Napali Coast Boat ToursNa Pali Coast Sea Caves Tour: Zodiac Raft Expedition from Waimea
This na pali coast sea caves tour is the afternoon, caves-only Zodiac raft run by Na Pali Riders. It costs $235 per person, lasts 3 hours from 3:30 PM to 6:30 PM and leaves from Kikiaola Small Boat Harbor on Kauai's west side. A 30-foot rigid-hull inflatable raft heads up the coast and enters as many sea caves as the sea allows, with beaches, cliffs, valleys and waterfalls along the way. There is no snorkeling and no entering the water on this listing. Fresh cut fruit, chips and cold drinks come on board. If you want a swim stop, the caves and snorkel version of the same raft ride is a closer fit. This page breaks down what the price covers, what the ride feels like and who should pick a different trip among all Napali Coast boat tours.
About This Tour
Na Pali Riders checks you in at its Waimea office at 2:45 PM, 45 minutes before the 3:30 PM departure, and you drive your own vehicle to Kikiaola Small Boat Harbor for boarding. The 30-foot Zodiac raft runs the coast and enters as many sea caves as weather permits. The listing calls the ride wild, fast and rough and compares it to white water rafting on the ocean. It is a sightseeing trip only, with no snorkeling and no entering the water.
The crew is USCG veteran owned and first aid and CPR trained. Fresh cut fruit, chips, waters, Alohas and Gatorades are included. Cancellation is free up to 24 hours before departure and you can reserve now and pay later.
$235 per person, booked on GetYourGuide. The rating is 4.7 from 17 reviews, a small sample next to tours with hundreds or thousands.
3 hours, 3:30 PM to 6:30 PM. Check-in is 45 minutes earlier, at 2:45 PM.
Na Pali Riders, 9600 Kaumualii Highway, Waimea, HI 96796. There is no hotel pickup. You drive your own vehicle from the office to the harbor.
30-foot Zodiac rigid-hull inflatable raft with a USCG veteran captain and crew. The live tour guide speaks English. Group size is not stated.
Fresh cut fruit, chips, waters, Alohas and Gatorades. No meal is named and no lunch stop is part of it.
Parking at Kikiaola Small Boat Harbor is $20 plus tax per vehicle for 8 hours, paid at check-in. A photo and video package is sold at the end for $55 plus tax. Free cancellation up to 24 hours before departure for a full refund.
Check Dates and Availability
The listing runs 3 hours, 3:30 PM to 6:30 PM, with check-in at 2:45 PM in Waimea. Enter a date to see live openings and the current price.
Quick answer Quick answer
The Na Pali Riders sea caves expedition costs $235 per person, runs 3 hours from 3:30 PM to 6:30 PM and leaves Kikiaola Small Boat Harbor near Waimea. It enters sea caves along the Na Pali Coast on a 30-foot Zodiac raft and does not include snorkeling or entering the water. Cave entry is weather permitting and the listing says the caves are accessible in summer. Free cancellation applies up to 24 hours before departure.
Key takeaways
- See exactly what the $235 covers in what the price actually covers.
- Ride the raft stop by stop in what the day is really like.
- Pregnant travellers, children under 5 and anyone with back or heart problems should read who this tour rules out.
- Want caves plus a swim? Compare the Zodiac Raft Sea Caves and Snorkel.
What the Price Actually Covers
The $235 ticket covers the raft ride, the crew, the snacks and the drinks. Two things cost extra and several things are simply not part of this listing.
What Is Included
The listing includes a sightseeing run of the Na Pali Coast with entry into all of the sea caves along it, weather permitting. The crew passes waterfalls and beaches on the way. A dry bag for your belongings is issued at check-in, and fruit, chips, waters, Alohas and Gatorades are served on board.
The captain and crew are USCG veterans, first aid and CPR trained. Waivers must be signed before check-in closes.
