Booking choice: The sea caves raft and snorkel, from $255 per person. Check dates Compare the options below
The Na Pali Coast is lined with sea caves, cut by waves into the old lava at the base of the cliffs. Some are deep enough to take a whole raft, a few have waterfalls falling through their roofs, and one is open to the sky.
No road or trail reaches them. You see them from a boat, and you go inside only on a small one, on a calm day.
The quick answer
Rafts such as the Na Pali Riders Zodiac and Captain J's Super Raft enter caves including Open Ceiling Cave and Waiahuakua when the captain judges it safe. Summer (about May to September) is the calm season and the best bet; winter swell often keeps boats outside. Big catamarans view the caves but do not enter. Cave entry is never guaranteed.
Where are the Na Pali sea caves?
Along the base of the cliffs on Kauai's northwest shore, inside Na Pali Coast State Wilderness Park.
The coast runs about 17 miles from Polihale in the west to Kee Beach in the north, with cliffs rising to around 4,000 feet. The caves are at sea level, mostly on the western half that the boats from Waimea and Port Allen reach first.
Which caves do the tours go into?
The best known are Open Ceiling Cave, Waiahuakua (the double-door cave) and the Honopu sea cave; the captain picks the day's caves by conditions.
- Open Ceiling Cave: part of its roof has collapsed, so sunlight pours in and turns the water electric blue in summer.
- Waiahuakua: a long cave with two entrances, so boats can pass right through, and a waterfall falling through a hole in its ceiling.
- Honopu sea cave: lava walls with pink and red coralline at the waterline and a light waterfall near the entrance.
Want the best chance at the caves? Raft mornings in summer are the calmest.
Check dates for the sea caves raft and snorkelWhich boats can go inside?
Only the small ones: rigid-hull rafts such as the 30-foot Na Pali Riders Zodiac and Captain J's 37-foot Super Raft.
Large catamarans are too big to enter and show you the caves from the entrance. Some smaller catamarans list sea caves too, but only when conditions allow. If the caves are your main reason to go, take a raft. Compare the boats in raft vs catamaran.
When are the sea caves open?
Mostly from late spring to early autumn, when the north and west swell drops; in winter many trips cannot enter.
Na Pali Riders runs its 3-hour caves-only trip just from mid-May to late September for this reason, while the 4-hour snorkel trip runs all year. Morning departures are calmer than afternoons. See the best time to go.
Visiting in summer? The 3-hour caves raft is all cliffs, waterfalls and caves, with no snorkel stop.
Explore the 3-hour sea caves raftWhat is Open Ceiling Cave like?
A sea cave whose roof has partly fallen in, so the light comes from above and the water glows blue.
The effect is strongest around midday in summer, when the sun is high. Guests describe it as the moment the tour goes quiet: the raft slides out of the glare into the cave and the colours change.
Can you swim or snorkel in the caves?
No. The rafts enter the caves, but snorkel stops happen on sheltered reefs outside them.
Na Pali Riders states plainly that it does not snorkel in the sea caves. The swell moves in and out of the caves with real force, which is why the captain alone decides whether the boat goes in.
What if the caves are closed on your day?
The trip still runs along the cliffs, past waterfalls and the cave entrances, unless the sea is too rough for the tour at all.
If conditions are unsafe for any trip, Na Pali Riders offers a new date or a full refund. Book early in your stay, so a rough day can be moved to a calmer one.
Book early in your trip and keep spare days: cancellation is free up to 24 hours before.
Check dates for the sea caves raft and snorkelIs Honopu Arch a cave?
No, it is a natural rock arch about 90 feet tall at Honopu Beach, seen from the water on most trips.
Honopu Beach is split in two by the arch and has no land access. From the boat it is one of the classic photo stops along with Kalalau Valley.
Frequently asked questions
Are the Na Pali sea caves guaranteed?
No. Every operator makes cave entry conditional on the ocean, and the captain decides on the day.
Which month is best for the sea caves?
The calm months from about May to September give the best odds; Na Pali Riders runs its caves-only trip from mid-May to late September.
Can kids go into the sea caves?
Yes, on a raft that accepts their age: Na Pali Riders takes children from 5, Captain J's from 6.
Ready to book
Choose your boat
Free cancellation up to 24 hours before on every option. Prices are from-prices in USD and move with the season.
Na Pali Sea Caves Raft & Snorkel Expedition
- Guided Zodiac raft tour along the Na Pali Coast, sea caves when conditions allow
- Snorkel stop with mask, snorkel and fins (conditions permitting)
- Fruit, chips, juice, water and Gatorade; dry bag; optional life jackets
Captain J's Na Pali Super Raft & Snorkel
- Sightseeing along the 17-mile Na Pali Coast in a 37-foot Naiad raft
- Sea caves when conditions allow, including Open Ceiling Cave
- Snorkel session with gear (conditions permitting)
Na Pali Riders 3-Hour Sea Caves Raft
The sea caves without the snorkel stop, summer only
