Sea Kayak Whale Watching From Po'ipu: Winter Paddle and Snorkel

From Po’ipu, engage in wintertime paddling and snorkeling, following the same canoe trails used by ancient Polynesians and whaling captains.

Duration: 7 hours
Cancellation: 1 day learn more
Highlights
  • Poipu - Whale Watch & Snorkel by Sea Kayak
    Check In: 8:30 a.m.

During the winter the gently rolling South coast becomes a favorite for sea kayakers. You’ll paddle the same canoe paths of old taken by early Polynesians and whaling captains.

We will begin the day’s journey on the Golden coast of Kaua’i at Po’ipu and paddle west along the rugged and scenic shoreline that is home to the Spouting Horn, the remote Lawai Valley, the unusual Nomilo Pond, and the cove of Wahi’awa.

Winter is the season for Humpback Whales and often the highlight of the voyage. After their long journey from Alaska each year, these gentle giants delight themselves in the warm Hawaiian waters for a season of birthing and frolicking.

Delight yourself likewise, as these whales breach before you , or more likely spot Spinning dolphins, Flying fish, and Green sea turtles. With luck we sometimes see the endangered Monk Seal in the water or a sunny beach. Bird watch for Boobies, Frigate , and Tropic birds from your cockpit.

Get wet and snorkel off one of Kauai’s finest shores, where the sea and bird life compliments a day of splendid paddling. At day’s end we will have you back to your hotel or back to our shop late afternoon.

4 person minimum opens a tour

extemdash Check In Wailua River Marina: 8:30 a.m.
extemdash Shuttle to Koloa Landing (Po'ipu)
extemdash Tour staged in South shore area 9:30 a.m. - 2:30 p.m.
extemdash Lunch of Deli made Sandwiches, tropical juices and bottled water included
extemdash Shuttle back to Wailua River Marina: 3:30 p.m.

*Times are variable, i.e., longer or shorter and subject to the vagaries of group and weather dynamics.
Rating & Physical Requirements:

A challenging adventure recommended for the more active couples a bit hardier families and others.

This tour can be a workout. Participants should be comfortable in the water, in good physical condition and not prone to seasickness. This paddle involves about three to four hours of intermittent paddling.
When & Where:

October through April – Monday, Wednesday and Friday. (with 4 persons any day of the week).

Weather Permitting: unstable winter weather can cause periodic postponements, we recommend reserving up to a week in advance and early during your stay on Kaua’i.

Check in at 8:30 a.m. at our Wailua Marina Shop.
Our Guide to client ratio:

One guide to seven clients.
South Shore pick up:

If staying on the south side of the island you can arrange to meet at the Koloa Landing launch area. There is no parking at the Koloa landing launch area.

What's Included
  • Carbonated beverages included
  • Lunch provided
What's Not Included
  • Use of snorkeling equipment
Additional Information
  • Not for youth under age 16
Location
3-5971 Kuhio Hwy
Kuhio Highway
WAILUA MARINA STORE LOCATION
Cancellation Policy

For a full refund, cancel at least 24 hours before the scheduled departure time.

