Amelia K Day Boat Tour

Kauai: NaPali Boat Tour on the Amelia K runs through Makana Charters. Rated 4.9 across 2,052 reviews. Runs 5 hours (approx.). From $227.13.

Check park access before you go. Stops inside state parks (Waimea Canyon, Koke'e, Wailua River and Secret Falls) follow current DLNR notices and can be closed. Check the booking page for which stops are running on your date.

Overview

The Amelia K, a shared catamaran run by Makana Charters, spends roughly five hours on the water, with about four of those hours devoted to the Na Pali Coast State Wilderness Park. You check in at 185 Aka Ula St in Eleele, and the boat returns to the same spot at the end. Waimea Canyon State Park is passed by along the route and is not a stop.

The trip includes a snorkel stop with gear provided, plus lunch, snacks, water and soft drinks. Travellers pick sandwich options in advance from ham, turkey, roast beef, peanut butter and jelly, or vegetarian, with gluten-free bread available on request. There is a restroom on board, and fees, taxes and the fuel surcharge are covered in the ticket price.

Reviewers consistently single out the crew, many describing them as funny, attentive and well informed about the coast's history. Dolphin sightings come up again and again, along with sea turtles, monk seals, waterfalls and caves. The tour suits travellers in moderate physical condition who are comfortable boarding a boat, and it caps the group at 32 people. It is not wheelchair accessible, and pregnant travellers and those with back problems are generally not recommended to join, with a limited summer exception described in the booking details.

What's Included

Itinerary

1. Check in at EleeleMeet at 185 Aka Ula St, Eleele, HI 96705. No transportation is provided to or from the departure point, so travellers arrange their own way there.
2. Cruise toward NaPaliThe catamaran heads up the coast, passing Waimea Canyon State Park along the way. Crew narration covers locations of interest en route.
3. Na Pali Coast, 4 hoursAdmission to Na Pali Coast State Wilderness Park is included. Travellers describe waterfalls and caves along the way, with time for photos and crew narration on the coast's history.
4. Snorkel stop and lunchThe boat pauses for snorkeling with provided gear, then lunch, chips and drinks are served on board.
5. Return to EleeleThe tour ends back at the original meeting point. Gratuities are not included, and the crew suggests tipping in the range of 15 to 20 percent.

What To Expect From The Tour

A few practical points from the listing and from repeated reviewer comments will help you prepare for this trip.

• Sort lunch early. Sandwich selections must be sent in advance, ideally a week ahead or at the latest 24 hours before the tour, or the crew defaults to turkey. Gluten-free bread is available and allergies should be flagged when booking. The listing notes that chips, soda, mixed juices and water are also provided.
• Getting there. There is no hotel pickup or drop off. You make your own way to the dock at Eleele, and the listing lists local taxi companies with phone numbers as transport contacts.
• Fitness and boarding. Travellers need moderate physical fitness, since you must step on and off the boat without assistance. The listing advises against the tour for those with back problems, heart conditions or pregnancies outside its summer exception, which allows expectant mothers up to 22 weeks gestation in June, July and August with a doctor's note approved in advance.
• Bring a towel. Towels are not included, so pack your own. Snorkel gear is provided. Reviewers recommend the trip mainly for the coast itself, which many call the highlight of their time on Kauai.
• Ride conditions. The captain steers through open water and along the coast, and the experience requires good weather, with cancellations for poor conditions offered a new date or a full refund. The crew runs a safety briefing at the start, which reviewers describe as efficient.
• Kids and age limits. Children must be at least 4 years old on the larger vessels, and 9 or older on smaller ones. With up to 32 travellers aboard, the feel is a shared group outing rather than a private charter.

Common issues. The honest limits: no pickup or drop off, no towels, and gratuities are extra. The boat is not wheelchair accessible and the operator makes no exceptions on this. Weather matters, since the experience requires good conditions and may be rescheduled or refunded if cancelled for that reason. The coast itself, rather than the snorkel stop, is what most reviewers praise.

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