Captain Na Pali Adventures

I booked a private tour with Captain Na Pali Adventures for today for a group of 14. Captain Joe cracked jokes all day, gave us a lot of information about the coast, and stopped the boat multiple times so we could watch Bottle Nose Dolphins, Spinner Dolphins, and sea turtles along the ride. We got to take the raft into a cave, which was beautiful. While snorkeling we saw colorful fish, a big sea turtle, and a baby sea turtle. My group would choose Captain Na Pali Adventures again.

The owner was unorganized and rude during initial arrival. I paid for the tour in advance and received a confirmation of payment. After waiting an hour for the tour– 5 minutes before departure he told me my card wasn’t accepted and I needed to pay cash immediately, and said I could drive into town to get money. He made rude remarks such as «Normally people put in the correct credit card information. «snorkel gear in package and I was asked if I could gather my personal gear before trip. *** The sites and tour itself was excellent with breathtaking views all along the way and I recommend going just NOT with Captain Napoli tour group who loves insulting his paying customers. There are tons of other groups to choose from.

We were in Kauai in Oct 2014 and had a wonderful tour of the coast with this crew. Waters were murky so we did not have good visibility to snorkel but they made up for it by stopping to let us jump out and swim anyway. It was truly a once in a lifetime experience. We took our 7 year old who felt comfortable and had an awesome time as well. Be sure you bring extra sun block, a hat, and coverup. We thought we were prepared and still got burnt. Our one complaint was that the lunch was a disappointment– pb&j with chips which none of us care for too much. I see others had the same complaints so maybe they have addressed this now :-)

The tour was absolutely beautiful. The terrain and the marine life is incredible if you are seeing it for the first time. I felt the guide (Joe) did very well driving the zodiac boat. We went out on a 7AM tour and were back by noon. He seemed to be very knowledgeable about the island and it’s surrounding areas. He can be somewhat of a jerk with snarky responses to the questions you will ask him. The price was reasonable compared to that of the other boat tours offered on the island. The tour was great but he could have been less of a d***.

We had a lovely time with Captain Na Pali on the 7 AM tour on a beautiful sunny day! From asking questions and speaking with Jen to book the trip to spending 5 hours boating, seeing Dolphins, exploring sea caves, learning about Kauai, and last but not least snorkeling with sea turtles, fish and octopus, we couldn’t have asked for a more pleasant tour experience. We shopped around for an affordable tour, and this tour exceeded our expectations. We booked the day before, but suggest trying to book in advance to not miss out on this opportunity, which definitely rivaled our Jack Harter open air helicopter tour — both beyond excellent.
NOTE: If you are in a group with anyone who is prone to sea sickness or uncomfortable with boating with waves, this tour is not for you — it is on a raft motor boat. The Captain is very skilled at navigating, but just understand what everyone in your group can handle. No one on our tour had any problems, but it seems you can expect pretty large waves on the way back as noted by the comment from the Captain: Are the waves always this large? I’ve seen them larger.

While in Kauai this week we decided we wanted to see the best possible view of the Na Pali Coast. Our family we are visiting recommended we take a boat tour and after searching to find the right one we settled on Captain Na Pali. What a great find!
Captain Na Pali (Joe) and his daughter Jennifer took us on an awesome adventure yesterday. Of course on any boat tour of the Na Pali Coast you are going to see beautiful sights, but it was Captain Na Pali’s welcoming demeanor and insightful knowledge that made our experience fantastic. He and Jennifer patiently answered all of our questions, of which we had many, and we never felt rushed. They even stopped to show us anything we wanted to see along the way. It was like being on a boat with a friend. I would highly recommend them to anyone wanting to see the Na Pali Coast from the water.
One thing to note, before you book any boat tour of the Na Pali Coast, make sure you research the type of boat you’ll be riding in. Captain Na Pali is a zodiac-​type boat, which can be like riding a roller coaster when it is going full speed. The ride will be bumpy, but we loved it because it allowed us to see much more of what the Na Pali Coast has to offer. We got to go in caves that a larger boat wouldn’t be able to enter, and get up close and personal with the ocean and it’s sea life. But if you want a calm ride in the ocean, this isn’t for you. It is, however, super fun for those more adventurous. So go be adventurous!

Captain Na Pali Adventures boat tour and snorkeling were great! The boat allows you to be close to the water and experience the sea spray during the ride up to and back from the Na Pali coast. Spinner dolphins and a few monk seals were awesome animals to see during our trip. Snorkeling along the coast afforded views of sea turtles and tons of different fish. Captain Joe and his assistant Candice were knowledgable about Kauai history, geography, and wildlife and were also very friendly. The was a great way to experience Kauai and I would highly recommend it to anyone.

