Itinerary
This is a typical itinerary for this product
Stop At: Na Pali Coast State Wilderness Park, Kauai, HI
1. Breathtaking Sightseeing—With her 4,000’ cliffs, cascading waterfalls, emerald-green valleys and secluded beaches, the Napali Coast is an absolute must-do on any Kauai vacation. And while most tours stop there, this adventure continues on to Lehua Crater (a Hawaii State Wildlife Sanctuary) and the mysterious Ni’ihau Island.
Duration: 3 hours
Stop At: Niihau - The Forbidden Island, Kauai, HI
2. Excellent Snorkeling and Wildlife Viewing— The snorkeling conditions around Lehua Crater and Niihau are some of the clearest and most prolific in all of Hawaii. Going offshore to Lehua and Niihau, we increase our chances of seeing more elusive ocean species such as pilot whales and rough-toothed dolphins in addition to the spinner dolphins, green sea turtles and humpback whales (seasonally, December-April) that frequent the waters of Kauai.
Duration: 3 hours
Pass By: Kauai, Kauai, Hawaii
Satisfying Food and Beverage Service—The meals we serve are colorful, delicious, and prepared fresh every morning using whole ingredients. In the beverage department, you’ll be offered water, coffee, juices, soft drinks and a creative selection of craft beer, wine, and hard seltzers.
Pass By: Polihale State Park, Lower Saki Mana Rd, Waimea, Kauai, HI 96796
Get a Sense of the Cultural History—Kauai’s Napali Coast is uninhabited today but was once home to thousands of people and to this day, there’s a private colony of Hawaiian people living on Niihau! We’ll share the history, legends, and stories of these lands and their people, leaving you with a deeper understanding and appreciation for Kauai and Ni’ihau Islands.
Pass By: Kauai, Kauai, Hawaii
Hospitality with Aloha—Your friendly crew members will be at your side all day long, making sure you’re comfortable, hydrated, well-fed, your snorkel mask fits right, your drink is topped up, and that you’re having a fabulous time.
Pass By: Kauai, Kauai, Hawaii
A Safe and Original Experience—Taking into consideration the day’s weather and ocean conditions, your experienced Captain will use their discretion to show you as much as possible in the time we have, while always prioritizing your comfort and safety. Specific stops and snorkeling locations will vary, and we’ll always do our very best to impress. Splashes can happen--bring a light jacket!
See Availability.
Holo Holo Charters, 4353 Waialo Rd #5a, Eleele, HI 96705, USA
06:00 AM
8 hours(approx.)
Returns to original departure point
Not wheelchair accessible
Service animals allowed
Not recommended for travelers with back problems
Not recommended for pregnant travelers
No heart problems or other serious medical conditions
Travelers should have a moderate physical fitness level
Passenger Policy
1. This is an adventure. Ocean conditions can vary and may turn rough at times. It may not be suitable for some folks (all physically challenged individuals are subject to captain's discretion).
2. Not recommended for individuals who have/had back problems, recent injuries or surgeries, or suffer from severe motion sickness (no refunds are given for seasickness). Seasickness is best prevented with an over-the-counter remedy.
3. No expectant mothers.
4. Children must be 5 years or older.
5. All tour routes and destinations are subject to change without notice. Ocean conditions can and will sometimes turn rough. Snorkeling depends on ocean conditions.
6. Cancelled tours by Holo Holo Charters are fully refundable or gladly rescheduled.
7. "No shows" or any cancellation within 24-hours or check-in time is subject to a 100% charge of the total fare including tax.
8. We are not responsible for lost, damaged or stolen items.
9. We reserve the right to refuse service.
10. Mobility aids such as canes, walkers, crutches, wheelchairs, etc. are not allowed on board.
11. We do not land on shore.
12. Non-swimmers are not allowed in the water.
13. Full-face snorkel masks are not allowed; guests are required to use traditional two-piece snorkel and mask sets.
14. If you do not have your prescribed medication with you, i.e. Inhalers, EpiPens, diabetic medication and/or any other daily medications, you must reschedule your tour for another day.
