Hi loves!
Today is the day – you finally get to hear all the details about one of the coolest experiences I’ve ever had!
Helicopter Rides in Paradise
While recently in Oahu, Hawaii, I had the privilege of working with Paradise Helicopters, who gave me a doors-off (literally, no helicopter door!) tour of the island. The entire experience was INCREDIBLE, and if you’ve never been on a helicopter ride in Hawaii, make sure to add it to your list (and check out their instagram for more photos)! It also was an amazing opportunity to snap some special photos of Oahu, which you can check out below.
If you’re reading this, you’re probably wanting to know a little more about what to expect on a helicopter ride, so hang in here with me – I’ve got all the details!
First of all, the Paradise Helicopters location that I took off from is located in Turtle Bay, Oahu. This is a beach where there are almost always turtles, and lots of tourists – but still definitely worth a visit. If you take a ride with Paradise, I recommend heading over to the beach afterwards for snorkeling, which is what we did!
Preparing for Takeoff
Before the helicopter ride, I was weighed (they do this for safety reasons, you’re weighed with all the equipment you’ll be taking with you – camera, phone, jacket, etc), and I was shown a safety video about what to expect on the ride. It was pretty similar to what you would see in a safety video prior to a plane ride, but it definitely showed how strong the company’s safety record is. They also told us a bit about our pilot, who is also a professional sky diver and fixed-wing pilot, which was really cool to know before the flight.
After a few minutes of instructions, we were off!
Head in the Clouds
During the flight, we wore headsets so we could communicate with the pilot and with each other, which was both entertaining and helpful. There are a lot of famous movies that were filmed in Hawaii, like Jurassic Park and King Kong, which the pilot talked about on the flight and pointed out the areas where they were filmed.
He also gave a running commentary on the things that we were seeing, which was amazing! I personally love to know a little bit about a place’s features, rather than just looking at them, so the descriptions made the ride even more enjoyable.
Having the door off was also an amazing experience, as I could feel the wind whipping in my hair and experience the ride in a whole new dimension. It also was really convenient for taking photos, since there was no glare from the window. If you’re wondering, it was super safe, and not scary at all!
A few tips if you’re heading on a helicopter flight – we were told to wear a jacket (which sounds weird when it’s 85 degrees out, but was totally true, it’s cold in the wind!), and we were also told to wear dark colors so there’s no glare and the photos turn out better. I did wear black, as well as a jacket and sunglasses, all of which were good choices and I would recommend if you’re going on a similar fight.
I’ve heard that some people get motion sickness on helicopter flights, but I found that definitely was not the case for me, and the company had remedies available for anyone who thought they were feeling unwell (none of us had that issue).
During the tour, we flew clockwise around the island and changed directions often so that people on both sides of the helicopter could see all the sites (WHICH WERE INCREDIBLE!). As for the view itself, they say a picture is worth a thousand words, so here’s a look at some of what we saw.
We also got to see some of the incredible Oahu hikes, like the Diamond Head Crater, from above – which was really cool since we had already seen it from the ground. Want more great shots of Diamond Head? You can actually find stunning views at some of the best restaurants in Waikiki.
I hope you loved these gorgeous photos of Oahu as much as I did! Have you ever been on a helicopter ride in Hawaii (or anywhere)? Comment and tell me! If you’re looking for more ideas to plan your trip to Hawaii, check out my travel guide for Oahu, Hawaii.
xoxo,
Denise