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Beyond Kauai

Kalapaki Kai Sunset Catamaran Cruise

Recommended by 98% of travelers
Badge of Excellence
Kauai, USA
Popular pick
Booked 5+ times last week!
  • 2 hours (approx.)
  • Mobile ticket
  • Offered in: English

Why travelers loved this

4.9
·
· Donna_Z ·
Aug 2026
Affordable, adventurous, historical, entertaining, with plenty of room to move around, an take pictures and enjoy an area from the calming water !!!
· Deena_R ·
Jul 2026
We greatly enjoyed the Kalapaki Kai Sunset Cruise, including our 93-year old mother! Our guide Stevie was extremely knowledgeable and funny, and the two staff bartenders were speedy and friendly and offered to take everyone’s pictures at the most scenic part. The scenery was spectacular and the catamaran was very comfortable. You can’t beat the price either, so just do it!

Overview

Take in some of the most spectacular scenery on Kauai with this unique sunset catamaran cruise that covers both the Hulei'a River and Kalapaki Bay. Cruise up the river to take in highlights like the Menehune Fish Pond and the Hulē‘ia National Wildlife Refuge plus admire the Golder Hour sunset Colors from Kalapaki Bay. Relax on board with delicious drinks and learn about the local flora and fauna from your skipper.
  • Admire tropical birds and native plants along the Hulei'a River
  • A group catamaran cruise for a budget-friendly price Located conveniently on the east side of the Island
  • Photograph the sunset Colors as you cruise through Kalapaki Bay
  • Soft drinks, and alcoholic beverages provided on board

What's Included

  • Alcoholic Beverages
    Wiki wiki cocktails, wine and champagne, Local beers
  • Soda/Pop
    Coke, Diet Coke, Hawaiian fruit juices, Water
  • Minimum age is 6 years. Children younger than 6 yrs are not allowed.

Meeting and Pickup

Meeting point

  • Nawiliwili Small Boat Harbor, Lihue, HI 96766, USA

    Nawiliwili Small Boat Harbor, slip 100. (closest dock to coast guard station) Boat name is Kalapaki Kai II

End point

This activity ends back at the meeting point.

Itinerary

1

Huleia National Wildlife Refuge

1 hour • Admission Ticket Included

2

Kalapaki Beach

30 minutes • Admission Ticket Included

Additional Info

  • Confirmation will be received at time of booking
  • Not wheelchair accessible
  • No heart problems or other serious medical conditions
  • Most travelers can participate
  • Alcohol beverages is only allowed over 21+
  • Minimum age 6 years old.
  • This tour/activity will have a maximum of 49 travelers

Cancellation Policy

You can cancel up to 24 hours in advance of the experience for a full refund.

Traveler Photos

Gallery picture 1 (from a traveler's review)
Gallery picture 2 (from a traveler's review)
Gallery picture 3 (from a traveler's review)
Gallery picture 4 (from a traveler's review)
Gallery picture 5 (from a traveler's review)

Reviews

4.9
based on 486 reviews
Total reviews and rating from Viator & Tripadvisor
Sort by: Most insightful

Lovely evening cruise!

Maria_R, Sep 2026
It is a peaceful cruise from the small boat harbor up the stream. We enjoyed music and drinks as we explored the plants and birds and the impact they have on the environment. He also had information about local history and folklore

It was a wonderful...

Debbie_T, Sep 2026
It was a wonderful experience and the captain and crew were very hospitable and made the ride fun and informative. I highly recommend it

We had a fantastic...

JamesDavid_F, Sep 2026
We had a fantastic evening touring the river and bay. The crew were knowledgeable and friendly, the sights were breathtaking, and the drinks were delicious!

Relaxing river & sunset tour

John_L, Sep 2026
Relaxing and informative tour of the river and bay. Learned so much about the Kauai story, flora & fauna all while slowly moving through a river in Hawaii - amazing. Tour ends with a slow view of the sunset & clouds.

Open bar and a very...

Daryl_J, Aug 2026
Open bar and a very relaxing vibe. Captain and crew were friendly and knowledgeable. Nice way to unwind for the evening

Very interesting and...

Linda_Y, Aug 2026
Very interesting and informative… great entertainment… hilarious dance lesson… cocktails were a nice surprise

No go

Steven_M, Aug 2026
This was not a sunset cruise.. we may have been cruising during sunset but I didn’t see any sunset from the east side of the Island. I believe the sun sets in the west kind hard to see the sunset when we’re on the east side. Plus the snack were garbage.. your ad is very misleading.

Response from Host, Aug 2026

Thank you for taking the time to share this feedback, and we apologize for the disappointment. We advertise a sunset cruise because we time our tours to be on the water to benefit from all the beautiful sunset colors. Since we’re cruising on the east side of the island, guests don’t see the actual sun dipping below the ocean the way you would facing west. What we do offer is the beautiful shift in sky colors that happens during that golden hour, and we recognize that’s a different experience if you’re expecting to see it set over the water. We’ll take a look at how we’re describing the cruise to make sure it’s clearer going forward. We’re also sorry to hear the snacks didn’t meet your expectations. We appreciate you letting us know as we are always looking to improve and give all of our customers the unique experience they're hoping for. Mahalo, Kauai Beach Boys

False advertising. *"* This in not CATAMARAN***

Thomas_C, Aug 2026
Nlce RIVER BARGE . A catamaran is a different experience suggesting a coastine cruise on open water. You know that if this was listed as a river cruise on a barge not many people would pay for this.

