Kauai: Whale Watch Cocktail Tour aboard 'Imiloa
Kauai, USA
Kauai: Whale Watch Cocktail Tour aboard 'Imiloa
Recommended by 92% of travelers
Kauai, USA
- 2 hours (approx.)
- Mobile ticket
Overview
Witness the acrobatics of migrating humpback whales off the coast of Kauai during this seasonal south shore cocktail cruise from Eleele. Listen as your captain details the biology and behavior of the marine mammals and keep your eyes peeled for blows, tail slaps, and breaches. Light snacks, beer, and mai tais included.
- Perfect for anyone who wants to see humpback whales in real life
- Learn about whale biology and behavior from your captain
- Mai tais, beer, and snacks will be provided
- Choose from morning or afternoon departures to fit your schedule
What's Included
Meeting and Pickup
Itinerary
Additional Info
Cancellation Policy
You can cancel up to 24 hours in advance of the experience for a full refund.
Traveler Photos
Reviews
4.7
based on 422 reviews
David_P, Mar 2026
Crew was awesome. Very friendly and knowledgeable. Captain did great job getting us to where we could see the whales.
Response from Host, Mar 2026
Mahalo!
Kevin_K, Mar 2026
Amazing experience! Great staff! Saw lots of whales. Good treats and drinks. They went the extra mile.
Response from Host, Mar 2026
Thank you Kevin!
Chirag_V, Mar 2026
It was a really good experience, all the guys on board were super nice. They provided awesome service. We got to see few whales. There was a momma and calf. The curious calf kept approaching the boat making the experience even better.
Response from Host, Mar 2026
Sounds beautiful! Mahalo for sharing with us.
Elwood_A, Mar 2026
Experience was excellent with close viewing of whales. The captain was very good at getting close to whales and narrating. The other crew members were very helpful and friendly.
Response from Host, Mar 2026
Awesome Elwood - Mahalo!
Nate_S, Mar 2026
Got cancelled twice due to light rain. The rain was fairly bad the day of the tour so we rescheduled for the day after and it hasnt been raining at all but they cancelled it at 4 PM the day before the tour…
Response from Host, Mar 2026
We are very sorry to hear about your disappointment Nate. Unfortunately, we cannot control the weather. The entire state has been experiencing heavy storms for several days, which has hindered nearly every tour. Mahalo for your understanding......
Sonya_G, Feb 2026
Captain Duffy and crew were awesome! Excellent guides of the sea and knowledgeable of the whales, especially since whale watching is very unpredictable. We saw many - so thank you guides! Do take your seasick meds if you are slightly prone to seasickness. The waves are huge!
Response from Host, Mar 2026
We're glad you had fun Sonya. Great to hear you saw whales, and thank you for the good advise. Mahalo for joining us!
Tanya_H, Feb 2026
.The first hour was very enjoyable. The captain however started speeding up and a “know it all” was not holding on and more worried about his selfie stick, fell and broke something. Our tour was immediately over. It was just over 1 hour instead of the 2 hours we were sold.
Response from Host, Mar 2026
We're sorry to hear the trip was shortened unexpectedly. I'm sure that was disappointing.
Gail_K, Feb 2026
Be prepared to get soaked. Had raincoats but still got very wet. Enjoyed the experience greatly. Highly recommend
Response from Host, Feb 2026
We're glad to hear you had fun!
Ivan_V, Feb 2026
Kind. Communicated well with us and good collaboration between crew members. Great drinks. Awesome sights.
Response from Host, Feb 2026
Mahalo
Katheryn_S, Feb 2026
The whales were a bit shy today, but the sun was shining and the boat crew was a fun bunch! If you want better whale watching, Maui is your island.
Response from Host, Feb 2026
You are right, lots of whales in Maui. But we sure do see them here as well. We’re glad you were still able to have fun.
Isabelle_K, Feb 2026
It was fun and we saw a couple whales but the boat was smacking on the waves so hard that my spine was banging against the back of the bench and it didn’t seem that well organized we rushed back and it was so painful everyone was screaming
Response from Host, Feb 2026
We’re so sorry to hear that this trip was not as expected. This time of year the water and ocean conditions can be very unpredictable. We are truly sorry for your discomfort. We hope you will come back and join us when the weather has calmed.
Cheryl_P, Feb 2026
No shuttle to board the boat so there is a short downhill walk which is easy for most people but was not for me. When our cruise concluded, my friend had to drive down to pick me up. Otherwise everything was great!
Response from Host, Feb 2026
We're glad to hear your excursion went great Cheryl. Mahalo for joining us.
Kenneth_K, Feb 2026
Whale watching on a sunny weather day is the way to go. Being on the open sea was a fantastic experience. Bring your binocs to observe the whales closer up. Wearing sun block is very important during the cruise.
Response from Host, Feb 2026
Thank you for the kind review and the good advise!
Trisha_B, Feb 2026
We saw the whales! It was fantastic! We saw a Mama whale, her new baby and an escort whale, too! Traveling with them were some spinner dolphins (who delight in the spare breast milk!)
