Ocean Riders Adventure Tours
Ocean Riders Adventure Tours
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The Original Lanai tour established in 1988. Only Ocean Riders circumnavigates the island of Lanai on a continual, year round basis. Nobody knows the island better. Others have tried imitating our trip but it cannot be duplicated. Our boat is the perfect vessel for handling what Lanai has to offer and the others just can't or won't do what we do. No timers to call you back from the water and cutting your time short (the other tours can't say that).
Lahaina, Hawaii
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Travelers' Choice
2023
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Ocean Riders Adventure Tours
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Detailed Reviews: Reviews order informed by descriptiveness of user-identified themes such as cleanliness, atmosphere, general tips and location information.
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5.0
482 reviews
Excellent
452
Very good
18
Average
4
Poor
5
Terrible
3
Hugh Z
1 contribution
Feb 2020
If you are LOOKING for a great relaxing day on the water while seeing great fish, whales, dolphins, etc... I HIGHLY RECOMMEND choosing Maui Ocean Riders over any of the other boats. I come to Maui once a year and have been out with several different Captains and boats snorkeling. Captain Chad, Sir Monty Bogart (dog), and the whole crew are great. They are the only boat I will go with to Lanai, now. This was my 2nd trip with them and it was better than the first one.
PS - Whales and Dolphins are a bonus crossing between the islands. Sir Monty is great at pointing out whales and is very chill
PS - Whales and Dolphins are a bonus crossing between the islands. Sir Monty is great at pointing out whales and is very chill
Written February 26, 2020
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Hawaiionmymind89
Fairfield, VT8 contributions
Nov 2020 • Friends
I’ve done the larger boat excursions but know that Lanai’s reefs are plentiful and mostly untouched. Heard about this company here on TA and was looking forward on our recent trip to Maui to getting to do this. Chad had to coordinate the interested parties to get us out on a day where the ocean was calmer than the 50 mph winds that had been around for a while. Total of 8 customers on the boat, so lots of room. Great lunch. What a way to feel insignificant in this world, being the only ones on a white sand beach and our snorkeling locations were empty as well. Just incredible! Chad is a wealth of information about under the ocean as well as the island. Thank you, I will be back!!
Written November 27, 2020
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Ariana B
32 contributions
Jun 2021 • Couples
My husband and I had a great time on the Circumnavigate Lana’i Adventure. Captain Chad and Selwyn created a very relaxed and fun environment. An added bonus is that Captain Chad’s dog Bogey comes along for the ride, and he is extremely well-behaved and cute. The boat goes fast so expect some bumps - which add to the adventure! The snorkeling is great and the views of the cliffs of Lanai are incredible/breathtaking. It was very cool to see the ship wrecks as well as some scenic blow holes along the cliff sides. Recommend putting on plenty of sun screen and wearing a sun protection shirt and longer shorts or pants if you want to avoid burns - learn from my mistakes :)
Written June 7, 2021
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Paul S
3 contributions
Dec 2020 • Family
My wife and our 2 daughters (ages 10 and 13) as well as my sister, her 12 year old son and my sister in law and several nieces went out with Chad for a half day snorkel trip to Lanai. We met at the Mala boat ramp and as an avid boater myself, I was immediately impressed that Chad's boat was in tip top shape. He got all our gear stowed and offered our group fresh fruit platter as he launched the boat and headed over toward Lanai. We hit 3 different snorkel spots, all had some different underwater features, it was great. On our way back toward Lahaina after the 3rd snorkel Chad spotted something far off in the distance and turned the boat to go investigate, hoping it might be whales to show us. Sure enough it was a group of humpback whales! Chad explained to us how it was several males and one female, and all the males were battling to become the mate of the female....we chuckled it was like a bar scene in college :)
We watched for about 30 mins and then the whales turned toward us and leisurly swam right next to us and under us! It was totally amazing. A great day. Highly recommend a day with these guys.
We watched for about 30 mins and then the whales turned toward us and leisurly swam right next to us and under us! It was totally amazing. A great day. Highly recommend a day with these guys.
