Reviews of Wild Side Specialty Tours, Honolulu (Zoo)

Dawn Mahealani Douglas

I had an amazing experience on the Best of The West Tour on Tuesday! We had one whale sighting, around 200 dolphins, and a handful of turtles of all sizes!

Stephen Brown

Highly recommend these guys. The tour was easily the highlight of our holiday. Thanks to Captain Jed and April for a fantastic tour on the Island Spirit. Very knowledgeable and easy to talk to. They found a pod of spinner dolphins and explained how we should act in the water to maximise our experience. We had a small group of 5 and it was clear when we got in the water that April knew what she was doing. Following her instruction on how to act the dolphins swam around us and under us (and away from the larger groups from other tours in the water). April also paid special attention to our 9 year old daughter to make sure she was doing ok. On the way back Jed went searching for and found a couple of turtles swimming near the surface, which made my daughter's whole trip (and ours) and we had a great time swimming near them and watching them feed. Worth every cent.

Kevin Ferguson

Fabulous experience. Small groups, knowledgeable crew and great location. We found whales early and often. Swim with wild dolphins is wonderful. Not disappointed they didn't come over to play since I prefer seeing their native behavior in the wild than being trained to do tricks. Nice lunch with Kalua pork and plenty of hydration. They provide all the gear but you can bring your own. Will go again next time we are in islands.

Mari Webber

We had an incredible time with Wild Side. We have swam with dolphins before, in an enclosed type setting. This was so much better to swim with them in the wild and see them in their natural habitat. We learned so much from our trip. Swimming with the sea turtles and beautiful fish was magical. We highly recommend this trip! If we are ever back on Oahu, we will definitely take this trip again. It was the number ONE activity we did for the week we were on the island. Thank you for the lifetime memory.

Jeff Gostlin

We had a great time with these guys. The catamaran was in good shape, the captain and crew were awesome, they took us to the right places to see dolphins, turtles and whales. I would go with this outfit for sure. Small boat (up to 10 guests) was the perfect size, the other outfits are way too big, with too many people on board. Dont go big, there ends up with way too many people in the water, and the dolphins get scared. Smaller boat like wildside is the way to go. Great staff treated us with care and attention. Book with these guys!

Elisha Lai

Awsome tour and crew Downing, Elizabeth, and Kelsey. We saw Whales, Dolphins, Turtles, also unexpected accompany with bottlenose dolphins! It was really fun ! wonderful trip on the sea !

Emily Resnik

We had a fantastic trip (Best of the West) today with Jed and Melissa! They asked up front about our interests, provided information and education about the different species and mountains we saw, and helped everyone feel comfortable with venturing out into the water for snorkeling. I knew I wanted to support a company that respects the animals (after all, we are intruding in their home), and Wild Side absolutely does. All in all, we were able to see two humpback whales, a small pod of spinner dolphins, probably a dozen sea turtles (including two while snorkeling), a white tip reef shark, and many many fish! I can’t recommend this trip enough!

Jamie Chapinski

Can't review the crew or captain due to the boat being broken. We got a call when we were pulling into the parking lot after driving almost 2 hours that we couldn't go. Was a massive disappointment. My wife planned our Oahu trip many months in advance and this was our day to do this trip with 2 kids. So we drove for 4 hours that day for nothing. The captain of the other boat was very nice, however. He tried getting us on other boats but with no success. He gets the stars. We did get refunded but was highly disappointed we didn't get the call until we were there.

brian stein

We are involved in wildlife rescue and are sensitive to things being done badly or if there is fault. Here there was none! Small group, well briefed, experienced crew, knowledgable & care about the wildlife. Dolphins brilliant. Go with people like this, learn, and dont be an idiot human in a kayak trying to chase the dolphins.

davian wexler

I want say that the Deluxe Family Charter was one of the best experiences that my family experience during our vacation in Hawaii. The staff is extremely knowledgable, but more importantly, concerned that everyone on board has a great experience. My wife and son were a bit apprehensive about swimming in the ocean, away from shore and they were treated like friends and made to feel comfortable. My son had a young dofphin swim near him and its mother had to come in and shoo her calf away. Seeing them in the wild is so much more exciting than seeing them in a caged enclosure. We also saw sea turtles, a scorpion fish and many other animals. Besides the in-water experience, the history lessons that we got were informative as well. We were having such a great time, that time flew by. We only wish that we could have come to Hawaii in the winter to see the whales. Definitely will try to come out again and see the whales in the future. Don't bother using another company, these guys are fantastic.

