Niihau + Napali Super Tour

Niihau, Lehua Crater & The Napali Coast

When our company was founded in 1997, our niche—the one thing no other Kauai boat tour company was doing– was ocean adventures to the “Forbidden Island” of Niihau. Niihau is an island, technically just the remnant of what was once a much larger volcano, that sits about 17 miles southwest of Kauai and is home to a private and relatively primitive population of mostly Native Hawaiians.

While it’s strictly forbidden for us (and almost everyone else in the world) to go ashore at Niihau, it’s still exhilarating and interesting to cruise offshore and check it out. To the adventurous and the curious, the wanderers and the explorers– we invite you to join us for an unforgettable seven-hour ocean journey on our signature Holo Holo Charters Napali-Niihau Super Tour!

On this tour, we’ll cruise north along Kauai’s world-famous Napali Coast, taking in all her sacred glory, before crossing the Kaulakahi Channel to Lehua Crater, a Hawaii State Wildlife Sanctuary and important pelagic sea bird habitat, bopping over to the waters of Niihau, which offer excellent snorkeling conditions, and finally heading back to Port Allen, here on Kauai’s south shore.

This ambitious, 90-mile trip includes breakfast, sightseeing, snorkeling, lunch, and adult beverages, making it one of Kauai’s smartest values for activities.

Along the way, you’ll learn about the geology, history, and legends of the west side of Kauai, the Napali Coast, Lehua Crater, and Niihau. We’ll keep our eyes peeled constantly for wildlife such as spinner dolphins, sea turtles, humpback whales, false killer whales, bottlenose dolphins, and sea birds. As we farther travel away from Kauai and into more remote waters, our chances of seeing elusive wildlife species increase.

You’ll be riding in style on our company’s flagship vessel Holoholo, a 65’ power catamaran designed by our company’s founder and built right here on the south side of Kauai. Holoholo is comfortable and powerful– fitted with twin Cummins QSB diesel engines and able to comfortably cruise at speeds up to 22 knots. Her low center of gravity and hull design provides for a secure ride and spares you the extra bounce associated with more top-heavy boats. Holoholo has long proved her ocean-worthiness and she’s meticulously maintained; you can count on her to carry you and your loved ones safely to Niihau and back.

Fresh, wholesome, colorful, and satisfying are good words to describe the meals we serve on board. For breakfast, we offer coffee, juice, cheesy scrambled eggs, tropical fruit, muffins, and pastries. For lunch, we’re having fresh veggies and dips, wraps and sandwiches, noodle salad, and homemade cookies. Simple yet delicious and easy-to-eat food—perfect when you’re out for a day on the water.

Snorkeling is another highlight of our Napali-Niihau Super Tour. As compared to Kauai or the other Hawaiian islands, the lack of rain and running water around both Lehua and Niihau keep the water super clean and clear; visibility is rarely less than 70 feet. We carry plenty of snorkeling gear—masks, snorkels, fins, and flotation—in all sizes and offer basic snorkeling instruction and best practices. Our Holo Holo crew members will be right there in the water with you, acting as your lifeguards and helping with the little things, like adjusting your mask strap. Snorkeling, you’ll have the opportunity to see endemic fish species found nowhere else in the world, endangered monk seals, manta rays, underwater lava tubes, lava “cathedrals”, and more. An ideal time to bust out your Go Pro or underwater camera!

After snorkeling (which is, of course, optional) our crew members will start offering refreshing adult beverages to our guests 21 and older. We have a nice selection of refreshing drinks to choose from such as domestic and Hawaii-made craft beers, hard seltzers, and red and white wine to sip on while we cruise back across the Kaulakahi Channel and return to Port Allen. A cold one in the hand might just hit the spot after the day’s amazing adventures, and we’re here to serve.

The Napali-Niihau Super Tour is our company’s signature tour on our signature vessel. Over all these years, we’ve modified and upgraded Holoholo, discovered the very best snorkeling spots, learned authentic stories and history, refined our menu, and dialed in all the details. We’re proud to offer this spirited tour that combines the Kauai Napali Coast experience and the offshore Niihau Island snorkeling experience, and we would be honored to have you aboard. Say yes to adventure!

This tour is a wet-and-wild, full-day adventure in the elements. For some people, seven hours may be too long on the water. We encourage you to consider the stamina of everyone in your party before choosing your adventure; we want to be sure no one is limited in their ability to enjoy the journey! If you have questions or want to discuss further, please call our staff at 808-335-0815 so we can assist you in finding the optimal ocean adventure for you and your guests.