Private Sea’fari Expedition • 8 Guests Included (Expandable)

Amazing experience in our private charter, swimming with dolphins and around the corals. They were so generous and we were given extra time to give us another chance to encounter the dolphins. Worth every penny!

We had an absolutely amazing experience. Our guides, Alex, Mikki and Matt, were very knowledgeable on Marine animals. Not only did we spot dolphins in the wild and eagle ray and were able to swim with them, but I enjoyed them sharing their knowledge about animal behaviour and learning about it. It was important to not just being able to see them in the wild but also learning how to respect them. A magical excursion.

We joined the 6 hour trip with Wild Side and it was amazing!!! The communication and preparations before the trip was top notch, and the trip itself was unbeatable. We started at 6am and the morning was a tranquil visit to all the animals in the ocean. Our guides were Connor and Bethany, and they are knowledgeable naturalists and wonderful guides who took good care of us inside and outside of the water. Captain Kim knew we were birders and wanted to take photos of the shearwaters, boobys, and albatrosses and she always positioned the boat while giving us the best and most stable view for photography, while maintaining a respectful distance to the animals to avoid stressing them. We went out to Ka’ena point and had a great view of the Laysan albatross colony. There is truly nothing like having an albatross fly overhead. Along the way, we saw spotted dolphins actively feeding and playing, and also saw spinner dolphins! Seeing the monk seal lounging on the beach was a bonus. The wedge tail shearwaters had just returned so they were busy on the water. We also found masked boobys and brown booby feeding. We also saw turtles at their cleaning station! Connor and Bethany were knowledgeable about the landscape and the ecology and shared wonderful information. They are genuinely the nicest people! Highly recommended. The boat is comfortable and we were taking care of by the team (beverages, snacks, fruits, pastries). Thank you!

From initial contact to request a private charter, to communication after the trip about photos, we had nothing but amazing communication and experience with every person we met at Wild Side. Tori was very helpful, responsive and friendly in our conversations to set up the excursion and helped him answer my questions due to the recent storms. The day of the excursion our guides were Bethany and Mickie and our captain was Kim. Bethany and Mickie had so much knowledge to share about the dolphins and whales and other wildlife in the area, and made sure to point out anything they so we wouldn’t miss anything. Even though the conditions weren’t perfect, we were able to get in the water. My daughter and niece had dolphin swim right past them close to the surface while I saw a small family about 10 feet below me. It was such a special experience! On board the crew did their utmost to make sure we were as comfortable as possible and had plenty of snacks and drinks and comfort items for anyone feeling seasick. Cannot recommend them enough for an experience that is more than a snorkeling excursion. It was immersive and educational as well, and I definitely looked forward to joining them for another excursion sometime!

WONDERFUL! We did a LOT on our family vacation, and this experience was ranked by all of us as one of the best experiences of our whole trip (and we visited 3 islands)! We traveled with two teenage boys who love the water (ages 17 and 18, so a total of 4 people). Captain Tori and Bethany were fantastic. We traveled about 4-5 miles out I believe and saw many things both going out and coming into port. Birds, bottle-nosed dolphins, spinner dolphins and turtles. Flying fish, too! The dolphins just never get old and are so amazing! This company not only cares about your experience, but they care about the animals and their environment as well. We booked a private tour, and it was well worth it. We were asked what things were most important to us - what were we most interested in seeing and we were given options about snorkeling (how long, did we want to do it again, etc.) We had moments where we just enjoyed the ride and chilled out together, and moments where we were happily hurried into the water to catch glimpses of the wild animals that surrounded us. Bethany did an AWESOME job of getting us into the water quickly and of taking photos (which were not included but are SO worth getting). Both Tori and Bethany were knowledgeable and personable. While nobody can guarantee what you see, we had a blast! We had a 6-hour tour and we felt it was the perfect amount of time. The little breakfast they served was nice - plenty of water and drinks and a nice lunch. They had everything we needed. I highly recommend this company and any tour you can book with them. GREAT MEMORIES!

