Makana Charters — Local services in Kauai

We had the privilege of taking the Na Pali Coast Group Tour aboard the Amelia K on Monday, June 23, 2025 and it was truly a highlight of our trip!

We’re the type who like to arrive early, so we showed up around 12:45 pm, not realizing that was too early (the crew from the morning tour hadn’t even returned yet!). Still, once the check-in officially began around 1:30 pm, everything flowed smoothly. The crew welcomed us warmly and kept things lighthearted and professional throughout the entire afternoon.

The views of the Na Pali Coast were beyond breathtaking—towering sea cliffs, lush green valleys, cascading waterfalls, and sea caves straight out of a movie.

Fair warning: the boat ride is smooth for seasoned sailors like the crew, but a bit rough for land lovers. One teen threw up and a younger kid needed comfort in a parent’s lap. But hey we knew what we signed up for. If you want to get into a sea cave, you’ve gotta be on a smaller, rockier boat. Totally worth it for the adventure!

The snorkeling stop was a major highlight: crystal-clear water, vibrant marine life, and plenty of time to explore. The gear they provided was clean and high-quality, including easy-to-use flotation belts.

Lunch was surprisingly delicious and thoughtfully prepared. The deli-style sandwiches hit the spot. There were a lot of drinks (including tropical juices and sodas), for anyone reading this, help yourself, don't miser the drinks, you aren't going to save it for becoming shipwrecked.

The crew deserves a special shoutout. They were knowledgeable and engaging. They shared fascinating info about the island, marine life, and Hawaiian culture, all while keeping us safe and smiling.

tips: Wear your swimsuit and be ready to be somewhat wet throughout the trip (there is water involved in this ocean trip - who knew?!?! lol) , and definitely don’t forget sunscreen, sunglasses, and a snug hat. A light jacket or sun protectant long sleeve is also smart since the ocean breeze can pick up and also for sun protection.

This tour was everything we hoped for and more: a perfect blend of adventure, relaxation, and awe-inspiring natural beauty. Highly recommend to anyone visiting Kauai. Mahalo to the Amelia K team for an unforgettable day...

what an amazing trip! First time we have done a Napili boat tour in Kauai. We choose the Makana tour on the Amelia K based on reveiws I found on line. It did not disappoint. The weather couldn't have been better, the conditions were awesome, the boat was really quite comfortable, no bad seats anywhere and staff , Captain Mike, Elijah and the other young man ( can't remember his name) were a lot of fun and super interactive. They each reached out to everyone on the boat and made a point of chatting. They were super informative of what we were seeing on the coast line. Really enjoyed the history. We saw tons of dolphins, stopped a couple of times to just enjoy the pods passing by. We also saw whales. They weren't super active but they did show up and did a couple fin slaps. The Napili coast was breathtakingly beautiful even with the sea mist lingering. My favourite part of the trip was seeing the sea caves up close and personal!! WOW!! the manuevering into the caves was exhilarating even if a bit scary. The caption said the young man guiding the boat into the cave had learned how to do it through You Tube ... joking of course. He did amazing and it was so fun! as was the passing under the waterfall... gave the whole trip a new level of excitement. Also loved the rolling of the water on the north shore, I thought it would be very rough and I'm sure there are time when it is but it was almost like boating on a lake, so mesmerizing. The variety of sandwiches served at lunch were delightful and there was a variety of drinks we had access to through out the whole trip, also a nice addition. We didn't actually get to go snorkelling which was unfortunate but safety is first priority so no real regrets here. we did get to get in the water on the way back which was nice and refreshing. All in all it was an amazing trip and would highly recommend it to any one thinking about taking a boat tour. Thank you Makana tours and staff of the Amelia K, totally enjoyable trip! BTW we took the trip on Feb 21,...

I searched and read reviews for many tour options to see the NaPali coast & settled on Makana charters and am so glad I did! Capt Rob, Charlie & Kana were fun, attentive, safe, and skilled. We were absolutely blown away at the captain’s ability to navigate the Na Pali 3 into the sea cave, despite some fairly big waves. The expert skill level was definitely applauded! The ride out was pretty thrilling as we did get splashed and “jumped” across the waves. It was very fun but made me glad that I didn’t choose the raft tour - that would have been way too “thrilling”. We saw some of the raft tours while out on the tour & all thought NO WAY would we want to be on that one right now 😆 We definitely got splashed with a good amount of water on the way out. My daughters who were in the back row in the outter seats got soaked! It was all part of the fun Two of our party have a tendency for sea sickness, but they prepped with Dramamine in advance and took a zofran at the start of the trip as a precaution. Fortunately no sea sickness! 🙌 The crew shared fascinating stories about the sights, which greatly enriched our overall experience. We saw dolphins, seas turtles, flying fish, monk seal, crab, and many species of fish and birds. Captain found a great spot for snorkeling based on the conditions of the day & we were the last party back on board - we loved it so much! Lunch was light but satisfying. I’m vegetarian & was grateful for the vegetarian sandwich with hummus option. The men in our party had wished they had brought some more snacks with them, as it wasn’t enough to satisfy them. Overall 10/10 recommend! come prepared with hats & glasses that won’t blow off, ready for sun & salt water, and maybe pack some extra snacks for those with a...