Malia Paul

This was one of the greatest experiences my family has ever had. Our family of 4 had the charter all to ourselves which meant we got an experience tailored to our interests. Our captain communicated with locals to find out where there was a pod of spinner dolphins. After giving us instructions on how to be respectful, we dropped into the water to snorkel. At one point, the pod swam right under us. I was screaming in my snorkel. It was an incredibly majestic moment. Next, we went further out to sea to look for larger sea creatures. Then we had a delicious homemade lunch with chicken salad, fresh fruit, mango salsa, cookies, and Hawaiian juices. After that, we traveled to a reef where we saw stingray, sea turtles, and beautiful fish. It was a wonderful afternoon (4 hours). I can't give this group enough praise. HIGHLY recommend.

Julie H

If you're looking for an intimate, educational and respectful encounter with marine wild life, choose this company. They were knowledgeable and knew when to be patient and when to have people get in the water. Didn't feel rushed at all and crew checked in with everyone to make sure they were comfortable. Thank you April, Alicia and Captain Mike. We had a great time learning about Spinner dolphins and the opportunity to swim with the pod!

Ashley L.

We had such an amazing experience with Wild Side! Right off the bat we got to swim with a pod of about 40 spinner dolphins, many of them were an arms length away too! We also saw many reef fish and sea turtles. Our guide was very knowledgeable and constantly asking if we needed anything and offering snacks and water. When we were looking for a tour group in O'ahu, we really wanted one that felt more personal and eco-friendly, vs. tours that seemed more interested in selling you photo ops. Wild Side was more expensive, but definitely worth it. Our group had 10 people (vs another group we saw at the harbor that loaded 33 people on one boat) and we loved how they made sure to inform everyone not to try and touch or chase after any of the animals, and also what their signs of stress were so everyone could know to back away and give them space if needed. We would definitely recommend them to friends going to O'ahu and go out with them again!

D_T UniqueBeijing

Cap Eliazabeth and the crew（a young girl）were so professional，they took us to the right place right time，we saw a group of dolphins first , then met mother/baby whales at several spots. First time swam with sea turtles and dolphins~~~exceptional! Highly recommend this company, small group is so much better.

Falko Adermann

Fantastic tour. Limited to only a small group at a time and they really emphasise on making sure everyone has an unforgettable experience. I'm not the strongest swimmer but they made sure to accommodate this perfectly. Highly recommended

Marlene Merritt

This was a fantastic company. 6 people on the boat, 3 tour guides who knew TONS, and we saw whales within 15 minutes of starting. Oh, and a sea turtle. And we got to snorkel with about 50 wild dolphins. It was the trip of a lifetime and they were amazing. Highly, highly recommended. Will do again.

Cody Powell

This was an amazing day! The crew of the Island Spirit made sure that even with some rough conditions the trip was fun and full of the beautiful sights of Oahu. We saw a bunch of humpback whales (including a calf), several pods of dolphin, turtles, and even a seal! Having a smaller party really makes a difference, as you get plenty of one-on-one time with the crew. Also, the on-board lunch was killer! 100% recommend, will do again. P.S. please start selling those orange hoodies Wild Side!

Liana Tyson

My tour guides, Crystal and Trevor, were great. The boat ride was wonderful and we saw and swam with a lot of spinner dolphins. Then, on the ride back a bottlenose joined our boat which is more unusual to see. I got sea sick in the water and Crystal was very helpful at getting me back on track. Even while sea sick I was so happy to be out there. The four hour tour is definitely worth the price! I will go back to them every time I visit.

