Nā Pali Coast Raft Tour: Sea Caves, Snorkeling and Dolphins From Port Allen

There are two ways to see the Nā Pali Coast from the water. One is a catamaran, which is comfortable and smooth. The other is a raft, which puts you inside the caves with the water dripping on your head. This is the raft.

This page covers what the trip is like, what it costs, who it suits, and the one thing to decide before you book: whether you want comfort or adventure.

Why this made our list

The boat is a 37-foot Naiad rigid-hull inflatable, the same design search-and-rescue crews use, with a hard hull for speed and inflatable tubes for stability. On Nā Pali that means the captain can do things the big boats cannot: idle inside a cave while a waterfall pours over the entrance, nose up to the base of a 1,000-foot wall, and turn on a dime when the dolphins change direction.

The route covers the whole coast. Out of Port Allen the raft runs west past Hanapēpē and Kekaha, picks up spinner dolphins off Polihale, then works the cliffs from Miloliʻi to Nualolo Kai, Awaʻawapuhi and the cathedral walls of Kalalau. In summer there is a snorkel stop at a reef under the cliffs. In winter, when the swells close the reef and often the caves, the captain spends the time with the humpbacks or runs farther up the coast toward Kēʻē.

The reviews are the third reason. This is the highest-rated Nā Pali operator on Kauai, 4.9 stars across more than 4,000 Google reviews, and the reviews describe a crew that narrates the coast rather than just driving it.

Why this operator

Half a dozen companies run rafts to Nā Pali from Port Allen and the west side. We compared them on boat, crew, time at the cliffs and reviews. The west-side rafts from Kekaha have a shorter run and are a fine choice if you are staying in Waimea; their boats are smaller and older. The big Port Allen raft companies are solid and some run from the same marina. This one won on the combination of a newer, larger raft, a consistently praised crew, and the best review record on the coast. If you want the same coast without the bounce, our power catamaran pick leaves from Kekaha.

What the raft tour is like

The trip runs 4.5 to 5 hours dock to dock.

1. Check in at Port Allen. Suite 4B at the marina center, 45 minutes before departure. Use the restrooms here; there are none on the raft.
2. Run west. Twenty-five minutes along the south shore past Hanapēpē Bay and the salt ponds, then the long beaches of Kekaha and Polihale with Niʻihau off the bow.
3. Dolphins. The spinner pods live off Polihale. The captain slows and they come to the raft, riding the bow wave and spinning.
4. The cliffs. Around the corner the coast goes vertical. Miloliʻi, Nualolo Kai with its fishing village ruins, the hanging valleys, the waterfalls.
5. Caves and waterfalls. When the swell allows: into the Open Ceiling Cave, through the double-door cave, under the falls. The raft fits where nothing else does.
6. Kalalau. The big valley and its beach. The captain idles for photos and the story of the people who lived here.
7. Snorkel stop (summer). A reef under the cliffs with turtles, reef fish and 60 feet of visibility. In winter, this becomes whale time.
8. The ride home. Downwind and fast. The crew hands out snacks and drinks and everyone goes quiet.

Prices and what you get

From $177 per person plus tax and booking fees. That includes the full trip, snorkel gear and flotation in season, snacks and drinks, and the crew’s narration. Gratuity is extra. The morning raft leaves at 7:30 am and the afternoon raft at 1:30 pm.

Who it’s for (and who should skip it)

Adventurous travelers from age 6 up who want the closest possible look at the coast and do not mind getting wet. Couples, active families with older kids, anyone who has done the catamaran before and wants more.

Skip it if you are pregnant, have a back, neck or hip injury, or cannot sit on an inflatable tube for a few hours. Skip it with kids under 6. If a bathroom on board matters, or you want shade, book the catamaran from Kekaha or, in summer, the Hanalei catamaran.

Where to check in and how to get there

Port Allen Marina Center is at 4353 Waialo Road in ʻEleʻele, just off the Kaumualiʻi Highway on the south shore. From Poʻipū it is 25 minutes, from Līhuʻe 35, from Kapaʻa about 50, and from Princeville about 90. Parking is free. Check in at suite 4B 45 minutes before departure; the crew needs the time for waivers and the safety briefing.

The nearest coffee is in Hanapēpē, five minutes east. Current departure times and the live calendar are on the booking page.

Best time to go

Time of day. Morning. The 7:30 am raft has flatter water, calmer dolphins and the best light in the caves. The 1:30 pm raft is warmer and the cliffs glow, but there is more wind chop on the run out.

Time of year. April through October for snorkeling and the caves, with May through September the calmest. November through March for humpback whales, when the trip becomes a sightseeing and whale-watching run with the caves open only on calm days.

Local tips before you book

• Book the morning raft. Calmer water, better caves, better dolphins.
• Take motion-sickness medicine. An hour before. Rafts move more than catamarans and this is the number-one regret in the reviews of every raft company.
• Wear a rash guard. Four hours of sun on an open raft with no shade. A long-sleeve rash guard beats reapplying sunscreen in salt water.
• Bring a dry bag or ziplock for your phone. Everything on the raft gets wet.
• Use the restroom at the marina. There is none on board.
• Pair it with the south shore. You are back by lunch. Spend the afternoon at Poʻipū Beach or the Koloa zipline. More ideas in our things to do on Kauai guide.

The verdict

For the adventurous version of Nā Pali, this is the raft we would book: the biggest and newest on the coast, a crew that narrates, and 4,000 reviews that say the same thing. Take the 7:30 am departure, take the pill, and wear a rash guard.