What a great morning adventure! Captain Joe and Candice were awesome! They informed us of lots of history and great facts of Kauai. The snorkeling was super and we saw several turtles. We were amazed to see a pod of over 500 dolphins. A little baby, about the size of a football was jumping and playing. We also were able to see a monk seal in the water, which is pretty rare. They provided a light lunch of pb and j, chips, and drinks… perfect for the morning tour. Sea caves were great and the weather was great for sight seeing. The ride is bumpy and can get cold when you are wet, but just be prepared, and all will be well. No restrooms… so be wary of small bladders!

After researching the different types of boats & rafts i decided to go with Napali Adventures. It does say adventure in the name folks. The raft is small but we were ready for the ride. We felt as if we were seal team 4. We got lucky our trip was just our family of four. Captain Joel was informative & knows how to navigate thru the waves. We had a great time. Snorkeling spot was good & calm. Lunch basic but we werent there to eat. Overall we were happy but i think this trip is best for people who can handle the ride. My butt was pretty sore towards the end but we loved it

Our boat ride with Captain na pali adventures was one of the high lights of our time on Kauai. We paid $ 115 cash per person for the boat ride and it was worth every dollar! Captain joe was very friendly and knowledgable of the island and it’s history. Thanks too Mother Nature, The weather was perfect. couldn’t ask for a better day to be at sea. We saw the most amazing rainbow I have every seen in my life followed by a ton a spinner dolphins. It was truly amazing;)
We did a little snorkeling and were lucky enough to see 2 sea turtles that day. After our snorkel, captain joe provided PB&J sandwiches, chips and cold drinks for lunch.
After lunch we continued the tour along the na pali coast. We were even able to go inside the cave!
If you are looking for a real adventure, with the most amazing views this tour could be for you. If your looking to sit back and relax with a beverage in your hand, this tour is not for you. The boat ride is a bit rough and you need both hands to hold on, but that’s what makes it so adventurous!
Thank you captain Joe for an awesome tour!

Captain Joe was very laid back and friendly and was a great host during our morning boat trip. My husband and I were on the zodiac boat with 2 other people so it was a small but fun group. We paid in cash so it was only $ 115 per person. From what I can tell the trip was very similar to the Na Pali Experience but much more affordable. We both left from the kikiaola harbor past the small town of waimea around 7am. We immediately saw pilot whales out in the harbor which captain joe said he has never seen so close to the shore. It was incredible! We then had about a 45 minute mildly bumpy but beautiful ride out to the Na Pali coast where we saw spinner dolphins and stopped to watch them and take pictures for about 10 minutes. After another short boat ride we made it to the snorkel area where other boats were hanging out letting their passengers snorkel. After snorkeling for 45 – 60 minutes we ate chips, sandwiches, and drank water on the boat before continuing along the coast. We were able to go in the open ceiling sea cave and take pictures and then we continued along the coast and went in a few other caves while captain Joe explained some Hawaiian history of the area. We then headed back to the harbor and it was much choppier on the way back but it added to the experience. You will have to hold on and stay seated (if you are pregnant or have back problems this isn’t for you) so if this doesn’t interest you then this trip may not be for you, but if you like beautiful scenery, speed, adventure, and a laid back captain this tour is perfect. Overall great Friday morning boat and snorkel trip!

There are very few times when my family and I have been so disappointed with a Hawaiian vacation service as we were with Captain Na Pali. We called late afternoon for a next morning snorkeling trip to the Na Pali coast. The weather all week had been stormy with rain the preceding days. After getting up at 5 am to arrive at his location by 7 am we had a big shock. Captain Joe told us that there would be no snorkeling due to rain. Wow it had been raining for days and for sure he knew there would be no snorkeling when we booked the trip 18 hours earlier. $ 400 later and no refunds we went for a boat ride. Horrible, we were all slammed for 2 hours out against the strong waves and wind. My wife and I were soaked from the spray. Wind chili had us both so cold we could not stop shivering
My wife pulled out her back and I got a fist size black and blue bruise.
Bottom line, we feel ripped off and bar none, this was the worst part of our 3 week Hawaiian vacation!

