Air Ventures Hawaii

My sister and I did the big Kahuna tour with Eric. He was very professional, accommodating and shared interesting things about the island as the tour went on. The plane ride was a little bumpy at parts, My sis got motion sickness, and so did I, even though I had taken Dramamine. They offer cold Towels and water in the plane as it is key to stay cool while flying to avoid getting sick. Eric was very attentive to us and our needs even as he was flying the plane. I enjoyed the tour and saw great views — my personal favorite was the Napali coastline and the northern island. As soon as we
Landed, one of the tour guides gave us cold ginger ale. It didn’t take long for the sickness to wear off. It was worth it to do a tour like this! Would recommend to do a tour such as this one, Kauai is a beautiful island to see by air.

We took the bi-​plane tour & had a blast! My husband has always wanted to experience an open cockpit, doing this type of flight over beautiful Kauai was a once in a lifetime experience.
Our pilot was fabulous. Spent over an hour in the air, saw Jurassic Park Falls, Na Pali Coast, a coffee farm, Waimea Canyon, the Cathedrals, Wailua River, etc. He pointed out all the sights & recommended activities at each local. Over 80% of Kauai is only viewable by air or sea, so you really haven’t seen this island until you get up in the air.
A few tips: You are in the «convertible of the sky». The small windshield does protect you from direct wind, but that is 100 mph wind going by. Ladies, hair needs to be tied back, low to your neck. Mine was in a high pony tail, the wind caught it and I spent the entire flight holding my pony tail down. Still ended up with a wicked rats nest.
You should also bring an easy, point & shoot camera w/​a strap you can wrap around your wrist. Cell phone pics are difficult to take & if you reach your hand out of the wind protected area you will likely lose whatever’s in your hand. The big positive from a bi-​plane flight is that you really feel a part of what you are seeing. The negative is pics can be difficult & the wing of the plane will be in all of them. If you want amazing pics, choose a different type of air tour.
The engine is right in front of the seats & will keep you warm. No need for a coat.
Finally, drink lots of water & take it easy after your tour. You have experienced an elevation change w/​o the benefit of being in a pressurized cabin.

Air Adventures Hawaii was great. From the moment we walked in everyone was personable and treated us with a friendly smile. Our pilot Josh was fantastic and knowledgeable about Kauai, it was one of the best hours we have spent on tours.

This was a great way to see the island of Kauai. It’s probably better to become a little familiar with the island before taking the flight though. It could be hard to see some of the points of interest if you don’t know what you’re looking for and having seen them at ground level first will definitely help. We had a great flight and were able to see 3 whales which was truly amazing! Make sure to take something before hand if you get sea sick. My husband thought he would be ok because he doesn’t have a problem in bigger planes but ended up feeling nauseous in the smaller plane. Our pilot was great in helping him feel better during the ride but I would definitely recommend using a patch or Dramamine before hand if needed. Each member of the crew was very friendly, helpful, and dedicated to a great customer experience which always makes a huge difference and I really appreciate that. Overall I was very pleased with this experience and would do it again in a heart-​beat! If it’s something you’re considering I’d say go for it!

Breathtaking views of beautiful Kaua’i that would otherwise be impossible to see. Our pilot, Paul, was friendly & funny! He helped us set up our GoPro on the wing ($ 25 extra) & was patient when it went on the fritz & we couldn’t get it started properly.
AMAZING customer service — somehow we got our dates screwed up & showed up a day late! Pua & another woman (didn’t catch her name) were extremely gracious & let us take the tour anyway, no issues. Luckily there were seats available for the tour we *thought* we were supposed to be on. They had tried to call us when we missed our flight & e-​mailed but due to technical issues on our side, we didn’t receive them.
I felt nauseated about 15 minutes in, which unfortunately lasted the duration of the flight, but I’m just sensitive — has nothing to do with the pilot or the flight itself. Just want to share in case that’s a concern for anyone else who doesn’t have a stomach made of steel ;-)

