Ronda

Can you no longer catch a boat tour of the Na Pali coast from Hanalei? So is Port Allen the only place you can catch one? Thanks.

Ronda

ttt

Kal

News to me R...
Topping for Auntie M....

china_cat

I've seen at least 2 websites for boat tours out of Hanalei,
Na Pali Catamaran http://www.napalicatamaran.com/, and Captain Sundown. http://captainsundown.com/privatecharters.html. So Ronda, I'm wondering where you are getting this idea from?

Ronda

I thought I read somewhere that to preserve the river, boats were no longer allowed to leave from Hanalei river. Perhaps I'm not remembering all the details. Perhaps it was the zodiac boats.

Ronda

In the fall of 1998, Hawaiian Governor Ben Cayetano ordered boat tour operators to stop using Hanalei Bay and River as embarkation points for NaPali tours. Reasons cited were concern over disruption to public use of Black Pot Park in Hanalei, and possible harm to the river and coastal ecosystem. The result was that several Hanalei tour operators went out of business, and those remaining moved their departure points down to the South side of the island, mostly from Port Allen. This not only makes for a LONG drive from the North Shore, but it is also a longer boat trip to get from departure point to NaPali Coast, and of course a longer trip back.

After several years of legal wrangling, a number of former and new operators are again operating from Hanalei, but some of the ones that moved to the south have remained there.


http://members.toast.net/fdw/northsh/napalibt.htm

Ronda

Capt. Andy's leaves out of Port Allen and goes down by Poipu to get to the Napali coast instead of by Hanalei:

http://www.napali.com/kauai_rafting/

china_cat

oh, the Captain Sundown site does make reference to that. And talks about how they are one of just a few operators still allowed to operate out of Hanalei.

I've read great reviews of Na Pali Catamaran. That's the one I plan to use when we go.

Ronda

I'd really like to kayak but I don't think we are in shape for it. The site does say strenuous and I have heard the same from others:

http://www.kayakkauai.com/seakayak.html

Maybe we can just do the river!

koa

By far the best route to the Napali is from Hanalei. The port allen departure entails a long trip and a lot of the boats only go to Kalalau and then turn back! The west side coast is not really scenic until you get to Polihale. From Hanalei, the scenery is awesome from beginning to end. With the Hanalei route you see the ENTIRE Napali coast, not just Kalalau beach. From What I hear Na Pali Catamaran is pretty good. Another option is Liko tours that leave from Kikiaola harbour in Kekaha(West side) This route is the shorter than leaving from port allen, and Liko is a native hawaiian operator that grew up on Kauai!

iamq

I watched from the pier as people boarded these boats at the mouth of the Hanalei River. Not sure what it is like now, but in July 2007 the people boarding the boats had to wade out to the boats...past 10 to 20 protesters scolding them and waving signs. It was an interesting sight.

grasshut

Our family did Captain Sundown a couple of years ago and found that to be a very good one. We saw the whole NaPali Coastline with views of the coastline that I will never forget. It was the highlight of our vacation, and I have the very beautiful pictures of the coastline to prove that. We have experienced the boat trips that leave on both sides now of the island and I would not even have to hesitate I would use Captain Sundown again in a heartbeat. The reason that I say this is that the ones leaving from the other side do not cover the whole NaPali Coastline like Captain Sundown does. It is just because this company has a location that enables you to see the coastline because of their location.

Ronda

Thanks for your tips. We did a boat trip from Hanalei many moons ago and it was wonderful. Glad to hear a couple of companies still operate from Hanalei.