Response from Host, Aug 2026

Aloha, and thank you for sharing your feedback. We’re sorry the cruise was not what you expected. The Kalapaki Kai II is a motorized, twin-hulled power catamaran—not a barge or pontoon boat. Catamarans are defined by their two-hull design and may be powered by engines or sails. A barge is a different type of vessel, generally unpowered and pushed or pulled by another vessel. You may have been expecting a sailing catamaran; however, the Kalapaki Kai II is a power catamaran without sails. Our company has owned and operated sailing, power, and combination power-and-sail vessels over the years. The Kalapaki Kai II was custom-built in 2018. It is U. S. C. G. Certified for an Ocean/River route. Although very capable for our vessel, the ocean route is not always the most desirable. Wind and Sea conditions dictate the best route to ensure guests comfort and the absence of seasickness. Our Viator listing includes photographs of the actual vessel and describes the experience as a sunset cruise. Multiple online guest reviews also describe our catamaran sunset "experience". We apologize if the word “catamaran” created a different expectation. We appreciate your comments and will review our listing again to ensure the vessel, route, and experience are communicated as clearly as possible. Mahalo, Kauai Beach Boys

Awesome!

Nicole_M, Aug 2026
Great river cruise. The guides were awesome, friendly and very knowledgeable. Beautiful scenery that can’t be seen on any other cruise. All you can drink and some snacks provided.

Amazing tour with great...

Christopher_C, Aug 2026
Amazing tour with great views and the captain was amazing. Very informative guide and a lot of fun had by all

Sunset cruise

Donna_Z, Aug 2026
Affordable, adventurous, historical, entertaining, with plenty of room to move around, an take pictures and enjoy an area from the calming water !!!

River cruise

Andrew_B, Aug 2026
The personalities of the crew, the views were great. History of the area was interesting especially which movie was filmed at which site

River

Julie_C, Aug 2026
Its wonderful and fantastic to see that part of the island. I would recommend this and i would do it again. Great to see the river

Loved the ride!!!!

Hailey_K, Aug 2026
We accidentally went to the wrong place. The person called and let Stevie know. They were so kind, waited, and it was so amazing. We had 8 family members and they all had an amazing time!!! The staff were great!

Very informative

Gloria_S, Jul 2026
Great experience with informative Guide Stevie and Lisa...very welcoming.....thank you....definitely worth the money

River cruise

MOLLY_F, Jul 2026
Fun cruise, friendly staff. Great to see parts of the island you would not see any other way. Kids loved it.

Enjoyable sunset cruise!

Deena_R, Jul 2026
We greatly enjoyed the Kalapaki Kai Sunset Cruise, including our 93-year old mother! Our guide Stevie was extremely knowledgeable and funny, and the two staff bartenders were speedy and friendly and offered to take everyone’s pictures at the most scenic part. The scenery was spectacular and the catamaran was very comfortable. You can’t beat the price either, so just do it!

Best Sunset Cruise on the Island

Regine_M, Jul 2026
Thee best cruise there ever was in the whole lands of Hawaii. The booze and views were amazing and I would definitely repeat the experience. Shout out to Captain Stevie, and the bartenders Bryan and Lisa

Best non bumpy booze cruise!

kelly_z, Jun 2026
Lovely cruise up the river. Captain Steve gave us tons of information about the plants and history of the river. It was perfect for anyone who wants to be on a boat but gets sea sick-this is the only boat tour up this river-the boat was specially made so it can navigate the shallow water. The bartender Ryan was very fast as the boat was full. And the MaiTais were really good!!

This was a great tour! ...

Tiffany_C, Jun 2026
This was a great tour! Highly recommend! The views were beautiful, and it was educational and kept your interest the whole time. The crew was excellent!

The Sunset Cruise was...

John_P, Jun 2026
The Sunset Cruise was both fun and informative! Stevie was a great Captain and made our experience very enjoyable!

Absolutely the best. Very entertaining. Beautiful

Marty_H, Jun 2026
You covered everything very well. Very informative. Beautiful smooth passage. Entertaining. Loved the whole experience

Perfect evening

Connie_C, Jun 2026
Great experience. The staff was not only educating they were friendly and funny. Great experience will definitely book again next time

Awesome

Jessica_K, May 2026
The captain and his assistant captain are awesome. I had a great time! I would highly recommend and I will be going again!

Captains Stevie and Ryan...

Linda_M, May 2026
Captains Stevie and Ryan were great. Both were lively and entertaing, and the trip was a lot of fun… we even learned stuff!

Glad we took this adventure

Virginia_S, May 2026
It’s a beautiful trip and I would recommend it. This is like being in paradise. Steven and Ryan know their history.

Wrong dates

Virginia_S, May 2026
I haven’t gone on this adventure yet. I am scheduled for Tuesday, the 19th. I’m getting different dates from you but the tour is for the 19th of May. I’m sure I’ll have a great time in the 19th.

Highly recommend

Vandy_L, May 2026
The crew was wonderful! They made the experience fun and enjoyable. Lots of great information and memories.

We enjoyed the history...

Susan_C, May 2026
We enjoyed the history and traveling to areas we cannot walk to. The views were nice. The rain kept the view of the sunset away yet we were well taken care of.

n/a

Cindy_A, May 2026
You might not get to see a sunset. Crew was great! Very knowledgeable guide and captain. take an umbrella incase it rains.
Member Pricing
From

$108.43

per person
Was $114.14(-5%)

up to 24 hours before the experience starts (local time)

Book ahead!
On average, this is booked 28 days in advance.

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