shawn lucas

I can't give enough praise! I have been coming to Waikiki every year for a dozen years with and this is by far the best time I've ever had on Oahu! (I've done a lot too, helicopter tours, hikes, surfing lessons, snorkeling, parasailing, sunset cruises etc...). I am seriously kicking myself for not trying this sooner. I was blown away with the beauty of the West Coast to begin with. Even without dolphins, whales, turtles, fish it's gorgeous!!! I loved the boat ride, sitting in the front and feeling the ocean breeze while watching the beautiful coastline go by (and keeping an eye open for whales). Noel (tour master) was lovely! She obviously loves what she does and the environment. Very knowledgeable and patient. I could hang out with her anytime (and I'm an absolute introvert). Also, if you are debating going on boat tour for half the price...don't! We saw those boats dump like 40 tourists into the water at once (very loud and chaotic looking!!!) while we had only 6 people on ours. What a huge difference. This tour met and exceeded all my expectations. Swam with dolphins, saw humpbacks, swam with turtles on a delightful, colorful reef. Lunch was fresh and perfect. The captain provided a smooth, skillful ride and was also a lovely person. I even asked what someone had to do to become a crew member (and bought a crew tee !) I forgot my rash guard and the mailed it to me at no charge!!! I will be booking with them again next year for sure and I can't wait!!!

Nicole Nelson

We had a great time with Trevor and Karen on the Island spirit boat. We got to swim with dolphins and turtles and we saw a whale from a distance! The staff was knowledgeable and friendly. I definitely think experiencing the wildlife is easy more fun than just watching from a boat so two thumbs up from us! Big bonus is that the scenery around the harbor is breathtaking and probably not something we would have seen on our own. The lunch is more like a snack so I would be sure to just plan for that. But all around a great value!!

Donnie Lousberg

April and the Australian captain were awesome. We really loved the tour. We did the small group tour with upto 6 people. I only wish we were on the catamaran and not the fishing boat. I wish we had more time snorkelling with the dolphins or just more time snorkelling in general, but the whole trip was amazing. I think we didn't do as much stuff because one person got sea sick really bad. The crew worked with the seasick lady and got her back to walking back to her car. When I go back to Oahu I definitely will do this tour again no questions asked.

Diana Johnson

We booked the Deluxe Wildlife Charter and it was the perfect experience for us! We had 2 adults, 2 seniors (70's+) and 1 child (10yrs) in our party. Our tour included stops at 2 different sites to swim with the spinner dolphins (even got to see a baby spinner) plus another stop to experience the turtle cleaning station. Of course, there was snorkeling as well. A couple of added bonuses: We were surprised by a pair bottlenose dolphins that came over to the boat, hung out for a while and put on a show. We also saw some critically endangered Hawaiian monk seals. Throughout our trip, Noelle, Kelsey and Captain Downy took excellent care of us. We found them very helpful and knowledgeable. The education aspect was great. Noelle shared lots of facts and many of her personal experiences with monk seal and sea turtle rescues. They went out of their way to make sure everyone felt safe in deep water which is really important with less experienced snorkelers. Toward the end, my daughter was getting tired and wanted to go back to the boat. Kelsey offered to tow her to the turtle cleaning station so she would have the chance to experience this. She even dove down to retrieve a sea urchin for my daughter to hold. We booked with Wild Side because a portion of the fees goes to the Wild Dolphin Foundation and we are so glad we did!

Wendi Murray

We had the best time! We happened to get on the afternoon boat the day prior to going. We got on the 10 passenger boat and had 2 kids with us which was totally fine. April was good at sharing info about the dolphins and naming the fish for us. I was really glad we got to go in the water twice to see the dolphins because the first time was half a second of seeing them zoom by. I don’t think we would have if I wouldn’t have persisted. The second time was great! I understand it’s dependent on the animals. But the only thing I wish didn’t happen was we were kind of rushed out of the water. Maybe I didn’t know something. Maybe it’s safer this way but it was so fun I didn’t exactly want to be rushed backed to the boat. I give them the benefit but I am not talking a long time just minutes to 5 minutes was all to explain myself more. We saw dolphins, ok run to the boat ASAP. Really though it was still great! We heard a whale that was within 5 mile radius, saw spinner dolphins (in water) and spotted dolphins on the boat which are a rare find, April shared. I highly recommend this for everyone! Just wish I brought an underwater camera! The food was decent too. Everything was really great. Thank you! Photos by me-@wendiloisphotography

Dana Lewis

The tour we took with Wild Side was the best thing we did in Hawaii. Captain Downey and April took us to all the greatest places to see whales up close and personal. Even being able to hear them communicating with each other was absolutely amazing. We went right into several pods of spinner dolphins and we able to swim within their pod. April explained exactly how to swim with them respectfully, to not disturb them. More like being with them. Finally we moved to the sea turtle cleaning station. This was just another amazing part of nature. Turtles slowly swimming in one by one like a car wash and the fish cleaning them, eating algae off of them. Next turtle please as one departs. Very organized but relaxed. Thank you so much for the amazing day.

