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    Wailua River

    4.5 (31 reviews)

    Wailua River Photos

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    Jacqueline T.

    We spent a rainy day enjoying this state park on our first day in Kauai. We first took a boat tour to the fern grotto. While it was pretty and I enjoyed the scenery, the tour was a bit cheesy. The tour boat was cover though and did keep us dry. On a nice day, I would definitely rent kayaks and go to the fern grotto instead. The fern grotto is a short walk from the dock and it's gorgeous. We also drove to a couple of waterfalls: Opaekaa Falls and Wailua Falls. Both were just off the side of the road and worth stopping at. The river itself is the real attraction here in my opinion. Rent a kayak and spend some time exploring!

    Jeff A.

    The only navigable river in Hawaii. Pretty good place for water activities for those who don't want to venture in the ocean. I highly recommend the Smith's Waialua River tours. It's $30 and very informative and entertaining.

    Secret Falls during a dry season
    Anson W.

    The Secret Falls are not really a well-kept secret, but they're off the beaten path and require a kayak trip and a hike to reach. That's good enough for me! We rented a kayak at Kamokila Hawaiian Village (which I wrote a separate review for). They gave us a map and a waterproof bag for our stuff. Then we paddled 15 minutes to the trailhead along the river where everybody parks their kayaks. From there, it was a 30 - 45 minute hike to the Secret Falls. The hike takes you through the dense jungle, trees towering above, with thick roots that one must be careful to not trip over. The path mostly follows the river, and at one point there is a river crossing where the water comes up to your knees. Best to wear a swimsuit and water shoes, as there is no avoiding getting wet. Along the way we saw chickens, a concrete lookout tower, and a mini waterfall where the stream was flowing over some large rocks. Finally, we made it to the Secret Falls. The weather had been a little dry, so the falls were less like a torrent of water and more like a heavy rain. We waited for other people to clear out before we took our picture in front of the falls, and we went for a short swim in the shallow pool of water in front. We even stood directly beneath the falls, letting the water fall around us like a cool, steady shower. This is a terrific Kauai activity if you're the outdoorsy type. I wouldn't say that the experience was mind-blowing, but both the destination as well as the journey were memorable and enjoyable, and I would definitely love to do this again.

    Not so "Secret" Falls; its all about the journey
    Melissa L.

    This was a fantastic kayak/hike for a family. Not only did we kayak the beautiful Wailua River, but we took a short hike to the "Secret" Falls. I wouldn't call this the most beautiful waterfall on Kauai, but its the whole experience of kayaking and hiking that make this experience 5 stars. Because we had little ones, we did a guided tour. Its about 5 miles round trip (doesn't include stopping for eating or hiking). Did this in November, so the weather was more moderate. I recommend packing the usual: water/snacks (because we did a tour, the guide had that for us), etc. You kayak the first portion and then hike, in the mud, the rest of the way to the "Secret" Falls. Although the entire family had aqua shoes, they kept getting stuck in the mud (Since then, I have purchased Keens and have never looked back.) When we reached the falls, we jumped in. Nice. However, the kayaking portion back is tiring; especially, when your kid falls asleep and cannot help paddle. To this day, the kids list this in their top 10 Explorations.

    Rochelle D.

    The Wailua river, Kauai's only navigable river & Secret Falls, a 1 mile hike into the forest. After renting our boat, we were handed a waterproof map of the river and hiking trails. Loaded with our booty recently purchased from the Big Save market, we loaded our cooler into the boat and headed for the center of the Island. Mt. Waialeale, also known as the wettest spot on earth, is visible in the distance. Indiana Jones was filmed near here, and we could feel the adventure coming our way. The goal was to reach Secret Falls, a water fall where you can swim and have a relaxing picnic. As we putt-putted in our little boat, we felt silly as the kayakers moved past us at an alarming rate. How were we to enjoy the seclusion of the waterfall in the forest if these schmucks and their kids were to get there first? A mildly arduous hike was made treacherous by the muddy terrain (did I mention the wettest spot on earth was visible from here?). The terracotta colored soil had covered my socks and legs to just below my knees! The map pointed us in the right direction, and the well worn path was only ambiguous in a few spots. And in more than a few spots I thought 'I can't believe they let us out here by ourselves!". I cursed my over ambitiousness of packing the perfect picnic... that heavy cooler was becoming a real nuisance. Once we reached our destination, the cumbersome cooler was worth its weight in gold (almost!). The dry towels we packed were worth even more. That fresh Hawaiian water is freezing! Brrrr. The best part of the trip was on the way back, those kayakers watched in envy as we glided past them effortlessly while they struggled up-stream. Who looks silly now? ================================================== That was about 16 years ago... I guess gone are the days of the putt-putt boats, and most of the kayak tours are guided now. I suppose that's good. At least there will be someone with you who knows where to turn at the fork in the trail, and someone to warn you to bring some bug spray and to leave that heavy cooler in the car... It's definitely an adventure to remember, and unlike me you won't have to remember it by the bug bite scars on your legs.

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    great place to kayak! make sure to go hiking into the forest to see cool watering holes

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    Review Highlights - Wailua River

    On a nice day, I would definitely rent kayaks and go to the fern grotto instead.

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    Duke's Kayak Adventure

    Duke's Kayak Adventure

    4.7
    (150 reviews)
    0.4 mi

    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.

