Kayaking in Oahu

Whether you feel like kayaking along Oahu's best beaches, sharing the waters with huge sea turtles, snorkeling or combining activities, this post has a special option for you.

Pack your bags and enjoy all there is to see and do in Oahu, hey! but don't forget to book a kayak tour.

If you are interested in kayaking around Oahu, have experience, but don't have the necessary equipment to do it, join this sea and land excursion or maybe it would be better to say ocean and land.

Whatever you want to call it, the important thing is that the professional guides on the island will show you how to get around Oahu by kayak and on foot.

The tour will begin by walking around Kaneohe Bay, also known as Chinaman's Hat. A half hour walk from the meeting point at Kualoa Regional Park, you will explore in the ocean with your kayak previously delivered by the guides.

It is up to you how much time you spend in the ocean. Often participants spend 1 hour walking and 2 hours in the ocean, but it is up to you how much time you spend on this excursion.

To get to know the island, it is recommended to walk along the trails of the Koolau mountain range. The guide will have indicated the points of interest to make stops. Take control of the adventure and launch yourself into the sea with your paddles.

Practical information

• What to expect on this tour: an excursion in groups of up to 15 people. After receiving all the necessary equipment to enjoy your combined land and sea adventure, you will hike around the Chinaman Hat with panoramic views of the Koolau Range and then dive into the waters with your kayak.
• Route: the group will depart from Kualoa Regional Park, 49-479 Kamehameha Hwy, Kaneohe, to Mocoli Island where you will begin your self-guided tour.
• Duration: 3 hours.
• Price: from 80 €.
• Suitable for: children and adults from 0 years old, as long as they can walk at a moderate pace or their parents/guardians/companions are willing to carry them during the tour.
• Recommended if: your physical condition is moderate. You enjoy the combination of beach and mountain. You know how to swim and want to meet sea turtles. To increase your chances of getting a postcard with these magnificent reptiles, include this activity among your things to do in Oahu in June, just when the tide has gone out and the turtles are resting on the shore.

Why tour just one island when you can visit 3 islands by kayak? That's what this tour offers, a great way to get to know Hawaii's waters. This type of tour is suitable for beginners and experts alike as it allows you to choose between a self-guided tour or a tour with a professional guide.

During the tour of Kailua Bay you can use a kayak or surfboard, and let's not forget the adventure of getting to know the marine life while snorkeling in Oahu.

With a little luck you will find the sea turtles so be attentive, not in vain this excursion is part of the best nature tours in Oahu and surroundings.

A light lunch on the beach is included in any of the selected options before heading to the bird sanctuary on Mokulua Island or snorkeling at Lanikai Beach.

Practical info

• What to expect on this tour: tour of the sanctuaries of Kailua Bay. A professional guide -if you have chosen this option-. In case you prefer the self-guided tour, you will receive a self-guiding session to start your adventure on your own. Use of snorkel, surfboards, bicycles, picnic lunch on the beach with drinks included. In addition, lockers and showers are often provided by the operators.
• Route: you will have permission to disembark at any of the three points usually covered by this tour, namely: Mokulua Islands, Kailua Beach Park and Lanikai Beach.
• Duration: 5 hours.
• Where to meet: at 130 Kailua Rd, Kailua, HI 96734.
• Price: from $112.
• Suitable for: people over 5 years old who can sit in a kayak. Children under 15 years old are not allowed to travel alone. They must be accompanied by an adult in a double kayak.
• Recommended if: you want to explore Mokulua Islands, Kailua Beach Park and Lanikai Beach, some of Oahu's best beaches at your leisure; while meeting sea turtles and enjoying a delicious lunch.
• Important: the operators of this type of tours work during office hours (09:00 to 17:00 hours). You must return the kayak and accessories before the tour closes. I recommend that you book the activity before noon to enjoy the full 5 hours, without pressure.

Looking for a kayaking excursion after sunset? Here's an alternative to do on Oahu at night.

This unique tour will take you and a small group - up to 12 people are accepted - to a place where you can immerse yourself in Polynesian culture, while relaxing and enjoying a serene and safe aquatic environment under the moonlight.

Unlike other excursions, the controlled space of this kayak tour stands out on the list of things to do in Oahu with kids as the space meets 5 s':

• No waves.
• No sharks.
• No risks.
• No crowds.
• No sun.

