Somewhere in the gap between helicopter tours and hiking has emerged a rainforest adventure called ZIPLINING. Strapped safely in a harness, the zipliner races over a series of cables like Tom Cruise in a “Mission Impossible” flick. Once you’re buckled up, you’ll dip through leafy-topped old-growth trees, fly over unique volcanic terrain and soar past… Continue »
PARASAILING in Kailua Bay is an easy-to-master thrill ride in a gorgeous surrounding. The water in the bay is so clear you can almost see the ocean floor, and most days, you’ll be drifting through cloudless blue skies. Travelers wanting to venture high above Big Island’s waters will particularly enjoy UFO PARASAIL. Since 1985, UFO… Continue »
It would be a mistake to rely on simple synonyms or mere metaphors to describe a FLYING TOUR of Hawai‘i Island. One could say it’s like a mythical ride on a magic carpet, or a scene from a James Bond thriller, with a chopper skirting a live volcano while lava oozes down the mountain slopes…. Continue »
Most Hawai‘i Island HELICOPTER TOURS originate from Kailua-Kona or Hilo. But there is one company that flies out of Waikoloa on the Kohala Coast. BLUE HAWAIIAN HELICOPTERS maintains a PRIVATE HELIPORT in the high-end tourist area, making it convenient for Kohala Coast visitors to book a tour. Blue Hawaiian Helicopters, which conducts tours throughout the… Continue »
There are helicopter tours, and then there are HELICOPTER ADVENTURES. Sightseers will want to book a tour; adventurers will go for the doors-off, multiple-landing option. PARADISE HELICOPTERS can accommodate either mood. Along with views of an active volcano, lava flows, waterfalls and gorgeous terrain, Paradise Helicopters has designed tours that touch down in intriguing spots…. Continue »
A NIGHT FLIGHT OVER A SIMMERING VOLCANO is an eerie and spectacular sight, and BIG ISLAND AIR is the only tour operator in Hawai‘i that conducts volcano flights after the sun goes down. From a seat in the company’s jet prop CE-208 Cessna Caravan, surface lava takes on higher definition. And from the sky, you’re… Continue »
Helicopters aren’t the only birds that tour the island. Try a FIXED-WING FLIGHT for longer travel time. Unlike most helicopter tours that cut across the saddle of the island to get to the volcano, a fixed-wing plane has enough fuel to COVER ALL 266 MILES of coastline, including the often-ignored southern end of the island…. Continue »
If floating above the surface in a two-person flying machine sparks your imagination, take to the sky in a POWERED HANG GLIDER. During your flight, you’ll learn the basics of weight-shift control, aerodynamics and safety, as well as a bit about weather and its effects on aviation. Once you’ve reached a relaxed flying altitude, an… Continue »
No matter how you choose to fly, an AIR TOUR of Hawai‘i Island is likely to bring into view the island’s intriguing assortment of VOLCANOES. Here’s a short pre-flight briefing on some of them: KILAUEA: One of the Earth’s MOST ACTIVE VOLCANOES, it is located in HAWAI‘I VOLCANOES NATIONAL PARK on the southeastern flank of… Continue »
From the technological advances of windsurfing, paragliding and wakeboarding has come a hot new water sport called KITESURFING, or KITEBOARDING. This extreme sport takes wind, guts, the right equipment and a lot of practice. The surfer stands on a KITEBOARD (a small surfboard with straps) and is pulled across the water by a big kite…. Continue »