Aloha Ocean Tours is the passion project of Captain Shanti, a Maui-born, Oʻahu-raised waterman with more than a decade on the Waianae coast. Welcoming just six guests at a time aboard a sleek Robalo powerboat, he guides you to dee...
Aloha Ocean delivers consistently magical marine encounters with an all-star crew that includes guides like Brooke, Ali, Shanti, and others who clearly love what they do. The small group sizes stand out as a major advantage—tours typically max out around 6 people, meaning more personal attention and easier ocean access from the smaller boat. Guests regularly swim with multiple dolphin pods (often 3+ encounters per trip), spot sea turtles, and occasionally see whales or monk seals. The guides earn praise for their genuine enthusiasm, marine life knowledge, and tireless dedication to finding wildlife, even searching extensively across the west side of Oahu. What makes this tour special is the intimate, ethical approach. The crew provides all necessary gear and even captures GoPro footage to share afterward. They're particularly skilled with nervous swimmers and families with young children, offering patient guidance for first-timers. Note that this is a BYOB experience focused purely on marine life rather than fancy amenities—you won't get lunch or cocktails, but that keeps the focus where it belongs: on those incredible moments when dolphins surf the boat's wake or baby spotted dolphins swim right past you.
We had the best time on the boat with Koa and Kaden! They were so great with our kids and clearly have such passion for their work! This was definitely the highlight of our vacation and we cannot wait to come back and do it again! We swam with dolphins three times and the last time we were in the middle of 7-8! They were under and in front of us!
Preetha Balakrishnan
April 2, 2026
We had the best time on the boat with Koa and Kaden! They were so great with our kids and clearly have such passion for their work! This was definitely the highlight of our vacation and we cannot wait to come back and do it again! We swam with dolphins three times and the last time we were in the middle of 7-8! They were under and in front of us!
Preetha Balakrishnan
April 2, 2026