Reviews for Makana Charters
3040 reviews
Great tour. The captain/guide was knowledgeable about all the places we viewed on the tour. He also had an incredible knack for spotting sea life. We got close up views of 2/3 large sting rays just below the surface, and a large pod of dolphins with around 20 members. The other two crew members were also knowledgeable and always available to answer questions, and made sure everyone got plenty of refreshments. The views of the na pali coast are unbelievable. Snorkeling on this tour was ok. A much better use of the snorkeling hour for all the kids on the tour was apparently jumping off the top of the boat. Tldr. Great tour, great staff, and epic views
Product: Makana Charters
With a storm lingering off shore i was very hesitant to how my first time at sea would go. Rob's expertise in navigating shined. I've been on a smaller recreational boats in extremely choppy waters in the pacific northwest rivers and his navigation of this larger craft (Na Pali Kia III) against the larger current made for a very equivalent feel. I was amazed. Adam and Neah were both also very engaging and informed down on the deck. Making their way through the crowd and striking up conversations with the safety of the guest always at the forefront. Im so glad I didn't cancel in fear of the storm it was a beautiful relaxing day on the waters all thanks to the wonderful crew of Rob, Adam and Neah.
Product: Makana Charters
The crew did an excellent job navigating a windy day. They made the experience memorable and wonderful.
Product: Makana Charters
We had the pleasure of taking a NaPali Coast boat tour with Makana Charters! My family of 4 had an excellent time. Not only were there the beach and coastlines, sea caves and waterfalls, and the NaPali Coast but also stopped to visit with spinner dolphins too! Our favorite was the snorkeling in super clear water. Be prepared for some waves...
Product: Makana Charters
Beware: they’ll take your belongings “for safekeeping” and then blame you when they lose them. We took the 2 PM tour on July 26th with Makana Charters. It started off fine — the water was rough from high winds, which was expected, and the crew seemed friendly at first. As the wind picked up, they told us to stow our belongings below the seats, which we did. My wife’s expensive personalized hat was still at risk of blowing away, so one of the female crew members offered to “keep it safe.” My wife handed it over, trusting it would be locked up. At the end of the tour, we asked for the hat back and were told it had flown into the ocean and was lost. When we asked how something they’d taken to store safely could simply blow away, the captain and the crew member became agitated and started yelling — insisting it was our personal responsibility and that we shouldn’t have handed it over. This was their offer. So much for trusting them. Losing the hat was one thing; the captain and crew member’s response was despicable. Don’t hand these people anything you care about — and don’t expect accountability if something goes wrong.
Product: Makana Charters
Beware: they’ll take your belongings “for safekeeping” and then blame you when they lose them. We took the 2 PM tour on July 26th with Makana Charters. It started off fine — the water was rough from high winds, which was expected, and the crew seemed friendly at first. As the wind picked up, they told us to stow our belongings below the seats, which we did. My wife’s expensive personalized hat was still at risk of blowing away, so one of the female crew members offered to “keep it safe.” My wife handed it over, trusting it would be locked up. At the end of the tour, we asked for the hat back and were told it had flown into the ocean and was lost. When we asked how something they’d taken to store safely could simply blow away, the captain and the crew member became agitated and started yelling — insisting it was our personal responsibility and that we shouldn’t have handed it over. This was their offer. So much for trusting them. Losing the hat was one thing; the captain and crew member’s response was despicable. Don’t hand these people anything you care about — and don’t expect accountability if something goes wrong.
Product: Makana Charters
Everyone need to go at least one time. My Crew was nice and 10 star.
Product: Makana Charters
This is the tour to take if going to the Napali Coast. Excellent hospitality and great knowledge of the area. We enjoyed all the little nuggets of facts that were given during the ride out and back!
Product: Makana Charters
My family and I had Captain Rhiannon & Tony for an afternoon tour aboard the Leialoha and it was amazing! The scenic beauty speaks for itself; but the crew made it even more special. Rhi & Tony made several stops along the way to provide extra details about the island itself, the beaches there, how some marks were formed along the cliffs/mountains, Hawaiian history & folklore, and much more! We went into a sea cave, snorkeled and even saw dolphins on the way back. Thank you Rhi & Tony for treating us like friends and for making this experience extra special for me and my family! Mahalo! The Moran’s 😁
Product: Makana Charters
Beautiful boat, excellent crew. All were extremely courteous and helpful, and made you feel like family. Great info from the perspective of native Hawaiians. Fantastic day!
