Every year we go to Kauai. Every year we rent from this shop. They are the kindest most helpful…read moregroup of people. Pick up and drop off is a cinch and they will always help you with every detail of your adventure. Thanks guys. Look forward to next year!

This one I'm going to have to file under one of the hardest things I've done in my life! But I'm so…read moreproud we accomplished this and did this! So many people talk about kayaking the Wailua River and hiking to Secret Falls. We didn't get a chance to do this on our last trip, but my youngest and I tackled this on this trip! Our guide, Ronda, arrived a couple minutes after our tour start time at 1pm. The morning guide said she'd be along "in island time." Once she got there, she took the time to tell us a little about herself, went around our group and had us each introduce ourselves and share a few words. She took the time to memorize all of our names! She also explained to us as all the other tours were heading out, that she liked to hang back and let everyone go do their thing so we can experience the falls privately as just our group. This girl knows what she's doing! It was about a two mile kayaking journey up the Wailua River with stops intermittently along the way for our "kayak kisses" so Ronda could tell us about the history and other aspects of the island. We were almost in our own little version of Survivor, thinking up ways we could survive out there and what we would need. It was honestly very cool. Once we got the end of the kayaking journey, we were given walking sticks for the moderate 1 mile hike to Secret Falls. There are a couple of areas where you have to cross through water, but nothing higher than the knees, at that time. The hike was beautiful! Ronda pointed out the Hawaiian Woodrose, kukui nuts, which we got to crack open and have a small sample, we washed our hands with awapuhi from the awapuhi plant, etc. it was such a cool adventure. We met the local songbird and dug to find worms for him to eat. He ate right from our hands! He actually landed on my hand and looked at me for a couple seconds! We saw cows on the journey home as well. Secret Falls is amazing. We had a blast swimming around there and resting from the journey. We met a lot of great people in our tour. It was like we all became a little family. We packed up and hiked back to our kayaks and headed back down the Wailua for the journey home. This time the wind was against us, so it was literally like paddling upstream both ways lol! This was such an amazing experience. I'm sure I'm leaving some things out because there was so much! I would say, if you're doing the 1pm tour, don't have any other plans the rest of the day. You don't want to be in a rush to get out of there. Our 5 hour tour ended up being close to 7 hours. It was nice because on the way back the motorized vessels were no longer on the river, so we didn't have to worry about other traffic. I'd also recommend having dinner for that night figured out ahead of time because most places locally close at 8pm. We were able to grab dinner from a spot about 10 minutes prior to their closing. They recommend tennis shoes or hiking boots, but my daughter and I used our water socks/reef shoes and while there were a couple times when we were bouldering I would have liked to have better shoes, ultimately it wasn't an issue. Ronda gives you an opportunity to unplug from the world, get yourself on island time, and take in all the beauty Kauai has to offer. Take it!

Secret falls was the kayak and hike of a lifetime! You need to go ! We took 2 kayaks with a 8 & 10…read moreyo. The hike was muddy and slippery but SOOO WORTH IT SOOO BEAUTIFUL!

If you want to enjoy a water activity that doesn't involve the ocean, then Wailua River is your…read morejam. Next time we visit, we plan to rent kayaks and navigate this river either in a tour or on our own. There's so much to see and explore along this river. It's so lush and beautiful! We took the Smith's guided tour this time up to Fern Grotto and it was awesome!

Jay and Fin did an excellent job guiding us along the Na Pali coast 06/11. Jay had a seemingly…read moreinfinite amount of information about Kauai and Hawaii and I learned so much in a short time. Fin kept us safe, on pace, and fed. Thank you for an unforgettable experience.

Did the Na Pali: Haena to Polihale, and it was so worth it! A lot of exertion and some thrill, but…read moregorgeous payoffs. J was our guide, and he was super knowledgeable about Hawaii, kayaking, everything. He was also extremely kind. The team brought a delicious lunch for us that we ate half way, and they had the van waiting for us when we finished. Time management on a 12-hr excursion with lots of contingencies was incredible. I felt well taken care of throughout, but also like I was having the adventure of a lifetime.

We had a great adventure with Ali's Kayak Rental! Booking…read moreonline was easy, and since the guided tour was full, we did the self-guided kayak and hike to the secret waterfalls. Its a more budget friendly option but you don't need to drive your kayak to the river, its just a short walk. Before launching, the owner gave us a quick and helpful presentation on where to go and how to handle the kayaks. Just note there is an additional $5 per person river fee (or a state park fee). The trip involves about two miles of kayaking and a mile-long hike each way. Because the trail has lots of rocks, muddy areas, crossing a river and roots, I wouldn't recommend it for small kids or anyone who isn't relatively fit. Overall, the equipment was excellent, the staff was great and we highly recommend it!

