The adventurous traveler has many helicopter tours to Maui from which to choose. One of my favorites is a trip to East Maui. Within an hour, this flight brings you closer to the spirit of this Hawaiian island, as far as possible. If you are looking to do something on Maui, add this helicopter ride to your list.
This tour leaves daily from the heliport at Kahului. Minutes in flight, you will find yourself above the region, which the locals call Upcountry, a beautiful area consisting of meadows, hills and ranches that are located on the slopes of Haleakala National Park, where the famous crater Haleakala is located,
Geological wonder, Haleakala Crater is an extinct volcano, which is 7.5 miles wide, 2.5 miles, and 3000 feet deep! Based on these dimensions, the crater could swallow Manhattan Island. In the gloomy landscape of the park, lifeless slag cones are clogged. Fly over this barren environment and you will see that you are looking down on the surface of the moon.
The trip is now sent to the historic city of Hana. On the way, you fly over the Kulau Forest Reserve, the Kinae Valley, the Kukhiva Gorge and the Khan Forest Reserve, the largest of its kind in the USA
The city of Khan is considered one of the most Hawaiian communities in the state. Many of its 1,900 inhabitants have Hawaiian blood and exude an “okhana” or exclusively core concept of the extended family. This sense of tradition and timelessness has led many to characterize Han as “old Hawaii”.
The area around Khana is rich in natural attractions, including lush green pastures, jagged black coastlines, the Kaihalulu Red Sand Beach and the Seven Sacred Basins of Okho-Gulcha (in fact, 24 pools that start at 400-foot Waimoku Falls and feed each other until the stream meets the ocean.).
This helicopter tour in Maui ends with a quick sample of the robustly insulated coastline of East Maui, old sugar plantations and more volcanic moccasins, before making the final drive through the area and landing in Kahului.
There are two types of helicopters on this trip: AStar and EcoStar 130. In many cases I pass aboard the AStar. These are great planes. However, if you are looking for comfort and style, go to EcoStar. These helicopters have 25% more cabin space and are equipped with theater seats and 180-degree windows, making them the perfect tourist helicopter.
I strongly recommend that you take your early morning flight. This is when visibility and weather conditions are better. Take the last flight for sunsets. These two times are the most popular, so book in advance. Imagine also paying a premium if you do not purchase your places on the Internet. It seems to me that more and more travel companies are publishing their best deals on the Internet.
Hawaiian helicopter tours East Maui is a great experience. On the map, Maui looks like a miss. Fly over it, and everything changes. From the paired rain forests and crater monsters to the paradise beaches and cascading waterfalls of Maui is diverse and fascinating. And all this can be seen in an hour. Helicopter tours are an ideal day trip. Try not to leave the “Valley of the Island” without taking it.