Jennifer Threatt

I’ve done a ton of snorkeling excursions but the intimate setting and smaller boat with the excursion tailored to your interest make all of the difference. Captain Downey and Mel were a wonderful crew who educated us regarding the animals and made sure we were comfortable. We were able to see everything we wanted; Pilot whales, spinner dolphins, stingrays, and turtles. Lunch was also pretty good. Worth the money to have a more personalized excursion. Highly recommended!

Dave Bartoo

Capt. Mike, April, and Alicia were an excellent crew. This is a nice small outing with an extremely caring staff . My daughter got sick and they were very caring and helpful. We saw lots of dolphins and were very close to them in the water. We highly recommend this group!

Kristina Shapovalova

Amazing experience with the group that we had! We had 10 people and 4 staff members! Elizabeth, Cpt Downing, Noelle and Lisa! They did an amazing job with explaining everything and make sure we get the best experience. Since they take only small groups it's always more fun because they focus on every one of us and not just a big crowd. We got to swim with dolphins and swim with turtles! Overall best experience and very recomended!!!

Pam Thompson

Fantastic experience. I highly recommend Wild Side Specialty Tours! Elizabeth was our main guide during the tour and she was great! They truly respect the wildlife and taught us how to interact conscientiously with the dolphins and sea turtles. We swam with so many spinner dolphins and sea turtles. And when a sighting of spotted dolphins was announced on the radio, the captain changed course and steered the ship towards the pod so we could witness these dolphins, too.

Cary Weyrauch

April and Justin were great. So much patience with the kids. Just our family of 10 on the boat.

Shawna Pearman

Paige and April were excellent guides. Very knowledgeable and friendly. Captain Justin was a well suited Captain.

Honu REP

Rude

Svetlana R

We were disappointed with our experience. First of all we had a safety brief meanwhile another tour operator has already departed and started a snorkeling tour right next to the playing dolphins (we embarked at the same time). When we finished it, we passed by this group without a stop, ok. But then it appeared that dolphins are in “traveling mode”, so we could see them in water for a few seconds far away and just passing by. That was all. We saw some dolphins groups far away when we were on the boat and that’s it. We drove the opposite direction the dolphins were swimming to. I don’t mean we have to chase them, but gently following would be nice. Of course we haven’t met any dolphins at the opposite direction. We did a little bit of snorkeling which was boring and that’s it. The stars are because the group was small (6 persons), the staff was nice and friendly and we had lunch onboard, it was tasty. But it definitely doesn’t worth the money I paid. I expected much better experience. I wouldn’t be so upset in case we didn’t meet them. But we did. And missed all the chances to snorkel with them. It looked more like dolphins watching from far away than snorkeling with dolphins.

Char Taylor

Our experience was amazing. Great crew. They went above and beyond. Highly recommend. Thank you

Student

Best part of our trip! Saw pilot whales, spotted Dolphins, spinner Dolphins, turtles and plenty of wildlife! I loved how they respect the wildlife and provide information on all the wildlife, unlike big boats. Definitely worth booking with a smaller boat; such an intimate and memorable experience. Crew and caption were fantastic. Such an amazing experience. 10/10 would recommend.

Kim Palmer

This was our absolute favorite thing we did on vacation here. The crew was so knowledgeable, friendly and very respectful of the wildlife. We saw and heard a humpback whale, several pods of spinner dolphins and got to snorkel alongside a large sea turtle. Highly recommend this!

Chris Corsentino

WOW, what a great time. The crew was fun and the lunch was delicious. I was surprised by the experience, I had no idea how much sealife we would see. I highly recommend to anyone looking for a unique experience in a small group setting. Mahalo!

Min S

Very friendly staff. Time very well spent.

Marcus Sheather-Burton

Had a wild time. On this tour we sighted several whales, and had a whale pass almost directly under the boat. We did not see dolphins, but of course that cannot be guaranteed as you are in the wild. When snorkeling, we swam with some sea turtles, which for me was the highlight (and this surprised me). Tour was very personable, with small group sizes - we observed rather large groups heading out at the same time as us. And the early(ish) start means you have a few hours on (and in) the water and still have the afternoon to do something else.

