7 TOP-RATED KAUA‘I TOURS
Seven unforgettable tours worth booking
Discover the best tours on Kaua‘i — surf lessons, Na Pali Coast sails, downhill biking, zipline adventures, island flights and chocolate tastings.
Kaua‘i calls you differently. It’s green, quiet, older than the other islands — a place where cliffs meet salt spray, and backroads still feel back in time. Whether you’re paddling out, flying above the coast, or rolling downhill through old plantation roads, the Garden Isle does adventure at its own pace — easy, wild, and close to the land.
Kaua‘i is easy to get around but feels like a handful of small islands in one. Most visitors and locals break it into three main areas: the North Shore (Hanalei, Princeville), the South Shore (Po‘ipū, Kōloa), and the East Side (Līhu‘e, Kalapaki, Wailua, Kapa‘a). You’ll see these names pop up throughout — they help you plan your day trips and pick which beaches, boat harbors, or surf breaks fit your stay.
Here are seven experiences that capture a bit of that feeling — from classic surf lessons to ziplines in the treetops, sweet chocolate tastings, and the slow magic of the Na Pali coast.
1. Surf Lessons on Kaua‘i — Hanalei Bay, Kalapaki Bay & Po‘ipū
Kaua‘i’s mellow waves and warm water make it one of the best Hawaiian islands for beginner surfing. From the North Shore to the sunny South Shore, local surf schools keep it friendly and small-group, so you’ll stand up quicker and learn island style at your own pace. Whether you’re catching your first whitewash or brushing up after years away, these easy surf breaks are some of the best places to learn to surf on Kaua‘i.
On the North Shore, book a Hanalei Bay Surf Lesson to ride gentle swells with the iconic bay and green mountains behind you — Hanalei is one of the island’s most scenic beginner surf spots, with soft sand and long rolling waves.
On the East Side, near Līhu‘e and Nawiliwili Harbor, Surf Lessons in Kalapaki Bay make it easy to practice close to the main town and cruise port. Kalapaki’s protected beach stays calm and consistent, with local surf instructors who’ll help you stand up and balance fast.
Farther south, Po‘ipū Beach is Kaua‘i’s most popular sunny resort area — perfect for year-round gentle breaks and warm shallows. A Po‘ipū Surf Lesson gives you the softest sand, easy paddles, and beginner-friendly waves for families, kids, or total first-timers.
Wherever you paddle out, surfing on Kaua‘i is all about standing up, falling off, and laughing a little louder every time.
2. Na Pali Coast Boat & Snorkel Tours
No road takes you here — only the ocean lets you see Kaua‘i’s most cinematic coastline. The Na Pali Coast stretches for 17 miles of sheer green cliffs, sea caves, waterfalls, and hidden beaches that feel untouched by time. A good boat or raft tour lets you slip into this remote stretch from the island’s North Shore or West Side, cruising close enough to watch dolphins, turtles, and reef fish gather below the cliffs.
If you’re staying on the North Shore, the Na Pali Coast Tour & Snorkel departs near Hanalei and takes you along the cliffs for a classic half-day adventure. It’s a relaxed ride that mixes sightseeing with time to swim and snorkel warm Pacific shallows in coves you can’t reach by road.
On the island’s West Side, the Na Pali Coast Morning Adventure leaves from Kekaha or Waimea, running on a rigid-hull raft that’s smaller and faster than big tour boats. It’s a splashier, more up-close ride, with time to slip inside sea caves when conditions allow and drift under waterfalls tumbling straight into the sea.
Whether you go North or West, you’ll see why the Na Pali remains one of the most unforgettable stretches of coastline anywhere in Hawai‘i.
3. Downhill Bike Ride from Waimea Canyon
Ride through red dirt country and pine-scented switchbacks on Kaua‘i’s West Side. A guided Waimea Canyon Downhill Bike tour starts high in Kōke‘e State Park, where misty lookouts open to sweeping canyon views and forest ridges.
From there, it’s an easy roll — gravity does the work — dropping you downhill through cool mountain air, old sugar roads, and sunny lower slopes all the way back toward the coast. The ride is slow, scenic, and good for all levels — with stops for overlooks, wildflowers, and a few local stories along the way.
It’s one of the most unique ways to see Waimea Canyon, often called the Grand Canyon of the Pacific, without breaking a sweat on the climb up.
4. Kaua‘i Island Plane Tour
Sometimes the only way to see it all is from above. A Kaua‘i Plane Tour loops you over the island’s most dramatic landscapes in a small, window-seat-only aircraft — no crowds, just you and the pilot tracing the island’s hidden stories.
From the air, you’ll sweep past the sheer cliffs of the Na Pali Coast, the layered red ridges of Waimea Canyon, the emerald tangle of Hanalei Valley, and waterfalls so deep in the forest they can’t be seen any other way. Most scenic flights depart near Līhu‘e Airport, so it’s an easy add-on if you’re staying along the East Side or South Shore.
Sit left window if you can — the views come fast, and you’ll want your camera close for every turn.
5. Private Sailing Charter along the Na Pali
Some days are meant for slower sails — not the big group snorkel boats, but a smaller catamaran or monohull with just your crew, a seasoned captain, and the freedom to find your own calm water. A Na Pali Sail & Snorkel takes off from Port Allen Small Boat Harbor on Kaua‘i’s West Side, heading up the coast to sea caves and hidden beaches only reachable by water. There’s time to slip into warm reef water and watch dolphins drift by the hull.
If you’d rather stay dry and end the day under Kaua‘i’s golden hour, a Na Pali Sunset Sail also departs from Port Allen, timing its run to hug the coastline just as the cliffs light up and the sun dips behind the horizon.
Most Na Pali sails run from the West Side, where ocean conditions are calmest — so if you’re staying in Po‘ipū or the South Shore, it’s an easy drive. You’ll feel how quiet the coast can get once you slip past the road’s end and the land falls away behind the sails.
6. Kaua‘i Zipline Adventure in Kōloa
For the kid in everyone — a forest canopy tour that swings you out over sugarcane valleys, orchard groves, and green ridgelines you wouldn’t hike to otherwise. The Kōloa Zipline 8-Line Tour runs through private lands on Kaua‘i’s South Shore, near the historic plantation town of Kōloa and sunny Po‘ipū.
You’ll fly line to line over treetops and open fields with ocean views in the distance, with guides sharing local history and extra challenges for the bold (upside down, anyone?). Many runs include short off-road rides through backcountry trails — so you get a little mud, a little speed, and a lot of wide views from platforms tucked into the canopy.
It’s an easy half-day adventure if you’re staying near Po‘ipū or Kōloa and want to see a side of the island you can’t reach by road.
7. Chocolate Farm Tour & Tasting
Yes — real chocolate grows here. Kaua‘i’s warm, rainy hillsides grow cacao trees alongside coffee, bananas, and tropical fruits, giving local makers the raw beans they need for bean-to-bar craft chocolate. A Chocolate Tour & Tasting lets you walk a working cacao orchard on the island’s South Shore, just outside Kōloa.
You’ll learn how sticky cacao pulp becomes a silky chocolate bar — from harvest to fermentation, drying, and small-batch roasting — then taste your way through a flight of fresh chocolate under the trees. Many farm tours include other tropical crops too, so you’ll see what else grows side by side in Kaua‘i’s fertile soil.
It’s a sweet way to slow down and taste another piece of the island — a good break between beach days if you’re staying near Po‘ipū or Kōloa.