Kauai: Na Pali Coast Super Raft Snorkel Adventure

It can get wet and wind. It is definitely adventurous. Beautiful coast. Great snorkeling. Bring a rain jacket

So much fun! I have taken larger catamarans up the Na Pali Coast several times, but this trip was more of an adventure and close up experience. Captain Nono and Connor made it an amazing day to remember. It was exhilarating yet I never doubted their ability to keep us all safe and smiling! These guys know what they are doing out on the waters of this beautiful coastline! Would highly recommend for sure!!

We had an excellent time doing the boat cruise& snorkeling. We were back and forth about going at first, but highly glad we did and recommend to anybody considering. Nono & Jeff were excellent captains, they made it a great experience. The boat with Captain J’s was also great, it was a rough water day and couldn’t imagine being on one of the smaller boats. Highly recommend!

They cancelled our trip just 3-4 hrs before the tour due to low count. Wish we had known that the trip was dependent on this so we’d have backup plans.

I had a great time. It was a lot of fun to ride with the speed boat and to go snorkeling. The team was really easy going and fun to be around.

This was a fun afternoon. Fall/Winter pro tip, bring sweats and a windbreaker for the ride after the snorkel. Captain Ryan did an excellent job reading the water and maneuvering the boat leading to joyful noises from the passengers. Kena was his helpful crew.

I wanted to commend captain Ryan & junior on the trip yesterday, which did not go a head as planned. However I want to add that it was totally out of their control. The guys were really professional & took our safety into consideration at all times. You could not have done anything differently, please take comfort in that. Even though we did not get to complete the trip, I would highly recommend these guys

We had a wonderful trip yesterday with your crew. Very friendly and helpful. Our Captain was Landon. We would definitely book again.

It was an exciting, informative and beautiful experience. I appreciated the guides telling stories about the history and culture of the island. The boat ride was a blast and snorkeling was well supported and fun. Thanks everyone!

If you are visiting Kauai, this super raft tour to the Napali Coast is a MUST! We took the morning tour and had absolute perfection. We had clear skies, smooth water, and incredible views. Cannon and Nohili were hands-down the best guides we could have asked for. They were so knowledgeable and shared fascinating history about the indigenous Kauaians who once lived along the rugged coastline—it was truly breathtaking to imagine what life was like for them in such a remote, wild place. Nohili’s boat-handling skills are top-tier! He masterfully backed our super raft directly into one of the sea caves, and then zoomed us right back out. It was an absolute blast and such a thrill! Afterwards, they anchored at a fantastic snorkel spot where we saw tons of colorful tropical fish and even swam near a sea turtle. Thank you so much, Nohili and Cannon, for making this experience the highlight of our trip. You two are the best!

Five stars feels a little inadequate for this trip. We had the BEST time with Captain J’s along the Nā Pali Coast! CJ was hilarious, warmhearted, and clearly serious about keeping everyone safe. He also deserves an award for diplomacy. A couple of passengers seemed to think we’d all booked supporting roles in their selfie shoot, and he masterfully restored everyone’s view without a single incident. Captain, comedian, crowd control, quite the résumé. Kaikenna was our crew member for the day, and he was wonderful. He anticipated every need and was such a steady, soothing presence throughout the trip. These two make an incredible team. We went fairly soon after the hurricane, so visibility wasn’t great for snorkeling. Turns out, jumping off the side of the boat into the bluest water imaginable was its own kind of perfection. Floating in the Pacific with that spectacular coastline behind us was pure magic. Sea caves, dolphins alongside the boat, jaw-dropping views, and so much laughter. And a bathroom on board! An amenity that deserves considerably more applause than it probably gets. I cannot recommend this excursion enough. I’d book it again in a heartbeat!

Amazing experience and amazing views. Our guide was an absolute wealth of knowledge on anything asked. Our captain did a great job of navigating the waves.

We had a great experience with Landon, Matt and Mason. Their knowledge of Kauai and the coastline was impressive, and they were all most personable. Would have liked to hear Matt a little better as he gave history about early villages on the coast, but it was all wonderful.

Much better than expected. A partly bumpy fun ride with a speedy boat (up to 40 mph!) covering 65 miles in 4.5 hrs, including a one-hour snorkeling stop, where we spotted a green sea turtle. Awesome southern half of the Na Pali Coast (up to the Kalalau Valley) with fantastic rainbows and going into a roofless cave. Great music and good vibes thanks to the relaxed and considerate crew. Two thums up, well worth the money!