We joined Captain Tori, Connor, and Chris during a morning adventure! Seriously the BEST. They’re so respectful of wildlife, help educate visitors, and kept our safety (and the safety of the wildlife) in mind when we swam. We would do it again, and again, and again! 10000% recommend.

This small group tour was so worthwhile. There were only five guests and three crew members onboard, and the boat went where they knew we would be likely to see wildlife. We saw turtles, a humpback whale, Dolphins surfing in our wake, and the highlight was when the captain found a pod of pilot whales. We were able to observe them from the boat and from the water. Amazing experience and I highly recommend this crew and tour.

We travelled as an adult family of 6, including one intellectually disabled daughter, and Captain AJ and the wonderful Bethany could not have been kinder or more accommodating - we followed a large pod of beautiful dolphins, saw whales away off, and swam with turtles (a true highlight of our time in Hawaii), all under the expert and hugely enthusiastic guidance of Bethany who managed to combine fun and education for all of us. We appreciate your kindness and huge experience so much, thank you again for a fabulous day.

Amazing and knowledgeable staff, great lunch, and awesome sea life! Would 100% recommend to friends, family, and everyone else!

We all agreed! This trip was amazing! From start to finish the 2 person crew and captain were superb. They catered to our desires and knew just where to take us. We actually saw a momma whale and baby, a turtle, a seal and had a great time snorkeling a small reef. We were a family of six which was just right for this boat (yacht? - not sure what size qualifies but we had plenty of room). They supplied drinks, snacks, sandwiches and chips - all good! I wear glasses and they even had two different goggles for me to try. We were very pleased and recommend highly.

Simply AMAZING!! Captain Tori and Biologist Brittney are unmatched! We saw Whales in the first 20 minutes and several more times on the tour! Dozens of dolphins for two hours. HIGHLY recommend Wild Side!!!! ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

Our guide Connor and Captain AJ were so knowledgeable and really made the trip feel private and fun. Then of course the ocean was gorgeous and we got to see so much beautiful wildlife - a huge pod of dolphins that came right up to the boat, sea turtles, and we were super lucky and 3 humpback whales also hung out near our boat for part of the tour. Snorkeling the reef was perfect, lots of fish and healthy coral and sea urchins, definitely worth the trip up from Honolulu. This excursion was the highlight of our vacation for sure.

I had the best time on this tour! We saw short finned pilot whales, spotted dolphins, and humpback whales!! Conner was so accommodating and so knowledgeable about Hawaiian wildlife. He was a great tour guide on the boat and in the water! They accommodated for my dietary preferences and made me a delicious vegan lunch. I got an amazing photo package from Conner that included incredible photos of all the wildlife we saw! It was an unforgettable experience and I can’t wait to go again! Planning on taking my family next time they visit!!

This was my 3rd time out with Wild Side. I will go again and again with this company! Captain Liah and crew member, Conner were the best! Professional, yet so friendly and fun; safety was a priority from the crew. That was important to me. 🩵 Their knowledge to answer questions about the wildlife was very impressive. 💯 This trip was a amazing! Pilot and Humpback Whales, Rough Tooth and Spotted Dolphins were just a thrill to see! The lunch was delicious. Loved every minute of this tour ❤️

Bethany greeted us promptly and provided excellent information on the excursion and what to expect with wild life sitings in the ocean. Leah, our captain, provided a comfortable ride and found the dolphins and whales during our adventure. We saw many dolphins and had the opportunity to snorkel in a large school of dolphins.