15. No smoking of any kind, including electronic cigarettes.
16. You should bring your own towels, sunscreen, a light jacket and camera. We will provide everything else.
17. All tours are "Bare-Foot". Passengers will remove their shoes prior to boarding. Only orthopedic/diabetic exceptions will be made at captain's direction.
18. In accordance with our liquor license, guests may not bring their own alcohol and IDs are required for age verification. Intoxicated guests will not be served any may be denied boarding. Alcohol will be served only after snorkeling on applicable tours.
19. No coolers or drones/unmanned aircraft allowed on-board.
20. Spray-on/aerosol sunscreen is a safety hazard and may not be used on-board the vessel.
21. Our vessels are equipped with sensitive marine heads (toilets) that clog easily. Do not flush anything other than what your body produces and the toilet paper provided.
22. Please use Holo Holo parking lot only or your car will be towed.
As a company that puts sustainability at the forefront of goals, we request you bring your own reusable water bottle with you on tour.
No expectant mothers are permitted to join the tour
This experience requires good weather. If it’s canceled due to poor weather, you’ll be offered a different date or a full refund
This tour/activity will have a maximum of 49 travelers
Confirmation will be received within 48 hours of booking, subject to availability
Posted By : JennySaurusRex
This was an amazing trip! The crew (John, Alec & Christian) were very nice and really interacted with all the people in our group. There was a chance that we didn't make it out to Ni'ihau due to the tradewinds and they made it very clear that we were able to reschedule or cancel before getting on the boat. We opted to still do the tour but unfortunately we weren't able to get out to the island since the channel was too rough. But they did refund us a portion of the trip and took us to a very nice snorkeling area along the Napali coast. There was a ton of wildlife there and the water was super calm. We lucked out and got to see spinner dolphins and a humpback whale while out on the water, alone with eels, several sea turtles, an octopus and tons of tropical fish at the snorkeling area. The breakfast and lunch that they provide was also really yummy! All in all it was a great experience and we would definitely recommend. Well worth the price!
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Posted On : 2024-05-16
Posted By : ae8gtm
Below average experience. We’ve been on many boat snorkel tour and this one was mediocre at best. Crew was just “ok”… was not super friendly and outgoing. The explanations/chats during the tour was very minimal. During snorkeling, only one of the crew was in the water. Other tours had two in the water, one onboard plus captain. A passenger had an accident during our trip and the trip was cut shot. However, there was no communication and we only found out when we saw an EMS waiting when we reached the dock. We did get a slight refund, but spent most of the day on really long boat ride. Wife and I have been on numerous boat + snorkel tours in Hawaii and this one stood out as the worst.
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Posted On : 2024-04-17
Posted By : Carl_H
Great boat and even better crew. Conditions were too rough to go and snorkel off Ni’ihau, but the crew kept us safe and we saw as much of the napali coast as we could. We switched gears and found a relatively sheltered area for swimming and lunch. Spinner dolphins, seals and turtles saved the day. The food was good and again the crew was A+. Highly recommended.
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Posted On : 2024-04-17
Posted By : Barry_M
There was a storm coming in and the water was rough, so we could not get to the outer islands or get in and snorkel. But the captin took his time going up the coast and the scenery was beautiful, its the best way to see the Napoli coast line. We saw whales, dolphins and a manta ray!!!
The crew John and Kalama were great, they worked hard and took great care of us.
Highly recommended!!!
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Posted On : 2024-04-14
Posted By : Barry M
We had a stormy day and could not snorkel or get to the outer islands, but despite this, I'd recommend going. The captain (sorry, I don't remember his name) took his time up the coast and went well beyond the normal cruise. It was beautiful and a very fun experience.
But what really took it over the top was the crew, John and Kalama, were awesome. They worked their butts off and provided stellar service.
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Posted On : 2024-04-13
Posted By : B3944DWjoanr
We had a great time and the views were spectacular. It was a bit windy and rough but they found us a place to snorkel and we didn't make it to Ni'ihau due to the weather. They reimbursed us 15% for the fact that we didn't make it to Ni'ihau.
