Hawaii Tours

New Tour Starting May 5th!

2009-05-05T13:19:00.000-07:00

Press Announcement
For Immediate Release

Honolulu, Hawaii- Interisland Airways is happy to announce its new Deluxe Volcano One Day Tour from Oahu to the Big Island. Starting May 6, 2009, Interisland Airways will launch its new Deluxe Volcano Tour One Day Tour every Wednesday, with private charters available on the other weekdays.

Hawaii’s Only Deluxe Volcano One Day Tour begins with your own private tour guide picking up guest in Waikiki and escorting them to Interisland Airways’ private passenger terminal on Lagoon Drive, at Honolulu International Airport. The tour begins with a magnificent narrated flight seeing tour of Oahu, Molokai, Lanai, Kahoolawe, Maui and the Big Island. Each passenger receives an iPod for perfect audio narration of these six beautiful Hawaiian Islands. Upon arriving in Hilo, the guests and their tour guide are then taken by a privately chartered luxurious mini bus directly to the Hawaii Volcano National Park to see all the major attractions. Upon their return to Hilo International Airport, the aircraft and crew have been waiting for their passengers and thus make an immediate departure for their flight seeing tour back to Honolulu. Tour prices begin from $349 for standard aisle seats and $399 for premium window seats.

“Our deluxe volcano one day tour is unique in that everything is first class and our exclusive itinerary is not be offered by any other company,” says Teimour Riahi, President and CEO of Interisland Airways. “Our Waikiki pick ups are at 10 am and passengers will get a complete tour of the Hawaii Volcano National Park and will be back in Waikiki at approximately 6:30 pm, in plenty of time to enjoy dinner and other evening activities. “

Interisland Airways is Hawaii’s leader in premium flight seeing interisland tours since 1982. Interisland Airways is proud to operate the Bombardier Shorts SD3-60-300 aircraft, featuring twin jetprop engines, 30 passenger seats and large viewing windows for perfect flight seeing tours. The aircraft’s two pilots, flight attendant and equipment are licensed and regulated by the Federal Aviation Administration. All of Interisland Airways’ flightseeing tours are commission to travel agents. For more information, on Interisland Airways, call their Sales Department at 1-888-999-9015 or 808-833-8080 or on line at www.iflyinterisland.com.

Got an SSSS on your boarding pass?

2009-03-18T13:56:00.000-07:00

A problem you will not have at Interisland Airways

by Grant Martin

Ever wonder why you seem to get patted down all of the time when you're going through security at the airport? Or why they selected you at all?

The way that the TSA identifies threats is a complex process, but one way they have of adding a layer of security is by using your boarding pass against you. Specifically, the letters "SSSS" written on your pass mean that you need to get secondary screening, that is, a pat down and a quick search and swab through all of your belongings by a TSA officer.

That SSSS can come from a variety of sources – if the TSA agent who checks your ID at the beginning of the security line notices something strange about you or your or itinerary, he or she may write the code on your boarding pass and the agent at the metal detector will see it and pull you aside. The airline might also add the code when your document is being printed, perhaps, for example, if you purchased a high price one way ticket. Alternatively, a mean friend might write it on your pass when you're not watching just to watch you get shaken down.

So is there any way around it? If the code comes from a programmatic source, there isn't much you can do besides get to the security checkpoint early, be prepared for the worst and hope that your agent doesn't look too closely at your pass. If the code shows up mysteriously after you were a jerk to a ticket or TSA agent, well, it might be a good idea to be more polite next time.

Contact us at bookings@iflyinterisland.com for a charter quote and let us provide you with hassle free travel.

Forget paradise, Hawaii could be the next space tourism destination

2009-02-13T13:01:00.000-08:00

by Brenda Yun Feb 13th 2009 @ 12:00PM

Although it would still be a heavy price to pay, space flights could leave from Hawaii as soon as 2011. My good family friend, Jim Crisafulli, a member of the State Office Aerospace Development committee, suggests space tourism could be an added appeal to Hawaii's important tourism industry.

