Active Oahu Tours

Spencer was super awesome and friendly! My friend, who is leaving the island, wanted to try kayaking and so we decided to go with active oahu tour. It was our very first time and we had a blast and I would do it again when my mainland friends visit. Much mahalo!!!

Had a great time and surfing experience with Alex. Active Oahu Tours are great, inexpensive and knowledgeable. Alex was very patient with our group (perfectly small). I learned a lot and am confident enough to go solo. Laie and the surrounding areas are the most perfect spots for a beginner who wants to surf perfect waves. This place is a gem compared to busy places in Waikiki/​Honolulu. Do yourself a favor and book with AOT and take a peaceful drive to Laie.

My wife and I had a very happy and memorable morning kayak tour out to Mokolii (or Chinaman’s Hat) thanks to our guides, Spencer and Mercedes, from Active Oahu. Mokolii is across from Kualoa and a great place to visit by kayak. Spencer geared us up, shared interesting information about the area, and guided us as we hiked to the top of Mokolii. While returning, my wife and I managed to overturn our kayak and my GoPro was lost. Mercedes and Spencer went above and beyond to dive and search (for a half hour!) and, yes, returned my camera! Besides their guiding and camera-​finding abilities, they are both really kick ass, interesting people to meet.

My husband and I were thoroughly disappointed with this tour. We paid over $ 200 for kayaking and hiking, and felt that the experience did not size up to the amount of money that we paid. First of all, the kayaking tour took us back in a river through trees that grew over the river making it so we had to lay down to get underneath the branches as we went. We barely went anywhere at all, and after not too long it was already over! We spent half the time laying in the kayak and dodging tree branches instead of being able to enjoy views.
The hike was the worst part of it all. The area that we went to was very bad. We had to drive our own car to this bad neighborhood, and although the tour guide did warn us not to leave valuables in our car, on the way back down from the hike there was a man BREAKING into cars right in front of our eyes. The hike itself was up a dry creek bed and we were promised to see a waterfall at the top that you had to climb a rope to get to. I guess we should not have expected much and then we would not have been disappointed at the end. But the «waterfall» was only a trickle coming down the side of a hill. Not worth the walk up at all. The rope up the hill looked extremely dangerous and the tour guide himself didn’t even attempt to climb it. Although the tour guide said we could go at whatever pace we wanted up the hill, he seemed to be in a big hurry to get us up and down the mountain… and I’m not sure why he was rushing.
The only reason I have given a 2 and not a lower Unilocal rating is because of how kind the tour guide and his assistant were during the tour. Although we were very upset and disappointed with the tour itself they were very friendly and talkative which was nice. We are trying not to let the experience bring our vacation down but it is hard not to when something so disappointing cost so much money.
We just spent the whole morning and afternoon at Kualoa ranch and spent the same amount of money there as we did for this tour. We had a jungle expedition tour, a quad ride through the mountains, & a boat ride. We also were fed a buffet lunch and got to see scenes from various movies. All for the same price that we paid for our hiking and kayaking tour here. Maybe if we would have chosen to do snorkeling or surfing or anything other than what we did our experience would not have been as bad as it was.

Went on the kayaking tour to Chinaman’s Hat. It was an amazing experience! Our tour guide Alex was so sweet and helpful! I would highly recommend this activity to everyone.

Great guys– great tours! Spencer gave me, my sister and my 7 year old nephew surf lessons. He’s great with kids. We also took a kayaking tour with him which was so beautiful. Definitely worth going with these guys for a more authentic experience!

My husband and I booked two activities: hiking and kayaking. We had a great time with Alex from Active Oahu Tours this morning. First we went on a hike to see a large waterfall. The hike involved trekking in the river and climbing up and down from rock to rock. Some parts were more challenging than others, but Alex was always there to give us a helping hand, if needed. He reminded us of slippery rocks, and pointed out interesting things to see along the way. He also told us to take breaks whenever we wanted to and never once rushed us or made us feel like he was on a time schedule.
The best part was that was no one on the trail until the very end when we ran into a neighbor who was taking his dog out for a walk. We had the entire trail to ourselves — there was no way we would have found this trail nor knew where to navigate on the trail without Alex. I would highly recommend the hiking tour with Active Oahu Tours.
After we were done hiking, we drove over to Kualoa Park for our kayak tour. Alex quickly set up all the equipment and off we were. Alex gave us a tutorial on help to paddle, and gave us safety tips. He also let us know that he is CPR-​certified, in case anything were to happen. We kayaked over to the chinaman’s hat (Mokoli’i), docked, and climbed up to the top (almost). Towards the top required us to do some rock climbing which neither my husband nor I have done before. It was quite scary given that we were free-​climbing with no safety nets, ropes, but Alex made us feel very comfortable. He guided us step by step, gave us the confidence to keep going, and helped us when we weren’t sure where to step. After we came down, we soaked in the water for a little bit, then kayaked back to end the tour.
All in all, I would highly recommend Active Oahu Tours. Alex was friendly, professional, and very knowledgeable. You will definitely have a great time!

Surfing lessons with Spencer was awesome! He is a great instructor, very helpful and encouraging. It was the highlight of our trip and I encourage you to book a session.

