Kauai Island

The minute you arrive in Kauai, everyone you meet asks you if you’ve done a helicopter tour yet. If this isn’t something you’ve factored into your itinerary, make you’ll want to make time for it now. There’s just no other way to get a sense of the scope, diversity and majesty of this rugged island with it’s jagged peaks, deep canyons, almost vertical cliffs and plunging waterfalls than by helicopter. Helicopter tours are available using both closed-door and open-door helicopter; obviously the open-door copters are scarier, but allow for better photos. A 90-minute tour allows the helicopter to fly at a slower speed and descend further into the valleys and canyons, but either ride is unforgettable.