We had an awesome time with our guide Conner and Captain Lea! Conner gave us safety information and what to expect. From the moment we were helped on the boat, we felt at ease. Conner was excellent in spotting Pilot whales, spotted dolphins, rough tooth dolphins, a large sea turtle and a beautiful humpback whale. Several of our group snorkeled with Conner to get a thrilling up close view of the animals. Captain Lea was also very informative to those of us who remained in the boat. The equipment and boat were in excellent condition and clean. We were also treated to a delicious lunch with a sandwich, chips, fresh pineapple and a juice. What a fun and amazing day! This was a great tour with a safe and knowledgeable crew and we would highly recommend Wild Side Hawaii…5 stars! Thank you Conner and Captain Lea 😀

Great captain and naturalist on board — they made it super special for us and customized our trip to make sure my 3yo daughter could participate. I am so glad we did a private, well worth it. We saw a ton of wildlife and went snorkeling, and the vegetarian lunch was awesome. This was one of the best days during our visit to Hawaii.

Our captain and crew were incredible! They were able to spot whales, spinner dolphins and even a tiger shark! They were knowledgeable and friendly and also let us have our family time. The boat was very nice and comfortable. We had gorgeous weather and it was a perfect way to end our Hawaiian adventure. Highly recommend!!

This tour was perfect! The crew was wonderful and so friendly :) we saw whales, dolphins, turtles, eagle rays and so many beautiful fish. I really enjoyed being in a small group of only six guests. They personalized the tour just for the six of us. I would recommend this tour to anyone who wants to see beautiful sights and be around friendly people.

Amazing trip with, great crew. Very safe, very knowledgeable of area and environment. The crew was helpful and made my first Snorkeling trip very memorable.

I cannot stress how amazing this tour was. From meeting the crew, learning their process, how passionately they talk about hawaiian wildlife, the professional handling of our time in the water. They know what they're doing and they do it respectfully! I did the 6hr tour and saw 2 species of dolphins, flying fish, cool birds, stingrays, many schools of fish, coral and 2(!!) sea turtles. You're able to actually ~spend time at the reefs and in the deep blue this way. They also bring you to locations other tours don't go. Views of the island are awesome! Do the 6hr, you won't regret it. I also just got the download link to my photo package. They look be-a-u-tiful. Would also highly recommend so you can relive your experience in greater detail.

We had the most amazing memories made with Wild Side Specialty Tours. The staff was beyond wonderful is all ways. So experienced and kind and patient. We have two boys with special needs and they were so fantastic with them and helped them see and learn the whole time. Snorkeling was a memory our family will have for all time. Thank you Conner, Bethany, and David! The best team on the water! We can't wait to come back and see you someday. We highly recommend Wild Side Specialty Tours. We visited 9/9/24 and have done charters before, but Conner, Bethany, and David gave us by far the BEST experience we have ever had!!!!

Pro's - Great friendly crew. Bethany was very kind and knowledgeable. Chris, a recent new volunteer as a side gig who is actually a pilot FT was a really nice guy and fits in great. David, the captain, was a joy. I loved his dry sense of humor and extreme professionalism. The lunch was a pre-made/wrapped chicken salad sandwich on thin dried out panini style bread. Not mad at it. Con's - If you are an experienced snorkeler, do NOT book this trip. They said the Coast Guard now enforces yellow waist wraps to float. So you cannot swim down to get pics of marine life.....at all. The guides do not have to follow this same rule on this tour. So we just got to float and watch the guides swim down to take pictures and video and OFFER a sales package to PURCHASE pics that they took. Do yourselves a favor and just either purchase a set of fins/snorkel gear on Amazon to bring with you....or just rent here by the day. We always bring our own gear. Go to Sharks Cove. It's free. You will swim with so many fish and sea turtles. BUT please still be respectful of space . On our trip today with this company, we saw some Spinner dolphins from 50yards away but you cannot swim with them anymore. We saw 3 bottle nose dolphins and one Spotted dolphin. ALL Boat view only. You CANNOT swim and engage with ANY marine life. You will be lucky to see a dorsal fin.

Wow! What an amazing experience! Our crew leader Bethany and captain Jack were fantastic and got us swimming with rare pigmy killer whales practically within minutes of getting out onto the water. I really love their passion for respecting and honoring the beautiful animals you encounter in the water. Our family practically had a private chartered experience and it was so fantastic! Can’t wait to come back and do another longer tour. Thank you!