This is a fantastic experience that combines culture, nature and fun. It's easy to see why so many visitors to Hawaii rate the activity as one of the most interesting things to do in the islands.

Practical info

• What to expect on this tour: a local guide from the Polynesian Cultural Center will share stories, legends and myths about this culture, while you visit this controlled space aboard your kayak. It is a movie-like experience to have the chance to admire marine life in this way. The multicolored landscape is exalted thanks to the LED lights and the marine life feels closer than ever.
• Duration: 90 minutes.
• Price: from 105 €.
• Suitable for: people over 5 years old who can sit in a kayak.
• Recommended if: you want to avoid the crowds of normal day kayak tours, prefer a controlled environment and if you are traveling with children.

I recommend this tour as the first choice if you are traveling in groups of 5 to 10 people. Not only will you be able to paddle your kayak, snorkel or walk along the best beaches in Hawaii, but the tour includes:

• Personalized attention: the groups are small and the charm of privacy is synonymous with adapting to your tastes.
• A complete tour of the island: more than twenty stops including beaches, viewpoints, restaurants and stores.
• Private transportation.
• Professional guide: only locals are hired to guide tourists through the city.

In addition to kayaking, snorkeling, walking around the island, enjoying good food at the trendy foodies and the cocktails that tourists love so much, you will enjoy the pineapple like never before.

The tour passes through Kamehameha Hwy Dole Plantation where you can eat a pineapple ice cream Dole Whip style, while riding the pineapple train or maybe you decide to get lost in the pineapple maze. Come on! not even SpongeBob SquarePants in his Bikini Bottom house pays so much honor to this fruit.

On the other hand, if you visit the island between December and March, you'll have the chance to see surfers skimming the waves at Turtle Bay Beach. You may find yourself wanting to take surfing lessons when you see the spectacle. Oahu in winter is a surfer's paradise.

I recommend you choose this tour among your top 10 things to do in Oahu in December, when the fierce North Shore of Oahu competition finds the world's best surfers in its waters.

Practical information

• What to expect on this tour: a fabulous excursion where you will take your kayak to the most important sites in the area. There are 21 sites of interest on Oahu. This plan is the ultimate, you tour the entire island with the guidance of native experts. You will not miss any curiosity.
• Route: The starting point is common for this type of tours, in Hanauma Bay. Then, the route could vary depending on the day chosen (half day or full day).
• Duration: 6 or 12 hours.
• Where to meet: Hanauma Bay Nature Preserve, Honolulu, Oahu, HI 96825-2005.
• Price: starting at $580. Prices vary according to dates, number of people in the group and time chosen.
• Suitable for: all audiences.
• Recommended if: you appreciate privacy, you are interested in traveling comfortably and with flexible schedules.
• Important: the tour does NOT include entrance fees to attractions, parks or meals.

If you are an extreme traveler who prefers to discover Oahu on your own, you have the option of navigating the Mokulua Islands after renting a kayak for a day.

The tour operators' offices are usually open between 08:00 hours and 16:30 hours, that will be the time available to explore the beaches, visit the turtles and get to know the marine life of the place.

Important: before renting your kayak consider that you will need a vehicle. Your chosen operator will be able to teach you how to get around Oahu, but this is a self-guided tour.

How much does it cost to rent a kayak on my own?

You can rent a kayak for one person from 59 €. In the case of tandems for two people you can rent them from 75 €.

• Arrival time: try to arrive at your meeting point 30 minutes before the reserved time.
• Consider the weight limit: users of single person kayaks must not exceed 125 kg in the case of double kayaks is allowed up to 180 kg.
• Wheelchair access: these types of tours are not usually wheelchair accessible.
• Swimming knowledge is required: all people using kayaks, paddles or snorkels must be able to swim, it is not necessary to be an expert but a minimum of knowledge -and practice- in the water is required.
• Language: take into consideration that the tours are offered in English.
• Best time of the year to see sea turtles in Oahu: although in this area you have the chance to see sea turtles all year round, between the months of May and August the chances increase. At this time of year the tide is low, plus humans and turtles share a common hobby: sunbathing on the shore of the beach. Who knew?