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The Nā Pali coast is considered one of the most serene and breathtaking coastlines in the world! The green cliffs span 17 miles along Kauai’s north shore, and create a landscape like no other. There are only a few ways to see the Nā Pali Coast, by boat, air, or foot. We opted to see the coastline from the water and booked a tour with Kauai Sea Tours. We paid $180 per person, $360 in total on their 5-hour Na Pali raft tour. We had an amazing experience with Kauai sea tours, but this tour is not for everyone!
The tour takes place on a small raft boat, and during the five-plus hour journey, you are sitting on the edge of the raft. To keep you secure, your feet are placed under a strap running along the boat floor, and your hands are on a rope along the raft edge. On their website, they have a warning that the tour is not suited for expecting mothers, those with bad backs, shoulders, knees, or hips, anyone who has recently undergone any surgeries, and those with mobility limitations! Please, heed their warning! The ride was ROUGH, and you were holding on the entire time!!!!
The Na Pali Coast Raft Tour Experience:
The Na Pali Coast tour begins near Port Allen Eleele, at Kauai Sea Tours office space. It is located in a small shopping center, and we found parking. We opted to take the early morning (7:00 am) tour and arrived about 20 minutes early. We found their storefront easily and went inside to check in and sign a waiver. They do reiterate in person that this tour is not suitable for those with medical conditions or expectant mothers.
We were then sorted into groups based on what boat we were going out on and then watched a small safety presentation from the crew. We were all given dry bags to put our items in, and we had no issues fitting our backpacks into them! The dry bag did a good job of keeping things dry too despite how wet everything else on board got!!
Before heading to the boat we were told to try and use the bathroom since there was no bathroom on the raft boat we would be on. Use the bathroom!! Or you will have to ask them to stop the boat, climb down a ladder into the water, and do your business with 10 people watching you!
We walked as a group to the harbor, and before we boarded the boat we were given another brief safety presentation. We were told how to board and secure ourselves. They demonstrated how to use the foot strap to secure yourself, and pointed out where the rope was along the raft to hold onto with your hands.
During your journey, it is required to always have at least one foot in the foot strap at all times to help avoid anyone going overboard if they lose their grip with their hands. Once everyone was boarded and safely secured, we headed out of the harbor and began our journey.
The ride out to the start of the Nā Pali Coast takes about 45 minutes. While riding you can see a beautiful view of Waimea and Ni‘ihau. The views of Kauai from the water were truly mesmerizing!
As we got closer to the Nā Pali Coast we encountered a large pod of Spinner Dolphins! We stopped and watched them swim and play around the boat. We saw them jumping out of the water left and right on the horizon. I will never forget how amazing it was to watch them swim and jump so close to us!
From there we went on with the tour. We saw towering waterfalls flowing into the ocean, and sea caves. On our tour, we went into the sea cave, but could not stay long as the tide was high and the water was rough. It was worth going inside even though it was short-lived. It was so cool to experience the darkness inside and see and feel the water rise and fall with the raft.
After leaving the sea cave we made our way down the Nā Pali Coast, taking in the expansive views and listening to the vast history and cultural significance. Looking at the massive green cliffs, against the bright blue water made it evident why this is considered one of the most beautiful coastlines in the world.
Before heading back to the harbor, we stopped and had lunch aboard the boat. Around this point of the tour is normally when they would let you snorkel, however on the day we went the snorkel conditions were not safe. The water was rough, and the visibility was low. We were sad, but understood why! We were offered a quick swim/bathroom break if anyone needed it around this time as well.
Lunch was a small bagged lunch with a wrap, cookie, and drink. At this point in the day, we were starving!! We did not eat in the morning and had been holding on to a moving raft in the hot sun for hours. Lunch was very much appreciated! The company did reach out beforehand to ask if we had any meal restrictions and what flavor we would like.
The ride back after lunch is about an hour to two-hour ride and is mainly focused on getting back on time. This was arguably the roughest part of the trip as we hit a lot of headwinds and waves. Be prepared to be bounced around and to hold on tight! It was fun to hit big waves, at some points I swear we were flying above the water! Landing back on the water was less fun, and made me understand why people with back problems are not allowed on the journey!
Once we made it back to the harbor we unloaded from the boat, and had to walk a little way down the harbor to grab our shoes. The ground was HOT!!! I do not know any way to better prepare you for this than telling you to bring shoes you can put on quickly!
As we walked to our car we realized a few things; we were sunburned, we were sore, and we were covered in a thick layer of salt! However, we had just been on an adventure of a lifetime and it was so worth it!
What to bring:
Long-sleeve shirt/swimsuit coverups
Sunscreen
A water-resistant camera or phone case for pictures
Hat with a chin strap, ball caps were flying off!
Towels
Swimsuits
Cash for tipping
Summary:
On the Kauai Sea Tours Nā Pali Coast Raft Boat Tour we saw sea caves, waterfalls, and the famous Nā Pali coast up close. We paid $360 for two adult tickets, and the tour lasted about five and a half hours and included lunch. This tour is one of our favorite things we have ever done! It is truly a once-in-a-lifetime experience, and we are so grateful to have been able to go. Kauai Sea Tours helped us have a safe, fun, and knowledgeable journey, and we are glad we went out with them! For those who may not be able/want to go on the raft boat tour, they also offer bigger vessels that can get you to the coastline! Let us know below if you think a Nā Pali coast tour with Kauai Sea Tours is worth your wallet!
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