Guided or self-guided in Kailua?

What is the difference between guided and self-guided?

Guided means a small group with a guide on the water; self-guided means you get the kayak, gear and a briefing, then go where you like within the rules.

What does a self-guided kayak day include?

The kayak, paddle, life jacket, dry bag, landing permits and snorkel gear, a briefing, and on the Kailua Beach Adventures day, bikes, boogie boards and beach chairs.

Bikes are for ages 13 and up. Guests on the self-guided day also report getting a lunch voucher, which the listing does not spell out, so check your option. You choose the route: some guests do Flat Island and the Mokes on the same day, others stay close to shore.

Do you have to drag the kayak to the beach?

Yes, on every option: Honolulu banned nearly all commercial activity at Kailua Beach Park in 2012, so shops cannot deliver kayaks to the sand.

You wheel the 70 lb kayak on a cart about 15 minutes from the shop to the beach, drag it over the last stretch of soft sand, and repeat it all on the way back. It is the most common complaint in reviews; one self-guided guest wrote that it was "not an actual tour". On a guided tour the guide helps; on a self-guided day, staff help at the start.

How much does wind matter?

More than anything else: the trade winds blow onshore and usually build through the day, and on your own nobody tells you to turn back.

Guests report paddling into the wind on the way out. A guide reads the conditions and changes the plan; going self-guided, start early, decide your turnaround time before you launch, and choose Flat Island over the Mokes if whitecaps are building. One guided guest liked having "an experienced guide so that I didn't have to worry about the weather".

Is a guided tour worth the extra money?

Usually yes for first-timers and the Mokes: the price gap is roughly $90 to $165 per person, and you get a guide, lunch and help with the cart.

The Kailua self-guided day is $110; the guided Flat Island tour is $200 and the guided Twin Islands tour $275. The prices and checkout sales are in the price guide.

First time in a sea kayak? The guided Flat Island tour is two hours with lunch included.

★ 5.0 500 reviews · 2 hours · from $200

Explore the Flat Island guided kayak tour →

Who should book a guided tour?

First-timers, families, nervous swimmers, anyone with a bad back, and anyone who wants the Mokes without the guesswork.

• Families with kids 8 to 12: the guided Flat Island trip is short and close to shore.
• The Mokes for the first time: the Twin Islands tour, 13 and over.
• Wildlife lovers: guides explain the seabirds, turtles and seal rules.
• Windy forecast: a guide decides how far it is safe to go.

Who should go self-guided?

Confident paddlers and swimmers who want their own route, more time at the islands, and the lowest price.

• Experienced kayakers: do both islands at your own pace.
• Budget trips: from $82 per person on the Active Oahu Mokes kayak.
• Snorkellers and beach time: keep the snorkel gear and chairs until 5 PM.

On the Active Oahu self-guided Mokes listing, guests report carrying the kayak to the beach on their own car, so check how the kayak gets to the water before booking.

Confident on the water? The self-guided day includes landing permits, snorkel gear, bikes and a dry bag.

★ 4.8 293 reviews · 5 hours · from $110

Explore the self-guided kayak day →

Do the same rules apply on both?

Yes: everyone must be able to swim, under-16s paddle in a tandem with an adult, and the island rules are the same with or without a guide.

Weight limits also apply: the listing says 280 lb in a single kayak, the operator's site 250 lb, so ask; a double takes 400 lb combined. No landings on Sundays, beaches only, and keep 10 feet from turtles. What to wear for either is in what to wear kayaking Kailua.

Frequently asked questions