Napali Coast Boat ToursImiloa Express Snorkel Tour on the Na Pali Coast
The imiloa express snorkel tour is Kauai Sea Tours' short, wet and fast catamaran run along the Na Pali Coast from Port Allen. It costs $211.99 per person, lasts 4.5 hours and carries up to 36 guests on the newest boat in the fleet, with 346 reviews and a 4.7 rating on Viator. Open sides and a partial shaded top mean spray is part of the deal, which is why the operator calls it the wet and wild option. Compare it with the other Na Pali Coast boat tours.
About This Tour
Kauai Sea Tours runs this 4.5-hour express trip on the Imiloa, a 40-foot catamaran with a 1,000 HP engine that reaches 30 knots. Open sides and a partial shaded top keep the ride fast and salty. A USCG-licensed captain narrates the cliffs while a CPR and first aid trained crew serves food and drinks, and the boat stops for 30 to 45 minutes of snorkeling at a spot picked for that day's weather.
Two departures run from the Port Allen Marina Center in Eleele. The morning tour checks in at 7:45 AM with a bacon or veggie breakfast sandwich. The afternoon tour checks in at 2 PM in the summer season and serves a choice of chicken, pork or tofu. An open bar with beer, wine, Mai Tais for guests 21 and over, and soft drinks comes with both.
$211.99 per person, booked on Viator. Gratuities are extra and hotel pickup is not offered.
4.5 hours listed, and the operator says it runs 4 to 5 hours after departure.
Kauai Sea Tours office in the Port Allen Marina Center, 4353 Waialo Road, Eleele. No hotel pickup.
Up to 36 guests. English narration by a USCG-licensed captain with a trained crew.
Imiloa, a 40-foot catamaran with open sides, 2 restrooms and padded forward-facing seats. Snorkel time is 30 to 45 minutes if conditions permit.
Breakfast sandwich on the morning tour, chicken, pork or tofu on the afternoon tour, plus an open bar (alcohol 21+). Free cancellation up to 24 hours before departure.
Check Dates and Availability
Live dates for the morning and afternoon departures load below. Call 808-335-5309 48 hours ahead to reconfirm either tour.
You'll confirm the exact date and time on the secure booking page.
Quick answer The short answer
The Imiloa Express snorkel tour costs $211.99 per person, runs 4.5 hours from Port Allen and carries up to 36 guests on an open-sided 40-foot catamaran. Check-in is 7:45 AM for the morning tour and 2 PM for the summer afternoon tour. Food, an open bar and snorkel gear are included, and you can cancel free up to 24 hours ahead.
Key takeaways
- Expect to get wet. This is the wet and wild option in the Kauai Sea Tours fleet, with open sides and a partial shaded top. See what the day is really like below.
- No expectant mothers, no back or neck problems, minimum age 3, 300 lb weight limit and no refunds for seasickness. Check who this rules out before booking.
- If you want a bigger boat with a slide, compare the Lucky Lady Snorkel Cruise, or a small raft that enters the caves on the Na Pali Raft Snorkel.
- The full Na Pali Coast boat tours sits on the homepage.
What the Price Actually Covers
The $211.99 from-price covers the boat, the crew, the food for your departure, the full bar service and the snorkel gear. Several costs sit outside it, so plan for them before you drive to Eleele.
Included in the Ticket
The listing names a guided Na Pali Coast catamaran cruise, a US Coast Guard licensed captain, a CPR, first aid and water safety trained crew, a safety briefing, and restrooms onboard. Food depends on your departure: the AM tour serves a choice of a bacon or veggie breakfast sandwich, the PM tour a choice of chicken, pork or tofu. Drinks are an open bar with beer, wine and Mai Tais for guests 21 and over, plus soft drinks.
Snorkel equipment and expert instruction are also included. The operator asks you to reconfirm by calling 808-335-5309 48 hours in advance.
Not Included
Gratuities are not in the price, and there is no hotel pickup or drop-off, so you drive yourself to the harbor. No other mandatory extras are stated for this tour. If the seas are rough and the boat reroutes to the south coast, or the snorkel stop is missed, the listing states there is no refund for reroutes or missed water activities.
What You May Pay on the Day
Parking at the Port Allen Marina Center is not priced in the listing. Hawaii bans selling sunscreen with oxybenzone or octinoxate without a prescription, and the operator asks for reef-safe non-spray sunscreen, so buy it before you arrive. The table below sets out each line of the price so you can see at a glance what the $211.99 buys and where the extras start.
Figures come from the operator's own listing.
| Line | In the price | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| Tour fare | Yes, $211.99 per person | Per guest, booked on Viator |
| Food | Yes | Breakfast sandwich on the AM tour, chicken, pork or tofu on the PM tour |
| Open bar | Yes | Beer, wine, Mai Tais for 21+, soft drinks for all |
| Snorkel gear and instruction | Yes | Snorkel equipment and expert instruction included |
| Hotel pickup | No | Drive yourself to Port Allen |
| Gratuities | No | Not included in the fare |
| Parking at the marina | No | Fee not stated in the listing |
| Reroutes or a missed snorkel stop | No refund | Stated in the operator's terms |
Sources: Hawaii DLNR, Na Pali Coast State Wilderness Park, Go Hawaii, Napali Coast
The Na Pali Coast ridges drop to the Pacific in a wall of green. Photo: Andrew Baerst from Dana Point, CA, USA, CC BY 2.0, via Wikimedia Commons
What the Day Is Really Like
The listing gives one fixed check-in clock time for the morning departure and a summer afternoon time, with the rest of the run described in phases rather than clock times.