- 3-hour Zodiac raft ride, 3:30 PM to 6:30 PM
- Sea cave entry where the sea allows it
- Fresh cut fruit, chips, waters, Alohas and Gatorades
- Dry bag issued at check-in
- USCG veteran captain and trained crew
- Free cancellation up to 24 hours before departure
What Costs Extra
Parking at Kikiaola Small Boat Harbor is $20 plus tax per vehicle for 8 hours and you pay it at check-in, so budget it into the day. A photo and video package with everything the crew shot during the tour is sold at the end for $55 plus tax, and buying it is optional. Hotel pickup does not exist on this tour, so you also carry the cost and time of your own drive to Waimea.
- Parking: $20 plus tax per vehicle, 8 hours, paid at check-in
- Photo and video package: $55 plus tax, optional, sold after the tour
- No hotel pickup, you drive yourself
- Gratuities are not mentioned as included
- No snorkel gear, because this tour does not enter the water
What Is Not Part of It
The listing states clearly that this tour does not include snorkeling or entrance into the water, so leave the swimsuit expectation at home. There is no meal. Sea cave entry depends on conditions, and all activities are weather permitting.
If the operator cancels the trip, the platform refunds it.
| Line | In the price | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| Raft ride and cave entry | Yes | Weather permitting, caves accessible in summer |
| Fruit, chips, drinks | Yes | Waters, Alohas, Gatorades |
| Dry bag | Yes | Issued at check-in |
| Harbor parking | No | $20 plus tax per vehicle, 8 hours |
| Photo and video package | No | $55 plus tax, optional, sold at the end |
| Snorkeling and water entry | No | Not part of this listing |
| Hotel pickup | No | You drive your own vehicle |
| Lunch or a meal | No | No meal is named |
A raft inside Open Ceiling Cave, entered only when the sea allows. Illustration.
What the Day Is Really Like
The afternoon runs on a tight clock. Miss the safety brief and the tour is gone, with no refund.
2:45 PM Check-in in Waimea
Arrive at the Na Pali Riders office at 9600 Kaumualii Highway in Waimea at 2:45 PM, 45 minutes before departure, with your waivers already signed. The safety brief starts 30 minutes before departure. If you are not checked in before the brief begins, the tour is missed and there is no refund.
At check-in you hand over your parking payment of $20 plus tax, collect your dry bag and finish the paperwork.
Drive to the Harbor and Board
After check-in you drive your own vehicle to Kikiaola Small Boat Harbor to board the 30-foot Zodiac raft. The operator gives you the parking information at the office so the process is done before you reach the harbor and the 3:30 PM departure stays on time. You will be barefoot on the raft, though socks or thin water shoes are allowed.
It gets wet from splashing even without swimming, so wear your swimsuit or quick-dry clothing and bring a change of clothes.
The Run to the Cliffs and the Sea Caves
From 3:30 PM the raft pushes north up the west side of Kauai toward the Na Pali Coast. The stated plan is to explore as many sea caves as possible. On the way you pass beaches, valleys and waterfalls along the coast.
Everything, including entering the caves, is weather permitting, and the listing says the caves are accessible in summer.
Snacks, Drinks and Wildlife
There is no swim stop. While the raft works the coast, the crew serves fresh cut fruit, Hawaiian chips and cold drinks. The listing names spinner dolphins, sea turtles and monk seals among the wildlife you may see, though no sighting is guaranteed.
Federal rules bar approaching humpback whales within 100 yards and spinner dolphins within 50 yards.
6:30 PM Back at the Harbor
The ride ends back at Kikiaola Small Boat Harbor at 6:30 PM. The crew reviews the photos and videos taken during the day and offers the package for $55 plus tax if you want it. Bring your change of clothes for the drive back.
Na Pali Riders Sea Caves Raft Tour
Na Pali Riders shows the sea caves on its Na Pali Coast raft tour. Third-party video by Na Pali Riders. This site did not shoot it and has no relationship with the creator.
Who This Tour Rules Out
The operator's own restrictions are long. Read them before booking, not after.
