Aloha Ocean — Local services in Honolulu

I had the most incredible experience chasing dolphins with Aloha Ocean Adventures. From the start, it was clear we made the perfect choice; their intimate charter hosts a maximum of 6 people, ensuring personalized attention and care throughout our journey. This exclusivity contributed significantly to the quality of our adventure, making us feel like VIPs on the ocean.

The tour itself is relatively new, having launched just last year, which meant everything from the boat to the equipment was in pristine condition. The "Saltie Girl" was our vessel for the day, and she was not only new but incredibly comfortable, making our time on the water even more enjoyable.

What truly set this experience apart were our guides, Shanti and Sam. Their passion for the ocean was infectious, and their knowledge of the island and its marine life was impressive. They shared fascinating facts and stories about the dolphins and the local ecosystem.

The highlight, of course, was the dolphins. Spotting spinner dolphins just five minutes in, we embarked on what felt like a mission impossible: predicting their movements and placing ourselves in their path for a magical encounter. Shanti and Sam's experience and skill in locating the dolphins and providing timely instructions made this thrilling chase possible. After the dolphin encounter, we also got to snorkel with sea turtles in a more calming setting. It was an exhausting yet exhilarating adventure, swimming with a huge pod of spotted dolphins in the open ocean—a surreal experience that unlocked a core memory for me.

This tour with Aloha Ocean Adventures was genuinely worth every moment. The combination of a small group, a new and comfortable boat, and the charismatic and knowledgeable guides made our dolphin chasing adventure unforgettable. I am already looking forward to doing this tour again on my next visit. It's an absolute must-do for anyone wanting to connect with the ocean and its incredible creatures in a unique and...

I cannot possibly say enough good things about this tour. Obviously ocean and wildlife conditions will vary by day. On our excursion on the 11th, we were blessed to find a pod of pilot whales. We got unbelievably close to them in the water and they didn't seem to mind our presence at all. In fact, after we got out, one of them came to the boat and seemed to be encouraging us to come play again so we got back into the water. Absolutely surreal. I was scared to get into the open ocean (at 3000' depth!), but felt so safe with the crew. Captain Shanti was vigilant on the boat. Stef accompanied us into the water and led the way. I could tell that they were equally in awe of the wildlife. There was such a positive vibe and everyone was reverent of this magic that we got to experience together. I'm glad that there were only five of us on the tour so that it had the intimate and peaceful feel.

After the pilot whales, we encountered a couple humpback whales that put on a great show of swimming and splashing for a while. Majestic.

Shanti advised that due to poor conditions that day (surf was rapidly increasing), we should skip their primary snorkeling spot and go to a place that was more protected. The place we went was indeed protected - and marvelous. We saw 10+ turtles in close proximity in addition to other ocean life. Stef was in the water once again providing guidance and teaching us about some of the things that we were seeing. He's a great photographer too and offered many times to take pictures to help us remember this special day.

I highly recommend having a GoPro for this day. If you don't have one, they do rent them on board for $40. Too many wonderful things that you'll want to capture.

Shanti seems to have a really good heart and he sincerely wants his customers to have the best possible day.

Thank you for an experience that I will remember for the rest of my life! The highlight of my...

If I could give this more than five stars I would. Seas were choppy. They had to cancel the day before and the day after us due to unsafe conditions. Me and my girlfriend were in Oahu for a week and this made the entire trip. Unfortunately we didn't get to swim with dolphins, but the Mother Nature rules all and that's just how it goes sometimes. Captain Shanti and Stef were determined to make sure we had a good time though. They took us up and down the coast on the hunt for dolphins, turtles, and humpback whales. Then, it happened. We were cruising along at pretty low speeds when we see a tail. Not only did we see the tail of a humpback whale, but it was slapping and playing with its tail in the waves and a whale breached RIGHT in front of us. It was one of the most breath taking experiences I've ever been a part of. But that wasn't it. As we continued to sail along we were blessed with at least 10+ other breaches by some pretty sizable humpback whales. The small size of the boat is amazing too. I wasn't interested in a tour that could have had 50+ people on it. Salty Girl is a beautiful boat and you can get to the wildlife faster than any of the big boats. They also took us snorkeling in a very nice, calm little lagoon with no waves at all. Perfect if you have smaller children or are a beginner snorkeler. Stef made sure we were all safe. Filled with turtles and sea life. I could have spent hours there.

I would do this exact tour over and over again, even if that meant I wasn't able to see dolphins because the experience of it all is priceless. Captain Shanti and Stef will make sure you have a good time no matter what the conditions are. They are awesome guys who are full of knowledge and will treat you like he's known you...