DRAMAMINE, y'all…read more You're choosing to do the Na'Pali coast from the North Shore, which means smaller boats, and choppier waves. I took one Dramamine, the night before. Then another, an hour before our departure. AND THE BOAT RIDE WAS GREAT. I was all smiles and adventure and breathing -in the ocean air and wind! Unlike, a few folks, who were NOT doing so well. (One or two barfed over the side, but thankfully I didn't notice. Know how your body handles boats and waves. Don't do tours like this, without proper prep. It will NOT be fun if you underestimate it.) Check-In staff was super friendly, and personal. They remembered me from my original email. Sweet. Parking was easy. Shuttles team was super friendly. The strangers we rode with, all turned out to be cool. 2 boats go out (mini-catamarans, with cover from the sun). They expertly traverse the waves, and cliffs, and the caves, giving you some amazing first-hand visuals and photos. But yeah, that boat will be a rockin', during those up-close cave moments. Spoiler: You probably won't see whales, unless you're there before May. But we DID see a cute pod of Dolphins, who cozy'd up to our boat for a while. Our boat had Casey and Spencer. They were wise beyond their years, in all things Kauai. Funny and friendly. Spencer navigated the heck out of those waves, while Casey handled the nauseous passengers with MOTHERLY CARE. Spencer was 50/50 on allowing us to snorkel, based on conditions and a previous scare, a few weeks prior. But he ultimately made the call to GET IN THE WATER. He wisely kept us on a leash (not literally), whistling at swimmers when they got too close to a reef (with waves that could wash you onto the reef). It was fun and chill. Saw a HUGE, MASSIVE KING DADDY SEA TURTLE. He did not enjoy us as much as we enjoyed him and he bounced. Followed by a JR. Turtle, who stuck around a bit longer. Tons of fish. Spencer & Casey gave us good food and hike recommendations, and everyone treated us like friends / family. Highly recommend this team if you're going out. And you already know I highly recommend some Dramamine.

Had a great experience this week with Lance and Miguel. Before we even got out of the bay we had…read morean amazing dolphin encounter. The tour itself was both breathtakingly beautiful and informative, with lots of great history and a thorough knowledge of the coast's features. We were able to get in close to the cliffs and even go into a couple of sea caves. On the way back -- a very bouncy and splashy affair in the best way for those of us who were adventurous enough to sit in the bow -- we stopped at Tunnels Beach to snorkel the outer reef, which was full of tropical fish and turtles. The tour included lunch and refreshments as well. Overall a great way to spend an afternoon -- definitely a 5-star experience. A word to the wise-- the northwest corner of Kaua'i is often rainy and can get a bit cold when the wind is up, so not a bad idea to bring something extra to throw on after you finish the snorkel and are heading back to port.

Capt. Mike and crew were absolutely amazing!! The father/son crew were very friendly and outgoing…read more Incredible service from start to finish. We booked this trip during our Hawaii cruise and super glad we did. The boat handled the waters beautifully, with minimal water coming over the bow, and the seas were very choppy the day we went out. Saw a bunch of amazing sites, caves, beaches, and waterfalls! Highly, highly recommend this charter.

Super-highly recommended. Our crew was A'a and Liliana, both terrifically competent and let…read moreeveryone take turns sitting near the bow, where the view is best. We were also blessed with terrific weather and smooth morning water which makes a huge difference. Reportedly the water can become choppy in the afternoon.

Unreal guides!! This trip was the greatest. Captain Greg & copilot Caleb made everyone feel like…read morefamily. From the lunch to the snorkeling to the vast amount of information... what a home run. Greg guided us perfectly through some rough chop and we came out on the other side ready for more. Greg is 6th generation Hawaiian so ask away... he knows everything. It is unbelievable !!! Would definitely do the tour again

Our young friend recommended this as her favorite thing to do in all of Hawaii Nei. This was her…read morethird visit because she likes to bring all her favorite visitors on this tour. After taking it myself now, I can see why! We met Captain Greg Baptiste and copilot Caleb at Kiki'aola Small Boat Harbor at 8:45 and ended about 2:45. We were supposed to end at 2:30 but got delayed by kayakers who caused boat traffic. A 6th generation Kaua'i kama'aina, Captain Greg was extremely experienced, confident, and relaxed so we felt very safe with him at the helm, even when the boat was slapping the waters and we felt like we were on a mechanical bull ride. Luckily I didn't get seasick, so it felt a like a real life Disney ride to me. However, I don't recommend this for those who get queasy. His first mate, Caleb, took turns with him at the wheel and dove in to achor us. Throughout the tour Greg educated us with fascinating facts and tales about the geography, history, and lore of the breathtaking beautiful Na Pali Coast. One of the lessons from the legend of Na Keiki a ono iwi that resonated with me was 1.Listen to your elders 2. Do not Steal 3. You are responsible for your children's actions. (Teachers, gotta love this one!!) Highlights were the open ceiling cave and iconic "Cathedral " cliffs. We stopped for about an hour or so of beautiful clear snorkeling where we got to see turtles in addition to some beautiful and large fish. They use excellent Mantis brand snorkeling gear which I really liked and will fit you for fins. After that we were very ready for lunch! They normally cater sandwiches but something happened so we assembled our own with fixings from Costco which tasted extra good at sea! The only suggestion I would have for this business is to do a better job of briefing folks about safety and how to treat the reef. Some kids in our group were sitting and stepping on the coral. Mahalo nui Capt. Greg and Crew for an incredible day trip!! Will definitely recommend this to everyone I know!

