Leisurely cruise, exhilarating ride — the Waikiki Ocean Thriller combines both in a fun new way to see Waikiki from the sea.

Rambo II and Rambo III are 32-foot, rigid-hull inflatable boats (RHIBs) that accommodate up to 20 people. Like canoes and kayaks, they seat passengers as close to the water as possible without actually being in it. And they move and maneuver much faster than most other watercraft.

“Sailboats are slower than RHIBs and tend to rock a lot because they’re top-heavy and relatively narrow,” said Captain Supervisor Chad Hasegawa. “Catamarans are also slower and usually don’t provide the personalized, small-group experience that RHIBs do.”

The tour also gets a thumbs-up for its engaging narration about past and present-day Waikiki. There’s no set script. The information the guide shares varies, depending on the interests of guests, and even kamaaina are bound to learn something.

For example, Waikiki means “spouting water,” and, as its name suggests, the area was once a wetland with numerous ponds that were reputedly so full of fish, they could be caught without a net.

In the mid- to late 1800s, Waikiki was a retreat for Hawaiian royalty. King Kamehameha IV, King Kamehameha V, King Lunalilo, King Kalakaua, Queen Lili‘uokalani and Princess Ka‘iulani were among the alii who had vacation homes there.

Today some 5 million people from around the globe visit Waikiki each year, and world-class resorts line the beach. One hotel that’s easy to spot, even without the guide’s help, is The Royal Hawaiian, dubbed the “Pink Palace of the Pacific” for its distinctive color. It stands in an area known in ancient times as Helumoa, meaning “chicken scratch.”

As the story goes, in the 15th century Ma‘ilikukahi, king of Oahu, relocated his seat of government from the central part of the island to Waikiki on the South Shore, where there was an abundance of fresh water. Six generations later his descendent King Kakuhihewa was playing games in Waikiki when a supernatural rooster landed by his feet, scratched the earth and disappeared. Believing this was an omen, Kakuhihewa planted coconut palms at the site, which eventually expanded into a grove of some 10,000 trees.

“It is said Kamehameha the Great and his warriors camped near Helumoa as they prepared for battle with Oahu’s king, Kalanikupule,” Hasegawa said. “After Kamehameha defeated Kalanikupule in 1795, he built a home at Helumoa among the coconut trees. That’s how Helumoa got its nickname: King’s Grove.”

From time to time the captain idles the engine, allowing guests to soak in the scenery and snap pictures of marine animals that might appear. According to Hasegawa, even though RHIBs are speedy, they don’t disturb undersea life because they’re small and their “footprint” on the water is small.

In fact, schools of humuhumu eleele often rise to the surface as the boat nears, seemingly to say hello. Although eleele means “black,” this fish is actually dark blue or dark green with a bit of orange near the front of its head. It eats both plants and meat (e.g., small fish, shrimp and plankton).

Protected under the U.S. Endangered Species Act and Hawaii state law, the honu (green sea turtle) is named for the greenish color of its fat and cartilage, not its shell. It can grow up to 5 feet long, weigh up to 700 pounds and live more than 80 years.

Thousands of years ago, volcanic activity created what’s now known as Turtle Canyon a mile off Waikiki. There, underwater lava formations resembling fingers point southeast.

“We can’t see it from the boat, but we know this is a busy ‘cleaning station,’ where small fish eat parasites and dead tissue off honu and bigger fish,” Hasegawa said. “During the tour we usually see at least a few honu bobbing in the waves before going down for more cleaning.”

Every seat on Rambo II and Rambo III offers a front-row view. Other than a canopy for partial shade, the boats are open to the elements, so expect to get splashed (which is actually quite refreshing) and to feel the wind on your face and in your hair, especially when the captain hits the top speed of 35 miles per hour.

But that’s part of the fun! Hang onto your hat and hoot and holler as he drives the boat in circles, zigzags and figure-eights. It’s a blast being on a big blue playground with surfers, windsurfers, sailors, parasailors and canoe paddlers.

“Our tour packs a lot in just 45 minutes,” Hasegawa said. “You’ll go on a thrill ride, see Waikiki from a different perspective, learn about Hawaiian culture and history, observe marine life in their natural environment rather than in an aquarium tank — and still have a good part of the day to enjoy the other great things that Oahu offers.”

Cheryl Chee Tsutsumi is a Honolulu-based freelance writer whose travel features for the Star-Advertiser have won several Society of American Travel Writers awards.