Reviews

I'll start by saying, "I'll NEVER do that again." However, it was the most thrilling, exciting, amazing, awesomely terrifying hour I've ever experienced in my 40 (cough) years on this earth…. and I've been around a few blocks. From the courtesy of the shuttle driver to the calm/cool nature of our pilot, everyone at this company is a true professional. They were ready for us when we got there. They keep a tight schedule and I was happy about that. (Too many tours keep you standing around until they are ready for you.) We got there, checked in, and off we went. Eki, our pilot, showed great confidence and calmness that we liked to see, especially when heading toward those mountain walls. He flew us around the island over some (SCARY) peaks, and whirled around some valleys, all the while giving us view after view with knowledgable commentary. [My only complaint is that two of us couldn't hear him very well, while the third said she had no problem at all. They should have checked on that before we took off. We only heard about 15-20% of the commentary.] Eki kept us in the air for a good 45 minutes, flying us around the entire island of Oahu. It felt like a couple of hours. We had the doors-off helicopter which was fantastic although it got a little cool up there. I could have easily worn long pants and long-sleeved shirt, but didn't think of that in advance. I was able to take lots of great photos and even some shaky video. THIS WAS WORTH EVERY PENNY!!! WE ALL LOVED IT SO MUCH. (I hope the front desk guy gave Eki the tip we left. We weren't able to give it to him personally which would have been a nice way to say thank you.) If you do nothing else on Oahu, you MUST do this. Enjoy!

I booked the Sacred Ali`i tour a week in advance and was worried about the weather the day of the flight. The Makani Kai van arrived on time and the driver was pleasant. The van was comfortable with air conditioning and televisions so we could watch the safety video on the way to the airport. There was a family of three also taking the flight. The weather was less than perfect on our short drive and, as I feared, the pilot cancelled the flight. Everyone was so disappointed, but we all agreed to try again the following day, weather permitting, and I am so glad we did. I called the next day and the flight was on! The four of us and one other couple boarded the helicopter and took off for a magnificent 1-hour flight around Oahu. Our pilot was a retired military man and I felt safe and secure. He was very informative, had a sense of humor, and made us all enjoy the flight. This was my first Oahu helicopter trip and it was so smooth despite some less than great weather conditions. 75% of Oahu cannot be seen by land, so it was an amazingly breathtaking experience. The great part of the trip was that, because of the weather, there were waterfalls everywhere! The lush valleys and the ocean waves were stunning. The pilot’s commentary helped me learn about how the island was formed, where things were, and so much more. I had just been to Pearl Harbor the previous week and seeing it from the air was amazing. Realizing that we were taking the same path the Japanese took was sobering. I appreciated the opportunity to have a different view of this piece of history. There were so many picture taking opportunities that you just can’t get on land. I wish I had brought a real camera instead of only my cell phone. I can’t say enough about the fabulous staff. Professional, polite, helpful and just awesome are just a few words to describe them. If you are looking for a unique experience you won’t want to miss this tour. It was a perfect way to see one of the most gorgeous places on earth. Tips to enjoy this tour: Helicopter rides are safe because the staff makes sure to seat everyone according to their weight so that everything will be balanced. This means you might not sit together, but it also means you are secure. Be honest! They will weigh you if in doubt.

We participated in the 50 minute doors off tour of Oahu. The experience was thrilling. We flew over South Oahu, up the east cost to the north shore and then down the middle of the island, ending in Pearl Harbor. We also had a quick stop hovering near a waterfall. Overall, the tour was great and we highly recommend but we couldn't understand the pilot. He talked quite fast and with low tones so we missed much of what he was saying... We would recommend if you don't mind missing the verbal tour with the sightseeing.

Wir flogen mit Maggie, einer ausgezeichnet guten und erfahrenen Pilotin. Grundsätzlich waren wir mit dem Rundflug mehr als zufrieden. Die einzigen Wehrmutstropfen, die man wissen sollte. Ihr dürft so viel filmen oder fotografieren wie Ihr wollt aber keine Taschen mitnehmen. Kostet 1 € zum aufbewahren. Die aufgenommene DVD kostet (internationaler Versand) 50€. Bei anderen Anbietern 25,00 €.