Went kayaking with my family with two kids, 9 and 12. Spencer was our guide. He was just terrific! Having never kayaked before he made the experience very enjoyable. We never felt intimidated or out of place. He was very encouraging. The tour was also customizable given the age of our children and the weather. We took the river route. Got stuck in some branches but got out safely. That was the fun part! Would go again and try the other tours.

Our tour guide was Alex and he is so friendly and helpful in making sure my wife and I were doing ok! He also showed up early at the site to prep the Equipment so we could leave on time which Is very thoughtful and professional. We did the ocean kayak to I think it’s call called china mans bend and not only did we get to kayak there but Alex helped us do a hike up to the top and that was actually more fun than the kayaking itself because this hike requires a bit of rock climbing knowledge and as I said already, Alex was there to guide us through the whole thing!!! I definitely recommend Alex and active Oahu tours because it’s seriously an adventure you don’t want to miss out on. My wife and I are still raving about this!

We kayaked to Chinaman’s Hat off the east coast of Oahu near Kualoa Park. Our guide, Alex, was friendly and knowledgeable. The water was calm, and we paddled to the island in under a half hour. Although we were kayaking novices, the going was easy. Once we arrived at the island, we climbed to the top. The views at the top were breathtaking and made the short, but difficult climb worthwhile. Setting up the trip through the Active Oahu office was quick and painless, and Alex arrived to meet us at the agreed upon time. I highly recommend Active Oahu for your next island adventure.

Our guide was Alex. He met us promptly at the hour we reserved. He had laid out most of the equipment, so there was little down time. He already knew our level of experience, so briefly went over safety procedures before we got in the water. We kayaked over to Chinaman’s hat and offered to hike with us. We got a round of kayaking and hiking in with Alex.
I would definitely recommend this tour with anyone who enjoys kayaking. Kayaking in the ocean is much different from kayaking in the Puget Sound. Be sure to ask for Alex. He was very friendly and attentive.

Went Kayaking at Kualoa Park to Chinaman’s Hat. Guide David was excellent! Funny and friendly but a true professional. He knew the ocean waters of the area really well, and made sure we were always safe. He tailored the kayak trip to our pace and ability – a real plus. It was a great experience and we want to try the Kahana River kayak trip the next time.

Can’t say enough good things about this business. Easy to book, friendly staff, and David was very friendly and helpful. Saw a beautiful part of the island that we probably wouldn’t have found on our own. Thanks again!

I highly recommend Active Oahu Tours! My friend and I had a surf lesson followed by kayaking. Our instructor/​guide, Spencer was fantastic. He was very personable and knowledgeable, and clearly passionate about what he does.
With Spencer’s guidance, we successfully rode more than a few waves, surfing. The kayaking tour was easy going, but presented enough small challenges to keep things interesting. Talking to Spencer, this company seems to really care about making their patrons’ experience fun and worthwhile. Definitely check them out!

Wonderful experience. I went on a kayaking tour with Spencer and it was awesome! He is very knowledgeable, kind and helpful. He is willing to work with you on your preferences as far as where you kayak in the area. He even took us to some stops with rope swings that we were able to swing off of.
The area where we kayaked was not super busy or crowded and we went through a river as well and he open ocean. Definitely worth it. I have been kayaking with other companies and rented with other places and this is the best deal/​experience by far! His experience and expertise shows.

Me and my family booked group Stand Up Paddle and Surf Lessons with Spencer and I have to say it was one of the highlights of my vacation in Oahu. Spencer is a great teacher; he was patient, accommodating and attentive and made sure the experience was perfect for our level. He was also very funny! I would recommend the SUP for anyone who wants a serene and peaceful experience. The surf was small since we went in July but that made it even funner for us.

Booked a kayaking and surf lesson while I was staying in Laie. Process was online and you can view openings. Phone contact was also very prompt and helpful.
Mike and Becca took us on a tour of the river nearby, they were very friendly and offered up suggestions in the local area.
Spencer then met me for the surf lesson. Wasn’t long before we hit the waves after the basics. He got me up and running on the first wave… beginner’s luck I guess. It was a struggle on the next few waves but Spencer was very patient and set me up to succeed each time.
I would suggest any surf lesson to be scheduled first if planning multiple activities. Paddling was pretty strenuous and the hour or so kayaking before didn’t help my shoulders and back. I consider myself in decent shape too! Or maybe learning how to surf in your 30s isn’t a good idea. Also, make sure you bring a rash guard… had some irritation on my inner arms and near my knees.
Check ‘em out they’re passionate about the outdoors and have a good attitude. Price was more than reasonable if your making a day of it. It was a great experience.

Had the kayaking tour w My family and it was really fun. Since I booked the tour (2months ahead), I made couple of changes and was very nicely guided every single time. Our tour guide, Spencer was very welcoming n nice :)
Will def come bck here and suggest others to their tours again!

We had an excellent time with Mike and Bobby! We did the 3-​hour surfing/​paddle board package, which left us tired, but extremely satisfied in the end.
I would definitely recommend these guys to people of all levels!
Thanks again guys.