5 Best Napali Coast Boat Tours for Your Kauai Bucket List

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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 are 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 on foot. 

There are many 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.

Learn more about our favorite Napali Coast Boat Tours here!
– Is the Napali Coast worth it? Read our full Guide to Visiting the Napali Coast to convince you that a boat tour is worth it!
– Are you staying near the North Shore? Check out the tours that leave from Hanalei Bay.
– Napali Coast snorkel and sailing tour with a water slide! This is our favorite boat and tour company from Port Allen.
– Visit the forbidden island of Ni’ihau, snorkel in a crater, and see the Napali Coast. The same tour provider as above, also from Port Allen.
– Our favorite 4.5-hour sunset dinner cruise of the Napali Coast.
– Small group, power raft tour of the Napali with snorkeling. Enter the Napali Coast caves and enjoy the ride!
– Hawaiian-owned catamaran tour, choose from 3 types of catamarans and leave from Kikiaola Small Boat Harbor or Port Allen.

Napali Coast Boat Tour FAQs

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: (directions) Located just 15-20 minutes from Poipu on the south shore of Kauai, this is the most popular departure point for Napali Coast tours.

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

Hanalei Bay: (directions) 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 Napali Coast, but the seas do get rough. Tours depart here from 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 chance of seasickness on a Napali coast boat tour?

The ride to the Napali 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’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 Napali 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 Napali Coast: on a snorkeling tour or 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?

A trip to see the stunning Napali coast is definitely worth it! The stunning mountains and coastline are not accessible by car, so seeing it by boat, helicopter, 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 and Kauai With Kids Ultimate Guide: stay, play, and eat.

Who is a Napali coast boat tour best for?

A Napali Coast boat tour is best for nature lovers who don’t mind some splashes or bumps along the way. It can be a rough ride for those with children or who are 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 (with safety records in mind!)
• 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.

1. Napali Coast Tours from Hanalei Town (North Shore)

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

This tour runs from March through October only (the north shore experiences huge surf in the winter).

Tour size: 18 guests
Duration: 4 hours (snorkeling tour) or 2 hours (sightseeing tour)
Availability: Morning or afternoon (Mar – Oct)
Best for: Summertime travelers staying on the North Shore

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

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

2. Custom-Built Boats for the Napali Coast

Explore the Napali 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 several times and we’ve always enjoyed our trip! Check out our experience on one of their tours in the video below!

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

• Ni’ihau and Napali 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 Napali Super Tour and the Napali 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, lunch, and beverages. Sunset cruises include dinner and drinks. 

3. Napali Coast Power Catamaran Scenic and Snorkel Tour

Blue Ocean Adventure Tours (Napali Explorer) offers a Monday-Friday snorkel tour aboard their spacious, powered catamaran. The tour leaves from the Kikiaola Small Boat Harbor, so it’s the closest spot on the west side of the island to the Napali Coast. 

Tour size: 40 guests
Duration: 4.5 hours
Availability: Morning with a 7 AM check-in
Best for: Families! (Ages 5+ welcome)

The captain will amaze you as you get close encounters with waterfalls and sea caves at the base of Kauai’s 3,500 ft tall sea cliffs. You will hear about the amazing history of the Napali Coast and stop at the best photo spots. Once you have journeyed to the end of the 17-mile Napali Coast in their state-of-the-art Power Catamaran, your adventure will continue to Makole, a pristine snorkeling spot along the base of the Napali Coast.

The tour offers 45 minutes of snorkeling and snorkeling gear is included. You will arrive back at the harbor at noon.

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

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

Head out to the Napali coast on a zodiac with Kauai Z Tours. This tour includes snorkeling, but, like most tours offered, the emphasis is on the scenery rather than on time in the water. 

Kauai Z Tours operates their tours on a 25’ rigid hull zodiac boat. Zodiacs, 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. 

Tour size: 14 guests
Duration: 5 hours
Availability: One morning tour daily
Best for: Adventure seekers! (Restricted to ages 7+)

Included in your tour are a dry bag, snorkeling gear, juice and water, and 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 Napali Coast), where some other tours leave from. 

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

If you love waterfalls as much as we do, don’t miss these waterfalls around Kauai.

5. 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 Napali coast. 

Makana Charters offers the same Napali coast tour but on three different catamarans.

Tour size: 16 – 36 guests (based on the boat you choose)
Duration: 45 – 5 hours
Availability: 3 tours daily
Age: 4 and up
Best for: Everyone! They have a boat to suit any needs. They accommodate people with limited mobility and even pregnancies, which is very difficult to find! Ages 4+ welcome.

Tours depart from the Kikiaola Small Boat Harbor, approximately 32 minutes from Poipu, a convenient departure point for the Napali Coast. That means more time is spent seeing the coast and snorkeling, and less time is spent getting there. 

They also offer tours that depart from Port Allen.

The tour includes snorkeling gear, juice and water, a deli-style lunch, and snacks. 

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.