Check-in at the Marina Office
You check in at the Kauai Sea Tours office in the Port Allen Marina Center at 4353 Waialo Road in Eleele. From the road, drive to the end of the complex, turn right and park in the third lot on the left, marked by the Kauai Sea Tours sign, then head to the check-in desk inside the office. Morning check-in is 7:45 AM.
The afternoon tour checks in at 2 PM in the summer season. Arrive barefoot or ready to go barefoot, since this is a barefoot tour unless a medical condition requires footwear, which you tell the captain about in advance.
The Run to the Cliffs
The Imiloa is a 40-foot catamaran with a 1,000 HP engine and a top speed of 30 knots, so the run from Port Allen to the Na Pali Coast is quick. The boat has a partial shaded top, open sides and padded forward-facing seats, with 2 restrooms. The operator's own description says you are bound to get wet, and passengers must be able to hold on and move about the vessel in possible rough waters.
The coast itself runs about 16 miles along Kauai's northwest side, with cliffs rising up to 4,000 feet.
Along the Coast and the Snorkel Stop
The captain narrates the highlights of the coastline while the crew serves your meal and drinks. The listing points to dolphins, turtles, waterfalls and sea caves along the way, without promising any of them, and cave entry depends on the sea. The boat then stops at a snorkeling destination chosen for that day's weather, with 30 to 45 minutes in the water when conditions permit.
Gear and expert instruction are included.
The Ride Home
Then the boat makes the run back to Port Allen. The total trip runs 4 to 5 hours after departure, against the listed 4.5 hours. If north-shore swell is up, the captain may reroute the whole tour to the calmer south coast instead, and the listing is clear that no refund follows a reroute.
The 'Imiloa Express Na Pali Snorkel Tour
A traveller films the Imiloa express Na Pali snorkel boat tour. Third-party video by Brad Carl Young. This site did not shoot it and has no relationship with the creator.
Who This Tour Rules Out
The restrictions on this boat are stricter than they look on a booking page. Read this section before you pay, because several terms come with no refund.
Health and Fitness Limits
No expectant mothers may ride. Guests with back, neck, hip, knee or other joint problems, recent injuries or surgeries within 1 year, or mobility issues are excluded, and the listing is explicit that there are no refunds for undisclosed health conditions. You need at least a moderate level of physical fitness, and everyone must be suited for possible rough waters and able to hold on and move about the vessel.
If you want a larger boat with padded seating and shade on every deck, the Lady Kailani Luxury Snorkel is the newer and bigger Kauai Sea Tours boat.
Age, Weight and Access
Minimum age is 3 and children must be with an adult, with child rates for 3 to 12 and adult rates for 13 to 80. The weight limit is 300 lb per person. The boat is not suitable for people with mobility issues.
Seasickness is a real risk on an open-sided boat moving at speed, and the terms state plainly there are no refunds for seasickness, so take precautions and consult a medical professional before using medication.
Booking, Weather and No-show Terms
Cancel or reschedule at least 24 hours before check-in for a full refund, and all changes go through Viator or Tripadvisor. No-shows are charged 100%. The tour operates in all weather conditions, but routes and destinations depend on ocean conditions, and tours may reroute to the south coast when necessary, with no refund for reroutes or missed water activities.
Hurricane Lowell closed Kauai state parks from September 8, 2026, and Kikiaola Small Boat Harbor is listed as closed until further notice. This tour sails from Port Allen, but confirm the departure point and operating status with the operator before you drive. If you would rather have the most reviewed boat in this comparison, with 2,065 reviews, look at the Amelia K Boat Tour.
A snorkeler floats in a clear tide pool ringed by lava rock at Princeville, Kauai. Photo: dronepicr, CC BY 2.0, via Wikimedia Commons
Getting There and What to Add
You reach the harbor yourself, since there is no hotel pickup. Pair the trip with a whale watch to fill the rest of the day.
Driving to Port Allen
The check-in is at the Port Allen Marina Center, 4353 Waialo Road in Eleele, on Kauai's south coast at the eastern shore of Hanapepe Bay. Port Allen Small Boat Harbor has restrooms and a launch ramp, and the marina center holds the check-in desks for several operators on Waialo Road. For parking, harbor layout and arrival tips, see the full guide to Port Allen Kauai.
Morning check-in is 7:45 AM, so leave earlier than you think.