Cruising with Captain Joe on his speedy zodiac raft was an awesome adventure! During our week long vacation, this tour of the Na Pali coast topped the charts! Captain Joe took us into the middle of a spinner dolphin pod, maneuvered the raft into creepy (but amazing) sea caves and stopped the tour to allow everyone a photo op with their party in an open ceiling cave. We saw seals, sea turtles and more in just a few hours.
Captain Joe and his assistant were full of interesting facts about movie filming locations, Kauai’s fascinating history and a few funny jokes. After they dropped anchor off of the beautiful coast for a snorkel excursion, we were fed delicious sandwiches (better than the ones I make at home), chips and a drink.
The ride is a little bumpier than riding in a boring, slow-​moving catamaran, but the excitement of speeding through the beautiful ocean with a knowledgeable captain who runs on his own tour schedule is unbeatable. We were able to stop and watch when dolphins and turtles popped up and the smaller group size (maybe 12 people?) meant more time to do the fun stuff rather than prep, etc.
I would wholeheartedly recommend this tour to anyone looking for a memorable adventure and a little lesson in Kauai’s history.

Just dandy. Great price saw spinner dolphins, turtles and snarled for an hour or so. Good amount of commentary, and Nate the assistant was friendly and chatted some. Get on the left side of the boat, I was on the right and the whole way you have to twist to see. I would agree that with more it would be too much. We were 10 which was fine.

Just caught the morning trip yesterday and it was amazing. It was worth every penny. It is actually a great deal being that other companies charge about $ 50 or more for the same tour.
Within the first ten minutes of leaving the harbor, a pack of spinner dolphins show up and start swimming and jumping near our raft. I live on Oahu and never get to see this. The scenery up the entire coast is just as amazing as the pics are online if you’ve looked up info on this tour. Actually, online pics don’t really do it justice. You ride along shores and cliffs thousands of feet high, see coast that is only accessible by boat, ride into sea caves, and have a chance to see dolphins play along your boat.
A couple of tips:
— if you’re looking for a leisurely, calm ride, this isn’t for you. This raft hauls ass and is more adventurous than a catamaran or smooth sail. You are sitting on the inflated sides of the raft with your feet under a strap and holding on as they gun it. This is not for you if you’re not into some speed and want a mellow sail.
— If you get seasick, take some dramamine before. A couple on our tour began to feel sick, so be prepared.
Overall, the tour is awesome and was definitely the highlight of our Kauai visit.

Spending a wonderful morning with Captain Joe was one of the absolute highlights of a fantastic week in Kauai (a week that also included hiking Waimea canyon, great beaches, and a helicopter ride). This is not an experience for the timid, the zodiac boat ride is bumpy even on a beautiful day, so you have to hold on tight, but you’re rewarded by seeing hundreds of spinner dolphins up close, going into sea caves, very good snorkeling, and knowledgeable narration by Joe. Not to mention the amazing views of the cliffs! I will do this trip again when we come to Kauai again!

We had a great time with captain Joe and Matt! Both very friendly and knowledgable. There were only 8 of us, and we spotted hundreds of spinner dolphins, bottom nose, and turtles… we had a blast!!! The spinner dolphins were definitely the highlight along with the na Pali coast views.
To summarize…
–competitive prices, they were at least $ 20 cheaper than other companies. After tax I think we paid $ 107pp
–they DON’T leave out of port Allen which saves you about 40 mins each way of choppy waters with no view of the na Pali coast
–when booking make sure you ask how many pp, are also booked for that day. Definitely with more than 8 or 10… you may want to do a different day. Can’t imagine how crowded it would’ve been with 15
–keep your eye on the weather, obv if not so great plan for a different day so you don’t end up not getting to snorkel

We got there at 7 am to this little office where the captain proceeded to charge us $ 750 for 7 adults to snorkel off of this blow-​up thing with 7 other people– which means he probably made about $ 1500 off everyone. Before we even left the office Joe told us it would be a ⁵⁰⁄₅₀ chance to snorkel and did not offer any kind of refund or other alternative. We were under the impression from his ad that we would see turtles, dolphins, caves, and snorkel.
We followed him and his 1^st mate of the «dingy» to the dock where they launched and packed us like sardines onto the sides of the boat where you have you hold on to ropes the entire ride and tuck your feet into straps on the bottom.
We seriously drove on windy, choppy water for what seemed like hours, everyone looking like they will hurl. We stopped 3 times to see the same spinner dolphins and looked at mountain ranges that all looked the same.
Everyone was seasick.
We turned around to drive back and the captain told us we would not be snorkeling that day «because they surf was too choppy» and drove us to the dock an hour early (which put us in at 11am not 12) to give us some home-​made turkey sandwiches and sodas.
He could have at least offered half of a refund.