Na Pali coast

There is no better way to experience the sheer beauty of Kauai, than by a helicopter tour. To uncover the secrets that Kauai has to offer, you need to go deep into the rain forest behind the mountains.

So much of the Garden Isle – Kauai is unavailable by car, so seeing Kauai by air allows you to discover the Garden Isle’s most spectacular sights.

You have several choices of helicopter tour companies on Kauai, but there’s only name that is synonymous with excellence and safety – Blue Hawaiian Helicopters.

Blue Hawaiian Helicopters is the largest and most successful helicopter tour company in Hawaii. They are the only tour company that provides tours of all the major Hawaiian islands including Oahu, Maui, Kauai, and the Big Island.

Kauai is the wettest island in Hawaii and is home to Mount Wai’ale’ale, an ancient volcanic crater that is also one of the wettest spots on earth. Mount Wai’ale’ale averages over 400 inches a year.

All that rain on the Garden Isle has to go somewhere. The rainfall generates the most incredible waterfalls that cascade into amazing sheer valleys and down jagged cliffs that seem to fall straight into the Pacific Ocean.

After a safety video and review of the do’s and don’ts, we headed off to the heliport at Lihue airport to begin our tour. Blue Hawaiian Helicopters has an amazing safety record and is the recipient of numerous awards including the Certificate of Excellence “Diamond Award” from the Federal Aviation Administration.

American Eurocopter ECO-Star helicopter

The new American Eurocopter ECO-Star helicopter was top notch and is regarded as the first touring helicopter of the 21st Century. The ECO-Star is roomy and reduces flight noise by approximately 50%.

As we take off and see the expansive blue waters of the Pacific Ocean to our east, you quickly realize this is going to be an incredible journey. We saw a diverse landscape during our nearly one hour helicopter tour.

Waimea Canyon

We saw spectacular Hanapepe Valley, then on to Mana Waiapuna, which is better known as “Jurassic Park Falls.” We passed over Olokele Canyon, before flying over incredible Waimea Canyon, named by Mark Twain as the “Grand Canyon of the Pacific.”

Our pilot was professional and offered a detailed narrative via the headphones which allowed for two-way communication with him.

As we continue over the northwest corner of the island, the sheer cliffs and caves of the Na Pali Coast await – stretching 11 miles on Kauai’s northern shore. What a sight as we hug the coast and seem miniscule in comparison to the jagged vertical cliffs of Na Pali. Lush vegetation, white sand beaches and pounding surf are everywhere.

Na Pali coast beach

We pass by the Bali Hai Cliffs, and hover over the blue waters of stunning Hanalei Bay, then continue to the nearby Princeville resort area.

Mt. Waialeale is often covered in thick clouds, producing all that rain. Luck was with us that day as clouds opened up and we flew directly into the center of the crater! Mt. Waialeale was majestic with 5,000 foot walls towering above and 3,000 foot waterfalls cascading down its sides. Truly an amazing site!

Mount Waialeale crater

As we returned to the heliport, the six passengers all realized what an incredible experience we just had. The ECO-Star’s large glass windows provided excellent sweeping views of Kauai’s natural beauty.

Overall, our experience was terrific and memorable. The office personnel, ground crew, and the pilot were superb.

If you do get the chance to visit Kauai, make sure you plan a helicopter trip. Discover the true beauty of Kauai. It’s an adventure you’ll never forget.

To learn more or make a helicopter tour reservation, please contact – Hawaii Fun Planner

Nimmo Bay Wilderness Resort – Heli-Fishing Odyssey

If you love to fish and ride in a helicopter, then we have the perfect suggestion for you! Try an unforgettable heli-fishing odyssey with Nimmo Bay Wilderness Resort, which has been named by Forbes Magazine as one of the top 10 eco-resorts in the world.

Nimmo Bay Wilderness Resort is located in British Columbia, Canada and is a luxurious fly-fishing and wilderness adventure destination, nestled at the foothills of Mount Stevens along the Great Bear Rainforest coastline of British Columbia.

This angling odyssey is a must for angling a-fish-ionados and owner Craig Murray plus his long time friend and helicopter pilot Peter Barratt make your trip one t remember as are your expert guides. Barratt is the co-owner and founder of West Coast Helicopters. Riding along in a helicopter, journey deep into the 50,000-square-miles of wilderness surrounding Nimmo Bay Wilderness Resort and try your fishing skills to catch salmon, steelhead, and bull and rainbow trout.