On May 5, 2026 my husband and I went on a Kayaking adventure with Ali'i Kayaks in Wailua, Kauai…read more This was our first kayaking experience and it did not disappoint! Our guide for the day was "K-man". He was awesome! He had a great personality, was very knowledgeable and was funny. He was also great with names; he remembered everyone's, and he made it a point to make conversation with everyone single one of us. Our adventure started off by meeting at the office/pick up location. Then we loaded up into a van and made the short drive to the slipway. There we selected kayaks and were given oars and life jackets. Once we got situated, we hit the water. The weather that day was perfect; the sun was out with some clouds, and there was a light, constant breeze. Our journey on the water was a beautiful one. The water was cool, the scenery was green. I'll admit, the kayaking distance was a bit challenging. Maybe a bit more so as my husband and I are competitive and we were nearly racing with another couple. LOL! Once we reached shore, we gathered up and made our way to the hiking path. Honestly, the hike itself is not hard, with the exception of a few spots that may require teamwork/assistance. (**READ TIPS BELOW) Once we reached the waterfall, most of us went into the water. We stayed there for about 20-30 minutes. Our guide never rushed us. He sat back and let us enjoy ourselves. It was only when we all gathered up again that we headed back, same hike in reverse back to the kayaks. Once in the kayaks it was the same way back as well. The scenery was VERY beautiful. Several pictures were taken. Overall we had a great day. We would definitely recommend to anyone who has never been to Kauai and to anyone who is interested in being surrounded by beautiful scenery. TIPS: - [ ] Wear good shoes! The terrain can be unstable due to river rocks, tree roots, mud, and uneven ground. Your feet WILL get soaked and the ground is unstable. My husband and I both opted to wear sneakers that we were ready to retire. When we were done we threw them away. Another couple wore aqua shoes and they said they were extremely uncomfortable: good for water, bad for the rough terrain. Another couple wore brand new hiking boots and they became water logged. - [ ] Wear sunscreen!! Even if it's overcast, the harsh island sun will magnify through the clouds. - [ ] Sunglasses and a hat/visor is a wise choice. **if you wear a hat or visor, it may create a blind spot. Keep your head up! One person in our group hit their head twice on the same tree branch! - [ ] Wear clothing you can get wet. You will get wet from the waist down from the kayaking and hike. - [ ] Wear swimwear underneath your clothing. When you get to the waterfall, there is a pool of water you are able to swim in. - [ ] Bring a backpack/secure bag with water and snacks! You will need it! - [ ] Bring towels and leave them in the car. At the end of the day, when stripping off your wet shoes and socks the towels come in handy. *** For reference, our groups ages ranged from 52 to approximately early 70's.

We booked this experience with less than 48 hours' notice, which was super convenient. The check-in…read moreprocess was quick and smooth--just arrive at your scheduled time, get ready, and head out. You pull your kayak (on wheels) to the launch site and push off from there; it's definitely doable. We opted to go without a guide and simply followed the provided map, which was very straightforward. However, in my opinion, the activity wasn't worth the price. Paddling two miles each way was pretty strenuous, especially with kids. The hike to Secret Falls was extremely muddy, particularly after rain, and we saw lots of people slipping and falling. It's not a huge problem, but you'll definitely want to plan for a shower afterwards. They do provide a large wet bag, but ours smelled strongly of body odor from repeated use without proper cleaning--definitely unpleasant. If I could do it over again, I would have canceled and just explored the state park on foot. For the amount of effort required, I felt the experience was overpriced.

We did the Guided Wailua River "Secret Fall" Adventure with Wailua Kayak & Canoe, and it was an…read moreabsolute blast! The scenery along the river and hike was stunning, and the whole experience felt like the perfect mix of adventure and relaxation. Our guide, Michael, really made the trip special. He shared so much interesting information about the river, the history of the area, the plants, and the wildlife--and kept us laughing the whole way with his endless supply of dad jokes (now upgraded with 10% more!). If you're looking for a unique way to experience the natural beauty of Kauai, this tour is it. Come for the adventure, stay for Michael's humor. Highly recommended!

We came during off season in mid-January. It was cloudy and sunny, and there were no bugs. We took…read morethe 9:00a to 2:00pm tour. I think we got back to the retrieve our belongings at 1:30p. Our guide Kyle was amazing! Since it was off season, he took about 8 persons, 2 tandam kayaks. One guide can take 12 persons maximum. It was great that our group was smaller. The Wailua River is really serene and calm, so both persons forward paddle, versus the back person back paddling in more rapids like Colorado or Sacramento River. We paddled 1 mile to the hiking, and 1 mile back. My arms were a little sore afterwards. The highlight is the hike to the water fall, which is about 0.2 mi in, 0.2 mi out, however it took about 30-40 min one way. Some areas are bush whacking, river crossing (bring water shoes like Teva), some very muddy so you have to slow down, some have wood planks built. When you the to the waterfall, it is gorgeous, and we packed our own lunch to enjoy for about 30-40 minutes at the falls. There were no bugs as we went in mid-January. Morning tours are more cold, so bring a light wind jacket or rain jacket. Afternoon tours are warmer, but you risk having bugs and sunburn. Our guide Kyle, has been feeding this bird along the hiking path for 8 years. He is tame and will come for photos. I'm a bird feeder and watcher, so major kudos to Kyle! The scenery of the hike and kayak trip was surreal and will blow your mind. The photos don't do it justice. You will take a van from kayak launch at Wailua River about 3 minutes back to base camp. Kayak Wailua provides you a water proof bag for your belongings, and a cooler bag for your lunch. They also have a locker for other stuff you don't want to bring along. I love this alot, and the tamed wild bird was the big plus!

