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Blue Hawaii Helicopter Tourswww.bluehawaiian.com Flying High: Helicopter Rides--Only a helicopter can bring you face-to-face with remote sites like Maui's little-known Wall of Tears, up near the summit of Puu Kukui in the West Maui Mountains. A helicopter ride on Maui isn't a wild ride; it's more like a gentle gee-whiz zip into a seldom-seen Eden. You'll glide through canyons etched with 1,000-foot (305m) waterfalls, and over dense rain forests; you'll climb to 10,000 feet (3,048m), high enough to glimpse the summit of Haleakala, and fly by the dramatic vistas at Molokai. The first chopper pilots in Hawaii were good ol' boys on their way back from Vietnam--hard-flying, hard-drinking cowboys who cared more about the ride than the scenery. But not anymore. Today, pilots, like the ones at Blue Hawaiian, are an interesting hybrid: part Hawaiian historian, part DJ, part tour guide, and part amusement-ride operator. As you soar through the clouds, absorbing Maui's scenic terrain, you'll learn about the island's flora, fauna, history, and culture. The best way to see the volcano is from on high, in a helicopter. This bird's-eye view puts the enormity of it all into perspective. No two ways about it--this is an extraordinary way to see the red. The best helicopter firm is * Blue Hawaiian Helicopters (tel. 800/745-BLUE or 808/886-1768; www.bluehawaiian.com), the Cadillac of helicopter tour companies. This professionally run, locally based company has an excellent safety record, comfortable, top-of-the-line 'copters, and pilots who are extremely knowledgeable about everything from vulcanology to Hawaii lore. The company flies out of both Hilo and Waikoloa (Hilo is cheaper because it's closer). The Circle of Fire/Waterfalls 50-minute flight from Hilo takes you to the volcano and past waterfalls, valleys, and remote beaches for $165 per person. From Waikoloa, there's the Kohala Coast Adventure, a 50-minute flight over the Kohala Mountains and remote valleys for $175 per person (volcano not included); or--my favorite--the 2-hour Big Island Spectacular, starring the volcano, tropical valleys, Hamakua Coast waterfalls, and the Kohala Mountains, for $340 (worth every penny). |