TRAVEL & LIFESTYLE
The 5 Best Hawaiian Helicopter Tours to Book on Your Next Vacation
Ryan, Senior Traveler, US
Updated Feb 2019
No matter if you enjoy the white sand beaches, the turquoise waters, or the refreshing trade winds you will find something to love about Hawaii.
Blue Skies of Oahu
- All of Oahu
- 45-50 Minute Flight Tour
- Visit Pearl Harbor and the Arizona Memorial from above
- Max. 6 People
Maui Spectacular Helicopter Tour
- West Maui & Hana/Haleakala Tours Combo
- 90 Minutes Tour (70 Minutes Flight Time)
- Exclusive remote landing site at Ulupalakua Ranch
- Max. 6 People
Kaui Eco Helicopter Adventure
- All of Kauai
- 50-55 Minutes Flight Tour
- Fly over the Garden Isle of Kauai
- Max. 6 People
Big Island Circle of Fire plus Waterfalls
- Tour above the East Side and Volcano National Park
- 45-50 Minute Flight Tour
- Tour the most geologically active environment on earth
- Max. 6 People
Big Island Kohala Coast Adventure
- Tour the Kohala Coast, Valleys & Waterfalls
- 50 Minute Flight Tour
- This tour was voted #1 by The Travel Channel as the "World's Best Helicopter Thrill."
- Max. 6 People
However, the true beauty of the islands lies in the geography from the mountain ranges to the beaches and the waterfalls, rain forests, and craters in between.
What better way to enjoy the sights of the islands than taking a helicopter tour? Helicopter tours are the only way to fully appreciate the beauty of the islands.
The views you see from the beach or a car ride around the island are just the tip of the iceberg of beauty that awaits from the sky. This is because these features are so massive, that to experience them in their full glory, you have to see it from an aerial view.
No matter if you want to visit Hawai’i, Kaua’i, Maui, Moloka’i or O’ahu there is a helicopter tour just for you.
Being an enthusiast of the island features, I have had the privilege of taking several of these tours on my visits to the islands.
Each tour showcases a completely different scenery, leaving your mind blown every single time.
A Complete Guide to Hawaii’s Best Helicopter Tours
Below is a comparison of my experience on five different helicopter tours of the islands:
1. Oahu Island Helicopter Tour
O’ahu has so much to offer from the towering buildings of the city to the countryside and from waterfalls to sandy white beaches and turquoise waters.
This is the island that houses state’s largest city. It has a lot to offer in terms of purely natural features such as mountains, rainforests, and bays to man-made historical monuments such as the Pearl Harbor.
The tour starts from the airport and proceeds to explore the island in a counterclockwise fashion.
Depending on which tour you will then travel along the Ka Iwa Shoreline to view various beaches and well-known surfing spots.
This tour takes you over the majestic Ko’olau Mountain range before flying over to the Windward side which, due to the annual rainfall, showcases some of the most lush greenery you will see on all the island.
As you will come back across the mountains and back to town you will experience the history of Pearl Harbor and view additional landmarks of O’ahu including USS Arizona and Punchbowl Memorial.
I am quite passionate about military work, so I really appreciated this part. Punchbowl Memorial is another incredible sight.
The design of the memorial is the true appeal – it’s beautifully landscaped fields and gardens with curved pavements grace the top of Punchbowl Crater.The pilot will share the history of World War I and II and the soldiers that we pay tribute to at these memorials.
- 50 minute flight time
- Pilots with experience and knowledge of the history of O’ahu
- Views of natural sites and manmade features
- Tour highlights a lot of educational information and may not be for those who aren’t into history
- Bad weather can alter the flight path and/or make it difficult for photographs
“See what Hawaii is all about from the best seat in the house when you book a helicopter tour in Hawaii!”
2. Maui Island Helicopter Tour
Maui, the second largest island in the Hawaiian island chain, has dense rain forests, steep valleys, and countless miles of beaches.
You may choose to experience the west side of the island, the east side of the island, or the entire island. So many tours to choose from made it even more difficult to write about just one.
While many visitors take the day long drive around to view the Hana rainforest from the sky you will experience the lush green of the forest, cascading waterfalls, and bamboo forests that are along this route.If you want to see Maui and experience all its beauty but don’t want to sit in a car for hours on end then a helicopter tour is definitely worth your time.
