We had planned only one excursion for our trip to Kauai. We wanted to see the Na Pali Coast up close and personal, so we decided on a boat tour with Blue Dolphin Charters.

We had such a splendid time! The tour begins with a snorkeling stop in the middle of the ocean near a reef. This is a brand new experience for me, as I have only ever snorkeled from a beach or at Hanauma Bay, which is very calm.

There were so much fish to see!

On our way to the Na Pali Coast, a fellow passenger got sick and we had to turn back. We opted to stay on the boat and continue onto the south shore and snorkel some more, instead of getting a partial refund.

We ended up snorkeling at another spot known for sea turtle sightings. I got to swim with a sea turtle. It was an experience of a lifetime.

We also ran into some dolphins, which was super exciting. Our captain actually turned the boat around to follow them.

I want to give a super big shout out to the crew at Blue Dolphin Tours for making our trip a wonderful experience, despite not being able to visit Na Pali. They were super helpful and nice to everyone – even those of us who are semi-beginners and needed more help than others. They also kept my mom company on the boat since she doesn’t swim.