Written December 5, 2020
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Brian H
Eau Claire, WI11 contributions
Mar 2022
If you are looking for an adventure, this is the excursion that you want! Captain Chad's tour is a great way to snorkel in areas and see scenery close up around the island of Lanai that many others who visit Hawaii do not get to experience. We saw some historic shipwrecks as we started our journey around Lanai before getting a chance to swim up to an isolated beach for a little break between the journey and the start of snorkeling. Chad took us to 3 different snorkeling spots, all with different sights to behold. Along the coast on the sheltered side of the island, Chad cranked up the speed and took us close to the rocks and sea cliffs so we could get a great view of the unique geography of Lanai. The deli lunch was also great, and gave us a little break between the 2nd and 3rd snorkel stops. The only thing I would caution against, is if you don't like rough seas, this may not be the trip for you to take. We experienced some large swells from the north, and the ride back to Maui from Lanai was interesting, to say the least. Chad navigated the large waves with expertise, but if rough waters intimidate you, be prepared for the potential that this could be part of the trip. Overall, we had a lot of different levels of snorkeling expertise in our group of 15, and Chad made sure that everyone felt safe, and encouraged those who were a little fearful to experience the ocean. But even if you don't want to snorkel, and just want to see the sights, this is a great way to do it!
Written March 30, 2022
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Gail N
Madison, WI6 contributions
Mar 2023
We love to snorkel and this trip delivered. I was a little worried when we booked this trip reading in a guide that the craft we were taking was not for everyone. Thankfully I read a lot of the online reviews and saw the great reviews so we decided to give it a try. Having this type of boat allowed us to move in and around Lanai's coast in ways that a larger boat never could, and the small group factor makes the snorkeling even more enjoyable.
We went on a very windy day and we definitely had a "wild ride" across the channel. We are in our mid-sixties and I think the other passengers graciously allowed us to sit in spots that were not on the side of the boat so this was helpful for us. The day flew by and the openness of the boat kept anyone from feeling a bit sea-sick, despite the bumpiness.
Captain Chad (and his first-mate) are pros and you can tell that they have a plan for the snorkeling that Chad adapts based on the conditions, insuring the best experience possible. We did see whales, but because of the waves Captain Chad reminded us that he couldn't slow down for them, and that we were "speed whale watching". The snorkeling was really the best we have done in Hawaii in a lot of years. We loved the fact that each stop was timed based on how long the group wanted to be in the water. We never felt rushed.
We thoroughly enjoyed the day including the snacks, the delicious lunch and highly recommend it for anyone who loves to snorkel (or is wanting to try) and is up for a bit of an adventure! Thanks to the crew, including sweet Bogey for creating a very memorable experience.
We went on a very windy day and we definitely had a "wild ride" across the channel. We are in our mid-sixties and I think the other passengers graciously allowed us to sit in spots that were not on the side of the boat so this was helpful for us. The day flew by and the openness of the boat kept anyone from feeling a bit sea-sick, despite the bumpiness.
Captain Chad (and his first-mate) are pros and you can tell that they have a plan for the snorkeling that Chad adapts based on the conditions, insuring the best experience possible. We did see whales, but because of the waves Captain Chad reminded us that he couldn't slow down for them, and that we were "speed whale watching". The snorkeling was really the best we have done in Hawaii in a lot of years. We loved the fact that each stop was timed based on how long the group wanted to be in the water. We never felt rushed.
We thoroughly enjoyed the day including the snacks, the delicious lunch and highly recommend it for anyone who loves to snorkel (or is wanting to try) and is up for a bit of an adventure! Thanks to the crew, including sweet Bogey for creating a very memorable experience.
Written March 10, 2023
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Tayler J
Maui, HI15 contributions
Mar 2020 • Couples
This day was better than advertised, started out in the cool morning, and ran into dozens of whales on our trip from Maui to Lanai, the snorkeling was perfect especially the last stop. Bogey the captains pup made everyone feel loved and was too cute in his dolphin fin life jacket. The crew was knowledgeable and friendly, lunch was tasty, and the other guests were pleasant, such a fun day. If you’re considering this tour just book it, you can thank me later
Written March 15, 2020
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Justine Y
5 contributions
Apr 2022
Had a wonderful day on the boat with Captain Chad and Selwyn. Was on this tour with our entire family, including younger kids (10 and 8). Operations of the day were super smooth, they offered a light breakfast with fruit, juice and granola bars. We loaded up and were off to 3 snorkeling sites off the coast of Lanai. Along the way we got to explore a beautiful, remote beach, saw old shipwrecks and explored some really cool caves. It was an small intimate group and best of all, we had Bougey (captain chad's amazing Schnauzer) on board with us. Just be sure to bring layers as it gets a bit chilly when you are out of the water and riding the waves.
Only snafu we encountered was being called less than a week in to ask us if we could change the date of our trip. Because we so badly wanted to do this excursion, I ended up canceling restaurant reservations and other excursions. It was a bit last minute and in Maui, everything gets booked up in advance. More advance notice about schedule changes would be ideal.