According to a local (KHON2) news report, space tourism involves a spaceship that will take off from Earth and take passenger up to 62 miles in space. You will not only experience weightlessness, but you will arrive at your desired destination in record time. It will take less than an hour to get to Japan from Hawaii and a little over an hour to get to California.

For now, the price for a ticket such as this will cost over $100,000, but by 2015 we might see reasonable ($5000/ticket) prices. The cost could easily make up for the awesome experience of being in space -- as well as the extreme cut in time for travel to other destinations in the world.

Before this becomes a reality, Hawaii must apply for a space port license from the FAA. While other state have already processed such applications, Hawaii has the added appeal of being a paradise in itself.

Before you don that space suit and pay that hefty price tag, know that you will need to undergo a week-long space travel orientation -- but that too is not such a grim idea, as between lessons you can sip on lava flows and mai tais on Waikiki Beach. Sounds like fun. Lend me the money and I'll be the first to try it!

Hawaiian Airlines in ticket agreements with Air France, Virgin Blue

2009-02-02T14:08:00.000-08:00

The Pacific Business News reports:

Hawaiian Airlines has signed interline electronic ticketing agreements with Air France and Virgin Blue of Australia.

The agreements will give travelers seamless flight connections, Hawaiian Airlines said.

Air France and Virgin Blue customers will be able to buy one e-ticket, check in once at their originating departure airport, get boarding passes and get their luggage at the final destination.

“As Hawaiian continues to reach out to more international travelers, these agreements will make the journey to Hawaii much easier for our customers,” said Rick Peterson, vice president of marketing and sales at Hawaiian Airlines, in a statement.

The interline e-tickets for Hawaiian and Air France or Virgin Blue customers are now being issued.

A new state-funded website provides information on vog concentrated areas around the Big Island. Vog levels—from “good” to “hazardous"—are tracked via color-coded warnings. The dreaded maroon-colored “hazardous” warning level of vog is a rarity—unless, of course, you're standing on the edge of one of Kilauea's active vents.

Interisland airways has the best view of the volcano!

HOT DEALS TO HAWAII!

2009-01-29T11:23:00.000-08:00

Escape to Hawaii and receive some of our best deals! Enjoy warm ocean waters, pristine beaches, majestic volcanoes, surfing, diving, golf, hiking and much more! Pleasant Holidays Current Special for 5 nights with air from $379

Orbitz desires to be your Hawaii vacation guide Whether you're planning your first Hawaii vacation or you've been here many times before, Orbitz can help you create your own storybook adventure.

Expedia also comes in with a very reasonable $545 package to Oahu.

Once on Oahu allow us to take you on the adventure of a lifetime!

Hawaii #7 rated best value to vacation in 2009

2009-01-21T19:36:00.000-08:00

New York Times says Hawaii travel value-laden in 2009

by: Chris Bailey

New York Times picks Hawaii We’re almost a month into 2009. There’s a sense of cautious optimism as we move ahead. In the travel world, however, things seem a bit dour.

Still, affordable travel to Hawaii shouldn’t be a fantasy. The New York Times’ made that point evident by including Hawaii near the top of its list of the Top 44 Places to Go in 2009. The list features a variety of culturally diverse and economically friendly destinations, ranging from Berlin to the Galapagos Islands.

Hawaii landed at No. 7, receiving high marks for value, particularly appealing to vacationing families and frugal travelers.

A bulk of the Times’ Hawaii write-up focuses on the recent reopening of the Royal Hawaiian Hotel in Waikiki. The “Pink Palace” is commemorating its original 1927 opening by offering a special one-night rate of $19.27 for a minimum four-night stay, proving that luxury isn’t impossible in these tough economic times.

If that offer doesn’t appeal to you, the article points to great travel packages via Hawaii.com.

For more great deals may we suggest the official Hawaii Visitors and Conventions Bureau (HVCB) website, as featured in our Affordable Hawaii feature in the Jan/Feb 2009 issue, currently on newsstands. The HVCB works with Hawaii’s resorts and wholesalers to bring travelers the most current deals. Click here to check it out for yourself.

