Romantic Sunset Starlight and Full Moon Tour

My husband and I were very excited about this excursion after reading all the reviews. We really enjoyed the kayaking aspect of it. The problem was that a front was in the process of coming in and the water was very choppy. We didn't see the wildlife that many others reported seeing, but understood that was out of the tour guide's hands. When he did find something to show us, Chad didn't wait for the entire group to catch up and see it. There was one woman on our tour who had absolutely no experience at all. Because of the tide and winds, she had an extremely tough time. At times, she was left very far behind the group and the guide did nothing to help her. I feel that before going out the guide should go over basic kayaking techniques once everyone is in their kayak and can practice the moves. It was a very interesting experience, especially when you put on the headlamps and move through the mangroves. We would do it again, hopefully in better weather conditions so we could see more wildlife.

It was wonderful to kayak in the beautiful water and mangroves and learn about the sea life.

The Sunset Kayak Tour was fun and informative. We had a nice sized group (six people) and could easily hear the naturalist describe flora and fauna. She also passed around some critters to those who chose to handle them. Using the headlamps while paddling under the mangrove roots was a unique experience, and I would have enjoyed more time in the mangroves. If you are interested in the mangrove ecosystem, and enjoy kayaking at night, then this tour is for you!

We thoroughly enjoyed the evening. Leader was encouraging and exceptionally informative. Learned a lot about the mangroves and saw sea animals in their natural habitat. We would probably never have kayaked in the evening - in the mangroves - by ourselves. Katie picked us up at our hotels and made sure we had an unforgettable adventure. Highly recommended - and you don't have to be an experienced kayaker.

I have been kayaking for twelve years and this was one of my favorite trips. Our guide (James) was very informative and knowledgeable. He made sure he answered all the questions and that everyone could hear him and that no one was left out. I would do this again and highly reccomend it to anyone. It would be great for groups and families alike.

The tour was very nice. We were able to see several of the mangroves natural inhabitants. I would definitely recommend this tour to those experienced with a kayak and a desire to see some creatures you'd normally not find on your own. The only downside would be if you are in a large group and some of the group have not kayaked before. We had a couple who indicated that they had experience but obviously did not. Also, there were about 12 people in the group. That is too large to fully enjoy. Much of the time was moving across the open water and through the mangroves. A lot of time was spent jostling for position to hear the guide and then trying to break apart from the group to keep moving forward. The only other issue was the Full Moon on our tour. It made it impossible to view any of the bioluminescent plankton. That was a bummer. If you have the ability to pick a time without such a bright moon, you may be able to see even more. Overall though, a fun thing to do if you've "done it all" in Key West and if you're adventurous.

Chad definitely knew his stuff and made learning fun. I would recommend this trip to anyone who is looking to start off a great evening in Key West. -Mark

We really enjoyed this. We spend a good chunk of time down here and do a lot of boating and some kayaking, anyway - so the idea of being out on kayaks in the keys and seeing sea critters wasn't new to us. But, the guide was so passionate and knowledgeable that we still got a lot out of it. We stayed out a good hour over the time allotted (though I'm sure there's no guarantee of that!) because he was finding so many things to show us and was intent on finding more. Take a break from the bars on Duval Street and do it...

I highly recommend this trip. This was the second year in a row that my daughter (a teenager) and I did this kayak trip on Christmas Day at sunset. Chris is an excellent and informative guide, and the sea life you see and views of the coast and mangroves provide a once-in-a-lifetime experience. And kayaing in the pitch dark through the mangroves is not something you will be able to do in too many places. (If you are very tall, though, watch out going under some of the low hanging mangrove branches!! The kayaking itself is not overly strenuous and the equipment is all very new and very easy to use.

We just did this last week and we strongly recommend the Sunset tour. James was our friendly guide and in spite of it being only 60 degrees and cloudy we had a great time. We didn't get to see a good sunset but once the sun was down all the critters came out. James was able to find dozens of different animals (conch, starfish, sea cucumber, crab, lobster, octopus, etc) for us to see and sometimes hold. It was a really unique tour and well worth the money. Bring a camera and enjoy! Kristen and Steve