Product: Makana Charters
We had an absolutely amazing experience with Makana charters ! We took the afternoon trip on their new fleet, Leialoha. Boat crew (Ree & J) were incredible; They took great care of everyone onboard. Everything was so seamlessly organized, from the warm check-in and short shuttle to the safety briefing. Breathtaking views of the Na Pali coast, the crystal-clear waters, and the gorgeous waterfalls along the way were all surreal. Jumping from the top of the boat and snorkeling were huge highlight for the kids. The crew helped spot dolphins in the afternoon trip and made it even more magical. Thank you to the whole team for such a fantastic experience — we will happily recommend Makana Charters to anyone looking for the perfect Kauai boat tour !
Product: Makana Charters
The experience was unbelievable and magical. Thanks to the entire crew for making it a memorable one for myself and my family.
Product: Makana Charters
Makana handles his boat like a PRO! It was amazing to surf the waves, see the caves up close despite the huge waves!! Elijah and Uncle Lionel were the sweetest on board! Chitchatting with everyone, taking care of the sick and having fun with us! My sister and I got to go on top of the roof of the boat to jump in the water! So much fun!!! An amazing day out’ on the ocean. MERCI
Product: Makana Charters
My family of 7, ranging from ages 7 to 73 went on an afternoon tour with Captain Tim, Ethan, and Leroy on the Na Pali Kai III for a beautiful trip up the Na'Pali cost and back in July of 2026. It was an amazing experience not just for the views, or the snorkeling, or the wildlife sightings (Hawaiian Spinner dolphins!), but especially for the care, knowledge, and enthusiasm of the crew. While Leroy excellently piloted, both Ethan and Captain Tim took the time to sit and talk with any who wanted to share their deep knowledge and breadth of experiences across the islands. Just an FYI, we paired dramamine with vitamin B6 for two of our children who can be prone to motion sickness and they had no problems! Typical seas can be a little rough (compared to our experiences on the Great Lakes) so be aware for any who may be less adventurous. Also, they play music (which we loved and sang along to at times) but the ocean, motor, and music is a lot of noise if you have those sensitive to that. Silicone earplugs can compensate. There will be sea spray, so plan on some protection for whatever photo taking device you bring, and a wrist band attachment would help as well. Also plan on getting wet! They tell you to wear your swim suits and swim shirts, so take them seriously! The boat has a head (toilet) but its not a changing room, so plan to be in that swimwear for the entire voyage.
Product: Makana Charters
(Translated by Google) Perfect! Simply perfect! Stunning views, a fantastic crew, I'm not bilingual but I understood the explanations and the jokes. I recommend it a thousand times over. The snorkeling break was super fun and the captain, oh wow, so good! (Original) Parfait ! Simplement parfait ! Des vues sublimes, un équipage au top, je ne suis pas bilingue mais j'ai compris les explications et les traits d'humour. Je recommande x1000. La pause snorkeling etait super fun et le capitaine, oh wouaouh, tellement bon !
Product: Makana Charters
We had an amazing time on our Makana charter. The team was awesome - they gave us an amazing tour of the Napali coast and provided a ton of information about the history and culture of Hawaii. They took extra effort to make sure everyone was safe and had a fun time. We are recommending Makana Charters to all our friends!
Product: Makana Charters
Our experience with Makana Charters was awesome! We had a family of 4 and took the Leiola with Rhi and Tony and they gave us this time ever hands down! Definitely will ride again! P.S. the pictures does it not justice
Product: Makana Charters
Had an awesome time on the Seiko 2 !! Captain Shawn and Lionel know how to work their boat in some rough waters. They were very knowledgeable of the coast and their ancestral history. Unlike the large boat charters out there, they made stops that enlightened us to the Na'Pali history. Great guys. Could not have asked for a better time. Mahalo.
Product: Makana Charters
The crew on Amelia K. Did an amazing job hosting us for our tour. Got off to a bit of a rocky start but it was so amazing it still deserves 5 stars. We had a pod of dolphins swimming around our boat. Saw monk seals sun bathing on the Na Poli coast. The cliffsides up close. Somehow the capt. Was able to get the boat inside the caves for an in depth look inside. Had a light swim while we had lunch. Group of 4 had an amazing time and so glad we booked this tour.
Product: Makana Charters
Awesome trip and crew very attentive
Product: Makana Charters