Seeing the Napali Coast is one of the most breathtaking things to do in Hawaii. It’s also one of the most difficult. The views and experiences I had on Kauai’s north shore are unforgettable. But they weren’t easy. The best things never are.
I hiked and had an unforgettable rafting experience. If you’re ready for adventure that involves a boat ride, a hike, a helicopter – or all of the above – then the Napali Coast may be something for you, too.
What is the Napali Coast
Kauai, Hawaii, is renowned for its dramatic emerald cliffs, lush valleys, secluded beaches, and cascading waterfalls. Still, nothing beats the Napali Coast on its northwest shore. It’s a breathtaking 16-mile stretch of coastline that amplifies the best of Kauai times ten without any people. Are you ready to pack your bags, or shall I continue?
How the Napali Coast Formed
- Volcanoes: Lava flowed from volcanic eruptions and gradually built up rock layers.
- Time: Over millions of years, volcanic activity created various layers of softer and harder rocks.
- Erosion: The softer rocks eroded more quickly, resulting in intricate formations.
- Wind and Water: The fierce Pacific Ocean weather batters that side of the island. It melds with the streaming inland river water, forming the waving patterns of the cliffs and valleys.
Why Napali Coast is Unique
Imagine lush green cliffs that rise to 4,000 feet above pristine, untouched beaches. Cascading waterfalls drop from the sides into crystal-clear waters below. Caves hide lush jungle vegetation alongside sandy beaches humans never touch. Animals like green sea turtles, whales and rare spinner dolphins abound in the water.
Fun fact: The Hawaiian word Na Pali means “the cliffs” or “many cliffs.”
Further inland, it is part of Waimea Canyon State Park. There, the park’s gorges and rock formations are so colorful and deep it’s often called the “Grand Canyon of the Pacific.”
Why Napali Coast is So Secluded
The Napali Coast isn’t accessible by car like Waimea Canyon. You can only see it by foot via a long, strenuous hike, boat along the coast, or helicopter from above. It’s secluded for a few reasons:
- Geographic isolation: The area has limited road access, and most are narrow and winding. For many miles, there is little human development.
- Rugged terrain: Cliffs and dense vegetation are difficult to traverse. Access by vehicles and even by foot is nearly impossible. Even hiking by skilled adventurers is exceedingly tricky.
- Ocean barriers: As I learned, the Pacific Ocean can be rough and unpredictable. This makes it difficult to access even by sea, especially in bad weather.
- Strict regulations: The Napali Coast State Park is a protected area. Development and human activity are restricted to preserve the coast. No matter how you arrive, humans are prohibited on its beaches. Exceptions exist for a small area with restricted permits. This is only if you’ve managed to hike or kayak in.
How to see the Napali Coast
There are three main ways to see Napali Coast: hike, helicopter, or boat.
Hike: If courageous and skilled, you can hike the Napali Coast. The Kalalau Trail is an 11-mile (each way) hike. It provides the only land access to the Napali Coast on Kauai. I hiked four miles of it and it’s intense and challenging. Most hikers do the entire trail overnight. However, extensions can add up to five days. Hikers must carry enough water as no fresh water is available.
From the air: If you have less time and more money, you can buy a tour from one of the many helicopter guides. They will take you over the Waimea Canyon and along the Napali Coast. These tours are ubiquitous in Hawaii and cost about $350 per person. While I was there, we saw them cleaning the debris from a helicopter crash on the coast. They said nobody was hurt since it was a controlled landing. Still, I’m glad I went with option three: water.
By water: Seeing the Napali coast by water is the most common, and in my opinion, best. You get the full view of the water approach as you coast along the shoreline for many miles. This way, you can see the waterfalls and explore the caves. You can interact with the animals and snorkel as you go. There are various types of boats and tours, from rafts to large luxury sailboats.
I opted for a small raft and snorkel trip and boy, did I get an adventure.
Small Raft and Snorkel Adventure
The rafting tour sounded fun. It was whale migration season. I thought it would be exciting. Oh, I was so young and naive then. All the boat trips to the Napali Coast are half a day or longer. Consider this more completely than I did.