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Posted On : 2024-04-13
Posted By : Yellowknife1
There is one condescending female employee on the boat. She should go work somewhere outside of the tourism industry because she was clearly unhappy on our tour. We've done over a dozen tours across all the major islands over the past 8 years and we've never had a complaint until now. Aside from the poor behaviour of one of the employees on the boat we didn't get what we paid for. We've done a similar tour with Captain Andy's. It was cheaper and better. We didn't make it to Ni'ihau due to the weather and that isn't their fault - and they gave us 15% back in a refund as a result, but what they did instead was a complete waste taking us to one spot to snorkel outside of Koloa Landing. The reality is the tour should have been cancelled or 50% of the money refunded. The snorkel spot was too windy and you couldn't see anything in the water as a result of the winds kicking up so much sediment in the water. The whole thing was like a 7 hour boat ride through swells. We stayed almost as far out from the Napali Coast as a cruise ship. With Captain Andy's they take you right up against the cliffs and you even get into some caves, even in high swells, and you get more snorkelling in at areas that are along the Napali coast at least. We were so disappointed in this tour for the price they charged and mostly the one employee who shouldn't be giving tours when they treat people so poorly.
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Posted On : 2024-04-05
Posted By : MBirch0711
I can not say enough good about Holo Holo, their boat, our captain, and our crew. Seriously phenomenal in every regard. I give this 4 stars just because I don't think I would choose this specific charter path in the future. The morning sail up the NaPali coast was simply breathtaking. I cried it was so beautiful! Our captain navigated the seas soooo well. He impressively took us inside of a cave in swelling seas. We saw whales and dolphins and he would slow down each time we did so that we could soak up that experience. Once we reached our turn around spot, he slowed things down a bit so we could really enjoy the views and take pics, etc. The crew was so good. Lucy is the hardest working crew member I've ever seen in my life. We were so well taken care of. Each of the 3 crew members had personal conversations with our family. It was cool.
Now here is the only reason I give this 4 stars. After NaPali, you cruise over to the Niihau crater. It's a loooong sail and it's a rough water passage. I was soooo excited for the snorkeling there but was kinda disappointed. It's a rock wall drop off, not a reef. So there are definitely fish there but they don't hang out so it's more of a "sit and see what passes you by" type of experience. And with a boat full of people all trying to move about in rough seas, it just got a little crazy. We did see two seals swim by which was super cool. I kept praying for a whale to swim by because that would be epic!
Back on the boat, lunch was really good (breakfast had been good too!). Then the return sail which is, again, long and rough. Multiple people got sick. The crew took SUCH GOOD care of them though!!
TL:DR This company and boat and crew are AMAZING. Just be prepared if you do this specific excursion. It's long and kinda hard. But cool to say that you've been to Niihau!
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Posted On : 2024-04-01
Posted By : meganlyh
AMAZING EXPERIENCE! We were lucky to see everything. We saw spinner dolphins, a humpback whale, some albatross, and we even made it to Ni’ihau and got to snorkel. The Na Pali coast was stunning! They served breakfast and lunch which was great and the crew was amazing, making sure people moved around the boat okay and really took care of us. Shout out to Captain Christian and the crew- Johnny, Lucy and A (her name is escaping me!) for making the trip so much fun! If you get sea sick easily, this may not be the trip for you. We do not get sea sick and we sat at the back of the boat and at the front at the end, and were totally fine. If you do get sea sick, the crew has lots of tricks to take care of you and will help you out. They want you to have the best time. OH- they even have prescription goggles for snorkeling which was amazing. The day couldn’t have been better and again, we were so lucky to make it out to Ni’ihau and to get to see all the wild life. Truly perfect. 10/10 would book again.
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Posted On : 2024-03-30
Posted By : Rivengard
The crew made the difference! Captain Cole, Lama, Alec, and Zoe were friendly and helpful and made sure we had the best possible experience!
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Posted On : 2024-03-17