Amazing. And perfect for families especially. We (family of four Inc two teens) took the Best of the West tour in July 2024. It was excellent from the moment we met Captain Liah and Connor until the moment we arrived back. Our preference was to see dolphins and - while there can never be any guarantees- it was clear that Captain Liah was determined we should see dolphins. It wasn’t long before we found a pod of 6-8 who were very happy to swim alongside the boat and seemed just as interested in us as we were in them. After making sure it was safe to do so, and making sure that our presence would not distress the dolphins on any way, we entered the water. Almost immediately five dolphins swam from maybe 30m away to within a couple of metres of us. I’d say it was bucket list experience but it felt even more special than that. Just amazing. The water was so beautiful and clear that we had the best possible view as they swam past us. We also saw an eagle ray and sea turtles at another snorkelling spot, and enjoyed a lovely lunch was we headed back to the marina. Liah and Connor were just amazing throughout and made our trip so special. I’d strongly recommend this trip for families.

My tour was such a cool experience. It's definitely not just another "package snorkel tour" - as in their name it really is a specialty tour. It almost felt like being on a research boat like you see in Nat Geo documentaries etc and that's the kind of experience I wanted and I loved it. Living my marine biologist dreams! The small group size also makes it feel special and personalized. I want to go again already!

Amazing creatures spotted - swam with dolphins, an eagle nose ray, and many fish at the reef. We saw even more dolphins and turtles from the boat. The crew was knowledgeable and personable - lunch and snacks were also delicious. We felt very comfortable and taken care of on the tour. Photo package is very worth it!!!! I personally prefer this small tour which supports conservation and citizen science work vs a touristy oversold experience. Would 100% do again and recommend to anyone who wants to give back to Hawaii! Best advice is to be in the moment and enjoy every opportunity!

We are whale watchers around the world and always go on snorkeling and whale watching tours. I read about this company months ago and contacted them while in Hawaii. There were four of us on the boat….room for a total of six. There was a naturalist wanting many pictures for his work and we referred to him as “Orange”, and a Captain who has sailed many places including our home area….The Caribbean. We vacation there all of the time. The guys were fabulous. Watching any sea life takes patience and time. And the Whales,Dolphins, Turtles, and other creatures make their own plans. The beauty of a trip Iike this is one can adjust the day and change plans as needed. My husband and I never expected to see whales as we know many are back in Alaska now. On our way back from a great snorkel with a large group of dolphins and their babies and time watching a group of pilot whales otherwise knows dolphins. We were shocked as a humpback and her baby went by the side of the boat and both did a dive together big tail and little tail right behind the boat. This baby was too young to travel yet I suspect. It was a fabulous moment. Adjusting a tour is the joy of a trip like this. And I forwarded pictures to the other coupe with us last night. We had just met.

We thoroughly enjoyed our trip out on the water with the expert crew! We saw many dolphins, Spotted and Spinner. What I appreciated the most - and why we chose this tour - is their dedication to conservation and their contribution to research and preservation of marine animals. The guides are very knowledgeable generously shared information about marine animals as well as myths and legends of the gorgeous mountain valley. The scenery was spectacular. They did their best to give us the best experience possible and we appreciated every moment!

Absolutely incredible tour!!! We had the BEST time! All the crew were fantastic and went out of their way to make it the best day for us. They were all extremely knowledgeable. We were lucky enough to swim with pilot whales and turtles. We also saw spinner dolphins and a hammerhead shark from the boat Would definitely recommend this company for your tour!

Best Whale watching and snorkeling trip we've done in Oahu. It was the end of the whale season, but we still saw a whale. We also saw dolphins and saw with 7 sea turtles in a peaceful bay. The best part was that there were 3 crew members to 5 guests. An amazing ratio and the crew was committed to ocean ecology which is very important to us. Even though they didn't advertise that they were part of the NOAA Dolphin Smart program, they followed all the rules. I would definitely go again in a heartbeat.

