The best dolphin tour from Ko Olina

Ko Olina is where most visitors stay on the west side of Oahu, and dolphin sightings are reliable because Hawaiian spinner pods pass right through the channel. The Ko Olina Ocean Adventures catamaran is the most convenient pick if you're at Aulani or the Four Seasons. You walk straight from your hotel to the marina, three hours on the water with a hot buffet, and dolphins are commonly encountered on the way out toward Waianae. If you want the more serious dolphin experience and don't mind a twenty-minute drive west, Wild Side Specialty Tours out of Waianae runs small semi-private boats led by marine biologists. Both are legitimate. The catamaran is easier; the Waianae tour is the better wildlife experience.