By MADDY VITALE
Enjoy a party on the water with Pau Hana Tiki Tours. How about hosting a bachelorette party on a floating Tiki? Or taking a romantic two-hour sunset cruise along the back bays while sipping cool drinks? How does waking up to a morning cruise with coffee in hand sound?
These are just some of the packages offered at the Tiki tour boat business, Pau Hana Tiki, owned by husband and wife, Brian and Jennifer Toner.
“They are a great way to escape to the water on a tropical boat for a few hours. Sunshine, cool breezes, cold drinks, great music and a fun captain — how can you not enjoy it?” Brian Toner said.
Pau Hana Tiki Tours, located at 198 Higbee Avenue in Somers Point, offers plenty of packages to suit groups of up to 12 guests, giving family, friends and couples unique memories on the water.
“The boats, especially our 12-person one, are perfect for bachelorette parties,” Brian said.
They offer guests a glimpse of their whimsical adventures aboard Tiki boats with tours that range from morning coffee Tiki tours to moonlight rides.
The sunset trip is the most popular of the packages, Brian said.
“We typically do a loop along the Somers Point side of the bay, then across to Ocean City by the lagoons, then along the Ocean City waterfront to the inlet and then back up to Somers Point. It’s a perfect two-hour trip,” Brian pointed out. “We go up the river and watch the sunset over the marshes. It’s absolutely beautiful.”
The Toners opened Pau Hana Tiki Tours in April 2021. They are no novices to floating Tiki tours, either. They spent 25 years cruising the United States, the Bahamas and the Caribbean on their boat, before deciding to open their own business.
“We started the business during the pandemic. Jen is a teacher and I owned an event production company. Jen was stuck homeschooling and the live event industry was shut down completely for months,” Brian explained. “We saw a similar boat in Key West, and said we could do it so much better. So we had the boats built during the winter of 2021 and started trips in April of 2021.”
The couple has explored hundreds of beach bars, deserted islands and tropical outposts, making them uniquely qualified to guide guests on memorable tours.
Even the name of their business has a special meaning. Pau Hana is a Hawaiian phrase meaning “finished work,” Brian said. The phrase embodies the Toners’ love of warm water, blue skies, tropical beach bars, chill music, delicious cocktails and having a good time that they offer their guests.
All of the packages are BYOB (bottle) and BYOF (food).
“People can bring everything themselves or we can provide non-alcoholic drink mixers and catering options with charcuterie boards, sandwich platters and cheese and fruit trays,” Brian said.
There are many reasons why Pau Hana Tiki Tours is above the rest of the Tiki tour companies, he noted.
For one, there are three female captains, which he said is rare. It is also the only company that can take up to 12 people on a private trip in the area, he said.
“The other Tikis are either limited to six people or much bigger boats with multiple groups of people mixed together,” he pointed out. “We fill that sweet spot of being intimate and private while still being able to take larger families or groups of friends.”
During the winters, the Toners live in Delaware County, Pa., and summers in Longport.
While Pau Hana Tiki has only been in business for a couple of years, it has flourished.
“Not only do we have people who come year after year, we have many people who book multiple times a summer,” Brian said. “We even have people book the trip who own their own boats. It allows them a fun time on the water without having to worry about operating their boat.”
No matter what guests hope to take away from their adventure hopping on a Tiki boat owned by the Toners, Brian said he and Jennifer have one wish in mind for all of their guests.
“We hope that people get a taste of the islands,” Brian said. “Maybe a little kiss from the sun and amazing memories with the family or friends.”
For more information call 609-778-7745, email at tiki@pauhanatikiboat.com or visit https://pauhanatikiboat.com/
