Mokoliʻi Island — Kayak to Chinaman’s Hat

Mokoliʻi — Oahu’s Most Photographed Island

Mokoliʻi (meaning "little lizard" in Hawaiian) is the iconic cone-shaped island 500 yards off Kualoa Regional Park — the shortest and easiest kayak trip on Oahu.

How It Works — Pick Up & Go

1. Check in at our Kailua shop (134B Hamakua Dr). We'll help load your vehicle with our foam pads or rigid racks — fits any 4-door car.

2. Drive yourself to the launch point. You're a private boater now — the adventure is yours. Kualoa Beach Park is about a 35-minute drive from our shop.

3. Return the gear by closing time. That's it. No delivery, no guides — just you and the water.

See full transport instructions →

Quick Facts

Paddle distance: ~500 yards
Paddle time: 10–15 minutes each way
Water depth: Waist-deep at high tide, knee-deep at low
Summit hike: 15 minutes, steep/rocky — closed-toe shoes required

The Legend

Hawaiian legend says the goddess Hiʻiaka (sister of Pele) slew a great moʻo (dragon). She threw its tail into the ocean, where it became Mokoliʻi. The nickname "Chinaman’s Hat" comes from its resemblance to a Chinese peasant’s conical straw hat.

Plan Your Oahu Kayaking Adventure

We are based out of Kailua where we have our storefront. Make a reservation with us and we will set you up with kayaks, beach gear and amazing self-guided experiences.

We provide a rental service and can suggest some of the best places to experience Oahu’s natural beauty. We also have some hand-picked self-guided experiences that are perfect if you are looking for something specific, pre-planned, and approachable but don’t have the time to do the research and extra planning that comes with a regular rental.

We offer self-guided stand-up paddle boarding or self-guided kayak tours on a secluded river in Kahana Valley and ocean kayaking to Mokolii, Chinaman’s Hat, where you can hike and see amazing views. We also offer kayaking to the Mokulua islands in Kailua Bay where you will get a permit from our team to land your kayak on the beach of the bird sanctuaries of Popoia island (Flat island) or Moku Nui, one of the Mokulua Islands (Twin Islands).

Join us for a single activity or do a multi-day rental so you can keep adventuring for your whole trip. We help make your Oahu kayaking adventures a breeze so you have more time on the water packed with priceless memories that you can take home with you.

Awards

Testimonials

“We booked kayaks for our family to go to Mokoli’i. I was so impressed with the knowledge and responsiveness. Jared contacted me before our self guided tour and was there on time and available at pick-up. He was friendly and helpful as we navigated this most epic journey. I would 100% recommend this company to others.”

– Mindy S

“…There was great communication with the staff and they were very informative as well. We had a very enjoyable time and would definitely use Active Oahu Tours kayak rental company again!”

– Bri

“Excellent customer service from Logan. I was staying down in Waikiki and he texted me in the morning to confirm all the details before I came out!”…”Super fun morning and I recommend it to everyone interested in a great activity away from the crowds of Waikiki. I ubered out to the meeting location from Waikiki and was able to catch an Uber back easily.”

– C Bland