Ohia Lehua

2009-01-19T17:10:00.001-08:00

In Hawaii there is a common tree in the forest called the Ohia tree, which is important in Hawaiian culture. It bears beautiful flowers called Lehua blossoms. There is a legend associated with Ohia tree and it's blossoms. During a recent tour some of the passengers remarked how beautiful a blossom was on this old gnarly tree. Our guide then explained the following legend:.

The Legend of Ohia and Lehua

One day Madam Pele, the goddess of the volcano, met a handsome young man named Ohia. She desired to have him as her sweetheart. He confessed that he already was in love with another young girl, Lehua. This enraged Pele and she used her magical powers to transform the young man into the ugly Ohia tree. Lehua was terribly sad and pleaded with Pele to return the young man back to his human form. Pele refused so Lehua begged the gods to help her to be reunited with Ohia. Instead of changing Ohia back to a human, the gods transformed Lehua into a lovely red blossom to adorn the Ohia tree. Now when anyone picks a Lehua blossom, it will rain because the lovers have been separated.

Happy New Year

2009-01-01T12:18:00.001-08:00

Hawaii is by far the best place outside of New York City to celebrate the New Year!

Our new president elect is here enjoying the great weather, the wonderful fireworks displays along with the Ahi a traditional meal served sashimi style!

Interisland airways wishes you the very best 2009 with happy and safe journeys!

Power outage on Oahu has no effect on Interisland Airways

2008-12-27T13:33:00.001-08:00

While the Honolulu Airport terminal turned into chaos Interisland Airways flew its Chartered VIP flight to Maui with no interruption of service.

The Hollywood VIP was on Oahu when the Power Outage occurred. Therefore, with the island shut down he and his family decided to return to his vacation hideaway on the island of Maui. Just one of the many benefits of a chartered flight - your crew is always in place to take you where you need to go!

Prompt reliable service with no delays!

Interisland Airways - The Beauty Remains to be Seen...

Happy Holidays

2008-12-23T15:02:00.000-08:00

Hawaii tops list of states to visit!

Readers of a national travel industry newspaper have named Hawaii the best state to visit.

Travel Weekly readers also recognized Maui as the best destination in Hawaii.

At the publication’s recent sixth annual Readers Choices Awards in New York, winners in 56 categories were honored as the “best of the best of the travel industry.”

California-based Pleasant Holidays was named the best tour operator in Hawaii.

RESTLESS MOUNTAIN - Hana Hou Magazine

2008-12-12T16:36:00.000-08:00

Restless Mountain

Story by Dennis Hollier

Shane Turpin cuts the throttle and lets the boat drift down on the writhing column of steam and ash. This is where the lava flows into the sea, and it’s an awesome and infernal scene. From this close, the gigantic plume seems alive, coiling and coiling upon itself as the trade winds blow it low over the steaming water. Sea witches—delicate, evanescent water spouts—undulate like tentacles from its dark underbelly. And, at its churning center, a seemingly endless succession of explosions pummel the shore with a hailstorm of scoria and splattered lava.

“That’s Madam Pele,” Turpin says, hoisting a video camera to his shoulder.

Turpin, the owner of Lava Ocean Adventures, is obsessed with lava. He likes to get close to it. He likes to smell its sulfurous fumes. Under the right circumstances, he’ll even touch it. He and his father are famous for scuba diving on the flow; in grainy YouTube footage, you can see the two of them underwater using stout gaff hooks to sculpt the livid pillows of lava. For people like Turpin, the recent lava flow has been a bonanza. Over the last several months, it’s been flowing almost continuously, pouring from the Pu‘u o‘o vent high on the flanks of Kïlauea and running down along the old Royal Garden flows and into the sea. For most of that route, it’s buried in a lava tube, a kind of natural plumbing that forms when a tongue of lava hardens on the outside but continues to flow underneath. For real lava hounds like Turpin, the place to see actual, flowing lava is here off the Big Island’s wild Puna Coast.

