Paddle turquoise water to a seabird island, look for sea turtles, then eat lunch in Kailua
town. Which tour reaches which island, what lunch really means and how to beat the wind, compared honestly.
Which island, reallyFlat Island or the Mokes, tour by tour
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Tours
Choose your Kailua Bay kayak tour
The Kailua Bay tour with lunch in the centre, where you choose guided or self-guided. Beside it,
the same outfitter's two guided trips: the short paddle to Flat Island and the long one to the Mokulua Islands.
A guided two-hour paddle to Popoia, the low seabird island about a quarter mile off Kailua Beach. Lunch is included, and snorkel gear and bikes are yours to use afterwards.
What's included
Guided paddle to Popoia (Flat Island) and a walk on the island
Choose a small-group guided paddle or a self-guided day on Kailua Bay, then add lunch or Waikiki pickup if you want them. Snorkel gear, a dry bag, a locker and showers come with it.
What's included
Kayak, paddle, life jacket, safety briefing and island landing permits
Snorkel gear, dry bag, locker and showers at the shop
Guide, lunch and Waikiki pickup only when you select that option
Groups of up to 8; children 8 to 12 ride in a tandem with an adult
The big one: about 2.5 miles each way to Moku Nui with a naturalist guide, an island walk, tide pools, snorkelling and lunch. Strenuous, and best on a calm morning.
What's included
Guided paddle to the Mokulua Islands and an island eco-walk
The real difference between these trips is the destination: Popoia (Flat Island) is a short,
sheltered hop, the Mokulua Islands are 2.5 miles out. Then decide whether you want a guide and lunch in the price.
Kailua Beach Adventures prices often show a 15% sale at checkout. Children 8 to 12 can join the
flagship and the Flat Island tour in a tandem with an adult; the Mokulua guided tour is 13 and over. Island tours do
not run on Sundays. Every tour here cancels free up to 24 hours ahead.
Where you really paddle
Two islands, two very different days.
Kailua Bay has two kayak destinations, and every tour picks one. Popoia, or Flat Island, is a low
3.7-acre seabird sanctuary about a quarter mile off Kailua Beach: a 20 to 35 minute paddle, a sandy cove to
land in and a walk around the shore. Na Mokulua, the Mokes, are the two steep islets off Lanikai that fill
every Oahu postcard. Only the beach on Moku Nui is open to visitors; Moku Iki and the island interiors are closed
to protect nesting wedge-tailed shearwaters.
The guided option of the Kailua Bay tour with lunch goes to Flat Island. The listing reaches the Mokes
only on the self-guided option, and the guided trip there is the separate Twin Islands tour. That is not a
catch, just the reality of distance: the Mokes take an hour or more each way, into the trade winds on the way out.
2.5 mi
From Kailua Beach to the Mokulua Islands, each way. Flat
Island is about a quarter mile out.
Getting there, ages and prices, the island rules and what to bring: one tab each.
By car: Waikiki to Kailua is about 14 miles over the Pali Highway, 30 to 35 minutes outside rush hour.
The shop at 130 Kailua Road has free customer parking, one block from Kailua Beach Park.
Waikiki pickup is an option on the flagship: pickups from 7:30 to 8:30 AM, back in Waikiki around 3:30 to 4 PM.
By bus: TheBus route 67 runs from Ala Moana Center to Kailua; from Waikiki you change at Ala Moana.
Lanikai streets have no-parking rules on holiday weekends, so do not plan to launch from there by car.
Adults are 13 and over; children 8 to 12 join the flagship and the Flat Island tour.
Under-16s paddle in a double (tandem) kayak with an adult.
The Mokulua guided tour is for 13 and over; younger kids need a private tour with the operator.
The flagship's from-price is the base option: the guide, lunch and Waikiki pickup are added at checkout.
Everyone must be able to swim; life jackets are provided and worn.
Weight limits: about 250 to 280 lb in a single (sources differ, so ask) and 400 lb combined in a double.
Land only on the beaches, below the high-water mark: the island interiors and Moku Iki are closed to visitors.
No landings on Sundays; dogs, fires and camping are banned on the sanctuary islands.
Keep 10 ft from turtles and 50 ft from monk seals (150 ft from a mother and pup).
Swimsuit and a rash guard or light long-sleeve top.
Water shoes with a heel strap: the island shores are rough lava rock.
Reef-safe mineral sunscreen, a hat and sunglasses with a strap.
Water, a towel and a change of clothes; the dry bag is provided.
A waterproof phone pouch if you want photos on the water.
IncludedKayak and safety gearKayak, paddle, life jacket, dry bag and the safety briefing.
IncludedSnorkel gearMask, snorkel and fins, plus lockers and showers at the shop.