Nimmo Bay Wilderness Resort has become one of the top fishing and wilderness resorts in all the world, offering greater than 30 river systems surrounding this amazing resort. All fishing at NimmoBay Wilderness Resort is catch-and-release using single, barbless hooks.

Regardless of when you want to visit and fish, the expertise of Murray and Barratt come into play knowing where the fish are. Between August and October are best for Coho salmon, summer steelhead and trout heli-fishing. From mid-April to June, you’ll find it best for winter steelhead heli-fishing.

Often a sought-after trophy fish, steelhead in the area range in size from 13 to 30 pounds, while Coho salmon commonly referred to as Silvers, tend to be 10 to 25 pounds.

Nimmo Bay Wilderness Resort

Trip rates begin at $3,995 Cdn per person, per day and include your own helicopter with Murray and Barratt as your personal guides. You can book An Angling Odyssey in groups of two or four anglers for two, three or four days.

Additional services include: master masseurs; a photo program so each guest receives a memory stick with photos of their trip taken by Nimmo Bay staff; and the provision of all adventure and fishing gear. Taxes, fishing licences, return transportation to Port Hardy and gratuities are not included.

For more information, please call 1-800-837-4354 or visit www.nimmobay.com

The Peninsula Hong Kong

Are you looking for an ultimate rush of adrenalin and luxury, then consider the “Sky High Champagne Breakfast” experience in Hong Kong.

The Sky High Champagne Breakfast is offered by The Peninsula Hong Kong. Begin your ultra-unique experience with a delicious breakfast at the luxury hotel’s aviation themed lounge – The China Clipper.

Next it’s time to take flight as you embark on a memorable bird’s eye view tour of scenic Hong Kong in an Aerospatiale twin-engine Squirrel AS355N helicopter. You will depart right from The Peninsula’s own helipads!

This amazing opportunity will only be available until Jun of this year. Enjoy an incredible, eight-minute helicopter experience that will take around Hong Kong’s world famous skyline.

The Squirrel AS355N helicopter are equipped with wraparound windows, so you’ll get one-of-a-kind views of Hong Kong’s thriving metropolis. Take in the views and the Hong Kong’s skyscrapers, then sweep around Happy Valley with full views of the racetrack, fly over to North Point for a photo opportunity of Kowloon and Hong Kong, then make their way back for a landing atop The Peninsula.

The Peninsula Hong Kong’s new and truly extraordinary Sky High Champagne Breakfast helicopter experience, is available now through June 2012. Guests begin with breakfast at The Peninsula Hong Kong’s aviation themed lounge, The China Clipper, followed by a bird’s eye view tour of Hong Kong in an Aerospatiale twin-engine Squirrel AS355N helicopter, departing from The Peninsula’s own helipads.

The Sky High Champagne Breakfast is currently availble through 24th June 2012, on Sundays and public holidays from 9:30 am to 11:00 am, with helicopter flights taking off between 9:45 am and 10:45 am.

This luxury experience is priced at at HK$1,388 per person, and includes a glass of Champagne. For reservations or additional information, please call (852) 2315 3146 or email diningphk@peninsula.com.

The Little Nell Hotel

For true adrenaline junkies, this idea should help quench your desire for excitement.

Aspen Colorado’s The Little Nell hotel is offering a new Heli Skiing Adventure program. It’s the ultimate combination of luxury, exhilaration and outdoor adventure.

The Little Nell guests can enjoy the unique opportunity to experience helicopter skiing in the backcountry of Colorado in addition to enjoying the luxury comforts of staying at a five star, five diamond hotel in the Rockies of Colorado.

Heli Skiing Adventure details:
Guests will be transported from The Little Nell in one of the property’s fleet of Audis to Aspen Airport. There they will board their private helicopter to Silverton, Colorado where they will enjoy an exhilarating eight-hour day of heli skiing, taking advantage of more than 22,000 acres of ski terrain at the highest elevation in Colorado.

Hotel guests at The Little Nell can also enjoy a gourmet lunch, packed by Executive Chef Robert McCormick, which include delectable items such as locally-sourced wagyu pastrami sandwiches, faro salad with pomegranates and squash, an array of house-made desserts from the Nell’s pastry kitchen, and wines paired by Master Sommelier Jonathan Pullis.

Groups of up to four skiers may participate in this adventure of a lifetime. Be aware that this amazing Heli Skiing Adventure trip in Aspen Colorado is only available for expert skiers.

The hotel’s ski concierge is available arrange for ski rentals, or guests may bring their won.

For additional information or to make reservations, please call 888-843-6355) or visit www.thelittlenell.com.