Probably no one has been here as much as Turpin. Several times a week, at the helm of a battered old tour boat he calls the Lava Cat, he brings small groups of visitors to view the spectacle. Today, continuous steam explosions obscure the lava. Turpin lets the boat drift in the afternoon swells just beyond range of the falling debris while we watch for a glimpse of lava in the surging plume. Suddenly, a shift in the wind parts the column of steam, and we all stare with amazement into the incandescent maw of a fresh spatter cone. It might as well be the center of the earth.

The plume of steam rising on the Puna Coast is only the smallest of three such plumes that bend in the lee of Kïlauea. For the scientists who study the volcano, this one is just an afterthought. The real activity is up the hill—at Pu‘u o‘o and especially at the Halema‘uma‘u crater at the summit of Kïlauea. A flurry of tremors and sulfurous belches that occurred during the summer of 2007 preceded the current episode in the ongoing eruption at Pu‘u o‘o. In July, the crater, which had been empty for months, filled again with lava. Then on July 21, lava began to spill from fissures in its flank. Concern grew by August as one flow meandered northeastward for the first time in more than twenty years, briefly alarming the residents of Pahoa and Hawaiian Beaches. But in November, the lava began to flow south again from a new fissure. At first it ponded. Then, on Thanksgiving eve, it broke loose and writhed its way across the landscape. In February lava flowed again in Royal Gardens, pausing to engulf some of the last remaining houses there before moving on to the sea on March 4.

March saw further trouble: A new vent opened in Halema‘uma‘u, suddenly doubling the emissions of “vog,” or volcanic fog—a toxic cloud of sulfur dioxide—into the atmosphere. Volcano National Park officials closed down large sections of the park. Warnings were issued for people with respiratory problems. Vog obscured visibility on the Kona Coast, and when the usual trade winds failed, Kona winds carried the haze as far as O‘ahu and even Kaua‘i. That steady dose of acidic gas would eventually play havoc with Big Island agriculture, devastating many of the coffee and protea flower farms of Puna, Ka‘u and South Kona. Then, on the night of March 19, Halema‘uma‘u surprised scientists when it exploded and rained debris onto the popular crater overlook trail and parking lot. For the first time in recorded history, Pu‘u o‘o and the summit were erupting at the same time.

Kïlauea is one of the world’s most active volcanoes; Pu‘u o‘o or one of the other vents along what are known as the Northeast and Southwest Rift Zones has been erupting almost continuously since 1983. But the recent activity represents a change in the volcano’s behavior: The Halema‘uma‘u eruption is the first summit eruption in nearly twenty-four years. Also, although Kïlauea is famous for its effusive eruptions—for flowing lava—Halema‘uma‘u produced a rare explosive eruption. And that’s what has scientists

own in the shadowy basement of the Hawaiian Volcano Observatory is an office littered with rocks and plastic bags containing gravel and dust and grit— the stock in trade of an old-fashioned volcanologist. Don Swanson doesn’t look like your typical scientist. He’s a slight man with a grizzle of beard and red dirt rubbed deep into the thighs of his faded jeans, but as one of the senior geologists at the observatory and an expert on Kïlauea’s explosive history, perhaps no one knows the volcano as well as Swanson.

“There’s a kind of general skeleton model for how the volcano works that I think most of us try to build on,” Swanson says. “Magma enters the volcano directly beneath the summit area. It comes up from a depth of maybe 100 kilometers; it enters some kind of magma reservoir and then is distributed from there. Magma from the reservoir can either come directly to the surface and erupt right in the caldera—into Halema‘uma‘u, for example—or it can go into one of the two rift zones.” Unfortunately, the current Halema‘uma‘u eruption presents problems for this standard model.

