Hawaii Ocean Rafting Whale Watch and Snorkel

Epic and rare day on the water. Captain Jack exudes tons of experience and knowledge, Jess and Nicole were the wildlife biologists on our tour and we were treated to the 2nd sighting of this year's humpback whale, bottle nosed dolphins and a super rare sighting of a monk seal eating a fish. Captain Jack said he has done about 5000 boat trips over his career and have only seen that 3 or 4 times. What a great tour. Not to mention seein a pod of like 200 spinner dolphins!!! West Maui is open for visitors do yourself a favor and book a small boat RIB tour! Very special memories made with our family.

We had the most incredible experience on our dolphin tour!! The guides were extremely knowledgeable and gave an amazing tour. We saw SO many dolphins and it was everything we were hoping it would be and more. Definitely a highlight of our Hawaii trip and would highly recommend to anyone!!

My wife and I had the most unforgettable time with Hawaiian Ocean Rafting! From start to finish, everything was smooth, exciting, and beyond expectations. There were So many dolphins! We saw pods of spinner dolphins swimming and jumping right alongside the boat—it was absolutely magical. The staff was outstanding—super knowledgeable, friendly, and totally easy-going. They made everyone feel comfortable and welcome, whether you were a first-timer or an experienced ocean explorer. They shared fascinating facts about the marine life and the islands, but never in a way that felt scripted or overdone. Just real, passionate people who clearly love what they do. The boat ride itself was fun and fast, and they knew all the best spots away from the crowded tourist traps. It felt like a genuine, personal adventure rather than a commercial tour. If you’re considering booking with Hawaiian Ocean Rafting—do it. It’s an unforgettable experience filled with beauty, fun, and some of the best dolphin encounters you’ll ever have. Mahalo to the team for such a special first day on our honeymoon!

Captain Jack and crew, Nicole and Brie were wonderful. We joined them on a snorkel cruise to the Island of Lanai. It was not whale season, unfortunately, but we saw literally every thing else!! A monk seal 🦭, turtles 🐢, bottle nosed dolphins, spinner dolphins 🐬, flying fish, and lots of tropical fish 🐠. Captain Jack also brought up an octopus 🐙 and allowed us to touch it! Very cool how he suction cups to your hand as you touch him. Amazing experience all around. We have sailed with Captain Steve in the past, but he lost his home and boats in the 2023 Lahaina fire, so may not be back. Very sad. Please come to Maui and help tourism by supporting this great group of people! I highly recommend this rafting trip by Hawaiian Ocean Rafting🌺 Rebecca B

Ah-may-zing! With Captain Jack (not Sparrow… I don’t think) and the incredibly smart Meredith we had a wonderful time dolphin watching! Within 20 minutes they had found a pod or 2 of 300-400 spinner dolphins that we were able to cruise with for the entirety of our tour. There were multiple baby spinners too and they were SO active! I highly recommend going to the earlier AM tour as they said they were easier to find. I HIGHLY recommend this tour if you’re in the area. So worth it!

We had a wonderful time on the morning Dolphin watch cruise. Captain Jack and his mate Nicole were fabulous!! Well informed of their boat safety rules, the open water, the surrounding islands and of course the marine life that we were so blessed to see. Loved it all! We saw turtles, flying fish, dolphins, birds and beautiful back ground scenery including Lanai. I would highly recommend your group for all the water sports and cruises you have to offer. Thank you for a memorable time, cant wait to come back and go again!! Next time im snorkeling 😝

We had the best time! We saw bottle nose dolphins and they were jumping and tail slapping! We also saw a baby with its mama. Truly an amazing experience! The captain was great, and Nicole, the marine biologist was super kind and knowledgeable. 10/10 experience.

We had the best time in the Maui to Lanai Snorkel & Dolphin Tour. Captain Jack was a great captain! Bri & Meredith were awesome! They helped our little ones with snorkeling. They had a lot of knowledge about the marine life. We have a great time!