Customer Ratings
5.0
(6 Ratings)
5 stars
4 stars
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1 star
Nan
Feb 17, 2024
Fabulous day! - We had a wonderful time. Jay was our trip leader with Harrison and Gavin helping out. They took care of everything. We did not see any whales, but we did see dolphins and turtles. Even if we had not seen any wildlife, the experience would’ve been perfect. It was peaceful and well-managed, and we had lunch at the quintessential deserted beach. The food that was supplied was surprisingly fresh and delicious. We are not stellar athletes, but they were supportive and kind and Jay skillfully helped me get back into the kayak in the middle of the ocean after I jumped in. Jay knows so much about the island and was a nonstop source of entertainment and interesting information. I recommend this tour wholeheartedly!
Review provided by Tripadvisor
Mommagogo
Feb 17, 2023
Serene, thrilling, unforgettable day out with the whales and a turtle - Jay guided us on a gorgeous day out, kayaking from Poipu to Port Allen. It was such a gift to have close and unintrusive encounters with sea life, including a pair of curious whales. He showed us a coral reef at sea we could snorkel, which would have been impossible to know was there without his expertise. We stopped at a quiet and nearly empty beach--again, it would be hard to know it was there without a guide--for lunch and to stretch our legs. At every every moment of our trip, Jay was a calm, exceedingly capable, fun, and knowledgeable guide--including the drive back to the launch where he casually answered questions about Kauai history and gave me more insight than I've gathered in all my trips here put together. This was a highlight of a 12-day trip that's been filled with beautiful, unforgettable moments. TIPS If you're staying on the south or west side, ask if you can meet them at Koloa Landing. Take Dramamine if at all in doubt. I don't get carsick or airsick and have never been sick on a kayak, but I took Dramamine and am glad I did. Especially when I wasn't paddling waiting to see what the whales might do, I started to feel the waves. I crashed hard after the trip when the sun and drug hit, but was fine while I was out on the water.
Review provided by Tripadvisor
Ntrede1
Feb 17, 2023
A Day to remember - First of all there is Jay, our tour guide - from the start his calm attitude inspired trust and confidence that we could go on our first open ocean kayak trip and muster adverse situations. He is incredibly knowledgeable, fun, friendly and infectiously enthusiastic. The experience would not have been the same without him! He guided us expertly through pretty high waves and was right there to help when we toppled twice (it wasn't scary at all). Then there were the whales - what a spectacle to see 2 humpbacks surface, jump, go on deep dives for about 30 minutes in our vicinity! Jay also took us to a reef for snorkeling with beautiful views of living corals and all sorts of fish. Lunch on a secluded beach was fun and restorative and the pick-up by Elijah smooth. Lots of really interesting detailed historical and botanical data from Jay on our trip back to Koloa. A day to remember forever!
Review provided by Tripadvisor
231bethanyd
Feb 6, 2023
Sea Kayak / Whale Watch - great way to spend the day if you enjoy kayaking! - I did the Sea Kayak / Whale Watching tour with Kayak Kauai this week and had an awesome experience! I recommend booking this tour if you enjoy kayaking and also hope to see some whales (if you just want to see whales, there are less exertional ways). First, I thought the customer service was awesome. My tour date had to be rescheduled a few times due to winter storms. Shoutout to Jack who answers the phone for being so gentle and patient every time I called! I never had to wait on hold for more than a minute to get my concerns taken care of. The tour pickup is at Wailua Marina but if you're staying on the south or west side of the island you can request to meet at Koloa Landing instead of having to retrace your steps. Our guide Jay was very knowledgeable and enthusiastic. He did a great job setting us up for the day with a very thorough safety briefing. Luckily none of our kayaks capsized in deep water but I appreciated how Jay clearly walked us through all the steps to re-board the kayak so we felt prepared. He also did a great job filling the day with information about Hawaiian culture and history while we weren't seeing whales. Our group was 3 solo travellers and 1 couple. There is no option for a single kayak, so if you're traveling solo like me you will be matched with another solo traveler or the guide. I felt like I got really lucky with my group - all the other travelers were super enthusiastic and engaged and it brought great energy to the tour. In total there were about 4 hours of paddling and 1 hour of break for lunch (which was refreshingly delicious for a packed/tour lunch!). We were lucky to have a few wildlife encounters, but there was a lot of time spent just paddling and of course there's no guarantee when it comes to the wildlife. It's beautiful scenery though, so definitely worth the trip, but you should only book this tour if you're primarily excited about kayaking.
Review provided by Tripadvisor
Lunky
Feb 18, 2020
Great, active and unique experience - Excellent guides (Web and Dan) who were professional yet very fun and dynamic. The primary tour guide was insanely knowledgeable and has been at this for a long time. As described in the details this is an active paddle. Conditions change quickly but you're rewarded with great views, an awesome private beach lunch spot and what feels like an ocean to yourself. In the winter the conditions are a bit different and they launch at Poipo and end at Port Allen. I would trust them any time of year and anywhere they told us to go.
Review provided by Viator
Kimberliw11
Nov 30, 2019
Didn’t see any whales but still was a great trip! - Web was our guide for this tour and the Hanalei Bay tour and he was informative and funny. He was I sevant and always checking in with everyone to see how they were doing and taking breaks as necessary. The sea kayaking was challenging and definitely not something you want to attempt for your first time. We loved it!
Review provided by Tripadvisor
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