Got me the best list of things to do and companies to use highly suggest!!! Located in the best…read moreshopping better you can't miss it

A lovely little booth with all the attractions we were wishing for in one place Larraine was so…read morehelpful finding us exactly what we were looking for. We ended up booking only 2 activities as we had such little time on the island. We did the Princeville helicopter ride and horseback riding...such incredible experiences!! We especially loved the helicopter, highly recommend :)

Without a doubt, the best experience I've had on the island. It was a blast from start to finish…read more If you're more into adventure and thrill, this is the ticket. They take you into caves and aren't afraid to squeeze in. What we didn't expect, getting MAJA island stories and information while the captain/DJ plays some great music and choreographed movie scores to go with the vibes. We met hundreds of SPINNA dolphins and during the one hour snorkel stop, we were escorted by a beautiful Honu across the reef. The wife and I talk about this trip all the time. The jokes and good conversations are something to remember from the staff as well.

Easily One of the Best Experiences of My Life - 10/10 Would Do Again…read more If you're debating whether or not to book with Nā Pali Pirates, just do it. Hands down one of the coolest things I've ever done. Captain Dom was the perfect mix of chill, knowledgeable, and safety-conscious--dude knew exactly how to handle the boat, even when we got up close and personal with some pretty intense waves near the cliffs and caves. And Chaz? Absolute legend. Kept the vibes light with some solid (and delightfully cheesy) jokes, plus he snapped a ton of pics so we could actually enjoy the moment without worrying about our phones. But the real highlights? Getting insanely close to the cliffs and feeling the sheer power of the ocean, then just floating out in the middle of nowhere, taking it all in. Oh, and did I mention we saw THREE whale breaches and a bunch of dolphins? Unreal. If you're on the fence, take this as your sign to book it. Zero regrets, just pure adventure.

This was a wonderful day and well worth the time and money. Who wouldn't want a tour of the island…read moreby a private driver and seeing the sites by someone who lives and breaths Hawaii? We learned things we never knew even after 20 years of visiting the island. Saw some amazing homes and the history of who lives there, saw beach's that we had no idea were there, and just had an amazing day talking about the history of Kuaui. Steve who was our driver for the day was very informative and we enjoyed the day with him immensely. We couldn't have asked for a better day! Would definitely do it again!

Our family, party of 5, all adults, took this tour on 6/14/23. Bart was our "tour" guide. He was…read moreanything but a tour guide. Very nice man, but this was not a tour. It was a car service. Bart did not share any history about the island. He only shared movie/tv knowledge. He did not share any cultural or historical knowledge. Don't waste your money or time! If you have a rental car, you can see everything for yourself. We paid for the "Ultimate Kaiya Private Tour, " which cost our family $1600.00 (with tip). The ONLY reason we tipped is because we feel it's important to support the local economy, and as I shared Bart was a nice guy. We did contact the business about our concerns, and they gave us a canned response telling us that they will tell Bart to do better. Hence the reason I am taking it to this review so that others can be warned. We feel we were dupped and that this business has unethical practices.

Asher gave us skills for life at ACE. We were able to go to a wonderful location and be greeted by…read morethe clear blue waters of the Hawaiian reef. Asher took us to outcroppings and showed us the hunting techniques that we brought back to our local community as well. We were able to make some awesome fish tacos for the rest of our time on island with our daily catch.

Asher is an amazing guide! I took my 3 boys out for a day of spearfishing including my 12 year old…read moreson. He was extremely knowledgeable. Really took the time to instruct and teach before leaving the beach and in the water. I was comforted knowing he's a trained lifeguard here on the island and has years of professional and recreational spearfishing experience. Highly recommend!

We were scheduled for a Waikiki Sunset & Wine Turtle Snorkeling Cruise at 4 PM this evening and…read moretheir operator forgot to pick us up. We tried the number listed several times from 4:15 until after 5 PM and no answer - not even a voicemail. We finally received a call back at 5:12 PM because she realized she had several missed calls from my number. Needless to say we traveled all the way from Missouri on our honeymoon and was not able to experience this excursion, so we are not happy. Had they answered when we first tried reaching out, we may have been enjoying this experience right now. Do better. Maybe make a roster of names and hotels of the pickups and cross them out as you pick them up... try that. Very, very discouraged.

From the owner: Enjoy Waikiki's beautiful sunset and Friday night fireworks aboard the Oceanstar. Have an evening…read moreto remember while snorkeling with turtles with a spectacular sunset, views of Waikiki Beach and Diamond Head Crater. As we sail back, enjoy our complimentary home-made charcuterie board and wine. You are welcome to bring your own snacks and beverages as well.

The chocolate and the trees were fabulous! The guide was wonderful and kind! Definitely a must do!read more

So informative. Learned more than I ever knew about chocolate. Very interesting. And so much…read morechocolate to sample!