IncludedLanding permitsThe state permit you need to land on the sanctuary islands.
OptionGuideA small-group guide to Flat Island; up to 8 guests.
OptionLunchA voucher for pizza, a deli lunch or a plate lunch in Kailua town.
OptionWaikiki pickupHotel pickup from 7:30 AM and a return around 3:30 to 4 PM.
Where the day starts
Meeting point in Kailua
Kailua Beach Adventures
130 Kailua Rd, Kailua, HI 96734, USA
The shop sits one block from Kailua Beach Park, on the windward side of Oahu about 30 minutes from Waikiki.
Check in 15 minutes before your start time. If you booked Waikiki pickup, you do not need to find it: the shuttle
collects you at one of seven Waikiki and Ala Moana stops and calls your name. The Active Oahu tours start nearby
at 134b Hamakua Drive.
4.8★★★★★ 1,372 reviews · Kailua Bay kayak tour with lunch live Viator & Tripadvisor figure
★★★★★
Awesome day on the water! The kayaking to the island is beautiful and long. The tour around the island was beautiful as well, saw mother and baby monk seals, lots of birds. Worth the experience.
★★★★★
Very friendly. Very organized. Substantial free lunch. All of the equipment worked well and was well maintained. It was good to get an early start since the water was very calm and there was little wind.
★★★★★
Don't miss this opportunity to get away from the crowds and experience something unique. The guide, Wesley, was terrific. The Mokes are stunning, and even better to explore!
★★★★★
The process was very easy from booking, the staff was super helpful and knowledgeable, and the experience was top notch! The water was crystal clear, white sandy beaches, and great views.
★★★★★
The service from start, the pickup and drop off, in store personnel were top notch. I upgraded from self guided to the 5 hour tour. So glad I did. It was an adventure of a lifetime.
★★★★★
Amazing kayak rental customized to your needs, we did the self guided which let us cruise around at our own pace. Very clear instructions given on the whole experience.
★★★★★
Entire experience was great, from the check-in to getting the kayaks to the beach and return. The day was crazy windy so a bit challenging with the row but we had a great time nonetheless.
★★★★★
I enjoyed the kayak trip and the tour of the bird sanctuary island. Isaac was good company and knowledgeable about Hawaii. It was nice to have an experienced guide so that I didn't have to worry about the weather.
★★★★★
I did the self guided tour and we were able to make it through to all the islands. Get ready for a workout because you gotta make it to the island with the seal!! It was so cool!!
Not a paddler?
See the Mokes from above
No kayak, no waves: a guided walk up Kaiwa Ridge to the Lanikai pillboxes for the view over the
islands, then a swim at Lanikai Beach, with hotel pickup.
Lanikai Pillbox Hike & Beach with Pickup
★ 5.0 · 2 reviews · 4 hours
Not a paddler? See the same islands from above. A small-group guide picks you up at your hotel, walks you up the Kaiwa Ridge trail to the old Lanikai pillboxes for the classic view over the Mokulua Islands, then gives you half an hour on Lanikai Beach to swim. About two hours on the trail, steep and loose at the start.
Kailua Bay is Oahu's easiest place to put a sea kayak on clear turquoise water and paddle to a
wild island. Here is what the Kailua Bay kayak tour with lunch actually is, how the day works on the ground, and
how to pick between Flat Island and the Mokes.
What the tour is, and what it isn't
The Viator listing is a flexible package from Kailua Beach Adventures, an outfitter that has rented kayaks
on Kailua Road for over 40 years. You choose at checkout: a small-group guided paddle, capped at eight guests,
or a self-guided day where the shop briefs you and you head out on your own. Lunch and Waikiki pickup are add-ons
too, which is why the from-price is the base option and the total climbs as you tick boxes. The guided paddle
goes to Popoia, Flat Island; the self-guided option lets you range as far as the Mokulua Islands. It is not a
boat trip and nobody paddles for you: plan on two to four hours of real effort.
The walk to the water: rental kayaks travel to the beach on carts.
The part nobody mentions: the cart
Since 2012 Honolulu has banned nearly all commercial activity at Kailua Beach Park, so no shop can deliver
kayaks to the sand. Every rental and tour kayak leaves the shop on a cart: you wheel it across the road and along
the path for about 15 minutes, then drag the 70 lb boat over the last stretch of soft sand, and repeat it all on
the way back. It is the single most common complaint in reviews, and the reason to book a guided option if anyone
in your group has a bad back. Staff help, and on a guided tour the guide does too.
The honest small print: no island landings happen on Sundays, wind can cut a self-guided
trip short, and the snorkelling near shore is mixed. The landings, the seabirds and the turtles are why people
rate this so highly, so pick a weekday morning and keep the snorkelling as a bonus.
Flat Island or the Mokes?