C K

(Translated by Google) The "Best of the West" tour was the best we have experienced at all. Our expectations were far exceeded. Here you can experience a lot in a small group. We have seen whales and dolphins and were able to snorkel with dolphins and turtles. The dolphins and turtles have approached very close to us. The Department respects the marine life and give this also very loving us guests. Mahalo! Aloha (Original) Die "Best of the West" Tour war das beste, was wir überhaupt erlebt haben. Unsere Erwartungen wurden weit übertroffen. Hier kann man in einer kleinen Gruppe viel erleben. Wir haben Wale und Delfine beobachten können und durften mit Delfinen und Schildkröten schnorcheln. Die Delfine und Schildkröten sind sehr nah an uns herangekommen. Die Crew respektiert die Meeresbewohner und vermittelt dies auch sehr liebevoll uns Gästen. Mahalo! Aloha

Shayna DubbinHarris

“Warning - potentially life changing. Certainly life affirming. Our award-winning cruises are intimate, ecologically friendly, nature-minded, and foster lasting connections "'where the wild things are". That’s what the ad says on the Internet. The experience was all of that and so much more. If you only do one thing in Hawaii, DO THIS. The website does not exaggerate in the least. The well-run, well-kept docks, the spotless boat, the facility itself and the friendly, professional, knowledgeable crew made a wonderful impression that just kept getting better as we left the docks, right on time, and headed for the open ocean on a glorious Hawaii morning. Ho'ohana - I watched them work with purpose and intent. I learned a lot of Hawaiian words that day, and actually got to live some of their meanings. After chatting with Tori the Captain, in 20 seconds I knew she was a consummate professional who loves her work and it showed throughout our adventure. A perfect example of Malama, as I watched the crew serve and honor, care for and protect, from the heart. The devotion and dedication of the crew were evident everywhere I looked. All of the plentiful equipment was in excellent shape and perfectly suited for our purposes. Within 7 minutes or so of leaving the docks, we came upon 3 pods of spinner dolphin moms with their babies. Off went the engines and our adventure began. As I pushed off from the rear of the boat, I noticed well-kept, spotless engine. No barnacles I could see, no oil leaking into the sea, no funny smells. The absence of these pollutants is what I noticed. These folks are pros who care deeply for Mother Ocean and have clearly devoted their lives to that endeavor and it shows in all they do. Mahalo - It was easy to see they live in thankfulness, and speak in appreciation; Nana i kumu - They have found their truth and it constantly inspires them; 'Imi 'Ike - They have pursued wisdom, have learned and know well; and Lokomaika'i - They shared it with their guests. Their rules were simple, few and made perfect sense. Don’t molest or approach the sea life, especially the dolphins. What I respected most was the attitude of the crew: “Take nothing from Mother Ocean and leave no trace of your visit.” I love that. Ho'ohanohano - Honor the dignity of others, act with integrity and respect. We came upon a funeral ceremony where ashes were scattered and a life was celebrated by loved ones. Among the canoe boats in the ceremony were pods of dolphins, behaving respectably, jumping, diving, spinning and just being a part of Life the way I think it was meant to be. For those few hours, all of us were connected and a part of something so much bigger than just "us." It was Pono - When all is good and right. Please don’t change a single thing. Indeed, in 5 weeks, I will be doing it again. This is a once in a lifetime experience for which one should be prepared for the unexpected. It is inspiring, it is “certainly life affirming,” and especially “life changing.” Even while free diving the turtle cleaning station, I expected some murky waters, yet the waters were that shade of Hawaiian Blue that only appears in the Pacific, off the coast of Oahu. Everything was crystal clear. I left the adventure with a feeling of Paha'oha'o - To wonder - filled with a sense of wonder at how much more there is to our world than just "us" and how crucial it is for all of us to do our part to ensure that Mother Ocean continues eternally, as She should. I hope never to repeat this experience again – it was too special to want to precisely repeat, however I plan to swim with the dolphins and the turtles again next month when I visit Wild Side for another, once in a lifetime experience. Sincerely, Shayna Harris

David Levy

Great experience, crew, and lunch! Would definitely recommend.