Swanson explains, “Our feeling always has been that to have an eruption, you have to have magma intruding into the volcano. If so, the magma reservoir is going to swell, and the ground surface is going to distend.” Last year, though, rather than swelling, the summit actually deflated. “That’s what has us all baffled,” Swanson says. “Before the Halema‘uma‘u eruption began, there was no swelling of the volcano. It was a stealth eruption. From the ground deformation perspective, there was nothing that would have anticipated that there was going to be such a big change.” And, for all their high-tech equipment, volcanologists are still flummoxed when it comes to making predictions, and Swanson won’t speculate about what might be coming next. “We have no idea,” he says.

But scientists can look to the past for precedent, and Swanson wants to put this eruption into historical context. “Kïlauea,” he says, “is usually considered a docile volcano, sort of a milquetoast. It puts out lava flows, and the lava can be destructive to property, but it isn’t very dangerous to people.” This, of course, is part of the volcano’s charm, both with scientists and tourists: You can get close to the action. “But,” he adds, “if you look very closely at the explosive record of Kïlauea—going back 2,000 years plus—you will find Kïlauea has been quite explosive. In fact, Kïlauea explodes about as often as does Mount St. Helens. The explosions, for the most part, aren’t as large as Mount St. Helens, but in the last 1,500 years, at least six of these explosions sent debris flying up into the jet stream.” For good measure, he points out, “Jet engines and volcanic ash don’t mix.”

By way of example, he says, “In 1790 there was a famous eruption that killed somewhere between about eighty and 800 people or more, depending on the estimate you choose. The botanist David Douglas estimated 5,405 people died.” In this instance it’s believed that many of the dead were the soldiers of Keoua, on their way to do battle with Kamehameha I for control of the island of Hawai‘i, so this eruption may have dramatically changed Hawaiian history. “I think they were killed by surges,” Swanson says, “clouds of hot gas and rocks that rushed at hurricane velocity from the caldera and engulfed them.”

“More recently,” he says, “in 1924 there were three weeks of explosions in Halema‘uma‘u, explosions that killed a person and did some damage. There was a mud rain in lower Puna. Back then there used to be a train then that went from Hilo to Kapoho, but it had to stop running because the tracks were too slippery.”

The long view of science gives Swanson a cautious cast. “Most of the research on Kïlauea has been focused on its effusive rather than its explosive history,” he says. “We’re just trying to bring the explosions into people’s thinking—not to panic people, because there’s no reason to panic, and not to frighten people, because there’s no reason to be frightened—but just for people to realize that Kïlauea does have a dark side. After all, the 1790 event killed more people than any other volcano in the US.”

At least for now, the mountain’s lowlevel grumbling remains a tourist attraction. In lower Puna the county has marked out a trail across old lava flows that as recently as 1990 inundated the remote village of Kalapana. Every day, thousands of people trudge from a makeshift parking lot, over the beds of ropy pahoehoe (smooth lava), out to the edge of the escarpment where the old Kalapana flow ends. From this vantage they can see where the lava flows into the sea nearly a quarter-mile away. Mostly, they see the plume as it surges out over the ocean. Sometimes they can see the Lava Cat wending back and forth beneath the column of steam and ash. But as the sun goes down, the foot of this great steam cloud begins to glow, and the fountains of lava once hidden in the steam become incendiary and beautiful against the darkening background of the sea. It’s a sight not to be missed.

Don't just sit there...

2008-12-02T11:03:00.000-08:00

Hawaii is the top holiday dream escape, according to a recent Trip Advisor travelers poll.

Travelers picked Hawaii as their top 10 dream escape, followed by London, Paris, Aruba, New York City, Las Vegas, Jamaica, Rome, Bahamas and Tahiti.

The fresh, floral air energizes you. The warm, tranquil waters refresh you. The breathtaking, natural beauty renews you.

Look around. There’s no place on earth like Hawaii.

We warmly invite you to explore with us!

The beauty remains to be seen...

Testimonials

2008-11-24T16:19:00.000-08:00

We recently began handing out customer service comment cards and I am pleased to say that 100% have returned with Excellent checked by every question asked.