    We went out with Hawaiian Brian for a kayaking tour on the river. Brian is a local with a lot of…read moregreat stories and has lots of information about things to do in Kauai. Everything was seamless from start to finish. I would recommend!

    Photos
    The deepest river crossing
    The deepest river crossing
    Kayak landing point, hike trail head
    Kayak landing point, hike trail head
    Duke's Kayak Adventure

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    Kayak Wailua Tours

    Kayak Wailua Tours

    4.7
    (463 reviews)
    0.4 mi

    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!!

    Photos
    Kayak Wailua Tours
    Wailua Falls
    Wailua Falls
    Kayak Wailua Tours

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    Bring Me a Kayak

    Bring Me a Kayak

    4.2
    (28 reviews)
    0.5 mi

    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.

    This was an incredibly disappointing experience from start to finish. My husband and I thought this…read morewould be a great activity while on our honeymoon. Shortly after starting along the river, our Kayak starting to sink, we managed to paddle to the side of a bank and call the company for assistance. Their advice was to "try again." As we did multiple times, we flipped the kayak three times with all of our belongings inside. We then learned they sent us off with a dual Kayak without a plug, causing the kayak to fill internally with water and be unusable. We were stuck on the side of the bank for 4 hours. Once an employee made it to us bringing another kayak, we were greeted with couple of jokes opposed to an apology. Since this incident I have reached out to the company 3 times, in the last month and a half, via email simply to emphasize to the company how this could have been a very dangerous situation and how I would appreciate a refund. I have not heard anything from them.

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    Bring Me a Kayak
    Bring Me a Kayak
    Kayak

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    Kayak
    Holoholo Charters

    Holoholo Charters

    4.7
    (1.2k reviews)
    18.9 mi
    Locally owned & operated
    25 years in business

    The sunset cruise with Holo Holo Charters down the Nāpali Coast was an unforgettable experience. We…read morebooked it to celebrate my husband's 40th birthday, and it was perfect from start to finish. Captain Max was incredible--his sense of humor kept us laughing even as the rain and mist rolled in. The two women on the crew (I wish I could remember their names) were fantastic, making sure everyone was comfortable and answering all our questions with a smile. The playlist on board was spot on, setting the perfect vibe. I wish I could find it on Spotify! Despite the weather, the views were breathtaking, and getting a little drenched just added to the adventure. The food was delicious, especially the smoked pork, salad, and fresh fruit, and my husband loved the mai tais. Even without the sunset, the whole experience was magical. After chatting with other travelers, I'm convinced we had one of the best tours available. especially after talking to a couple at our hotel pool who had paid more than we did and only got snacks limited alcohol. I can't recommend Holo Holo Charters enough, and I'm already looking forward to trying their breakfast or snorkel cruise next time. If you're looking for an amazing adventure, this is it!

    My husband and I did the sunset dinner tour to the Na Pali coast with this company a couple weeks…read moreago on 4/1/26 at 2:45pm. Price was $250 per person and we booked a couple days before the tour date. (we went at the end of March - the weather was fantastic and not too hot, also not raining). Although it was pricey, I felt like it was worth the experience and highly recommend anyone do a tour, even if it's not with this company. We got back to shore around 7-7:30pm, so total time was 5 hours ish. Pros: - the Na Pali coast is BEAUTIFUL - the views were truly a once in a life time experience for me and I saw the fullest rainbow I've ever seen - The tour guide was super informative, we learned a lot about whales, and they also taught us a lot about certain mountains and waterfalls that we passed on the Na Pali Coast (like where Kauai kings were buried). - We stopped to watch whales multiple times and it was really cool! - The 3 staff working on board the ship were extremely helpful in answering questions, providing drinks, and instructing people from a safety perspective - Safety - I felt very well taken care of the whole time. It's a barefoot cruise but people can choose to keep their shoes on if they want. They provided bags for people feeling nauseous and gave good advice when people were feeling seasick. - Food provided - it's not fine dining or anything (chicken teriyaki, salad, etc) but it does beat having to pack your own food or go hungry around dinner time. Also unlimited alcohol or nonalcoholic drinks. - The staff helped us take photos and there's a lot of great photo opportunities at the coast - Champagne toast at sunset, which was beautiful to watch out on the water - bathrooms available on board - My husband didn't feel like eating on board due to the motion sickness so they were kind enough to pack a to-go box for us! - Parking was easy and the meet up location was easy to find - we stood outside for most of the ride since it felt better than sitting inside, so we did get a bunch of sea-spray and got super wet from the 10 ft swells, but it felt really fun! Cons: - I think they need to put a huge disclaimer with statistics or something to show people how common it is for people to get seasick and vomit. I think maybe 5 people from our whole boat got really sick and either fell or vomited during the trip (can feel a little weird enjoying the beautiful view while someone smells like vomit next to you lol). They do tell you at the beginning that you can walk away and get a full refund after hearing the captain briefing during the meet up starting spot, but I don't think they really emphasize just how many people get sick. I personally felt fine but I felt really bad for people who had to gut through the five hour round trip feeling terrible. bring Dramamine!! This was definitely a highlight of my first time in Kauai, I wouldn't necessarily do it more than once due to the price, but it was a fantastic experience for the views!

    Photos
    Captain Kelly
    Captain Kelly
    Per Captain - Rare Turtle
    Per Captain - Rare Turtle
    Breathtaking

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    Breathtaking

    Wailua River - rafting - Updated July 2026

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