Who Cannot Ride
The listing says the raft makes a wild, fast and rough ride, compared to white water rafting on the ocean. Children under 5 are not suitable. Pregnant women, people with back or neck problems, heart problems, pre-existing medical conditions, recent surgeries or a low level of fitness cannot attend.
It is not suitable for wheelchair users or people with mobility impairments. The operator tells anyone prone to motion sickness not to attend, and seasickness is not a ground for a refund. Good physical condition is required.
The Logistics That Catch People Out
There is no hotel pickup and no shuttle. You must have your own ride to the Waimea office for check-in and drive your own vehicle to the harbor, or arrange a ride for both legs. Late arrival means no tour and no refund.
The group size is not stated, so ask the operator if a small boat matters to you.
Weather, Reroutes and the Harbor Status
All activities are weather permitting, including cave entry, and the crew may reroute or skip caves when the sea is up. Afternoons are bumpier than mornings as the wind picks up, which the operator says itself. Kikiaola Small Boat Harbor was closed by the state after Hurricane Lowell and is listed as closed until further notice, so confirm the departure point with the operator before you travel.
If the operator cancels, the platform refunds the trip.
- Under 5, pregnant, or back, neck or heart problems: no. Consider the Lucky Lady Snorkel Cruise catamaran instead.
- Want a bigger boat with a swim stop: the Super Raft Snorkel runs a 37-foot raft from Eleele.
- Want caves and snorkeling on this same raft: the Zodiac Raft Sea Caves and Snorkel is the version with a swim stop.
- Prefer a calm evening on the water: the Sunset Dinner Cruise sails a 65-foot catamaran from Port Allen.
Honopu Beach sits between steep cliff walls on the Na Pali Coast. Photo: dronepicr, CC BY 2.0, via Wikimedia Commons
Getting There and What to Add
You drive yourself to Waimea on Kauai's west side. The operator publishes its own drive times, and the west shore has canyons and beaches worth pairing with the ride.
Driving to the Check-in Office
Check-in is at the Na Pali Riders office at 9600 Kaumualii Highway in Waimea, with the departure from Kikiaola Small Boat Harbor two miles west of the Waimea River mouth near Kekaha. The listing gives these driving times to Waimea town: Princeville 1 hour 45 minutes, Kapaa 1 hour, Lihue 45 minutes, Poipu 35 minutes and Kekaha 15 minutes. Plan more time than you think you need, because late arrival means no tour and no refund.
Read the harbor background in the Kikiaola Harbor guide.
Parking and the Harbor Status
Parking at Kikiaola Small Boat Harbor costs $20 plus tax per vehicle for 8 hours and is arranged at the office during check-in. The state closed the harbor after Hurricane Lowell and it is listed as closed until further notice. Confirm the departure point with the operator before you drive.
The platform refunds a trip the operator cancels.
What to Pair with It
The ride finishes at 6:30 PM, so the afternoon is spoken for. Polihale State Park marks the southwestern end of the Na Pali coast. For a separate day, the Kalalau Trail starts at Kee Beach at the end of Highway 560 in Haena State Park on the north shore, where day-use reservations release 30 days ahead.
Humpback whales pass Kauai roughly December to April, and winter is the season for a dedicated watch, see the Kauai whale watching guide. More trip ideas sit in the Na Pali Coast guide.
Sources: DLNR Kikiaola Small Boat Harbor, Na Pali Coast, GoHaena
Hour by Hour
Clock times come from the listing. The on-water sequence follows the operator's own description.
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2:45 PM
Check-in at the Waimea office
Arrive at 9600 Kaumualii Highway with waivers signed. Pay the $20 plus tax harbor parking, collect your dry bag and hear the safety brief, which starts 30 minutes before departure.
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3:30 PM
Depart Kikiaola Small Boat Harbor
Board the 30-foot Zodiac rigid-hull raft and head out of the harbor at the west end of Kauai.
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After departure
The run up the coast
The raft travels north along the Na Pali Coast, passing beaches, towering cliffs, valleys and waterfalls on the way to the caves.
