The West Maui Molokai Tour is the top choice as my favorite helicopter ride on Maui. Oddly enough, the majority of the flight isn’t even on Maui!
I’ve had the opportunity to speak with many of the pilots at Blue and other companies as well, and they all agree that the West Maui Molokai Tour is the route they enjoy flying the most and the tour they would recommend to family and friends.
What Makes the West Maui Molokai Tour so Special?
Let’s start with the West Maui Mountains.
Maui is comprised of two volcanoes, the younger Haleakala and the older West Maui Mountains known traditionally as Mauna Kahalawai.
What makes the West Maui Mountains so amazing, in my humble opinion, are the valleys that have been carved out over centuries (1.3 million years) of rainfall (nearly 400 inches annually) and other erosional factors. These valleys form a series of steep knife-edged ridges with towering mist-shrouded cliffs and an abundance of waterfalls that feed the streams running along the rainforest floor.
Like a great mystery novel, the West Maui Molokai Tour unveils its secrets with one climatic chapter after another.
Anticipation builds as you cross the Pailolo Channel over to the “Friendly Isle” of Molokai, and man does it deliver!
Molokai Sea Cliffs – Rising over 2000 feet out of the Pacific blue, you are greeted by the Molokai Sea Cliffs, the tallest sea cliffs anywhere on earth. Your senses will feast on the pristine valleys and magnificent waterfalls. If that were the only thing you saw on your West Maui Molokai Tour, it would probably be enough, but there’s more!
The 6-tiered 2165 feet Kahiwa Falls – said to be the tallest waterfall in the State of Hawaii, although often only 1749 feet of its drop are counted. The full glory of Kahiwa Falls is best seen after a large downpour of rain.
Kalaupapa National Historical Park – learn of people from Hawai’i afflicted with Hansen’s disease (leprosy) and the famous Kalaupapa peninsula.
The Molokai Reef Flat – see the longest fringe reef in all of the United States and its protectorates.
Ancient Hawaiian Fishponds – One of the engineering marvels of the Hawaiians is their use of aquaculture. More than 60 fishponds were once in use along the Southeastern shores of Molokai.
Picturesque Halawa Valley – Two beautiful waterfalls, Moalua and Hipuapua await you in this archeologically rich ancient Hawaiian settlement.
There’s much more to see on the West Maui Molokai Tour, but I think you get the picture. Besides, I need to leave something for your pilot to talk about.
Please keep in mind that weather plays a HUGE role in your West Maui Molokai Tour, and some of the things I’ve mentioned may not be seen on YOUR particular flight. Still, even on rainy days, it’s a fantastic tour! Rain is not the problem – low-lying clouds are. Do NOT waste all your energy trying to determine what day will be THE perfect day for doing a helicopter tour – there-is-no-way-to-know-that.
People put so much faith in Weather Forecasters. I honestly don’t understand why. They are wrong just as often as they are correct. If I made as many mistakes as they did, I would be out of work. Seriously, just pick a day and go for it. I would recommend booking your tour at the start of your vacation just in case though. If there is inclement weather, you may still have a chance to reschedule to another date.
Simply put, if you want to see spectacular waterfalls and a diversity of amazing eye-popping scenery, then the West Maui Molokai Tour is for you.
Visit Blue Hawaiian Helicopter’s website to book your West Maui Molokai Tour today. If you make your reservation at least 5 days in advance, you can save yourself approximately 15% off the West Maui Molokai Tour.
Take care and aloha!
~your Buddy