Flat Island is a quarter mile out, low and sandy, with a sheltered cove to land in and shearwater burrows
roped off behind the beach: a perfect first paddle, done in 20 to 35 minutes. The Mokulua Islands are about
2.5 miles each way from Kailua Beach, 60 to 90 minutes of paddling into the trade winds on the way out, and the
reward is the big one: a golden beach on Moku Nui, sometimes a monk seal asleep on the sand, and the rock pools
on the far side. Only stay on the beach and the shore: the interior and Moku Iki are closed, and the back of Moku
Nui takes open-ocean surf. If you want the Mokes with a guide, that is the separate Twin Islands tour.
Lunch is a voucher for a Kailua eatery: plate lunch, pizza or deli food.
Making the most of the day
Book the earliest start you can, because the wind usually builds through the day. Wear your swimsuit and
water shoes with a heel strap, put on mineral sunscreen before you leave, and keep a dry bag for your phone.
Give turtles 10 feet and seals 50 feet. After you hand the kayak back, shower at the shop, use your lunch voucher
in town, and take the snorkel gear and a bike to Kailua Beach for the afternoon: the gear is yours until 5 PM.
The Kailua kayak kit: water shoes, sun protection and a dry bag.
Straight answers to what visitors ask most about kayaking Kailua Bay.
Does the Kailua Bay kayak tour with lunch go to the Mokulua Islands?
Not with a guide. The guided option of the Kailua Beach Adventures tour paddles to Popoia (Flat Island), about a quarter mile offshore; the listing reaches the Mokulua Islands only on the self-guided option. For a guide all the way to the Mokes, book the Twin Islands tour. See Flat Island and the Mokes.
Is lunch included, and what is it?
Only if you select the lunch option at checkout. Lunch is not a picnic cooked on the beach: guests get a voucher for a Kailua eatery near the shop, typically pizza, a deli sandwich or a Hawaiian plate lunch. The Flat Island and Twin Islands guided tours include lunch in the price.
How much does a Kailua kayak tour cost?
On Viator in 2026 the flagship starts at $115 per person for the base option; adding a guide, lunch or Waikiki pickup raises it at checkout. The guided Flat Island tour is from $200 and the guided Mokulua tour from $275. Self-guided Mokes rentals start at $82. See the price guide.
Can you kayak in Kailua on a Sunday?
Not on a tour. The state issues no landing permits for the Mokulua Islands or Flat Island on Sundays, to give the nesting seabirds a rest, and the Kailua Beach Adventures island tours run Monday to Saturday. Plan your paddle for another day. More in the best time to kayak.
How long does it take to kayak to the Mokulua Islands?
About 60 to 90 minutes each way from Kailua Beach, roughly 2.5 miles, and longer into a headwind. Flat Island is only about a quarter mile out, a 20 to 35 minute paddle. The operator rates the Mokulua trip as high effort.
Is kayaking in Kailua hard for beginners?
Flat Island is beginner-friendly on a calm morning. The Mokes are a real workout, and the onshore trade winds can make the paddle out hard. Many first-timers do the Mokes fine with a guide; on a windy day, beginners should pick Flat Island or a guided tour.
Guided or self-guided: which should I book?
Self-guided is really a rental with a video and safety briefing: you cart a 70 lb kayak to the beach and choose your own route. Guided means a small group of up to 8, help on the water, and a guide who knows the wildlife and the rules. Compare them in guided vs self-guided.
Why do you have to drag the kayak to the beach?
Honolulu banned nearly all commercial activity at Kailua Beach Park in 2012, so rental shops cannot deliver or set up kayaks on the sand. You wheel yours from the shop on a cart, about 15 minutes, and drag it over the last stretch of sand. Guests call it the hardest part of the day.
Will I see turtles and monk seals?
Green sea turtles are seen often in Kailua Bay, and Hawaiian monk seals sometimes haul out on the Mokulua beaches, but neither is guaranteed. Stay at least 10 feet from turtles, 50 feet from seals and 150 feet from a mother with a pup, as NOAA asks.
Do I need to know how to swim?
Yes. The operator says every guest must be able to swim, and you need to be comfortable getting back onto your kayak from the water with a life jacket on. Life jackets are provided and worn.
How do I get to Kailua from Waikiki?
Drive about 14 miles over the Pali Highway, 30 to 35 minutes outside rush hour; the shop has free customer parking. The flagship also sells a Waikiki pickup option, with pickups from 7:30 to 8:30 AM and a return around 3:30 to 4 PM.
Can I cancel?
Yes. Every tour on this page cancels for a full refund up to 24 hours before on Viator, which is more generous than booking the operator direct (48 hours, then a reschedule fee).
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Short & guided
★ 5.02 hours500 reviewsFree cancellation