I am anxious when I walk down the dock and see the raft. Right away it is clear this would be no pleasure cruise. It is big enough to hold about 10 of us side by side. It’s firm and sturdy, but still, it is only a raft. There are ropes on the sides to hold and at the bottom loops to put our feet through. There are no seats and we must sit on the inflated side, which is fine … for a while. Ask me again in five hours once this roller coaster stops if I can still speak … but I’m jumping ahead.
Pacific Ocean Conditions near the Napali Coast
There are seven of us on the raft. The group includes the captain, Dom, and his assistant. We plow through an ocean so rough that we bounce high into the air every few feet. Music blasts from the waterproof radio as we lunge through the waves. We must keep our hands and feet constantly looped. Staying in the boat is not guaranteed. We discuss the likely scenario of being ejected. I’ve been on less thrilling whitewater rafting trips.
It is raining, but that does not matter. We hit the waves so hard we’d be soaked anyway. Rain jackets help, but goggles would be great. When we start the trip, we are hours away from the scenic parts of the coast, as no roads or development are near it.
Marine Life Around the Napali Coast
The waters surrounding the Napali Coast teem with marine life, including dolphins, whales, and tropical fish. Nom slows to a crawl or stops entirely. This pause is to watch the whales cresting in the distance. Sometimes, it’s to see a green turtle swimming below. Best of all, it is to watch the dolphins.
We are about halfway there when we are encircled in the middle by a pod of Kauai spinner dolphins. Hundreds of dolphins swim alongside our raft, coming almost near enough to touch. These dolphins are known for leaping from the water and spinning in the air before falling back into the water. Most of them are sleeping, but sometimes, babies jump out of the water around us. It seems like I’ve fallen into a dream realm.
Sea Caves and Waterfalls
The coastline of Kauai is beautiful the entire way. But as we near the Napali Coast, the change becomes surreal. The cliffs rise, the beaches widen, the signs of life lesson. The birds overhead call out, water cascades over a ledge far above, and an opening in the rock wall beckons.
A little boat has advantages over a bigger one. We can steer it into even the smallest caves. We go underneath waterfalls and into coves where ferns grow out of rock walls. Lizards, unaccustomed to people, scramble, and fish scatter.
Stormy Weather on Kauai North Shore
We do not see many other boats and no aircraft as we near the most stunning coastal areas. The weather becomes so bad we stop seeing much of anything. Rain comes down sideways, and the waves are nearly six feet tall. Our visibility is so limited that Dom debates whether we must abandon our trip entirely.
The coast disappears into a wall of fog. The mist is so dense it is like being underwater. The sea is so violent that I feel ill, though I’ve never been seasick over many boating adventures. I had older brothers who made this their sole aim each summer. Still, we forge ahead. When we are two hours away from help, I fear the worst, but then the weather breaks.
The Napali Coast finally comes into view again. I feel we have been released from a portal into another world. It is a primal, inhuman place. We stop our engine. The boat rocks, and we sink onto our knees, jaws unhinged.
Snorkeling the Coastline
The crystal-clear waters of the Napali Coast are home to various colorful fish and coral reefs. We find a spot in a calm cove. We donned our snorkel gear, but not before I threw up over the side of the boat. It may have worked in our favor, as turtles and fish of every type and color flocked to our boat.
The ride back, late that afternoon, was a bit smoother, but the last two hours holding on to the raft’s side were rough, regardless. We had to creatively approach the shore to circumvent the worst of the tide, which was so fierce. Dom said sometimes they can barely make it back in, so we were lucky.
Is Rafting the Napali Coast Worth It?
I don’t know that I would ever do it again. If I did, I would definitely want it to be on a bigger boat with actual seats. That said, I wouldn’t give back one second. Not my fear as I gripped the ropes, my soaked clothing, aching back or sick stomach. In exchange, I received the exhilaration of riding not just on but in the waves of the Napali Coast. I was with dolphins, whales and turtles. For a few hours, I was not a tourist but an explorer on a pulse-shattering adventure. My eyes rested on sights few have ever seen and many never will. The number of people who have been inside those caves is minuscule.
It was neither comfortable nor easy, and I was often uncertain. But it was exhilarating, rare and possibly because of those things, soul altering. In my experience, that is the recipe that makes many things worth it.
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