We just finished our third adventure with HOR and we loved it as much as our first. The crew, Captain Jack, Jess, Vow and Sai, were so knowledgeable, friendly and helpful. Each time we go we are something new as we cruise from spot to spot; this time we got to see a tiger shark feed on a pufferfish (not near a snorkel spot) and sea turtles in the bay as we left. We have seen dolphins and flying fish in the past. The snorkeling was great and the snacks were delicious. I highly recommend.

Captain Jack and Jess were great! Super friendly funny people. Saw flying fish, got a brief history of Lanai and Lovers Rock. It was a great fun ride.

It was so worth it and was lucky to see a bunch of dolphins! Please do grab a gopro if you guys are going definitely worth the take!

We had a great time on the whale watching tour with Jill and Olivia. They were both knowledgeable and helpful, and gave us wonderful whale encounters. The boat itself is a pontoon, seating about 16 passengers. We had to be barefoot onboard. Seats were comfortable and the boat itself was quite maneuverable. Do take Dramamine if you are prone to sea sickness. We saw some great sightings! Support local businesses by booking with them.

3/12/25 Whenever I go on a whale watch now, I go with Hawaiian Ocean Rafting. They have teamed up with Captain Steve's and many of the familiar crew is there now. I always go with Captain Jack. Today his crew mate was Val. From the very beginning of the trip, I am impressed with the knowledge, humor and experience these two have. We went on the 8am trip and were treated to a gorgeous day and a lovely ocean. I say this because, despite their best efforts, the whales were not particularly abundant or cooperative that morning. We saw whales, but mostly from a distance. Even when we headed in their general direction, they would disappear or stop their behavior before we could get there. We were able to observe a small competition group for a while and were provided with a wonderful array of whale facts and trivia by Jack and Val. The experience was wonderful and, as always, I'll be back!!! 3/14/25 I'm back!!! Yelp would not let me do 2 separate reviews but I want to acknowledge that my 2nd trip was also 5 STARS !!! This time we were out with Captain Jack and naturalist Jess. As Jack was doing the required safety briefing, we were peeking around him to see the mama and baby just outside the boat ramp. Mama was logging - and she was HUGE - and baby was hanging out by mom. Baby did get a little frisky, but it was early and probably just waking up. So we headed out in search of a little more activity and came upon a pretty active competition pod. Lots of head lunges, bubble screening and even a triple fluke up dive!!! And we really enjoyed the new "saddle seating" boat - sorry I don't know the name of the boat. All in all another very enjoyable experience with Hawaiian Ocean Rafting. I'll be back next year....hopefully in February when you can't not see TONS of these humpbacks. Mahalo nui loa

What a fun whale-watching experience. I'm not sure how one is supposed to react when seeing a whale, but I certainly let out my fair share of screams and yelps (ha!) during our time on thee water. I have never been on this type of boat before, apparently it's called a zodiac boat, but as a non-swimmer I would be lying to say it didn't take some getting used to. There are high winds in Maui so the water was quite rough (at least for me) but the ride was ultimately smooth. I appreciated that the staff had us play musical chairs depending on where we spotted whale activity, so if there was a whale on the left, those folks sat down so the right side of the boat could stand up and have an unobstructed view. It worked great for the most part. Since we have no control over marine life and there is no guarantee you'll see anything, any glimpse of a whale was appreciated by me. We saw lots of activity, even a competition pod of two males and a female, as well as some babies. I would certainly do this again if I ever found my way back to Maui. Best of all this is a HAWAIIAN-OWNED BUSINESS which is the only thing you should be supporting while here.

Fabulous trip to see Spinner Dolphins. Captain Jack and Val found them right away and we spent nearly the entire 2 hours in the company of Spinner dolphins. Fabulous trip with great captain and naturalist. I highly recommend a raft trip with them.