We also gave room for comments and I have included just a few received this month. I hope you can find time during your vacation to Hawaii to visit us.

aloha,

Interisalnd Airways

Comments:

I would absolutely recommend this tour to friends. Your wonderful staff made the whole trip worth every penny! Thank you so much.

Carrie Meyer and Rose Golzlin

Your guides go above and beyond! The tour was very interesting and informative a wonderful experience!

Mahalo!

Anthony & Martina Jones

Wow, the Volcano Tour was a great experience! The beauty of Hawaii is amazing! I really enjoyed seeing Volcano National Park, we also stopped at the steam bluffs, which really were incredible. I think Hilo is a nice town with fresh clean air. This tour is a must for those just on Oahu. Seeing the other islands from the air and then Volcano National Park just makes for a wonderful experience! Aloha and thank you Interisland Airways.

Cindy

I would just like to thank Interisland Airways and Polynesian Tours for a fantastic 6 Island Volcano Tour. Everyone was incredibly knowledgeable and hospitable. The trip was a once-in-a-lifetime experience and I appreciate having had the opportunity to attend. Once again, thank you for a wonderful trip.

Clinton Roberts

Think Hawaii this winter

2008-11-06T17:09:00.000-08:00

The Perrin Post at Conde'Nast Traveler

The last time Obama was in Hawaii--a couple of weeks ago, to visit his grandmother for the last time--he stayed at the Hyatt Regency Waikiki, which is offering third nights free, plus a comp upgrade and daily breakfast for two, through December 19.

I've said it before, but I'll say it again: This is the winter to go to Hawaii. I'd be headed there myself for post-Election Day de-stressing if work assignments didn't have me bound for other parts of the globe.

Last week I told you about fares to Honolulu for $244 from L.A. and $452 from New York. Then yesterday Beat of Hawaii reported fares of $421 from Washington, D.C., and $426 from Boston, including over Thanksgiving!

We also learned yesterday that Hawaii hotel occupancy fell to only 63 percent in September. That's the worst it's been since the months right after 9/11. All those empty rooms will force resorts to offer big discounts and incentives this winter. How to nab the best deals?

My hunch is that the biggest Hawaii bargains are yet to come and will take the form of airfare-plus-hotel packages (since packages allow airlines and hotels to lower rates without advertising that they're doing so). You might want to look for packages that include any of these Hawaii beach resorts, which have been rated tops in the state by the very well-traveled and selective readers of Conde Nast Traveler. You also might want to follow two blogs that single out some of the best deals: Beat of Hawaii and Go Visit Hawaii.

If you've already got airline tickets and all you need now is accommodations, there are a ton of third- and fourth-night-free deals to choose from. Be prepared to act fast, though: The steepest sales nowadays last only a few days. And don't forget about vacation rental homes, which may well offer the best value for your dollar.

Madam Pele's Amazing Volcanic Activity

2008-08-09T13:30:00.000-07:00

Kilauea Volcano spews lava

This is definitely the most prominent activity in years a show by Madam Pele not to be missed. Join Interisland Airways for a fantastic tour of this force of mother nature and madam pele.

June and July Photo's from the Volcano Tour

2008-07-17T03:07:00.000-07:00

The World Famous Diamond Head a well known landmark of Oahu.

Pu'u'O'o Vent has been extremely active the last few months these photo's taken from the air tour portion of the Volcano Orchid Tour.

Thurston Lava Tubeis one of the most popular stops along our tour.

NEW TOUR - Coming Soon

2008-06-12T13:42:00.000-07:00

Volcano Twilight lava walk & Rainforest Eco Tour

See some of the most scenic natural beauty of the Hawaiian Islands on this exciting combined day and night Flightsee and Sightsee tour to the Hawaiian Volcanoes.