Tammy Jergens

Small groups made it more fun and individual attention for each guest. Got to see a manta ray, sea turtles, humpback tail splashes, spinner dolphins, pygmy sharks and bottle nose dolphins. short snorkel lessons were given and you could get in and explore the ocean or stay aboard and just watch. No one had to do anything they did not want to do. Lex was our captain, Noelle was our crew guide and Sofia set everything up. They were the bet staff ever. They went out of their way to make sure we got to do everything we wanted to do. provided lunch, drinks and snacks as well. We also got copies of all the photos they took while we were out. Next time we visit Oahu we will be booking with them again.

Cécile Giordano

(Translated by Google) An unforgettable experience ! Swim with dozens of dolphins in snokeling, see turtles being bathed by fish, racing with another dolphin race. We took full eyes and our daughter of 4 years! An adorable, passionate team and a lunch included! Must do if you are traveling on the island! (Original) Une expérience inoubliable ! Nager avec des dizaines de dauphins en snokeling, voir des tortues se faire faire la toilette par des poisson, faire la course en bateau avec une autre race de dauphins. On en a prit plein les yeux ainsi que notre fille de 4 ans ! Une équipe adorable, passionnées et un déjeuner inclus ! À faire absolument si vous voyagez sur l'île !

Matthew Barlow

Seriously one of the best days I’ve ever had on the water, staff were impeccable listened to everything we wanted to do and found us some incredible spots along the way, whales, dolphins, turtles. Also had a delicious lunch could not fault them at all!!

Kate O'Connor

Fair prices and nice people. But they sell it as this great adventure; that, it is not. You will likely see dolphins, you might see turtles and you might see fish. If you don't want to get off the boat you will see a couple dolphins if you're lucky and that's it. It's not some magical adventure, you can see more and touch things at Sea Life.

Doug Maner

one morning we saw over a dozen whales, even more dolphins and a few turtles just from the boat. Then we got in the water, swam with a large dolphin pod, in a very respectful and responsible way. We also swam with some sea turtles and had a surprise sighting of two monk seals {which our guide was very careful that we kept our distance and didn't interfere with them}. The captain, on board marine and biologist and the Noelle ( dolphin whisperer) made sure we safely experienced as many marine mammals as possible without disturbing them.

Erin Smith

We scheduled for a 10 person boat. The captain called us an hour before our ship departed to tell us the waters were choppy. We were already en route, so we showed up to ask about rescheduling. When we arrived we found out the waters were not choppy, and several other boats were departing. We found out the captain was actually sick for the past two days, and had been canceling his tours. We wish we had been called the previous day about the captain being sick, since there are no backup captains. The other captain for the 6 person boat was very helpful and friendly. If you do decide to go with Wild Side, definitely request the 6 person boat with Noel.

Christopher Sweeney

Had an absolutely fantastic day out. I went on the Whale-o-polis cruise to see the humpbacks. The captain did his absolute upmost to give us the best, uninterrupted view of the whales. We saw mothers and calves, raced along the shoreline to try and catch a group of breaching whales, and left the business of multiple boats to set out on our own to watch the whales without other boats around. The crew could not do enough for us and I would have no hesitations in recommending these guys to anybody looking for the best whale watching experience on the island. Thanks guys!

Karen Russell

Had a wonderful day out on (and in) the water! We got lucky and saw some dolphin fins and spins, multiple humpback whales, and even a sea turtle :-) This company seems to be very knowledgeable about and respectful of the wild animals and their habitat. Thank you Noel and Jed!

Carrie Crawford

Great crew, great boat, great location! Small group and knowledgeable crew. We saw a bonded pair, mother/baby and one whale breached several times for us! The dolphins made several passes so we had a great look at them while in the water. Excellent email communication with Wild Side staff also. Highly recommended!

Claudine Bellefleure

Small group, awesome people, cool captain, delicious snack, beautiful boatride enjoying sun & breeze, stunning underwater world, respectful contact with animals, perfect day! Would do it once a month if I lived there

Irish Kennedy's

Humpback whales. Tour guides had never seen mom and calf so close to the boat. They went under us. One of the coolest things everyone were able to enjoy. We saw a few more whales!

Matt P

Great experience. Small and intimate. Our guide was amazing and knowledgeable. Only downside was larger tour groups showing up and disturbing the serenity. Will try this excursion again in the future.

Soke Miyagi

So so

Denise Oldenburger

The best day!