This tour was spectacular. Bethany and Leah were amazing - very friendly, professional, fun and knowledgeable. We went at the end of March and we're lucky enough to see dolphins, whales and a turtle. We also saw colorful fish. This is a small more personal tour which was incredible and felt a lot more private. Highly recommend, and would definitely do again!

Our tour was a private tour for 6 hours with just my husband and I. Captain Leah and First Mate Bethany were gracious hosts and excellent in spotting turtles, whales, dolphins, albatross and 2 species of Booby's-Brown and Red Footed. They made sure we had plenty of photo opportunities through out our time on the boat. I recommend this tour for anyone who wants great photos of marine life or just to see the windward side of Oahu.

This was one of the best experiences of any trip we’ve ever been on and the first review I’ve ever written (I felt compelled to share). Our whole family was able to join (ages ranged 10-70) and everyone had the best time. Not only did we get to see bottlenose dolphins and humpback whales up close from the boat, but we got to swim literally surrounded by the dolphins … and sea turtles. Bethany, Micky and Leah were amazingly knowledgeable and knew just where to be to cultivate an amazing experience for the whole family. We learned so much. This is a treasure and worth every penny.

We had a great time. Informative crew & captain. Beautiful scenery we were lucky enough to have a whale & calf sighting. Also a couple groups of spinner dolphins. They unfortunately ran into some mechanical problems & were very accommodating for our excursion having to be cut a little short! Overall it was a wonderful experience ❤️👍🏻😊

The all-female crew was knowledgeable, accommodating, intuitive and down to earth. They helped us feel cared for and safe in order to experience our journey to its fullest. We couldn’t have wished for a better excursion.

Best experience ever! We saw multiple hump backed whales - including calves - and the calves were breaching!! The crew couldn't believe it and said they had never seen calves breach so many times. Usually just a couple times and then they tire out. We saw multiple mother and calf couples and were thrilled!! We also had bottle nosed dolphins and we snorkled with turtles and beautiful fish - we were fortunate to have the wildlife trifecta - I'd like to believe it was because it was my birthday - the crew certainly believed it to be true. The all women crew was exceptional So knowledgeable, professional and fun! The weather was great - overcast and comfortable and the seas were favorable enough for the captain to take us all the way past Kaena point - so we could see even more whales and both sides of the island! We highly recommend this cruise! Being with an organization that is so dedicated to research, as well as educating the public was the deciding factor before we took the cruise - now, we can definitely recommend them for the wonderful time they provide for their guests!

This tour was absolutely amazing! We were able to snorkel near spotted dolphins and saw humpback whales (a mom with calf, 2 adult humpbacks playing with bottle nosed dolphins and a baby humpback at a distance). We learned about the different types of wildlife living in the area and were so happy to go with a group that cares for the wildlife. They take photos and videos that they share with researchers. The views to shore were gorgeous. I would definitely recommend this tour!

Spectacular views of the coast and water in a quiet and relaxed setting with a company that supports their research by giving these tours. We saw dolphins, whales and a turtle. The crew was delightful and gave us interesting insights into animal behavior. Highly recommend for the experience and supporting scientific!

We had an excellent time on our cruise! Our tour guides were so gracious, informative and just made the whole experience so e joyable! Having an experience with just 6 people is so nice, you are able to get personal attention, the boat is not crowded and the day is catered to what your group is looking for. We were provided a lovely lunch, saw so many dolphins, swimming, jumping, babies, it was incredible! The group snorkeling also saw turtles. I tried snorkeling, but it was not for me and they were so patient and helpful in calming me, I always felt safe and this did not take away from the experience as it was just a small part of it for me. I would recommend Wild Side Specialty Tours to anyone looking for an excellent adventure! Plus, I loved that they offer a photo package so you can just enjoy the tour!

Whizzed past a school of dolfins, swam with a turtle, viewed whale breach a mile away, 2 breaching closer but behind another boat, so no photo. Called office 3x to contact other boat for their photo and call back. Good luck waiting for response, despite paying for what turned out to be stock photos of dolphins. Very disappointed in this company.