Highlights include:

• Flight briefing on arrival at the Interisland Airways private terminal at Honolulu
International Airport.
• Narrated Flightsee tour of 6 Islands with an up close viewing of the Hamakua coast
• Narrated Sightsee tour of Hilo viewing Hilo Bay, Banyan Drive, Rainbow Falls, the famous Big Island Candy factory. Delve deep into the beauty of the Big Island skirting along the rugged coastline view amazing beaches and breathtaking Scenery. Explore the mystery of the rainforests at Lava Tree Park.
• Relax at Uncle Roberts Hawaiian shack for snacks and some Hawaiian history (Included in the price of tour) then take a short hike along a future coconut grove that leads you to the world’s newest Black Sand Beach!
• Then onto the Kalapana devastation caused by Madame Pele, the Hawaiian Goddess of Fire
• Lava walk the frozen fire at Kalapana to the steamy fury of the Volcano exploding into the ocean at twilight. A magnificent sight not to be missed!
• Star gaze on your flight back to Honolulu with full memories of the Volcano at night

Free hotel pick-up and drop-off in Waikiki

Hamakua Coast line

2008-04-21T12:33:00.000-07:00

The Hāmākua coast is the windward coast of Northern Hawai'i and hence dominated by erosional cliffs that drop from a height to the ocean. This section of the coast is formed by the flanks of two dormant volcanoes: Mauna Kea and Kohala.

The smooth forms of the shield volcanoes that comprise its mass are interrupted by erosional valleys formed by streams coming from high up the mountain. Streams and cliffs dominate the landscape, which therefore has few and small beaches, but lush and verdant stream valleys.

Rainfall is extremely frequent due to the windward location, giving the entire coast the appearance of the land of green and waterfalls.

Kilauea Volcano extremely active

2008-04-18T02:08:00.000-07:00

Kilauea Volcano is active at two locations. At the summit, low ash production and elevated sulfur dioxide emissions continued from the Halema`uma`u vent. Seismic tremor levels continued elevated to several times background levels. At the east rift eruption site, lava resumed nearly full flow from vents in the east rift zone through tubes into the ocean at the Waikupanaha and Ki ocean entries with some lava diverted into a few surface flows.

Above a Japanese family smiles for our tour guide in the background Halema'uma'u Crater Overlook

"Shaka"

2008-04-06T22:40:00.000-07:00

Visitors pose for our tour guide giving the famous "shaka" sign.

Hawaiian locals use the shaka for various meanings, like "all right", "cool", "smooth", etc. Residents of states other than Hawaii who use the shaka may describe it as meaning "hang loose". It is also used to convey what locals in Hawai'i call the "Aloha Spirit," a gesture of friendship and understanding between the various ethnic cultures that reside within Hawai'i. It can also be used to signal a "hello", "goodbye", " 'till next time", "take care", "Alright!"

According to the Honolulu Star-Bulletin, prevailing local lore credited the gesture to Kalili Hamana of Laie, who lost the three middle fingers of his right hand while working at the Kahuku Sugar Mill. Hamana was then shifted to guarding the sugar train, and his all-clear wave of thumb and pinkie is said to have evolved over the years into the "shaka".

Steam Vents

2008-03-28T18:28:00.000-07:00

Today's tour brought together a japanese family posing for our tour guide with the steam vents in the background.

With all the Volcanic Activity there has been many newspaper articles.

Our Aircraft

2008-03-21T12:34:00.000-07:00

The Aircraft we use is the Bombardier Shorts SD3-60. Configured for 30 seats the Shorts offers plenty of legroom and big windows for easy visibility.

Volcano Tour is selling out!

2008-03-18T00:25:00.001-07:00

There has been a lot of activity with Kilauea. A few photo's shot by our tour guide shows guests on the lava fields along with a photo discussing the sulpher dioxide emissions.

The creation of new land

2008-03-10T13:09:00.000-07:00

As you can see from the photographs taken from today's volcano tour the lava is currently running into the ocean. This is causing the big island of Hawaii to increase in size.

The current size of the big island is 4,038 square miles. How does this compare to the size of the other islands? All the other Hawaiian Islands could easily fit into the Big Island more than two times over.

