I like to find an adventurous thing to do for each decade of my birthday. In my 20's it was…read moreskydiving, and my 30's, it's shark diving. I had such a fun experience with Ocean Outfitters! We lucked out with perfect wind, water, and sky conditions, which made the whole trip incredible. The ride out was 10-15 min? Getting into the water was easy. Water was great! Though there weren't many, we did manage to dive next to a Galapagos shark, a jellyfish, turtle, and eagle ray (this guy was in port tho). Lilly and the entire team were so helpful and accommodating the whole time. They were fantastic about answering all of our questions and really made the process of getting in and out of the boat less stressful. I will say: you will need to have decent strength to hoist yourself out of the water from a small solo step on the boat (they help but keep in mind for my fellow limited bodied folks). On windier conditions, you will have to be a decent swimmer, too. So those not familiar with the ocean, practice at like Waikiki or hanauma bay first. We had someone swallow water on our boat and we had calmer conditions, too. I honestly wish we could have been in the water for longer, but I'm just looking at it as a great excuse to book another trip and head out again! My favorite part was actually the ride back in: the crew picked up some speed and took some fun turns, which I really enjoyed. Everything was set up to be convenient, too. They provided all the snorkel gear, including flippers and masks, and there is a cubby under the seat to keep your items safe, dry, and out of the way. Parking is readily available, so you don't have to worry about that. Just a heads up on the media side of things: they do offer professional photo packages, which run about $80 to $100. You are allowed to bring your own GoPro, but they are pretty specific about which models you can bring due to concerns about radio wave interference, so it's worth double-checking with them beforehand. Overall, it was a fantastic day out on the water with a good crew.

We had an epic time exploring and seeing different kinds of sharks…read more We felt safe the entire time. We got the help we needed when our hears needed replacement. We had floats until we were comfortable enough to let go. Crew was fantastic! They offer photos and videos with sharks to purchase.

I had an amazing opportunity of being able to go on one of their boats for a field trip that's part…read moreof my part-time job (went for free because my job paid for the trip!). The crew were very knowledgeable about the different sea life (such as dolphins and whales) that tend to appear. The boat ride itself is a bit rocky and it can be very easy to get seasick. However, there are lots of places to sit and lay down, and the crew provides free food + unlimited non-alcoholic drinks for all passengers! On the day I went, I got a buttered biscuit and some fruit for breakfast, and a pesto sandwich for lunch. Near the end of the boat ride, passengers are able to jump into the water and are provided flotation devices. I thought it was pretty cool that you can jump directly off the boat! (The crew cares about your safety and will brief you on water safety before you get into the water). All in all, the view of the ocean is super pretty and I was able to see dolphins multiple times on this trip! I'd recommend local residents and tourists to take a trip out into the water like this at least once in your life.

We did a morning three hour spinner dolphin snorkel sail on a catamaran last Friday. 9am-noon…read more We were picked up at the Marriott in Ko Olina by the company shuttle and driven to the Waianae harbor where the catamaran was docked. Pros; * great crew with great attitudes. Willingness to assist. * spinner dolphins spotted. 100% guaranteed as the dolphins are indigenous to Hawaii. They never leave. * breakfast & lunch served. Breakfast was fruit and a tiny biscuit. Lunch was a veggie wrap with bag of chips. * two drink tickets. But lenient. I went with a draft IPA with my first ticket. Passed on my second drink. Cons: * as a non-swimmer I think more emphasis on use of snorkel equipment was necessary. And more discussion on safety. * they put out a blue floating mat but it wobbled due to current. * add more floatation options - I've been on snorkel trips where there's been a floatation view box; snorkel vests for rent, etc. Pro or Con - it's how you look at it. Most seating was on the two nets in the front of the catamaran. Which meant you either sat up or laid down on it. But no back support. Having said all that it was a fun experience with room for improvement. Heads up - shoeless requirement. We had to put our shoes in a storage box at the marina. Upon our return a crew member lined up our shoes for retrieval.