Amazing experience and the captain Nohili and crew Jeff were awesome and helped add to the experience.

Captain Victoria and her colleague were absolutely amazing! They were incredibly knowledgeable, informative, and friendly throughout the entire adventure. They made our experience truly unforgettable and went above and beyond to ensure we had the best time. The entire experience exceeded our expectations! We couldn’t have asked for a better crew. Highly recommend this adventure to anyone visiting Kauai!

We booked this last minute and didn’t know what the weather was going to be, but it was a perfect day.

We have done multiple Na Pali tours. The boat is definitely more comfortable than zodiac raft and has the maneuverability to get into the sea caves. I was disappointed on 2 things. 1. There was no commentary from Port Allen to Polihale. “This is where the tour begins” was the explanation despite a lot of scenery up to that point that had always had comments There was also very little mention of the geology, which I always find interesting 2. The bow of the boat tilts quite high when running at speed. This means that you can only see a more limited sightline, which I also found frustrating. This is a great trip but it would have been good to know these things in advance

The views of the Nā Pali Coast were incredible, but the boat ride is extremely bumpy, so be careful if you are prone to seasickness. Unfortunately, we did not feel that the guides genuinely cared about the guests or enjoyed their jobs. Their attitude made it seem as though they were mainly there for the money rather than to create a welcoming experience. CJ, in particular, had an extremely cold and unfriendly personality. He made fun of us during the ride, which was completely unprofessional and made us feel uncomfortable. He was the last person I would ever consider tipping. CJ, if you want to earn more tips, try being kind and friendly to your guests. It would make a huge difference. The scenery was amazing, but the customer service seriously hurt the overall experience.

This trip is an awesome experience. Captain CJ and Kena were awesome, very professional, freindly, respectful, knowledgeable and made you feel at ease and made the trip a lot of fun. It is nice to see young people take their jobs serious and have fun doing so. Thank You CJ and Kena you were great!

Incredible experience you must do while traveling to Kauai. Select the morning times because sun is more likely, clouds usually shadowing in the afternoon. We saw beautiful coastline, went through caves, saw massive pods of dolphins, snorkeled with fish and sea turtles. The captain kept of us safe and provided interesting facts (Landon) and his first mate (Mason) was so friendly taking care of everyone onboard. Please note, the waves in Hawaii are big and the boat moves fast, so prepare if you have motion sickness. I have motion sickness bad and took Dramamine + wore ms wrist bands and had zero issue. That said, about 25% of the boat were unprepared and got sick, but the crew took care of them with water, Gatorade, snacks, buckets etc. Additionally, come in a bathing suit and clothes you don’t mind getting wet, hats that strap down, luckily they give you a dry bag but phone protection is important. Understand what you sign up for and know your limits!! This was absolutely worth it, highlight of our trip.

It is a wild ride but very fun. Ryan has exceptional boating skills. I felt very confident with him driving the boat and he made it very exciting. The music was awesome. We saw lots of dolphins. We went through a cave that was gorgeous and we got wet under a waterfall. They get up close in personal to the coastline, Ryan and Jeff make a great team they make you feel very welcome and make sure that you’re comfortable with the whole trip. I highly recommend it for anyone who wants a little adventure.

There are several companies that do tours of the Na Pali coast but it’s hard to imagine any are as good as Capt J’s. My husband and I did a tour on 8/29/2026 and it was excellent for reasons summarized below: - First and foremost, the boat skipper (Nohili) and his assistant (Jeff) were fantastic! Nohili is a proud Hawaiian who grew up on Kauai and was able to share an extensive knowledge of island history, Hawaiian culture, sea life, and local customs. In addition to all that, he is incredibly friendly, and an expert boat handler. Jeff is a very warm guy who went out of his way to ensure that everyone onboard was comfortable, and well provided with snacks and drinks. (On top of all that, he is a graduate of the US Merchant Marine Academy— another highly professional sailor onboard). - Nohili went out of his way to ensure we saw everything, including a large school of Spinner dolphins, many sea turtles, wildlife on the shore, and he picked a great snorkeling place. The tour of sea cave was fantastic. - Based upon what I saw online from the other tour companies and in the other boats out there, the RIB boats Capt. J’s uses are larger, more secure, way better than the others and they are very comfortable. In addition to great seating, they also have a shaded area, and a working toilet (“head”). Jeff took great care to ensure that the boat was kept clean and that the head was clean and smelled good after each stop. (As a former sailor, I know how important this is to avoid people becoming sick.) I have 2 strong recommendations: First, seeing the Na Pali coast is a must! I’ve sailed around the world and it is one of the most beautiful coastlines I’ve ever seen. Second, I am sure that there are other companies that do a nice job, but I cannot imagine the day having been done better than these guys did. I highly recommend them!