Filling the Rest of Your Day
Polihale State Park, the most western publicly accessible area in Hawaii, marks the southwestern end of the Na Pali coast, though the stretch between Polihale and Kalalau is reachable only by boat or helicopter. On the north shore, the 11-mile Kalalau Trail starts at Kee Beach at the end of Highway 560 in Haena, and day-use reservations for Haena State Park release 30 days ahead. In winter, roughly December to April with the peak in January to March, humpback whales pass Kauai, and the Kauai whale watching guide covers where to look.
For the coast itself, start with the overview of the Na Pali Coast.
Step by Step
Clock times come from the operator's own check-in instructions, and the rest of the run is described in phases as the listing gives it.
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Start
Check-in at Port Allen
Arrive at the Kauai Sea Tours office in the Port Allen Marina Center, 4353 Waialo Road, Eleele. Morning check-in is 7:45 AM, and the afternoon tour checks in at 2 PM in the summer season. Park in the third lot on the left and check in at the desk inside.
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Start
Board the Imiloa
After check-in, board the 40-foot catamaran. A safety briefing and instruction are provided.
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After departure
The fast run to the coast
The boat heads out of Port Allen toward the Na Pali Coast, about 16 miles of cliffs rising up to 4,000 feet. Expect spray on the open sides and hold on in rough water.
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Mid tour
Narration, food and drinks along the cliffs
The captain narrates the coastline while the crew serves your meal, a breakfast sandwich on the morning tour or chicken, pork or tofu on the afternoon tour, plus the open bar. Dolphins, turtles, waterfalls and sea caves are possible along the way, conditions permitting.
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Mid tour
Snorkel stop, 30 to 45 minutes
The boat stops at a snorkel spot chosen for the day's weather. Gear and expert instruction are included, and you get 30 to 45 minutes in the water if conditions allow. A missed stop carries no refund.
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Last stretch
Back to Port Allen
The boat makes the return run to the marina. Total time on the water runs 4 to 5 hours after departure, against the listed 4.5 hours.
Pros and Cons
An honest read of this listing against the rest of the market, with the strong points and the trade-offs side by side.
What we genuinely like
- At $211.99 per person it undercuts most same-length catamaran trips from Port Allen, and it is the cheapest Kauai Sea Tours catamaran snorkel ticket after the raft.
- Food and a full open bar with beer, wine and Mai Tais are in the price.
- The Imiloa is the newest catamaran in the fleet, with 2 restrooms and padded forward-facing seats.
- A choice of morning at 7:45 AM or afternoon at 2 PM in summer lets you fit the trip around the rest of your day.
- Free cancellation up to 24 hours before departure is more forgiving than the 7-day terms on the Holo Holo boats.
The honest downsides
- Open sides mean you will get wet and the ride is bumpy in swell, which is exactly why the operator calls it the wet and wild option.
- No refunds for seasickness, reroutes to the south coast or missed snorkel stops, so bad weather can shorten the day at full price.
- No hotel pickup, so you drive to Eleele yourself and find parking at the marina.
- No expectant mothers and no guests with back, neck, hip or knee problems, recent surgery within 1 year, or mobility issues.
- Only 30 to 45 minutes of snorkel time, conditions permitting, on a 4.5-hour ticket.
Who it's NOT for: Not for pregnant travellers, anyone with joint or back problems or recent surgery, guests who want a dry and shaded ride, or anyone who cannot accept a no-refund policy for seasickness and weather reroutes.
Questions About This Tour
How much does the Imiloa Express snorkel tour cost?
The catalog price is $211.99 per person on Viator, covering the boat, food, the open bar and snorkel gear, with gratuities outside that. The full Na Pali Coast boat tours shows where it sits against every other ticket.
What time does the Imiloa Express check in?
The morning tour checks in at 7:45 AM and the afternoon tour at 2 PM in the summer season, both at the Kauai Sea Tours office in the Port Allen Marina Center in Eleele. The Port Allen guide covers parking and arrival.
Will I get seasick on the Imiloa?
Possibly, because the boat has open sides and moves fast, and the terms state there are no refunds for seasickness, so take precautions and ask a medical professional before using medication. A larger boat is the Lucky Lady Snorkel Cruise.
Is the snorkeling guaranteed on this tour?
No, the stop runs 30 to 45 minutes only if conditions permit, and the listing states no refunds for missed water activities. If getting in the water is your priority, read the Kauai snorkel tour guide for how each boat handles it.
Can I cancel the Imiloa Express tour?
Yes, cancel or reschedule at least 24 hours before check-in for a full refund, with all changes made through Viator or Tripadvisor, while no-shows are charged 100%. The availability check below shows live dates.
Can children ride the Imiloa?
Yes, the minimum age is 3 with an adult, child rates run 3 to 12, and the weight limit is 300 lb per person, though the ride is wet and rough at times. The homepage overview of Na Pali Coast boat tours lists the other boats.
Does the tour see sea caves and whales?
The listing points to sea caves along the coast, but entry depends on ocean conditions and rough seas can force a reroute to the south coast with no refund. Humpbacks pass in winter, roughly December to April, and the Kauai whale watching guide explains the federal 100-yard rule that governs every boat.
Prices, availability and terms are set by the operator and confirmed at checkout.
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