- 90 Minutes Tour (70 Minutes Flight Time)
- 360 views of the scenery
- Pilot is a great guide with a wealth of information to share
- Views of rainforests, volcanic craters, and waterfalls inaccessible via land
- Time of day impacts views and lighting for photographs
- Most expensive of the tours
3. Kauai Islands Helicopter Tour
Kauai or the Garden Isle is known for its annual rainfall and lush mountain ranges with waterfalls that are visible all year long.
Magnificent beauty untouched by humans contributes to the amazing views only visibly from the air.
I really got a kick out of this one. Finally you will experience the beauty of the Na Pali Coast and Bali Hai Cliffs. As you round out the end of the tour you will fly past Hanalei Bay and the Princeville Resort located on the north shore.
- 50 minute flight time
- Morning and afternoon flight times
- Unique views of canyons, craters, and waterfalls
- Visit to the wettest spot on earth with annual rainfall of 450 – 500 inches per year
- Some sites may be limited due to weather
4. The Big Island Circle of Fire plus Waterfalls
This tour departs from Hilo, Hawaii and covers the eastern side of the island, which is the world’s most active volcanic area.
Mt. Kilauea has been erupting continuously since 1983 and is currently extremely active. Explore the Coastal East Rift Zone – a zone located at the Pacific shore where the mountains meet the oceans. Hot lava freely flows from vents and fissures, slowly making its way down the slopes to pour into the sea. The aerial view is amazing as you get to see all the stages of the lava flow.
Steam emanates from the points of the union as the lava heat vaporizes water. It is a scene that makes you appreciate the true power of nature. A mix of hot red and dark cooled lava covered the entire caldera.In addition to the incredible volcanic views you will experience cascading waterfalls and lush tropical rain forests.
- 50 minute flight time
- Great views of volcanic activity, tropical rain forests an waterfalls
- Educational and informative guides
- Recordings of each flight are available for purchase
- Routes and sights may vary according to weather and wind conditions
- Tour can be limited due to amount of volcanic activity
- Recordings of your flight may be purchases at an additional fee
5. Kohala Coast Adventure Tour
This tour departs from Waikoloa, Hawaii and covers the calm and beautiful northern part of Hawai’i Island.
Some of its highlights include: Mookini Heiau – one of the oldest sites on the island. It is a spiritual temple that pays homage to the many lineages that have lived on the island, including the first natives to arrive on the island.
The northern part of the island boasts of having the largest number of valleys than any island in the world, and Kohala is the best of them. It is home to one of the greatest waterfalls in Hawaii; the Kohala Falls. The waterfall is over 1400 feet high, and thousands of gallons of water fall over by the minute. Waipio Valley is located right at the sea coast.
The bed of the valley is a small offshore town that was the home of most Hawaiian kings. The walls of the valley are quite steep, with a narrow passage connecting its bed to the inner land.
- 50 minute flight time
- Includes unique sites from historical monuments to valleys and waterfalls
- Educational and informative guides
- Insight into native Hawaiian culture
- Recordings of each flight are available for purchase
- Fewer stops than other tours
- Routes and sights may vary according to weather and wind conditions
- Recordings of your flight may be purchases at an additional fee
The choice of which tour to take should mostly be influenced by your taste and preference. Do you like to see erupting volcanoes and canyons, or prefer serene valleys covered with rainforests and waterfalls?
Blue Skies of Oahu
- All of Oahu
- 45-50 Minute Flight Tour
- Visit Pearl Harbor and the Arizona Memorial from above
- Max. 6 People
Maui Spectacular Helicopter Tour
- West Maui & Hana/Haleakala Tours Combo
- 90 Minutes Tour (70 Minutes Flight Time)
- Exclusive remote landing site at Ulupalakua Ranch
- Max. 6 People
Kaui Eco Helicopter Adventure
- All of Kauai
- 50-55 Minutes Flight Tour
- Fly over the Garden Isle of Kauai
- Max. 6 People
Big Island Circle of Fire plus Waterfalls
- Tour above the East Side and Volcano National Park
- 45-50 Minute Flight Tour
- Tour the most geologically active environment on earth
- Max. 6 People
Big Island Kohala Coast Adventure
- Tour the Kohala Coast, Valleys & Waterfalls
- 50 Minute Flight Tour
- This tour was voted #1 by The Travel Channel as the "World's Best Helicopter Thrill."
- Max. 6 People