Skip to primary navigation Skip to content Skip to footer
Back to Captain's Blog

Na Pali Tour: North Shore vs South Side vs West Side Departure

Na Pali Kalalau

When picking a tour company to go on our Na Pali Coast tour, one of the factors you will be weighing is location, location, location. Depending on other activities planned during your time on Kauai, you might default to booking something that is closer to your lodging. The most common spots for a Na Pali boat tour launch include Hanalei, on the north shore and Port Allen, on the south west side of the island.

We are fortunate enough to have one of the few permits to operate out of Kikialoa Boat Harbor, located in Kekaha, on the west side of the island, an ideal location that gives us closer access to Na Pali then more popular Port Allen, which is about 30 minutes farther away from Na Pali Coast, which means an hour of your tour is spent in transit, when you could be sightseeing and swimming.

Both Hanalei and Port Allen are popular locations for boat tours, so parking can be an issue. It can get congested in these locations, with so many different companies operating, which can lead to confusion on which and where exactly your boat is.

What is great about our tour, is that we offer 3 convenient check in times at 7 AM, 9 AM, and 2 PM. Depart on our 7 AM tour, and have the whole afternoon and evening to explore the west side. If you are driving from the east or north sides of the island, you do not have to wake up before the sun rises. Most likely, you will want to make a visit out to Waimea Canyon or check out Kokee State Park, so if you are limited on time, it’s very easy to do our tour in the morning, and view the canyon in the afternoon, and stay on the west side to enjoy a killer sunset. Or book our 2 PM tour, take your time driving out to the west side, and enjoy the sunset on our boat!

Have we convinced you yet?  Book your Na Pali Experience today!