Na Pali Coast boat tour prices, and what each fare buys
The six Na Pali Coast boat tours on this site run from ~$223 to ~$339 per person, and a private boat for up to six costs ~$2,200 per group. The cheapest seat comes with tacos and an open bar, the dearest with a whole day at sea and a snorkel off Niihau. Below, every fare sits in one table, with the small costs that turn up on the day.
Six fares in one table
The table shows the regular "from" price on each tour's main listing. Five are per person, while the private trip is priced for the whole boat, so read that row differently from the rest.
| Tour | From | Length | Boat | Harbor | Food and drink | Rating |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Na Pali Riders, Zodiac raft and snorkel (our pick) | ~$255 | 4 h | 30-foot Zodiac raft | Kikiaola | Fruit, chips, juice, water, Gatorade | 4.9 from 900+ (Viator) |
| Na Pali Experience, power catamaran | ~$275 | 4.5 h | 35-foot power catamaran | Kikiaola | No meal listed, check | 5.0 from 800+ (Viator) |
| Holo Holo Charters, sail and snorkel | ~$292 | About 5 h on the water | 50-foot sailing catamaran | Port Allen | Breakfast, deli lunch, beer and wine | 4.8 from 500+ (Viator) |
| Holo Holo Charters, Niihau and Na Pali | ~$339 | 7 h | Catamaran built on Kauai | Port Allen | Breakfast, deli buffet lunch, beer and wine | 4.7 from 100+ (GetYourGuide) |
| Kauai Sea Tours, Lucky Lady sunset | ~$223 | About 5 h | Catamaran | Port Allen | Taco buffet, open bar (21+) | 4.7 from 1,600+ (Viator) |
| Explore Kauai Scuba, private boat | ~$2,200 per group | 5 h | 28-foot motorized boat | Kikiaola | Snacks, bottled water | 5.0 from 14 reviews (Viator) |
Between the cheapest and the dearest seat, the gap is smaller than the spread of what you get. The cliffs are the same for everyone, so the fare mostly decides the boat you ride and how long you stay out.
The same trip on two sites
GetYourGuide and Viator sell most of these tours from the same companies, but the numbers do not always match. Na Pali Riders shows ~$255 on Viator, and a lower GetYourGuide figure that also covers a shorter option without the full snorkel run.
Holo Holo's sail and snorkel trip is ~$292 on Viator and a little less on GetYourGuide. Na Pali Experience asks ~$275 on both. Open the two listings for your date before paying, since a small gap can shift either way.
Where our pick sits
Na Pali Riders at ~$255 is in the middle of the range, and it is the trip we would book first. It holds 4.9 from 900+ reviews on Viator and 4.9 from 300+ on GetYourGuide, run by a family of US Coast Guard veterans.
The fare pays for speed and closeness rather than comfort. The 30-foot Zodiac gets low to the water and, on calm days, slips into sea caves the big boats pass by. Our page on entering the Na Pali sea caves explains when that happens.
Our first choice for the money
Na Pali Riders' four-hour Zodiac run from Kikiaola, with snorkel gear, a dry bag and fruit on board. Plan for a bumpy, wet ride and the drive to the west side.
The snacks are light, so lunch is your own job afterwards. There is no shade or restroom listed on the raft, which is part of why the fare stays below the catamarans.
What the dearer seats add
Na Pali Experience at ~$275 buys shade, an open bow and an onboard shower on a 35-foot power catamaran. No meal is listed, so check before you skip breakfast. It holds 5.0 from 800+ reviews on Viator.
Holo Holo's sail and snorkel trip at ~$292 adds two meals on board, plus some sailing when the trade winds allow. The run from Port Allen is long, so more of the fare goes on the passage along the west side.
The seven-hour Niihau day at ~$339 is the priciest seat. You get Na Pali, then a crossing to snorkel at Lehua Crater, and its value-for-money score of 4.4 on GetYourGuide is the lowest sub-score here. Our Niihau day guide weighs it against a half day.
The cheapest seat and the private boat
Kauai Sea Tours' Lucky Lady at ~$223 is the lowest per-person fare, with a taco buffet and an open bar for guests 21 and over. There is no snorkeling and gratuities are extra, as our sunset or morning comparison covers.
Explore Kauai Scuba's private boat costs ~$2,200 per group on Viator and ~$1,599 per group on GetYourGuide, a new listing with no reviews yet. Split six ways, the per-head figure lands closer to the shared trips than the total suggests.
Costs that sit outside the fare
None of the six fares covers everything. These extras appear on the listings we read, and a little cash in the car will handle most of them.
- $20 parking per car at Kikiaola Small Boat Harbor, for Na Pali Riders, Na Pali Experience and the private boat
- Gratuities, listed as not included on Kauai Sea Tours
- Your drive to the harbor, since none of the six offers hotel pickup
- A meal afterwards on the raft and the power catamaran, which list snacks or nothing
The drive can cost more time than money if you stay on the north shore. Our page on Port Allen or Kikiaola gives the distances, and our raft or catamaran guide helps decide which hull your budget should go on.
Cancelling without losing the fare
The listings we read allow free cancellation up to 24 hours before the start. That counts for more than a few dollars of difference, since swell can cancel a trip and plans change on holiday.
Seasickness is a different matter, as Holo Holo gives no refunds for it and Na Pali Riders keeps the fare if you arrive late. Our page on rough seas and refunds covers what happens when the operator cancels instead.