Na Pali Coast Kauai: Best by Boat or Helicopter?

The beautiful Na Pali coast spans 17 miles of inaccessible coastline on the north and west sides of the Garden Island. On your Kauai vacation there are countless ways to explore this unforgettable paradise. One thing that you must do is see the Na Pali Coast. If you are feeling adventurous and have a day or two to spare, you can kayak from Kee to Polihale or hike parts of the coast on the Hanakapiai and Kalalau trails. The two most popular ways are by air or sea. You can take a helicopter tour, which will fly you over Na Pali, along with the rest of the island. Or you can take a boat tour that cruises along the 17 miles of coast. Ideally, if you had the time, you would do it all! But if you only have time for one tour activity, we suggest a Na Pali Coast boat tour with Na Pali Experience.

If experiencing Na Pali is your #1 priority, we suggest a boat tour over a helicopter tour for these reasons.  

Hours of Fun – Our tours leave from Kekaha, on the west side of Kauai, and within 5 minutes of leaving the harbor, you are well on your way to experiencing 5 hours of magic of Na Pali Coast. Helicopter rides are about 55 minutes from take off to landing, allowing only minutes to experience one of the most epic coastlines in the world.  

Sea Life Encounters – Dolphins, sea turtles, fish, manta rays, monk seals, tiger sharks and more. Read about the different Kauai marine life you can find in the waters off Na Pali here.

Sea Caves – Only by small boats, zodiacs, and kayaks are you able to explore all the sea caves along the coastline.

Snorkeling – a highlight of our tour is the hour long snorkel spot at Nualolo Kai. Nuaolo is only accessible by boat and only small and medium sized are allowed to anchor here

Panoramic Coastline – Only on a boat tour can you get up close to the rocky coast and get a panoramic view of the coastline.  

Read more about why our boats are the best vessels to experience Na Pali, and book your tour with us today!