I'll say the same thing as I did for Makai - wildlife adventures are very random and so review is based on service and overall trip not how many whales I saw (number is 8-10 btw) The raft is very comfortable. You can sit on the pontoons while taking pictures. There's nothing major obstructing if the animal is on your side. Whales aside, you get epic views of ocean and Lahaina and even the mountains. People are great and check in was super smooth. They have water and porta potties at their location so super convenient. Please carry cash for tipping but they also have Venmo. We did see many whales so that's always a plus!!! Tip: early morning or sunset tours are better as that way you get great views too

AMAZING!! We had captain jack, first time and would absolutely book with this company again. Felt very safe , whales were everywhere and very close. Extremely knowledgeable crew and explained as we watched a whale fight. Incredible experience, thank you : ) Boat felt very safe and at no time did I feel worried, even in the larger swells far out.

Hubby and I took the "eye level" dolphin tour in hopes of getting up close and personal with some gorgeous dolphins-and we were NOT disappointed! Jack and Jace were wonderful and knowledgeable guides, keeping it light with humor, while we searched for the aforementioned magical creatures. In very little time at all, we found ourselves in the middle of a pod of at least 200 dolphins! They leapt out of the water, showing off their spinning technique that gave them their name. (Hawaiian spinner dolphins). They swam right next to us, playfully surfing our wake. It was definitely an experience to remember!

We just had the most amazing dolphin watching trip with Captain Jack and Val! We went out on the 9am tour and they started by taking us over towards Lanai to try to find that pod of Hawaiian spinner dolphins. While on the way there we saw some sea turtles and flying fish. When we got to Lanai, we couldn't find any dolphins, but the guides shared with us some history and legends of Lanai and pointed out some things on shore. When we turned to head back, however, we had to pass through a small storm, so it was raining, wet, and a bit of a bumpy ride! Throughout this though, the guides were very calm, informative, and funny. They were going to refund us our trip due to the weather, but as we approached Maui, the sun came out and we stumbled upon a pod of dolphins! They extended the time of our tour so we got to spend time with this pod of about 200 dolphins all around us! While we were there, Val taught us about the Hawaiian spinner dolphins and they even put a Hydrophone in the water and we got to hear the dolphins clicking to each other! The guides were great and made the most of the weather, but then we got lucky with dolphins too, so we thoroughly enjoyed the trip! This will be a Maui vacation highlight for me for sure!

We had the most incredible trip with Captain Jack, Bree and Nicole on 7/3! They took us to two different locations off the coast of Lanai for fantastic snorkeling, plus sharing stories and history of the islands. They worked hard to find us some dolphins, and actually found some on our way back! We all agree that we would return again and again to Hawaii Ocean Rafting!!

this is one of my favorite Rafts on Maui ! Great crew, awesome experience, close-up, and personal to the whales so amazing!

We went out with Captain Mark and Val on Friday. It was an incredible morning. Not only did we get to see lots of whales, but also got to experience Spinner dolphins for the first time. Captain Mark and Val were extremely knowledgeable and shared lots of helpful information along the way. This is our third time with Hawaii Ocean Rafting - we'll definitely be back! Mahalo for a wonderful (and educational) adventure on the ocean.

Fantastic! Captain Jack and the crew are awesome! Turtles, Spinner Dolphins and even an octopus !

The Captain and crew were fantastic! The crew were actually marine biologists! All three were very knowledgeable and entertaining. They found a large pod of spinner dolphins so we could observe them. I highly recommend this experience!

Captain Jack and Jess were the best team. We had lots of whale sightings, and learned a lot about the whales from both of them. Five star experience!!

Five stars all around for Captain Mark and his first mate Meredith! Their knowledge of whale behaviors and how to make whale watching a FANTASTIC experience for their guests is top notch! We saw lots of whales, including a mama and her baby pec slapping, a breach, a whale swimming directly under our raft, and lots of competition behaviors! We had also gone out with Pacific Whale Foundation (only because my elderly mother wanted a larger boat), and while we saw whales, that experience was actually quite boring compared to this one. We will always support Hawaii Ocean Rafting every time!! Thank you Mark and Meredith!

