A Blue Hawaiian Eco-Star explores Kauai's breathtaking Na Pali coastline.
Sedona, AZ: The connection between Sedona and Hawaii may not be apparent at first glance, but we at Gateway To Sedona recognize many unifying qualities: extreme scenic beauty, profound sense of place, strong cultural identity and deep spiritual values. Our recent discovery of the world’s finest gourmet sea salt, Soul of the Sea—harvested from the crystal clear waters surrounding the tiny Hawaiian island of Molokai—increased our interest further. Now, Gateway To Sedona is pleased to publish this article about the breathtaking rewards of touring the Islands of Aloha by helicopter, and an exciting film that reveals the islands’ hidden secrets as never before.
A New Film Explores the Incomparable Majesty of Hawaii from the Air
It is the most remote place on earth, measured in terms of distance from other land masses. It is the youngest state in the United States—admitted in 1959, currently celebrating its 50th anniversary of statehood—and the only one made up entirely of islands. It is constantly being created, with its ongoing volcanic activity adding more than 500 acres to its land mass in the past 25 years, and even building a new island, Lo-ihi, under the ocean. Of course, we’re talking about Hawaii, the one and only American paradise.
Tourism to Hawaii goes back to the mid 1800s—adventure tourists mostly, drawn by the excitement of the erupting Kilauea volcano. But the industry didn’t really take off until the demise of the plantation era, at the beginning of the 20th century. The first Matson steamship arrival was in 1908, and the islanders made a gala occasion of it, which became a much-storied tradition. With leis, streamers, music and pomp greeting every Matson liner arrival at the Aloha Tower, the well-to-do visitors would disembark into another world—their caravans of trunks, their servants, and even their Rolls-Royces trailing behind—and settle in to enjoy the delights of Hawaii for months.
The next phase of tourism began in 1935, with Webley Edwards' legendary weekly live radio show, "Hawaii Calls." Millions of listeners in the United States, Canada and Australia were captivated by the sounds of Waikiki—lovely steel guitars, lilting Hawaiian singers, evocative drums, and the gentle surf itself—and were eager to visit this seductive paradise.
Responding to demand, in 1936—in the midst of the Great Depression—Pan American launched its San Francisco to Honolulu service on the Hawaii Clipper, a seven-passenger flying boat. The price was $720 round-trip (about the cost of a new Chevy) and a one-way flight took almost 22 hours. Yet with five flying boats eventually providing daily service, modern Hawaii tourism was born. And arriving and departing visitors also got their first, brief glimpses of the extraordinary wonders of the islands that could only be seen from the air.