Outstanding crew and great boat. They put the welfare of the animals - and the passengers! - first and specialise in expert led small group tours. I must have taken well over 100 trips around the world in search of whales and dolphins and this was oe of my favourite experiences. We arranged a private charter searching for a particular - and quite rare - species (Rough-toothed Dolphin). We found some within the first hour (!) and had a chance to snorkel alongside them in crystal 100m+ visibility. Magical!

My family and I, including my 85 yo father, had a fantastic and unforgettable trip with Wild Side Tours. We saw dolphins, breaching whales (even saw 2 whales breaching at the same time!), and we snorkeled with turtles and fish that came to our fingertips! Bethany and her team were amazing with my father and made sure he had the best experience possible, even helping him to the front deck of the boat. Definitely get the photo package. I was blown away by the quality of the pics and how well everyone looked in them. Don’t miss out on this experience!

We joined Captain Mel and her crew for an amazing, fun and educational trip. Crew included Brittany, a wonderfully passionate marine mammal scientist who taught us so much, including the latest research findings on sea mammal behavior and whale communication. Our sightings included an adolescent hammerhead shark, a mother with baby humpback whales, a small pod of bottle nose dolphins and two green sea turtles swimming at the surface of the open ocean. We even had an expert ornithologist on crew who helped us spot brown boobies and albatross close to their protected nesting grounds on K'aena point. This trip was a highlight of our time on Oahu and we so appreciate the conservation, research and sustainability focus of this company.

We thoroughly enjoyed our trip out on this tour! The staff was absolutely amazing and provided us with a very tasty lunch. I highly recommend taking this cruise as it is a very small crowd and you get personal attention. We saw whales, dolphins turtles, and did some great snorkeling. Thank you so much for the great service!

We took this tour in 2013 and returned again this year. Wow! Still great. Small boat with highly trained marine professionals. Whale watching, dolphin sightings, turtles and lots of colorful fish on this snorkeling excursion. Skip the big commercial outfits and go with Wild Side! They are the best.

Our trip with Brittany as our guide was awesome! We saw a pod of dolphins and immediately jumped in to swim with them swimming underneath us- more than 20 dolphins! Then we went after whales, spotted them and then followed along and saw the two humpbacks as they surfaced every 6-10 minutes. We saw them about 10 times, including rolling up out of water and tails out! We loved the marine biologist and naturalist information and perspective- this was so much better than a large tourist vessel. They also asked us for preferences between more whales or more snorkel time. Great lunch too! Highly recommend.

I went on my whale watching adventure with Wild Side Specialty Tours. Okay first thing this is the way to GO!!!! Bethany and Captain Downing were AMAZING and the three hours went by too fast. Saw a mother and calf hump back whale, for once I lived in the moment and kept the phone down. So I paid for the photo package and it is well worth it to immerse yourself in the moment. We were a boat of three passengers (usually they have 6). Two crew. Amazing boat. And come to find out we were one of two boats that only saw a whale that day! Saw several large pods of spinner dolphins, they are so much fun. As I sat at the front of the boat they seemed so close that I could reach down and touch them. The day/evening was magical and they treated you like family, including snacks!! So if you ever come to Oahu - Honolulu area book with Wild Side Specialty Tours for any of your daytime needs or during whale migration time needs. You won’t be disappointed at all.

We had a great time with Bethany on our boat tour. It was December, and it took a while to find the dolphins, but right out of the harbor we saw a humpback whale. The captain searched all around and we finally found dolphins to swim with at the end of our tour. There were hundreds of spotted dolphins checking out our boat. Once we got in the water, they came over to see us in groups. We saw a few mothers with their babies. It was very magical for us. My mother wanted to swim with dolphins for her 80th birthday and my children were with me. We were able to make her dream come true. Also, the sandwiches were really good. I would 100% recommend this tour. However, I would caution that the weather can be bad in the winter months and it can be harder to get in the water. We did not snorkel because the water was rough and murky. We were lucky to have gotten in the water and swim with the dolphins.