But overall, the trip itself was fun, safe and my kids said it was the highlight of their trip! thanks Captain Chad and Selwyn!
Only snafu we encountered was being called less than a week in to ask us if we could change the date of our trip. Because we so badly wanted to do this excursion, I ended up canceling restaurant reservations and other excursions. It was a bit last minute and in Maui, everything gets booked up in advance. More advance notice about schedule changes would be ideal.
But overall, the trip itself was fun, safe and my kids said it was the highlight of their trip! thanks Captain Chad and Selwyn!
Written April 27, 2022
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Wolf Creek 2020
4 contributions
Feb 2020 • Family
I have been to Maui several times and have always done Molokini and turtle town snorkel/dive, and wanted to do something different. The Ocean Riders excursion did not disappoint. It is a much more laid back and personal experience, fewer people and faster ride on a smaller craft. We were able to stop and see multiple pods of whales, drove around with spinner dolphins and saw a rare site of a goat and its baby on the shore as we were going around Lanai. Captain Chad provided a lot of history and information about the two ships (1940’s and 1950’s) wrecks as well as native burial practice’s in the lava tubes, high up on the cliffs. The snorkeling was the best I have had in Hawaii, 4 stops total one to play on a beach and 3 snorkeling stops. One of the snorkeling stops the water was as clear as an aquarium with thousands of fish and visibility over 100ft. This will be the excursion we do from now on when we are in Maui.
Written February 14, 2020
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Steve154913
Waterton Lakes National Park, Canada43 contributions
Nov 2021 • Couples
The circumnavigation of Lanai was a wonderful adventure. Great boat ride, scenery and snorkeling. The captain and crew were amazing and the food for lunch was fantastic. All around a perfect day. Highly recommended. Incidentally, the online booking and waiver process was also superior to many of the other sites we have tried during this vacation.
Written November 23, 2021
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
NZGW
Auckland, New Zealand218 contributions
Hi, is there a minimum age for the tours? We have a 20 months old with us, is she allowed? Assuming you guys have lifejackets for babies? And is the tour to see the shipwreck heavily weather dependent?
Lizarddoglover
Oklahoma129 contributions
I would not recommend this for anyone under age 9-10
Lisa H
27 contributions
how many guest so on one boat? Are you with other vacationers. We have a family of 4
Ambassador654618
Carlsbad, CA1 contribution
Plenty of room 14-16 peeps no problem It’s by far the best choice for the $ Capt Chad and crew ( boogie) love their work and it shows you hit spots the cattle boats will never touch can’t to slow ! Fun fun fun
CBug70
California24 contributions
I'm considering taking my family on this excursion. Is there a place on the boat that stays safe and dry - - - a place to store non-waterproof items like cell phones? I'll definitely take my GoPro and waterproof point and shoot, but I was wondering if there would be somewhere safe to stash my cell phone and sunglasses. I wouldn't want to lose them! Thanks.
Cassie P
Edmonton, Canada34 contributions
You can put any valuables you don’t want to lose in chads truck. There is a waterproof stowaway area for towels/ shirts. Sunglasses go by the boat controls while snorkeling & there isn’t any cell service around Lana’i but if you want your phone for photos you can always put it in a plastic bag in the crate onboard
Jennifer T
Sydney, Australia5 contributions
We are tossing up between Ocean Riders or Lanai Explorer (no landing) combo with whale watching. We are a family of 4 (2 adults & 2 teenage children). They like excitement but are concerned about getting seasick if it is rough,also is there anywhere my daughter can go to toilet if we get off the boat? Do you think we will get to see whales on the trip?
ccdemers6
Wenham, Massachusetts, United States6 contributions
We enjoyed the Ocean Riders tour which incorporated several snorkeling stops near reefs and some near land. There is no place to use an actual toilet, but the ocean didn't mind the occasional pee break. If there is any chance that someone may get seasick, this isn't the tour for you... the fun and excitement of it all is riding the waves and cruising through the ocean, which is what my 2 teenagers enjoyed the most. We did not see any whales since we were there during the summer when they are not common, but we did see a school of dolphin (and rode along with them in the boat!) and our tour guide brought up an octopus for us to see and touch. Ocean Riders is very exciting and worth it!
Ocean Riders Adventure Tours - All You Need to Know BEFORE You Go (with Photos)
Ocean Riders Adventure Tours Information
Excellent Reviews | 452 |
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Very Good Reviews | 18 |
Ocean Riders Adventure Tours Photos | 284 |