Starting skydiving more than forty years ago at the age of sixteen, owner Guy Banal founded Pacific Skydiving more than two decades ago. If you are looking for the best skydiving spots in Oahu, Pacific Skydiving is a must-visit. Banal relocated to Hawaii in 1975 after first living in France. With a professional hotel restaurant background, he traveled the globe to develop his cooking talents after attending the esteemed Ecole Hoteliere de Toulouse in Toulouse, France. Five years after settling in Hawaii, in 1980, he launched Bon Appetit Restaurant in Waikiki, offering real French cuisine for more than fourteen years. Still, Banal says he always dreamed of working outside and flying during all those years of cooking. He traded his chef’s coat for a parachute, and finally, that dream came true. He has also not turned around.
In 1997, Banal founded and runs Pacific Skydiving, a locally owned and operated business. Today, Pacific Skydiving presents tandem parachute jumps over Oahu’s breathtaking North Shore, making it one of the best skydiving spots in Oahu. From a chilly 8,000 to 14,000+ feet in the air, this exciting, unique experience offers a fantastic perspective over all of the northern shore of the island.
Experience Oahu’s North Shore Like Never Before
Oahu’s North Shore is defined by world-class surf breaks, Dole Plantation, and Haleiwa’s little surf hamlet. While all of these locations are worth visiting during a day trip, simply gaze at the sky to get an adventurous bird’s-eye perspective of this beautiful area. The best skydiving spots in Oahu offer more than just a view; they provide an unforgettable experience.
Each jump begins with a safety briefing at Pacific Skydiving’s offices at Dillingham Airfield near Waialua on the west end of the North Shore. Pacific Skydiving also offers a courtesy bus for Waikiki pickups and drop-offs. The biggest skydiving facility in the state is located in a 94,000-square-foot venue with a cool, airy tented area where you can lounge with food and beverages. It also has an on-site studio for pictures and film, so you can show family and friends your skydiving trip.
Choose Your Skydiving Adventure in Oahu
Pacific Skydiving offers two types of skydiving experiences. Participants can choose the regular tandem jump with one of the expertly licensed USPA (United States Parachute Association) tandem instructors—who have all logged thousands of tandem jumps—and the experience will have them exiting the airplane anywhere from 8,000 to 10,000 feet above the North Shore. This makes it one of the best skydiving spots in Oahu for beginners.
For more altitude and a longer free fall, advance to the ultimate tandem jump. The ultimate tandem upgrade ensures a guaranteed altitude, with a proof of altitude indication placed on the rear of the plane when the door opens for exit, or it’s free. You will leap an impressive 14,000 to 15,000 feet in the air and have 60 or more seconds of free fall. Certain limitations, including weather, will apply for the ultimate tandem upgrade. These options make Pacific Skydiving the best choice for those looking for the best skydiving spots in Oahu.
The Thrill of Skydiving in Oahu
The sensation of their bodies soaring at great speeds captivates skydivers. This is only a preview of what Pacific Skydiving will provide. You will meet your tandem instructor and get ready to board the helicopter or plane. Once the aircraft reaches the jumping altitude, you will leap with your instructor. Your hands and arms stretched will help you feel like a bird. Your body is moving at rates up to 120 mph as you undergo 20 to 60 seconds of freefall, a sensation akin to floating on an inflatable mattress. At 120 mph, the force allows you to literally free-fly your body in any direction. Practice can help you adopt whatever posture you like.
Before the parachute deploys, you will feel the exciting freedom of bodyflying for a 20- to 60-second surge of adrenaline. Your body will then gracefully glide and float down, approaching the ultimate landing site at the airfield—but not before you can enjoy the blues of the Pacific Ocean, the greens of the trees, and the bustle of the communities below. This thrilling experience is what makes Pacific Skydiving one of the best skydiving spots in Oahu.
Additional Perks and Unique Experiences
Even better, no deposit is required for any single tandem reservation, with the exception of helicopters. Students, active military members, and attendees of special events also qualify for tandem jump discounts. Pacific Skydiving is also the only company in the United States that offers commercial parachuting from a helicopter at specific times of the year, providing a one-of-a-kind, unusual experience. These unique offerings solidify its reputation as one of the best skydiving spots in Oahu.
Apart from giving clients daily skydiving jumps, Pacific Skydiving has promoted Oahu skydiving on the map and strengthened long-standing links in the community. The company, which provides high-altitude, low-open parachute jumps, known as HALO parachuting, is Oahu’s only authorized skydiving school approved by the U.S. Parachute Association and the U.S. Department of Defense for military training. Over the years, Pacific Skydiving has also worked with various movie and TV productions on Oahu, including “Magnum P.I.,” “Hawaii Five-O,” “Lost,” “Jurassic Park,” “Point Break,” “ER,” and Netflix features.
For an unmatched skydiving adventure, visit Pacific Skydiving, the best skydiving spot in Oahu, and create unforgettable memories soaring over the North Shore.