We booked a flight withe company because we wanted to see the Napli coast and the rest of the island. I was not comfortable getting in a helicopter due to accident that happened on Oahu a couple weeks ago. We booked the Cessna that was an hour flight of the island taking in a lot of sights. I received an email the night before from Liz asking me to give her a call because they wanted to adjust the flight time because the visibility was better in the morning. I had not checked my email and when I did it was well after hours so I had to make the call in the morning. When I did get in touch with someone they asked if we could switch days and with the schedule we had it was not possible. When we landed in Lihue we went straight to Air Ventures and checked on what could be done. We were able to get the flight in we went up with Harry. We attached out Go pro to the plane to capture some of the views from the aircraft. Harry was great very friendly and knew a lot about what we would be flying over during our trip. We flew over Wiamea Canyon and what a view to see it from the air amazing and beautiful. I do have to admit it was a little scary as turbulence was making it bouncy at times so Harry made the decision to pull out of the area. We hit up the Napli Coast and again the views were amazing and breath taking and one of the best ways to see these untouched portions of the island. Harry Pointed out a spot were Mary J. Blige shot her everything video being a fan I thought that was really cool and I had to go back and watch the video to appreciated the coast that much more after the flight. He also pointed out land that Mark Zuckerburg just purchased that is in development. Harry also pointed out some of the best beaches to visit as well while on the island. It was also very cool to see the St. Regis where we would be staying from up in the air. Overall I would highly recommend Airventures for a tour from the sky and fly with Harry if possible.

My fiancée and I had a great time in the Waco biplane with Harry today. We researched lots of air tours, including helicopters, but decided on the beautiful biplane option. First of all, the plane is an incredible experience. The open air cockpit means you feel the temperature and humidity changes as you fly around different parts of the island, and you have a real sense of speed. Second, the airplane option really is more environmentally-​friendly, and not only in fuel burned. We had hiked deep into Na Pali Coast State Park a few days before, and the helicopter noise was incessant and really disturbed the natural beauty of the place, whereas the planes that flew over barely registered. Do yourself a favor and see the sights with Air Ventures!

This was an amazing experience. We got upgraded to a private flight and we couldn’t have been more appreciative! Henry was our pilot and he was awesome. This is a must, best way to see the beauty of the island!
I highly recommend booking and enjoying a flight around the island. The beaches and canyons are breath taking.

Took the private tour of Kauai this morning in the Cessna 182 with Eric as pilot. It’s my wife’s birthday, and although she’s lived on Kauai all her life she’s never seen it from the air. This was a great trip. Eric was casual but professional, reassuring, knowledgable, and eager to make this a great trip for my wife. Even had her put hands on the controls for a while in order to experience the beauty of flight. Great trip, can’t say enough — and I had no idea how beautiful, wild, and water-​laced this island is. More waterfalls than we could count, beaches, whales, rainbows, and even the Waialeale crater. Wow! I’d encourage tourists to do this FIRST thing. Better and safer than a helicopter, I think.

This was a great private plane tour. The staff was great. If you want a friendly smile family owned business
Air Ventures Kauai Air Tours is the way to go our pilot Eric was great.

Paul was outstanding! Great flight and informative and entertaining tour. The best thing we did on Kauai!

First time doing a small air bus plane ride like this. It was a blast. Our pilot was a very nice guy, and gave an informative narrative during the ride.
It was bit bumpy at times, but that is to be expected. My only complaint is that you don’t go low in the plane as you would in a helicopter. I always wanted to fly behind waterfalls like in Jurassic Park. However, I understand that it is not possible in the airplane.
We checked in on Unilocal and also got a free T-​shirt. Overall, a great adventure in Paradise!
Oh, my wife and child also vomited on me during the ride due to getting air sick. That was a bit gross, but the folks at Air Ventures were very understanding and helpful as soon as we landed. ;-)

Did the Big Kahuna Air Tour and really enjoyed the experience. This is not a «thrill ride» but a rather serene and calm trip around the island. From the moment checking-​in to leaving the plane at the end, it was very organized and felt like a great value for the price. I have never been in a six passenger plane so I was very excited about the trip. You get a headset which is cool because you get to listen to the pilot communicate with the control tower. If you are claustrophobic, this may not be for you as the space inside the plane is very limited. Once airborne, there were some very breathtaking views of the island: beaches, valleys, waterfalls, rugged cliffs etc. Doing the plane ride helped us get acquainted with the island itself. Our journey took about 90 minutes and it was well worth it. The pilot was very entertaining and he pointed out different parts of the island which made the tour educational and fun. The ground staff, especially Pua, was so friendly and outgoing… offered ginger ale and peppermint candy to those who were feeling a bit queasy. We will remember this air tour for a very long time to come!