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Mid tour
Sea cave exploration
The crew explores as many sea caves as conditions allow, weather permitting. The listing says the caves are accessible in summer. Fruit, chips, waters, Alohas and Gatorades are served on board.
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Late afternoon
Wildlife along the cliffs
Spinner dolphins, sea turtles and monk seals are named in the listing as wildlife you may encounter. No sighting is promised and federal distance rules apply.
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Last stretch
Return to the harbor
The raft returns to the harbor. The operator says afternoons are bumpier as the wind picks up.
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6:30 PM
Back at the harbor
Disembark at Kikiaola Small Boat Harbor, review the crew's photos and decide on the $55 plus tax photo and video package.
Pros and Cons
An honest read of the listing and its limits, against the other tours on this site.
What we genuinely like
- A 3-hour commitment focused on the sea caves
- Sea cave entry is the whole point of the trip, not an add-on
- Fruit, chips and drinks included, plus a dry bag
- Free cancellation up to 24 hours before departure and reserve now, pay later
- USCG veteran owned, first aid and CPR trained crew
The honest downsides
- No snorkeling and no entering the water, and the price is $235 for sightseeing alone
- The ride is described by the operator as wild, fast and rough, with no refund if you get seasick
- Extras add up: $20 plus tax parking and $55 plus tax for the photo package
- No hotel pickup, you drive yourself to Waimea and the harbor
- Only 17 reviews at 4.7, a thin record next to the 1,600-plus on some other tours here
- Kikiaola Small Boat Harbor is closed until further notice after Hurricane Lowell, so the departure point needs confirming
- Afternoon departures are bumpier than mornings as the wind picks up
Who it's NOT for: Not for anyone pregnant, under 5, with back, neck or heart problems, prone to motion sickness, or anyone who wants a swim stop on their Na Pali Coast trip.
Frequently Asked Questions
How much does the Na Pali Coast sea caves tour cost?
The Na Pali Riders expedition is $235 per person for 3 hours, with parking at Kikiaola Small Boat Harbor at $20 plus tax and an optional photo package at $55 plus tax. Compare it with the other Napali Coast boat tours.
Does this tour include snorkeling?
No. The listing states clearly that this tour does not include snorkeling or entrance into the water. For a swim stop on the same raft, book the Zodiac Raft Sea Caves and Snorkel.
When and where does it depart?
Check-in is at 2:45 PM at the Na Pali Riders office at 9600 Kaumualii Highway in Waimea, and the raft leaves Kikiaola Small Boat Harbor at 3:30 PM, back at 6:30 PM. Check current openings on the availability widget.
Is the ride rough?
Yes. The operator describes it as a wild, fast and rough ride compared to white water rafting on the ocean, and asks anyone prone to motion sickness not to attend. If that rules you out, the 65-foot catamaran on the Sunset Dinner Cruise is an alternative.
Can children come along?
Children under 5 are not suitable, and good physical condition is required. Families with younger children should look at the catamarans, starting with the Lucky Lady Snorkel Cruise, which takes children from age 3.
Is Kikiaola Small Boat Harbor open?
The harbor was closed by the state after Hurricane Lowell and is listed as closed until further notice. Confirm your departure point with the operator before travelling, and read more in the Kikiaola Harbor guide.
What should I bring?
The listing asks for your signed waiver, sunglasses, a sun hat, reef-safe sunscreen, beachwear, a towel, a change of clothes, motion sickness prevention and your own vehicle. Hawaii prohibits selling sunscreen with oxybenzone or octinoxate, so bring a reef-safe one.
What Travelers Said
Everything was perfect, the guides Makayla and Payton were incredible with us since the beginning of the activity making sure that we were okay in every moment. We loved every part of the ride, but being able to get into the caves was our favorite part.
Amazing experience in every way. Dedicated and experienced staff that worked hard to make sure everything was safe and fun.
Amazing! One of a kind. The captain navigated the waters well. The views, caves and experience were absolutely incredible. You definitely get your money’s worth. It was incredibly special to be able to enter the caves
Prices, availability and terms are set by the operator and confirmed at checkout.
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