This was a last minute adventure and boy am I glad we did it! We had an afternoon tour with…read moreMichayla. Butchered her name I am sure but there's Y somewhere ;) she's hilarious and very knowledgeable. 'Hele on to kauai' is in repeat because of her. We enjoyed it so much! Hike to the water falls was fun. Water was super cold, but we wear about go under the falls which was fun. Wear water shoes with nice grip. Wear insect repellent, coz something definitely bit me. Wear sunscreen!!

Scotty's Surf was an amazing experience for our family to kayak the Wailua River. The gentleman…read morewho helped us, (Ben's dad), was extremely helpful and kind. What a great man! His information was spot on and easy to follow. We cannot recommend this small business enough and will certainly be back in the future!

We tried to book a kayak at multiple places closer to our hotel and no one would call us back. On…read moreour first call here, they answered and were very helpful so we knew we wanted to use them. Their prices were better also and they give you a ton of tips and tricks. They gave us a map and told us how to get to the rock jump after the waterfall. We noticed none of the guided tours were going that way so if we hadn't gone to Scotty's we never would have had the amazing opportunity to jump off a rock jump as a family. They also have an after hours drop off which meant we weren't on a time constraint which was great since we have kids who get tired kayaking. I wish I could give them 6 stars instead of 5 because the service was so top notch and we had not had that good of service anywhere else on Kaua'i!

Such an easy experience. We called the morning of, booked online, kayaks in good shape, and dry…read morebags included. The guy was waiting when we arrived. He helped us load our kayak onto the roof of our car with some basic foam pieces to protect the roof. You have to drive less than 5 minutes down the road. They had us take pictures of some emergency numbers and maps, giving us some quick tips. It was SOOOOO nice doing this rental to complete our hike versus one of the tours. We got to the waterfall at the perfect time between multiple large guided groups and I couldn't imagine having the same experience with 30-50 people at the falls. Highly recommend. At the end of the trip, you just bring the kayak back and lock it to the chain provided on the side of the building. Renting the kayak was a little more leg work than a guided tour, but it was so worth it to go at our own pace and to enjoy any stops along the way we wanted.

They were so great! You do have to unload your own kayak when you get to the river but it's kinda…read morefun! LOL

We had a great experience here! We did the Wednesday morning kayak adventure so we got to the…read moremarina at 7am. It was just my family - the 5 of us - and our guide, Mikayla. Since there were an odd number of us, she gave us her single kayak so I was able to use that on the way out and then switched with my brother on the way back. It was really nice to basically have that private tour! Unfortunately because of the rain and rising waters, we weren't able to do the hike & waterfall portion of the trip but the kayaking along the river was really nice and enjoyable. Mikayla did take us out of the kayaks and show us some of the surrounding area and shared with us information about the different plants. It was fun! We only got a downpour on the way back for the marina for about 10min but that was part of the experience! We didn't eat breakfast before and do actually the length of time worked well for us. We left around 7:30am ish and made it back around 9;30am. The company refunded us 50% since weather made the hike portion impossible. Totally recommend bringing food though if you do the full thing:) and bring shoes good for hiking. Mikayla was friendly and helped get my two siblings (who hadn't kayaked before) adjusted and paddling in a straight line rather than zigzagging across. She was a great guide and would definitely recommend her! We learned a lot. And she gave us more recommendations around the island for the rest of our trip.

Great kayak and hike adventure to a local waterfall. Slippery spots and you will hug rocks and…read morewade streams. Wear sunscreen. We are from Fl and burned. The sun is more direct here. My tan has still not faded. This is not a leisurely stroll. You will climb tree roots and climb up and down a lot. Great photos though. Tandam sit on tops used.

Staff was great and geared the activity for our group with some less and others more experienced on…read morethe kayak and zip-line. The hikes were easy to moderate with plenty of rest opportunities. Prepare to get wet - whether on the kayak, on the hike (we had stops at 2 different water holes), or on the boat ride back as you go into the trade winds. If you are looking for a zip-line centric tour there are other tours you should pick out side the "zip line safari". Our tour included 2 zip lines, so enough to fulfill the need to fly but not hours of zip-lines back-to-back. This tour is more about the kayak up the river and the hike through some beautiful, undisturbed nature.

Bubba told me I had to!…read more Zipping was amazing! Harlen and Bubba were fabulous guides! The history, the stories and the humor will keep us coming back here and the island!