Every year we go out with Hawaiian ocean rafting. They're amazing. Always a great time! I highly recommend.

This was our first Whale watching experience and I must say we loved it and glad we did it. We seen multiple whales and learned information about the whales that I did not know

Snuck in at the last minute and took the one remaining spot on a New Years Day whale watch, and I'm SO glad I did! Went alone and it was fine! The meeting location was a little odd. It is temporary, post/fire, but felt a little sketchy. My Uber had a hard time finding it, but it is behind Snorkel Bobs. Not to worry... we took a walk from there (a couple of blocks) to the docks. Capt Jack and his biologist Olivia were a joy! Fun, funny, and such a positive way to start the new year! SO MANY WHALES! It was just amazing and super educational. They answered every question anyone had and kept the tour out to the very last second because there was so much to see. This is probably not the what watching cruise to pick if you get sea sick. It is really more of a speed-boat vibe. For those with minor mobility disabilities, it would be fine-- you can sit the entire time and see it all, since the bench seating is so close to the water. Not wheelchair accessible though... you would have to be able to transfer yourself to the vessel. Highly recommend!

The trip was amazing, the crew was knowledgeable and truly enjoyed sharing their love for the humpback whales. I would recommend the smaller raft experience over the larger boats as we were able to move quickly to a blow or splash. Our whales were active and engaged in making our experience wonderful. Thank you Captain Jill and your crew for an amazing memory.

Jack a Bal were very informative as well as entertaining in a small, intimate boating/dolphin watching excursion. Highly recommended. Also took time to take some great family photos

Fantastic experience! Captain Mark and his crew of one were outstanding and provided lots of great information and humor. We were entertained by a mom and her baby whale who just loved breaching and actually swam up to the boat to check us out. Suddenly a full grown escort whale swam just a few feet under our boat.

Did the Semi-private snorkeling turtle and dolphins tour with Darrel/ Val/Danielle. Hands down the best snorkeling tour we have ever taken. Got to see "nursery" of baby turtles, incredible fish, rays and several pods of spinner dolphins. Tour was top notch with breakfast/lunch and snacks. All three guides were professional, knowledgeable and friendly. Equipment was new and in great quality. Safety emphasized. Would only book Hawaii Ocean Rafting moving forward. Recommended without hesitation!! Will be back for whale season!

What a lovely tour! We went on two whale watching tours this trip and much preferred Hawaii Ocean Rafting's tour. We saw so many whales and a plethora of whale activities. Darryl was funny and really made it his mission to get us as many encounters as possible. Definitely recommend!

Our family of 6 (we grandparents, the parents and a 7 and 14 year old) had the time of our lives on the Hawaii Ocean Rafting Dolphin trip. My very skeptical family was hard to convince that this would be fun...and then they all had a blast...and as soon as it was over, they were ready to book Captain Jack and Jesse a year in advance!! 10 stars would be a better rating. We so enjoyed learning the history...and all of Captain Jack's corny jokes were spot on. He kept us safe and entertained and most importantly made sure that we would see dolphins...and did we ever. We saw well over 100 Spinner Dolphins on our 2 hour Zodiac trip. Our granddaughter was kissed (tail splashed) by a dolphin early on in the trip which added even more to the day. To add to our wonderful adventure, on the way back to the harbor we saw a Manta Ray which was quite a rare sighting. Thank you Hawaii Ocean Rafting, Captain Jack and First Mate Jesse for a super experience. We have already shared our experience with friends who leave for Maui tomorrow and look forward to their dolphin and Captain Jack adventure.

Friendly and professional staff, efficient check in. We saw many whales and enjoyed the experience!

Saw whales up close and personal! They swam up to us (making our proximity legit) Captain Mark was excellent and his assistant (forgot his name) was very informative. We learned a lot about whales-the babies gain 10 lbs an hour! And Mom loses 3000 lbs while raising the young.

