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 On airplanes, I sit by the window. This keeps my drowsing noggin from getting clipped by the beverage cart, but also the most stunning visual impressions of a place are often those first ones you get from the air. That's especially true with islands, soaring over blue water toward the cloud forest, the strand of beach like a silver lining. Find out which side of the plane will have the best views.
Most airports have consistent landing/takeoff patterns (though on some islands runway directions shift with shifts in wind direction). This cuts down on midair collisions, which is cool, but it also means it often doesn't matter whether you arrive from New York or the Philippines. The views will be the same from the same side of the plane. So too with taking off, regardless where you're going.
Taking off from Honolulu, for example, sit on the left side of the plane (left side as you face the cockpit) for impressive views into the crater of Diamond Head. I remember this from my trip to Hawaii, but the customer service guy at Hawaiian Airlines also happily confirmed it.
Photographer Zach Stovall took the opening photo above from the left side of an airplane flying around Little Whale Cay in the Bahamas. Actually he was hanging out the door behind the pilot. We recommend against that, but when reserving a seat or confirming a flight, don't be afraid to ask which side will have the best views. Operators at the remote call centers of major airlines may not know flight patterns for the likes of Faa'a Airport in Papeete, Tahiti, but island-based airlines staffed by islanders should provide useful information.
And do you know the best side to sit on flying into or out of your favorite island? Please post a comment below and share.
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