Ok, we got home and the DVD worked on our DVD player. It hadn’t on the condo’s DVD player where we had rented. My original review only gave them a 4 due to my error of thinking the video didn’t work. It’s not the flight you take but it is a tour of the island along with the history… it more interesting than a unedited flight. There is music and identifiers of where the pictures are from. A+++ to this company, the people, and the experience. Look for coupons, Unilocal offers, and online discounts. We started our vacation off with the flight so we could get the lay of the land before exploring by car and boat.

We flew to Kauai for our honeymoon! It was very quick trip but we wanted to see the whole island up in the air ! After looking at some magazines. We decided to call them first thing in the morning ! We thought they will be book since it was so sudden. But I’m glad we did, after my husband told GIL that we are here for our honeymoon. GIL and Kevin made it so special for us ! Thank you guys it was a great experienced !!

Wow — what an experience! I had the opportunity to take two separate flights — one in their Cessna and one in their incredible cherry red biplane (the only one on the island).
On both trips to Air Ventures, I was greeted warmly by the staff and owner, who really goes above and beyond to make sure you enjoy your experience.
My pilot, Kevin, has been on the island for 25+ years and, is full of interesting history and tidbits and also makes your flight incredibly fun! You can tell he loves what he does, and it made my experience (s) all the more enjoyable!
I’ve always been a fan of flying, and I feel lucky to have experienced not one, but two of their tour offerings. Any of their options will give you a great history and layout of the island (great to do at the beginning of your trip so you can get a best idea of where to spend your time there, and what to do), but I HIGHLY recommend the Biplane flight — it will be worthy every penny!
No matter what, Air Ventures will show you an incredible time and delivers a very unique adventure that really rates as a bucket list item in my book.
Special thanks to Jill and Kevin. You truly made my weekend, and I’ll definitely be sending all travelers to Kaua’i your way.

Great way to see the island.
I’ve done the helicopter, this is much better.
There was a couple, my husband, the pilot Paul and me.
Everyone got their own seat and window. Husband got the co-​pilot seat.
In a helicopter they cram you in and if you are the unlucky one, you get to sit in the middle. Not great for photographs.
About $ 100.00 less than helicopter tour.
You don’t get as close but you can still take some great pictures.
In the plane we all could see everything.
I will do the bi-​plane next time!
For an extra $ 25.00 you can have your Go Pro attached to the outside of the plane. Got great pictures!

Upon arriving on Kauai (1^st time), we headed over for the Bi-​Plane tour. Prior to booking online, Pua had been most helpful in answering some general questions and in return, was very accommodating in making it very convenient for us to make the tour. Paul was our pilot and an ultra knowledgable guide. He made it very comfortable and FUN! I’m so glad that we took the tour first thing, as I have so much more of an appreciation for the island. We saw things by air that we would have not otherwise seen by car. Thank you for making our short Island getaway so much more memorable! Couple of notes: bring sunglasses, no need for sun block (you’re covered by the wing), and make sure your camera/​phone has a wrist strap. Relax and enjoy the ride! Worth every dime!!! Thanks again, Pua, Paul and Jill! J & J

I took the GA-​8 six seater airvan (Big kahuna)
Tour was entertaining and informative
Flew over the locations of Jurassic Park, Wailua falls, South Pacific, celebrity homes, Famed Napali coastline, snorkeling sites and beach tips, etc…
Great hospitality too.

My mom and I did this tour last week. We had a great time on this air tour, it was well worth the cost. We got there a little early and met Jill (the owner) and her husband Norton. We ended up talking to them for about 30 mins, and it was interesting to learn about the history of Kauai. They are very nice people.
The air tour was amazing. It is one thing to see this island by foot, but it’s a total different experience seeing by plane. The Napali coast is gorgeous and I wouldn’t have seen it otherwise. Bring a good camera because you will want to remember these photos.