Coastline was incredibly beautiful none other like that even though it was a short while did get to snorkel, which is one in a lifetime chance

We were so pleased with this excursion. It was nice to be on a smaller boat and even though it went fast and sometimes got a little bumpy, our captains Jeff and NoNo made sure we were safe and enjoyed ourselves. We saw much more of the Na Pali coast than we would have in a bigger boat with more people. It was wonderful to have snacks and drinks included as well since it was hot out. This was one of our favorite excursions we’ve done.

Great experience! We had a fun time.

Many many thanks to Captain Nohili and First Mate Matt! What a superlative adventure. We were 2 couples on the morning tour 8/24 with only 13 total guests. The Captain handled the super raft superbly on the water and navigating into the caves - at one time backing in for an extraordinary view of the cave. We were treated to an acrobatic show by a large number of spinner dolphins as they frolicked around the boat. The coastline is a wondrous view as we went 35 miles to the turnaround point, frequently motoring closer to shore for up close views and stories. Matt is an incredible font of knowledge, history, and local color along the way plus taking great photos of us all and charming us with his outgoing personality. We saw turtles and several species of fish while snorkeling. We truly enjoyed every minute. Highly recommend - and thank you!

This was an amazing and fun trip. Probably the best tour during our vacation. The guides were fun, informative and really made this a unique fun experience. I highly recommend.

We had the pleasure of taking a trip with CJ and Keikena, two young and very nice fellas, who’s knowledge and positivity only enriched the already great trip. We were extremely fortunate to see several pods of spinner dolphins, turtles and even a monk seal in the water! CJ and Keikena acted very professional, took great care of use while maintaining a great atmosphere on deck.

The crew was great - super friendly and knowledgeable (Landon and Cannon). I appreciated that Cannon checked in on a woman who got tossed around a little during the bumpy ride and asked if she needed the boat to slow down. Was a super fun ride - loved the speed of the boat and the captain did a great job navigating the waves, making the hour long boat ride each way fun and adventurous. We saw a huge pod of spinner dolphins and were able to stop and watch them for a while. Also saw a bottle-nose dolphin, 2 monk seals sunbathing and two small green sea turtles. The snorkeling portion was ok, nothing to write home about, but that wasn’t the point of this tour, just an added bonus. Captain Landon did a great job navigating us into a couple of caves and drenching us under a waterfall. The views were stunning. Cannon did a great job sharing some of the history and culture of the various sites we stopped at. All around great tour - highly recommend!

If you’re in Kauai, book this tour! My sister and I had the best time and we’re so glad we chose to do this one. Our guide, Matt was awesome and had us laughing the entire time and our other guide, Ryan led us into the coolest sea cave and had us flying over the waves (in the best way). If you book the earliest spot, you will see all the dolphins and totally worth getting out of bed early for. Loved it and will definitely do it again!

Great experience. We lucked out and got a pretty clear and calm day. This raft with the seats is a good call. They had water and gatorade as well as a few snacks onboard. The morning ride was super calm and they got us back around noon. The ride can be pretty bumpy. So prepare yourself and enjoy! Stunning views and great crew with NoNo and Jeff

This was an amazing boat ride. It was fast and exciting. We saw dolphins and whales. The Na Pali Coast is beautiful. We were able to get under some caves and arches. The crew was excellent. The snorkeling stop was not the highlight of the trip, but it was nice to jump in the water.

We had a great Napali coast adventure with our guides Nohili (Nono) and Nohili. Our tour was about 4.5 hrs. Our guides were fun, attentive, professional, safe and informative. - Snorkeling - we had about 45 min to snorkel. The equipment was in great shape and fit well. The snorkeling area was about 20-25’ deep with a decent number of fish and clear water. - Boat Tour - we saw a large pod of spinner dolphins, seals, and a goat. We were also able to navigate into a couple of caves - really awesome. Not to mention the incredible coast line - unbelievable views! Basic snacks and drinks were provided. Overall, this tour was a great value and we had a blast! Highly recommend Captain J’s and the Nohili x 2 Crew!