Response from Host, Feb 2026
Sounds awesome Trisha - Mahalo for joining us!
Tammy_H, Jan 2026
This whale watching excursion was great! The staff was knowledgeable and fun! They kept n us entertained as we followed the whales. We saw whales which was great took pictures and had fun!
Response from Host, Feb 2026
Thank you for the kind words Tammy.
Christine_J, Jan 2026
Such a wonderful day! The whales were showing off, breaching, rolling, tail slapping and fin slapping. An amazing experience!
Response from Host, Feb 2026
Wow - so awesome. Thank you for sharing.
Harold_D, Jan 2026
Great way to see the island from the sea. Very nice crew and comfortable seating. Generous with drinks including Mai tais beer soda and water. Snacks were bagged chips, cookies, etc. Boat sometimes moves along at high speed. Slow day for whale spotting but did see a few. Also saw a sea turtle alongside the boat.
Beautiful day, and we all agreed it was a really good time.
Response from Host, Feb 2026
We're glad to hear you had a really good time Harold.
Nicole_R, Jan 2026
We had such a fun time with the crew! The whale watching was great for the area and the crew passed out Mai Tais in between. We would definitely go with them again!
Response from Host, Feb 2026
Thank you Nicole, we look forward to seeing you again:) - glad to hear you had a good Time
Suzanne_C, Jan 2026
Our Captain and Crew made the experience perfect!!! They were so amazing and attentive to anything we needed!! We seen some beautiful whale breaches and tale flips and even got to see some dolphins on our way back in!! Even if we didn’t get to see the whales the crew made the experience the best!!!
Response from Host, Jan 2026
Sounds awesome Suzanne, so much incredible ocean life! Thank you for sharing
Molly_B, Jan 2026
The whales were elusive, but we did see a couple, and dolphins too. The crew was amazing and so fun! They shared knowledge of their homelands and made sure we all had a wonderful time!!! Definitely worth it and hope to do it again!
Response from Host, Jan 2026
Mahalo Molly for sharing your experience with us. We're glad to hear you had a fun day
John_S, Jan 2026
The crew was knowledgeable and friendly. The boat handled the waves very well. Saw a lot of big, big whales.
Response from Host, Jan 2026
Awesome John - Mahalo for sharing with us!
Everett_K, Jan 2026
Captain was entertaining and tried hard to find some whales. He stopped by the Spouting Horn on the return trip for an interesting view. The reason for four instead of five stars is just that the whales didn’t cooperate!
Response from Host, Jan 2026
Thank you for choosing KST Everett. Yes, we can't do anything about Mother Nature. We're glad to hear you found the captain entertaining.
Cheryl_M, Jan 2026
When you go well watching you never know if you're going to see any. But we were lucky enough to follow a small pod. They gave us quite a show up close and personal at some points
Response from Host, Jan 2026
That sounds wonderful Cheryl - Mahalo for sharing with us!
Randy_R, Jan 2026
Our ride was January- humpback migration season. We had about 6 short sightings of humpback whales. They generally surfaced to breathe a few times a then dove down. I thought we’d see dolphins but there were none. Pretty good ride. Healthier snacks would be better. I’d enjoy more stories or humor from the crew.
Response from Host, Jan 2026
Thank you for joining us Randy. We appreciate your opinion. Aloha
Joanne_S, Jan 2026
Great ride on water. Captain explained everything, how to be safe on the boat. Two crew guys were great.
Response from Host, Jan 2026
Awesome Joanne, mahalo for joining us.
Shirley_R, Jan 2026
Great time in jan to come !!!
.saw many whales
w full tail views, arched backs and lots spots of water...higley recommend and wear water attire!!! FUN
Response from Host, Jan 2026
That's great Shirley, thank you so much for the kind review!
Yes, come see the magnificent Humpback Whales during their migration period, but remember, the ocean and weather can be unpredictable! You may want to take a preventative just in case! Aloha
Margaret_D, Jan 2026
Just how wonderful Josh and Haley are. They made out trip so Alian’s you could tell they wanted us to have fun and see whalwa
Response from Host, Jan 2026
Thank you for the kind review! We're really glad you had a good time~Aloha
Annika_B, Dec 2025
Such a fun time, our guides made a huge effort to make sure we saw whales when we didn’t see much at first. They took us to a great spot where we ended up seeing a ton of dolphins and whales together! Guides were fun and knowledgeable, music was great, and the drinks were an added bonus! Thanks Josh, Aaron, and Kai!
Response from Host, Jan 2026
Thank you for joining Kauai Sea Tours, we are really happy to hear you enjoyed the Whale Watching excursion so much. Mahalo!
Mary_S, Dec 2025
The whole eperience was wonderful! The crew was friendly (could have been a little more attentive. we weren't asked if we wanted drinks) and we did get to see some whales. Great time.
Response from Host, Jan 2026
Awesome!
Matt_G, Dec 2025
Awesome trip along the coast of beautiful Kauai. Some loads of whales. Captain Duff took the time to settle and let the whales come alongside. Amazing experience.
Response from Host, Jan 2026
Mahalo! Glad the experience was amazing for you.
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