Aloha! This morning, my daughter and I did a spontaneous boat ride on the Ko'olina Glass Bottom…read moreBoat. Captain Kai and Tristan were extremely knowledgeable and personable. We prefer to support not only local, but Kānaka as well. Checked off those boxes, as well as having a much needed peaceful time out on the ocean. We saw some nai'a and honu. The Wai'anae mountains ranges were so majestic and lush today too. Will go again soon in the hopes of seeing whales next time. Keiki and kūpuna friendly.

Wi did the sunset boat ride withIan and Tristan and they were great. They were informed by another…read moreboat of dolphin siting ands did not hesitate to take us to see the pod. It was all a breathing taking experience. It is definitely worth the core memories. I recommend this 1,000% if you plan on visiting Ohau. A hui hou!

I loved every second of this experience! The entire crew was so sweet, welcoming, professional, and…read moremade the tour so much fun. You can tell they genuinely enjoy what they do because their chemistry together is amazing--and they have GREAT taste in music! **Captain Kef** was the absolute best! We started calling him the **"dolphin radar"** because it was like he knew exactly where the dolphins were. We got to see SO many dolphins, and it made the experience unforgettable. **Koa**, his right-hand man, was amazing, and **Madi**, the mermaid of the deck crew ‍, brought such great energy to the trip. They all worked so well together and made everyone feel comfortable and excited. And a huge shoutout to **Bryan, the cameraman!** He was super sweet and an incredible diver. I was honestly impressed watching how deep he would dive just to capture amazing photos for us. He really went above and beyond! This crew made the entire experience special. If you're thinking about doing a dolphin tour, I HIGHLY recommend going with them. The dolphins were incredible, but the crew is what really made the experience!

It's with great sadness that I write this review. As they say, one bad apple can ruin the entire…read morebunch. In the case, it is one bad Maki that ruined everyone else's review. The entire staff amazing. Treated us amazing. Good tour if you're Japanese (11 people) not if you're English speaking (19 people, our group 9 people) at least from Maki's point of view. The rest of the team tried to make up for how horrible Maki treated all the non-Japanese, and they did an amazing job. I'm giving them a 3 because it took 45 minutes from our pick up at the hotel until we encountered the rest of the amazing crew. If Maki's there, don't go. If she's not there, this tour is a 5+ Stars.

7am Whale & Turtle excursion on 14June! Absolutely phenomenal experience! Can't recommend them or…read morethe tour enough. Crew was fantastic, accommodating, and met their guests needs by tailoring support accordingly. Some of us had experience snorkeling while others needed support and they were intentional to tailor our experience to meet both. Fun and educational. The crew distinctly sought to educate us throughout, providing informative understandings of the sea life we were engaging at the time. Absolutely cannot recommend enough! Plus, a snack at the end

Had the best time with Shannon, Alex and Matt!! Went with my husband, 4 year old son and 10 year…read moreold daughter. Crew is very eager to get you in the water with the animals in an ethical way, which I loved. They will ask you what you want to see when you first get on. When we arrived at the first pod of dolphins, there was a larger tour (about 20-30) already there. I was grateful our tour had only 4 other guests and two crew with us in the water at all times (as well as the captain on the boat).. The dolphins swam right below us, it was magical. On the ride back, my daughter asked if we could do it again! Would highly, highly recommend Wild Side and would book again!

This company really shows you the meaning of ohana from the moment you start your day with them…read more The crew is simply AMAZING they really do make you feel safe and comfortable when swimming in the open deep ocean. Since my tour had a very small group it was even more pleasant. We got to see some dolphins, turtle, a few reef fish, and I even held an octopus (my favorite sea creature). The snacks, lunch and drinks were a nice bonus and very delicious.

My family and I had the joy of swimming with dolphins and turtles with Indigo Ocean Hawaii. From…read morethe very start, we felt like part of the family. Steve explained what to expect on the way to the site. It definitely quelled our anxiety. My children are 13, 10, 9 and 9 so I was worried that they may not want to get in the water. One of my boys had Nalu as his guide in the water and his assistance allowed my son to experience the water. My family really enjoyed getting to know the crew. They really made us feel welcome on the boat. We ate good food and hung out and talked. Steve took some great picture of our experience and we will treasure those memories forever. Thank you much for sharing with us and we hope to see you next time we are in Oahu.