Incredible! Epic! Capt. Mark and Meredith were outstanding!!! We learned so much. They were able to answer all of our questions. And the experience was over the moon. We will never forget it!

This whale watching is the trip to go on. The captain and 1st mate were amazing. We had a whale swim 20 feet from the boat as we just sat and watched. What an amazing experience, here to have in Kapalua.

We had an amazing whale watching tour with Captain Jack and Jess who were not only knowledgeable, but made the trip super fun for all of us. They really knew where to go to find the whales! This is definitely the whale watching tour that we recommend and the one we will take when we have the opportunity to go again. My husband and I could not recommend this tour company highly enough!

Great time searching for whales. Knowledgeable crew members. Found multiple moms and calves to watch from a distance!!!

Jack, Jessie, and Brea were so knowledgeable and fun -- it was a joy to ride with them. This was my first time snorkeling, and they made it so easy. The places they took us to were absolutely beautiful. I had a blast and highly recommend this experience. Thank you!

Extremely knowledgeable and experienced captain Jack and naturalist Jess, friendly, funny (loads of corny jokes) and oh yes, literally hundreds of dolphins. They overdelivered. We even got in a bit of Hawaiian history, plus watermelon and delicious chocolate chip cookies. Supporting this business helps support rebuilding. Lahaina Strong!!

Omg what an AWESOME morning on the water whale watching with Mark and Olivia! They knew so much about these whales and really gave us an experience we will never forget! Highly recommend!

Wow , great experience! Capt Jack and Sy, are the nicest, most informative knowledgable crew on any whaling adventure I've been on. Forever a customer, as nothing will compare!

Super awesome trip! Obviously no one can predict the habits of natural animals in the wild ocean but an experienced Captain Darryll has tons of tricks & knowledgeable jokes to get you through & ultimately have an awesome experience! We saw almost all aspects including mother with baby play & lots of breaches despite some choppy afternoon waters. Our friends immediately booked another trip! The raft on the water is much more intimate & yet surprisingly (mostly) dry! Perfect!! Thx :)

Great team, Jill and Bri. Loved the experience and the pep talk. Saw whales and Dolphins. Lahaina is open! Check them out :)

Up close and personal interactions in the heart of whale season. This experience has ruin all future whale watches for me. We will choose Hawaiian Ocean Rafting again. The captain and crew knew how to find the most engage and interactive whales. We must have saw 30 breaches. But of course they will say don't expect this on all whale watches.

Amazing trip on Hawaiian ocean rafting. We had the privilege of having captain Jack and Jess. They were amazing. They were informative and fun. Lots of whales also.

I would give this trip a ten star review if I could! Our guides were extremely knowledgeable and professional. We had the BEST time!

You HAVE to take this Whale Watching Tour! I was hesitant because I always got sick whale watching in Monterey. I took 2 sea sickness pills and got on the boat. I did it! We saw so many males, females and babies Captain Jack and Val make such a great team. It was a fantastic experience!

We had the most amazing time with Mark and Val!!! We saw a lot of whales on our trip! Both Mark and Val were very nice and super informative. Would highly recommend this company and these 2 gentleman! We saw 2 breaches and multiple groups of whales.

Jack and Jess were friendly and informative and made the experience super fun! Each year they make it one of our fav experiences!

The crew was so knowledgeable about whales and sea life. Within a few minutes we saw a group of whales. They explained their behavior, of the group which was a mom, baby and male escort. Then we saw three more groups they were close up and we observed them for a long time! It was a once in a lifetime adventure!!!

Such a fantastic day! I highly recommend this tour. The crew knew exactly where to find the pod of dolphins.

Captain Jack was very funny, and Jesse was very knowledgeable. Highly recommend for any future whale watches. The Naia was great 360 view close to the water.

My family and I went on the morning 2 hour whale watching tour at 730 AM. The tour was great, the zodiac boat has cushioned straddle seats, which made the trip comfortable. The guides were very engaging and passionate during the whole tour! I would recommend this tour to up close and personal with the whales!