Hands down the best part of our trip here in Kauai. We booked it last minute and they were able to fit us in but I’d highly recommend booking them in advance because it was SO WORTH IT! It was a lot less than the place we called prior to Cap J’s that didn’t have availability and thank goodness because the tourney got was hard to beat. The caves we got to see so close up, the tour of the coast, the knowledge of the history of the island, beaches, waterfalls that Nono had, it was GREAT. Jeff was wonderful too and super helpful while snorkeling. Nihilism (not sure if that’s how it’s spelled but he said he goes by Nono) was the best captain we’ve had. Deserves acknowledgment for sure

Absolutely incredible. If you go to Kauai you need to do this tour. Our tours were very knowledgeable and the boat was fast transport.

This was amazing! One of the best things I did in Hawaii Loved it and recommend this to everyone!!!!

Captain J's was AWESOME. The boat they have is great for the wake out there. Seated, yet still have a raft feel. Captain NoNo and his team were great - very attentive to providing non-alcoholic bevs and snacks. Wonderful views and overall very fun.

Couldn’t recommend this company more. Our crew (NoNo, Kenna, and Nohili) were so fantastic and we had every experience we were hoping for including great music, snorkeling, sea life (dolphins, turtles and fish), caves, history, great ride. It all exceeded our expectations and we loved it! Thank you to all at Captain J’s. Our family enjoyed every part of it thanks to all of you.

We received multiple confirmation emails, even 24 hours before our tour. Then they cancelled LESS than 24 hours in advance because a "boat wasn't available." Don't send a confirmation email, then call an hour later and cancel! Weather is one thing, but this seems like a company mistake. Good thing we were able to book with another company.

Captain Nohili and Jeff were awesome! Super knowledgeable about the island’s history and very attentive to us. Had lots of fun and would definitely recommend! One of the best and most beautiful tours we’ve had!

Captain CJ and Deckhand Matt were great. Easy to talk to knowledgeable and friendly. Highly recommend Captain J's.

This was hands down the highlight of our Kauai trip! We are SO glad we chose this excursion! From the moment we stepped on the boat, Captains Nono and Mason made us feel like we were out on the water with old friends. They were hilarious, kind, caring, and incredibly attentive, making sure everyone was comfortable, having fun, and feeling safe throughout the entire 5-hour adventure. They shared so much fascinating history about the Na Pali Coast and the surrounding islands and areas, which made the incredible scenery even more meaningful. And the music?! 🎶 They kept the vibes going with an awesome playlist that had everyone smiling and enjoying the ride. We loved that it was a smaller boat with only about 17 people because it made the whole experience feel so much more personal and relaxed. They provided water and light snacks, which were perfect for keeping us fueled along the way. And one of our favorite moments was stopping to snorkel! 🐠🤿 While we were in the water exploring, Nono played the ukulele and sang for us from the boat. Seriously… how often do you get to snorkel in Kauai while listening to live ukulele music?! 🌺🎶 It was such a fun and magical touch that our family will never forget. Between the breathtaking Na Pali Coast, the snorkeling, the history, the music, and especially Captains Nono and Mason, this excursion was everything we hoped for and more! If you're visiting Kauai, DO NOT skip this experience. We would absolutely do it again in a heartbeat! 💙🌴🌊

The trip was amazing. We were able to go into caves, snorkel and have a great family adventure checking out the beautiful cost line. We saw turtles, fish and dolphins.

The Na Pali coast is top ! This was my 4th boat tour of Na Pali . This was the best ! Landon and Kannon were the best cap and crew . Gave us so many surprises , waterfalls, caves , snorkel spot great . The views amazing . Boat ride comfortable but THRILLING . Be ready ! The majestic mountains and the blue water - you can’t do anything better than this ! Definitely recommend Captain J’s boats and crew ! Big Mahalo !

Amazing tour! The Na Pali Coast was absolutely beautiful, and snorkeling was so much fun. Huge thanks to Nano and Kano—they were friendly, knowledgeable, and made the whole experience unforgettable. They shared so many interesting facts about Hawaii and made everyone feel welcome. We couldn’t have asked for a better crew. Highly recommend this tour!

My friend and I had such a fun experience! Captain Nohili and Max did a wonderful job guiding us along the coast telling us historical stories of the native Hawaiian culture and the land.

Awesome trip! So fun going through the caves. Snorkeling was awesome near the harbor but it depends on the waves. The views were so beautiful. And be prepared to get wet under the waterfall.

Took our 18 and 21 year old kids and everyone had an amazing day! The conditions were perfect which made it even more enjoyable. This is the best way to see the Napoli coast. We would completely book this tour again. So much fun!