By Land and SeaLocated in the middle the vast Pacific Ocean lie the beautiful Hawaiian Islands. Thinking of the ultimate tropical paradise, they often come to mind. Although they are part of the United States, visiting Hawaii transports you worlds away from the happenings on the mainland. Each island has a different laid back vibe. But, if you are looking for an adrenaline elevating activity, parasailing is your answer!
Parasailing In Maui
Parasailing in Maui is awesome! We had a great adventure with UFO Parasail. There’s no better way to take in the island views and breezes than from the end of a 1,200 foot line. If this maximum line length is a bit too much, there are shorter options to choose from.
Taking off on a tandem flight is both fun and romantic. This happened to be an activity on our honeymoon. I was thrilled to have my new hubby by my side.
Getting There
Our flight took off from Kaanapali Beach. During our visit, we had a rental car. This was the easiest way to get around the island. Our activity departed at 8:00 am, but we arrived early to enjoy a bit of time on this beautiful Hawaiian beach.
Launch and Landing
Throughout our travels, we have seen plenty questionable practices for this. I don’t want to rely on some guy standing on the beach to catch me. Nor do I want to have to run down the beach only to be jerked off of it once the sail and boat have caught enough wind.
The option in Maui was much better. We launched and landed using a smooth hydraulic lift of the back of the boat. The only thing you have to do is sit back and enjoy the ride.
The Ride
It just so happens we were in Hawaii during the off-season. This meant that the group we were assigned to was pretty small. Personally, I loved this because it meant we got more time in the air!
Even after we launched, the remainder of our time was so smooth. It was a breeze! We soared over the Kaanapali coast and took in the pristine, yet nearly empty beaches. Seeing hotels and shops from that angle was fun. The height also gave us a bird’s eye view Lanai – another island just off Maui’s West Coast.
Prior to coming back to the boat, the crew made sure to give us several dips in the beautiful Pacific Ocean. It was fun and a great way to cool off. But, I also felt a bit like potential shark bait.
They also have a photographer on board. I’m thankful she captured these great images and credit her for them. This is an activity where souvenir photos are a must!
Fear Factor
Even if you are afraid of heights, parasailing is worth trying. You are securely buckled in and it feels just like sitting in a swing. However, we would suggest the shorter line if this is the case.
The company we booked with also has a great safety focus. Weather conditions are a prime factor in being able to go out on the water. We actually tried going two other times with the same company on neighboring Oahu and couldn’t because of lightning in the area.
It was great that they honored our reservation for our later Maui visit.
Having memorial experiences like this is part of what makes travel exciting. I’m so glad we tried parasailing. It’s one of those items that has been on my bucket list. It was worth it! If you are looking for an activity, we recommend you try the same! It is an adventure of a lifetime!
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Looks like amazing fun.
I have always wanted to do this, but my fear of heights has always got in the way. It does look pretty secure, so maybe I’ll give it a shot!
I felt pretty comfortable and I’m not the biggest fan of heights these days either! You can do it!!
Haven’t had a chance to try parasailing yet, I’m usually hiking or horseback riding. It does look like fun though. especially in a beautiful spot like Maui.
Parasailing might rank up there with hiking and horseback riding!
This looks so fun! Mr. Nerd is a bit afraid of heights so I’m not sure he’d do it, but I’d totally be game as long as the landing is pretty solid. We’ll have to consider this adventure if we ever come across it in our travels. 🙂
Look for one where you take off and land from the back of a boat using hydraulics. I’ve seen the other type of parasailing with taking off/landing on the beach and it honestly looks sketchy to me. The boat basically slingshots you around and some guy waiting on the beach catches you once you float/drop by. The boat made it so smooth, you didn’t even know!
Now this is something we’ve never tried, but we’d love to give it a go one day. Im not great with heights, but over water think I would be ok, looks like you had a fun time! loving the new look blog too 🙂
I’m not the biggest fan of heights either, but I did just fine with this. It was like floating through the clouds – you would love it! And, thank you!!
We paraglided once in St Lucia and it was a great experience! A fantastic way to see the area from a different perspective. #feetdotravel
Paragliding looks so fun! I would love to try it one day!
That does look like an amazing way to see the island and yes, I am terrified of heights so it’s great that you addressed that head on … I may be brave enough to try it if it’s like a swing (the childin me loves the sound of that!). Great fun post, thank you so much for sharing and opening my eyes 😀 #feetdotravel
You can do shorter line lengths if that makes you more comfortable! We chose the longest line at 1,200 feet, but you could do 800.
Not a fan of heights but that would have been an amazing experience! Sounds like something that’s ideal to try in Hawaii!
Now this looks like my kind of thing! Where do I sign up….
Awesome! I didn’t even know you could do it tandem. Thanks for sharing!
This looks like an incredible experience. It’s even better that you had each other to share it with and you have this blog as another reminder! I hope you have many more great experiences in 2017.
Looks amazing. I was in Nepal in 2012 and saw a lot of paragliding in Pokhara. I’m going back again this year and think I’ll probably try it. Your pictures are great!
Paragliding looks and sounds amazing!
Looks like so much fun! I have never done it because I am scared of heights….but maybe one day…
It was really fun! Not the biggest fan of heights either, but I really enjoyed it!
That is cool Jennifer! Good on you for giving it a go, I do bet you can get some great views from up there. Would love to give this a go one day, in Hawaii or anywhere for that matter.
You’ll love it!!
How fun and exciting! I have never been para-sailing but Maui looks like the perfect place to try. I must try this next time I’m in Maui. Love the Photos & Thanks for sharing 🙂