WAIKIKI, Hawaii -- Oahu’s Waikiki Beach is jampacked with businesses, some of which claim to offer a once in a lifetime opportunity to experience what Hawaii is all about. From guided hikes up Diamond Head to surfing lessons for tourists hailing from landlocked states, everyone is selling something.
Although the view from atop Diamond Head is world renowned and the waves at Waikiki Beach are considered by many surfers to be some of the best in the world, according to some, only one experience can give you a solid serving of both the scenery and the seas off Oahu’s coast – parasailing.
There are two companies that offer this, and they are both located in Waikiki – Hawaiian Parasail and X-Treme Parasail.
Parasailing is a tourist favorite on the island, according to boat crewman Tony SuSuico, and it’s also an experience that many service members stationed on Oahu love to partake in as well.
“I see Marines come out here all the time,” said SuSuico, a native of Guam who has been crewing a parasailing boat for more than two years now. “They love doing this stuff. They come out here every weekend.”
During their parasailing experience, enthusiasts fly the skies of Waikiki from up to 800 feet above the water, pulled by boat that cuts through sun-drench waters.
For those patrons seeking more of a family experience, tandem rides are available where up to three people can parasail at the same time.
Hawaiian Parasail and X-Treme Parasail boats depart daily, every hour on the hour, from Kewalo Basin, to take excited passengers out to sea for the ride of their life. The actual time spent up in the air lasts up to 10 minutes for a regular ride
and approximately 15 minutes for an extended ride.
Afraid of the water? No need to fret. X-Treme Parasail utilizes special wench boats that allow the rider to start their ride from aboard the boat and land right back on the deck after the ride is complete. But, if getting drench is part of the rider’s plan, boat captains can accommodate that, too. If the passenger requests, the captain will slow the boat down during the ride causing the rider or riders to slowly glide from the sky straight into the crystal-clear water. After a brief dip, the boat speeds up and the now, wet passengers, are quickly pulled back up.
“It was awesome,” said Joe Pippin, a tourist from Centerville, Md., after completing his parasail experience. “I liked getting dunked in the water the best.”
“It’s definitely worth doing again and again and again,” said Shari Prater, a tourist from San Jose, Calif., who was obviously thrilled with her ride.
The two parasail companies offer three different packages to customers. For approximately $40, a rider can parasail for about 10 minutes and for up to 15 minutes for $80. If a patron is unsure as to whether or not he or she wants to go up the first time and would rather watch, they can go along for the boat ride for $30. Both companies also offer a discount on packages to military members and their families who have a valid ID card.
For more information on parasailing and other activities while in Waikiki, visit www.hawaiiactivities.com.