Thank you so much to the boat captain, Hailey, and to Banzai Adventures for helping my family grant…read moremy brother's final wish to scatter his ashes off his beloved Shark's Cove on June 25th, the anniversary of his passing. We took a photo from Ke Iki Beach the next day and a double rainbow appeared at the spot where we scattered his ashes. Hailey was wonderful, friendly, and thoughtful. She made the ride to Shark's Cove as comfortable as possible, and was so kind to ask about my brother's life. Ka'imi moved from Honolulu to Pupukea 20 years ago where he made lasting friendships, helped sponsor young surfers, and volunteered with Mālama Pūpūkea-Waimea to support the environment. My son, younger brother, and I had a great conversation with Hailey. E ho'omana'o mau makou i kou lokomaika'i We will remember your kindness forever.

I booked a private boat tour today 8/24 to scatter the remainder of my dad's ashes. I had plans to…read morestop in Chinatown to pick up some flower petals and we lost track of time. I have two young kids and getting them out of the house is a struggle. We had to drop them off at my mother's house on the way to Haleiwa. We couldn't make it to Chinatown which I was really bummed about because I really wanted to honor my dad and do a nice final send-off. I called Jared because we got lost, and he was very helpful in guiding where the boat is and the name of it. We arrived about 10 mins early and were greeted by Captain Alex on the Flyer. The boat used today was a deep-sea fishing boat and a little larger than the Banzai one they use per Jared. That actually made me feel better because all 3 of us (myself, husband, and bestfriend) get seasick. Captain Alex shook each of our hand and introduced himself to us and had rose petals and plumerias for me to use. I was soooo relieved and so thankful he went and did that. The extra kindness and gesture goes a long way! The ride was good, and we didn't really feel sick at all. It was a BEAUTIFUL day and I believe dad loved it! The music was like old school local and matched the vibes. After scattering, my husband and bestfriend let Captain Alex know we can go back. Our trip was actually short which I didn't expect to stay until 11am as it was also really hot and only the 3 of us. It was nice and intimate and just what I envisioned. Anyway, I would highly recommend Banzai Adventures! I was debating between this company and Oahu Ash Scattering. I read the reviews and I'm so glad I didn't go with them. Also, I believe the companies usually charge you if you wanted a bag of loose petals but Captain Alex had generously offered them to us. To me, I think that is great service...especially how I felt earlier when I was rushing and couldn't get them beforehand. I'm really happy I could give dad this. Thank you!!

We're returning from a week long trip to Honolulu and I wanted to take a minute to leave a review…read morefor Jonathon and his company, Ola Para Dive. As a life long snorkeling enthusiast, I have always wanted to try scuba diving but have been concerned with confident enough with safely completing the required skills. My wife and I tried snuba a few years ago which was a good introduction to breathing under water but was limiting and didn't address my concerns with accomplishing scuba skills. I've thought about doing a discover scuba trip for several years and finally pulled the trigger on our most recent trip to Oahu. I selected Jonathon and Ola Para Dive based on the great reviews, availability and the reasonable price. After booking the trip, Jonathon got right back to me to confirm the best time and continued to have excellent communication. On the morning of the dive, we met Jonathon at the charter dive boat and he was great about keeping us informed as to what to expect and took the time during preparations to start mentally preparing me for our skills practice. We departed from the harbor on time and once at the appropriate shallow dive site, Jonathon got me set up with gear, went over in detail what we were going to be working on and made sure I was feeling confident. I'll admit, my first 20 minutes in the water was a little stressful and it took me longer than I thought to get comfortable but I have to give full credit to Jonathan. He remained calm and focused on my success and didn't let me even think about giving up. In the end, I was able to check off a lifelong bucket list item and the experience of diving a vibrant coral reef with turtles all around at 40ft far exceeded my exceptions. If you have ever dreamed of trying or learning how to scuba dive but are nervous about being successful, then I highly recommend Jonathan and Ola Para Dive-his calm demeanor and professionalism will surely bring you success as he did for me.

I had a fun shore dive with Jonathan this morning at Magic Island Lagoon. He's super professional…read moreand safety conscious. He found lots of interesting things including a turtle resting in a small cave. I'll definitely look him up next time I'm in Honolulu.