I still can't believe we booked a helicopter ride! Yikes! I wanted to plan something special for my husband and I to do with our son who we went to visit at the University of Hawaii. He is an exchange student from Buffalo. Well, it was surprisingly comfortable. When we first got on I was a bit nervous, never having flown in one before, but it was wonderful. I was by the door and there was a handle on it right near my knee. I had to make sure my knee didn't hit the lever and possibly open the door. Nothing was said about it, but I was a bit concerned. Anyway, the experience was amazing. The sites we saw were of places we never would have seen from the ground. The pilot was a steady and safe flyer. Our only problem was, we had to strain to hear a word he said. We really didn't learn anything from him, because we couldn't hear him. All in all, I would do it again, but hope to get a pilot that we could understand. Not sure if he had an accent or he was just whispering and mumbling.

Highly recommend these guys. Snagging views and informative. Brody was our pilot and he was great :-) I would do it again in a heartbeat.

Great flight over Oahu with no doors and I was sitting by the open door with 2 cameras. One with a long telephoto zoom and one 24-105 zoom. Got some great pictures including one of the USS Arizona memorial. I however have 2 suggestions. It was almost impossible to understand the pilot (don't remember his name), so we missed a lot. Would be nice if there were some way to help. Not sure if it was him or the sound system, Also were required to put things in a locker which we were charged for. Was only minimal $1.00 but when you are paying over $400 for 2 people, would think the company could pick up the locker charge.

We have been in Oahu 34 days and this was the best tour yet. The pilot Brody and girl at the counter at check in we're friendly and made our tour awesome. Thanks for a great ride.

My wife and I visited Hawaii for our 40th anniversary. After speaking with Quinton at Makani Kai he eased our fears about never having been in a helicopter before. It was the experience of a lifetime. Our pilot, Brody, did an excellent job of describing everything we saw and the flight could not have been smoother. I will definitely book with Makani Kai again. Ron Shaver

We came to Oahu to visit military friends and do all the stops. Taking a helicopter ride at the end of the trip was the best idea we had. We flew over the entire island seeing things we previously encountered, and places we visited while on the ground. Our pilot, Brady, was very knowledgeable and professional. We brought four children, ages from 8 to 12, and everyone had a blast. I can't wait to view the DVD once we get home!

A very positive experience. Good staff ensured we enjoyed every minute, from hotel pick up to return. Great flight with a terrific pilot, Brody. Amazing views, especially northern island. Highly recommend.

This was a great experience overall, the staff were excellent. Brodi (pilot) did an excellent job flying us around the island. Very professional and from what I understand he served in Afghanistan, not exactly sure as what, but I'm assuming a pilot, so you know you're getting top notch pilots. Very smooth flying; no hiccups. The helicopter also has a camera that records the whole thing which you can purchase afterwards for $40 if you live in the US and $50 for international. I highly recommend this tour for everyone!

We did the 45min helicopter tour. Our pilot, Brody, made this a really amazing experience. He's a former marine and his fantastic piloting skills kept our flight nice and steady on this windy day. Knowledgeable and smooth commentary throughout, he even managed to show us some breaching whales and sea turtles - bonus!! Would recommend this flight to anyone and everyone.

The ride takes you on a close aerial view of Pearl Harbor, where you get a great view of the USS Arizona Memorial, the moorings for the other battleships next to the Arizona that fateful day in 1941 as well as the majestic USS Missouri. Next we headed up to the plains - can't remember the names, as I was too scared to retain the details .... this being my first time in a helicopter. The next views we headed out to were the craters that formed the islands - breath taking views; spoilt only by the rain and cloud formations. Waikiki from the air shows you what a phenomenal task it was to clear this once swamp land into what is fantastic beach fronts and rows & rows of hotels, shopping outlets, etc. after about 35 minutes in the air, we finally returned to the helipad. Great ride & experience .... but I was thankful to have my feet firmly on the ground

This was our first helicopter tour. The pilot Elki Miyas ( ? spelling) was an awesome pilot. The ride was so smooth. He was hard to hear at times, but a great pilot. Our guide/assistant was very nice and assisted us with anything we needed. You MUST spend the extra money for first class seating - that means you will be in the front seat with the pilot. There is room for 2 people in the front & 4 in the back. What a way to see Oahu. We took the 45 minute tour ...Hidden tour