A typical vacation is spent walking around, viewing the sites, and grabbing some food before heading back to your room to repeat the process the next day, and the next. When you travel to the Hawaiian Islands, it doesn’t have to anywhere near as formulaic. In fact, in this tropical paradise, you can spend a good portion of your day avoiding something that most vacations require – keeping your feet on the ground.
The Hawaiian Islands – whether you’re on Maui, Oahu, the Big Island, or Kauai – offer a huge variety of activities that let you take the pressure off your feet while still sending you on an in-depth exploration of the beauty of these oases. If you don’t mind heights, or perhaps want to test your own limitations, consider any of these high-flying activities!
Ziplining
Probably the most sought after activity in the islands, ziplining is a staple for every Hawaiian expedition. If you’re looking to get yourself off the ground and to an incredible vantage point, this is a great way to accomplish that.
Strap into a state-of-the-art harness that flies you high over the island’s terrain, rushing by the towering canopies of the tallest trees. Around you, the island stretches out, its green and tan eventually giving way to the expansive deep blue.
Ziplining is a freeing experience, the warm tropical air rushing against you, adding to the thrill of flying over the island’s terrain. Thanks to the modern braking system on most of the ziplines, you can let loose and spread your arms to truly feel like you’re flying – and capture some awesome pictures and video while you’re at it.
Parasailing
For another vantage point, you can take your desire for flight out over the Pacific Ocean. Strap in for the ride of your life as you’re lifted high into the sky and pulled around over the sea. Your parasail elevates you to heights where you can gaze back to the green of the island and see what everything looks like from the ocean.
Even the landing is enjoyable, bringing you back into the warm waters to cap off an entirely refreshing activity.
Helicopter
To get a glimpse at much more of the island, you need to go really high – higher than any zipline and higher even than parasailing. Aboard a comfortable helicopter, you get a panoramic view, including the summits of the towering volcanoes that make up these tropical islands.
Depending on the island you’re on, you can get picturesque views of Mauna Kea, Mauna Loa, and the eruption and lava flow of Kilauea on the Big Island of Hawaii. On Maui, see the expansive West Maui Mountains that make up all of island’s western side. Be sure to bring a camera because you’re about to experience sights that you’ll want to share!
