Really excellent tour. Jim, our pilot was on his top game, keeping us informed and amused.we even saw circular rai bows! Highly recommend....I’d do it again
We had a morning flight from KoOlina. It was very nice not driving into Honolulu. The young lady that met us before the flight was friendly, informative and gave a thorough preflight briefing. The aircraft was very clean inside and out. The pilot, Evan, made sure we were secured and comfortable. The headsets were great. Evan was thorough in his running commentary throughout the flight. We flew around the island of Oahu and he shared information with us that we were not aware of. I felt very safe with Evan and would be happy to pay twice the price for the flight. It was super!
We booked the 45 minute flight and it was wonderful. We were flown around the whole island and was able to experience it from a different perspective. Jim was a great pilot, very frienly and very informative.
While not my husbands first ride in a helicopter (was in the Army and at Schofield Barracks), it was mine and I was nervous. From the time Kevin picked us up, he made us feel like ohana. VERY informative and friendly. Then onto to trip with our pilot, Jim! We were in the front seats and it was truly AMAZING!!! People say you have to do it at least once....I disagree. You have to do it EVERY trip to Hawaii and with only Makani Kai. Jim let us know what to expect the entire time, was an awesome commentator, funny, knowledgeable, and made me feel safe the whole trip. The trip was also recorded. Cannot wait to get it!!!! Seriously folks, go with Makani Ka! It will be your best experience on the island!
I had the best fly with helicopter all of my life thanks to amazing skills of pilot Jim on the Magnum P.I. door off helicopter. It is an amazing experience to fly and feel the strength of the wind outside. They offer sweater ( I used it but other 2 passengers did not use it) if you think you might be feeling cold . I had the Oahu tour of 50 minutes , you see all the island . I had driven all island by car just 2 days before but looking at same places from up above is a complete different story and emotion. Jim promised us to show us a 360 degree rainbow : at first I thought I misunderstood ( English is not my mother tongue) but suddenly it was just there , below us, a full perfect rounded 360 degree rainbow!!!! I even did not know they were existing: a Woow!!! came out of my mouth naturally at the view of that natural beauty . Not to talk of flying on top of pearl harbour!! I could see the incredibile long oil trail leaking out from Uss Arizona and the impressively huge Uss Missouri. Also flying just above the mountains where Jurassic park was filmed was an unforgettable moment of my life ( we have also seen waterfalls !) We also stopped in the air on top of the north shore ! It is not expensive considering what you get, it really worth every dollar you spend. Jim thank you again for the magic moments!!!
This was my first time on a helicopter, let alone open doors. Way outside my comfort zone for sure. Very professional from start to end. Excellent pilot, with a sense of humor to boot. Beautiful views with informative narrative. I was scared but it was safe. Seatbelts are very snug and we were buckled in by an assistant. It was loud, lots of wind and air noise. Headphones worked well. It gets chilly when you get up high, I wore long sleeves and was not hot at all. It was worth the money and will be a good lifetime memory.
Jim, our pilot on this trip is probably the most enthusiastic guy doing his job. He did everything he could to make sure everyone was comfortable and entertained. He has a lot of information about the Island and has plenty of puns to go along with it. One of the nicest people I've met on the island so far. I am definitely considering coming back and doing it again. The views over Oahu are one thing but add in being in a helicopter with Jim and the experience is brought to a whole new level. Excellent experience, 10/10 would do again and would totally recommend.
45 minute tour with doors off of Oahu with our pilot Jim. Very knowledgable and explained what we were looking at. Was pretty windy so depends on the weather. Thanks for letting us get "high" with you Jim, amazing experience!! Jan and Scott C
Completed the Hidden Oahu tour (45 mins) with my wife on 7 October. Beautiful sunny morning for a flight (tour is best taken early in the morning) and what a wonderful experience from start to finish. We were picked up on schedule from our Waikiki hotel by our driver Bryce who was excellent and provided good safety videos while en route to the airport. Once there, all aspects were carefully explained before boarding the flight and meeting Evan the pilot. The 45 min trip was really brilliant with high cloud throughout thereby making everything very visible. Evan was particularly good at pointing put places of interest and ensuring everyone on each side of the craft got the same opportunity for views of the major sites. All in all a very smooth and rewarding experience and something that all visitors to Oahu should consider. Makani Kai are a well established, very friendly and professional organisation and they make everyone feel safe and secure. It was my wife’s first helicopter trip and she thoroughly enjoyed it simply because of the Makani Kai experience. Well done to everyone at Makani Kai.
Really nervous at first. We opted for the no doors helicopter which although cold was well worth it. The pilot was knowledgeable,explained everything and was friendly. We got to see parts of the island that you just don't see from the road. The flight is 45 minutes and takes you over the sea and mountains. You are able to see Waikiki from the air.The highlight for me personally was flying over Pearl Harbour. Well worth the money. Should we ever come back to Honolulu, this would be one of the first things to do again.
From the time of pick through to the time of drop, you were made feel like you were the only one taking this experience. Pick up was on time by the very friendly driver, name unknown. During the trip to the airport he showed us some safety videos to save time when we got to the airport. Anyone who was nervous was made to feel confident by the professionalism of the all the staff. We were strapped in by a staff member and then it was up up and away. The pilot Nathan knew all the history of the island and shared it with us during our 50 min flight. Was amazing to see Waikiki beach , diamond head, koko crater, north shore and the entire island from the sky. The pilot made sure that people on both sides of the helicopter got a great view. Although not my first helicopter flight flight, it was my first doors off flight. Can’t recommend this experience highly enough. If I ever return to Hawaii I will be doing it again.
So many great things to say about this trip!! It was our first time ever in a helicopter, and everything from booking to the shuttle ride to the actual helicopter ride was safe, easy and exciting!! Pilot Jim made the trip- hilarious guy and a great pilot. Would recommend to anybody who likes to have a good time!!
We booked a 45 minute helicopter ride and the whole experience was amazing. We were collected from our hotel and taken to the helicopter. Our pilot was Nathan who was great- excellent soundtrack created for the flight and just enough information in between. The route was perfect to see the island and pearl harbour was a highlight. We purchased the the DVD of the flight and received it by post really quickly. Highly recommend!
They picked us up from our hotel, they were right on time...the helicopter tour itself was sensational!! Our pilot Evan was a great host/tour guide...he was very informative and was good for a laugh!! It was alright weather but we stilll got some amazing breath taking views!!! Thank you Makani Kai and Evan for a great day!!!!
Simply brilliant! Jim is spectacular!!! Kids were a little unsure/nervous about doors off flight, but Jim made them comfortable, safe, secure. He made the flight funny, informative, and super awesome! Highly recommend Jim and Makani Kai HC if you are planning a flight around Oahu. Thank you Jim!!