Skyline Eco Adventures - Akaka Falls - Activities On Big Island Honomu, Hawaii

There's a big banner on the front porch of Skyline Eco Adventures – Akaka Falls. It says” Voted #1 Zipline in Hawaii.” That's a pretty big claim. Now, I had never ridden a zipline before, but have always had it on my bucket list. From what I had read, this was an amazing zipline, soI was looking forward to seeing what it was like.

Our guides Corey and Kaleo outfitted our group with harnesses and helmets at the office. Then we drove through the banana fields while they told us the history of the area. Both Corey and Kaleo were very nice, sweet and cute! One of them would go across the zipline first and wait for us while the other would hook us up to the line.

We didn't have to use a handbrake to slow down, so there was nothing to do but enjoy the ride. We just had to hold on to the harness with one hand and you can hold on to a camera or GoPro with the free hand if you'd like. The helmets are equipped with the GoPro attachments, but we were told that holding the GoPro on a stick worked the best.

We started with a very short line to give us a taste of how it felt to go down on a zipline. Then each line got progressively longer. On every ride, the tour guides were conscientious to make certain that we were in our harnesses properly, and connected safely to the line. Safety is of utmost importance, and after my first run, I was not fearful for the rest of the day. I felt totally safe. The first time we went over a deep valley, we all screamed in delight. The view was incredible. The whole area was peaceful and serene. The 7th line was what we were all anxiously waiting for.

Walking up the the final platform was surreal. The platform was massive - it looked like a structure out of Jurassic Park. We had to climb several flights of stairs to reach the top. I looked out from the line, and I could hardly see the other side it was so far away. As we climbed up the stairs to give us even more height, we were feeling a little apprehensive. The line is 3,350 feet long and it takes one and a half minute to go down. I was told that we rode at 40+ miles per hour.

I had the view of the Kolekole Falls and the whole valley with the stream snaking down the valley. The view was breathtaking and majestic. The waterfall was huge and I saw a rainbow near the surface of the pool to top it off. The ride will naturally have you face toward the majestic waterfall. Even though the ride is about 2 minutes long, I wish it could have stayed up there longer. It was so beautiful. But gravity dictates, so I allowed myself to really soak it in.

At the end of the last line, we were treated with freshly cut sugar cane to gnaw on.

The tour lasted about an 1.5 hours.

Tip: Although I had my GoPro with me, I tried not to let it distract me from what I was experiencing. I just turned it on before I launched, and enjoyed the ride. I recommend that you don't let your photography get in the way of being present with your experience.