Up close and personal with Madam Pele'

2008-03-06T12:05:00.000-08:00

photograph from Hawaii Tribune Herald March 4, 2008

Faintly glowing pahoehoe lava crawls steadily makai about mid-afternoon Tuesday. Columns of smoke in the distance rise from vegetation scorched by lava as it invaded the Royal Gardens subdivision. - William Ing/Tribune-Herald

Hawaiian Volcano Observatory scientist-in-charge Jim Kauahikaua said that the flow is still advancing, although at a slower rate than over the past weekend.

The flow has been moving in a shallow ditch between the margins of two flows that were erupted in 2002 and 2007, Kauahikaua said.

"As of 10:30 this morning, it has reached a point 200 meters or 600 feet north of the access road. It's actually aimed at a point about 100 or 150 feet east of the turnaround area, so if it continues it will cut off the turnaround area," Kauahikaua said. "Barring any other changes, the flow will go into the ocean."

Iao Valley

2008-02-19T21:28:00.000-08:00

Today we had a great turnout for our 2 island tour. Both the Napali Coast, Molokai Sea cliffs, Haleakala and Iao Valley were picture perfect.

2 great photo's on today's tour

2008-02-18T20:24:00.000-08:00

We have spoken about Mauna Kea and Rainbow falls in previous posts. Today our tour guide snapped 2 great shots of both from the air and ground tours.

Look closely as you can see a rainbow at rainbow falls.

The snowcapped mountain of Mauna Kea is sometimes surprising to the folks who think Hawaii is all about sand and surf.

Rainbow Falls State Park

2008-02-08T04:18:00.000-08:00

Located just outside downtown Hilo, this is your second stop on the Volcano Orchid Tour. Rainbow Falls is one of the easiest waterfalls to go to in Hawaii. During the morning you may be rewarded with a beautiful rainbow - the morning sun glistening through the mist from the falls.

Banyan Tree Drive

2008-02-01T22:34:00.000-08:00

What do Film maker Cecil B. DeMille, Baseball player Herman "Babe" Ruth, Presidents Richard Nixon and Franklin D. Roosevelt, along with Famous Pilot Amelia Earhart have in common? They all planted banyan trees on Hilo's famous Banyan Tree Drive. This is the first stop once you arrive in Hilo Hawaii. Banyan Tree Drive comes with an interesting story but will save that for your tour.

The photo above was taken today by our Tour Guide and shows the magnificent banyan tree.

Lava Flow

2008-01-31T01:23:00.000-08:00

Kilauea the most active volcano in the world has been erupting continuously since 1983. Yesterday our Flight Attendant took this photo with her camera phone showing some recent lava flow. Our Volcano tour from Oahu to the Big Island has been sold out. Therefore, reservations should be made in advance from our website www.iflyinterisland.com

Booking before you arrive on island will guarantee you a seat on this fantastic tour. This tour is available on Monday, Wednesday, Friday and Saturday.

Mauna Kea

2008-01-28T11:01:00.001-08:00

Mauna Kea, Hawaii's tallest volcano is currently snow capped. Mauna Kea which means white mountain in Hawaiian is a dormant volcano on the Island of Hawaii. Famous for its telescopes, Mauna Kea is ideal for astronomical observations due to the elevation and atmospheric conditions. Last year around this time a snow storm blanketed the mountain with fresh snow.

Hula

2008-01-23T17:28:00.000-08:00

Nothing seems to define Hawaii more then beautiful sunsets and hula. The photo of the hula girl is from the Hawaii Visitors and Convention Bureau. Interisland Airways is an active member of the HVCB. You can check out their website at gohawaii.com.

New Tour Debuts

2008-01-23T00:31:00.000-08:00

Interisland Airways is now offering a new tour this month. The Majestic Kauai, Maui Hibiscus Tour. This new tour allows passengers to see 2 of Hawaii's most beautiful islands all in one day. Some of the highlights are the magnificent coast line of Kauai's Napali Coast and Molokai's giant sea cliffs. This tour is unique as no where else can you see two islands in one day. While most tours in Hawaii are either solely air tours or ground tours. Interisland Airways gives you the best of both worlds.