Makana Charters

Makana Charters (also marketed as Makana Charters & Tours) is a Native Hawaiian, family-owned boat tour operator based on the west side of Kauaʻi that sells Na Pali Coast sightseeing, snorkeling, dolphin/whale watching and private charter experiences directly to consumers. The company operates a small fleet of custom-built powered catamarans ranging in size in passenger capacity from 36 to 16; tours run about 4.5–5 hours and commonly include sea-cave exploration, snorkeling gear, deli lunches and local drinks.

Makana emphasizes cultural interpretation — “cultural captains” who share Hawaiian history and local knowledge — and aims for smaller-group, higher-touch experiences that appeal to families, photographers, and travelers seeking an authentic local narration of the Na Pali coastline.

From a scale perspective, Makana presents itself as a highly-reviewed local operator: the consumer site and public profiles reference more than 11,000 Google reviews at 4.9 stars and a very high TripAdvisor rating (4.8–4.9 with several thousand reviews and multiple Traveler’s Choice/awards). The company lists an office/departure address in Waimea, Kauai (4516 Alawai Road, Waimea, HI 96796) and a local phone number. Booking is done directly through their website.

For suppliers/operators assessing Makana from a trade perspective: Makana is primarily a direct operator/reseller of its own boat tours rather than a multi-operator marketplace.