tour

Napali Coast Adventure on a Power Raft (small group tour)

Head out to the Na Pali coast on a zodiac with Kauai Z Tours. This tour includes snorkeling, but like most of the tours offered, the emphasis is on the scenery and less on the time in the water. 

Kauai Z Tours operates their tours on a 25’ rigid hull zodiac boat, which is coast guard approved for a maximum of 14 passengers. Zodiac or rafts are known for their speed and maneuverability, so this is more of an adventurous ride. There is no shade or covering on the boat, so hats, sun-protective clothing, and reef-safe sunscreen are a must. 

During this five-hour tour, you’ll get to cruise up the west side of the island to the Na Pali coast in a zodiac raft that seats 14. Included in your tour is a dry bag, snorkeling gear, juice and water, as well as a deli-style lunch. 

The tour departs from Kekaha (the Kikiaola small boat harbor), which is approximately a 32-minute drive from Poipu. This is approximately 17 minutes up the road from Port Allen (closer to the Na Pali Coast), where some other tours leave from. 

Learn more about the NaPali Coast Zodiac rafting tour.

Kauai Z Tours doesn’t just specialize in Na Pali coast tours — you can book south shore snorkeling tours as well as whale-watching tours. 

Hawaiian-Owned Napali Coast Boat Tours

Makana Charters is a native Hawaiian-owned business with ancient roots on the island. They have 15 years of experience running tours on the Na Pali coast. 

Makana Charters offers the same Na Pali coast tour but on four different catamarans.

Learn more about Makana’s tour and pick the catamaran that’s right for you.

All tours depart from the Kikiaola small boat harbor, approximately 32 minutes from Poipu, a close departure point for the Na Pali Coast. That means more time is spent seeing the coast and snorkeling, and less time is spent getting there. 

Included in the tour is the use of snorkeling gear, juice and water, as well as a deli-style lunch and snacks. 

They can accommodate children 3 and up and pregnant women (weather dependent and with a doctor’s note). They offer morning and afternoon tours as well as private tours.

Plan the Rest of Your Trip

Let us help you plan the details of your Kauai trip. With our island itinerary, we take you on excursion days to different parts of the island so you can see the best sights, eat at the best restaurants, and have an amazing trip.

The Hawaii Vacation Guide,  thanks so much! I purchased the Kauai itinerary and it is awesome! I had no idea how much work and information you guys really put into it and I am so excited for our trip now!!

Kayla R.