Blue Hawaiian Helicopter Tours
Blue Hawaiian Helicopters is a top-rated helicopter tour company. For 25 years, it has been providing memorable tours to visitors on four major Hawaiian Islands. Take the 50-minute Circle of Fire Plus Waterfalls Tour where you will fly over the Kilauea Volcano. You will see lava flows, tropical forests and small waterfalls. All prices listed are from early 2010. Order tickets online for $182.95 per person. To see the Kohala Coast, take a 50-minute tour for $198.95 per person. For the most in-depth helicopter tour, take the two-hour Big Island Spectacular Tour for $369.95 per person. The Travel Channel rated it the "World's Best Helicopter Thrill." If you want to venture off to another island, take the Big Island-Maui Tour for one and a half hour. You'll cross the Alenuihaha Channel to Maui and view the Northeastern rugged shoreline. The dense and lush Hana Rainforest and the Haleakala Crater are among the other stand-out sights. Rates per person are $411.95.
Blue Hawaiian Helicopters
105 Kahului Heliport
Kahului, HI 96732
800-745-7583
Bluehawaiian.com
Safari Helicopter Tours
Climb aboard a state-of-the-art Safari A-Star Helicopter and depart on a Volcano Safari Tour from Hilo. For 45 minutes, you will peer down on Mauna Loa and Mauna Kea where lava flows to the Pacific Ocean. Order tickets online for $158.00 per person, as of early 2010. To view a combination of volcanic activity, waterfalls and rainforests, take the Deluxe Volcano Coastline and Safari Tour where you'll see an additional 10-minutes of cascading water on the upper Wailuku River. This is a 55-minute tour for an online ticket price of $179.00. Tours are also offered on Kauai.
Safari Helicopters
Commuter Terminal
Hilo Airport
Hilo, HI 96720
800-326-3356
Safarihelicopters.com
Paradise Helicopter Tours
If you want to feel the wind in your face and literally feel the heat from the red hot lava, try the "Doors Off with Waterfalls-Feel the Heat Tour." The Travel Channel called it "The Hottest Helicopter Tour on the Planet." The Hughes 500 helicopter seats four passengers without doors. Buckle up at Hilo International Airport for an up close and personal view of the Mauna Loa Macadamia Nut Farm and Mauna Loa. Rainbow Falls is also part of the 50-minute tour. You'll have two-way communication with the pilot on this fully narrated tour. If you're driving from Kona to Hilo, it's approximately 2.5 hours. Online ticket prices are $226.31 per person, as of early 2010. Free transportation is provided for Hilo cruise ship passengers who book a helicopter tour. Tours also offered on Oahu.
Paradise Helicopters
P. O. Box 5371
Kailua Kona, HI 96740
866-876-7422
Paradisecopters.com
Article Written By Susan Fogwell
Susan Fogwell is a flight attendant for a major airline and a freelance travel and lifestyle writer. Her far-flung travels have taken her to six continents. As a seasoned traveler, Fogwell has written hundreds of travel articles for a variety of print and online publications, including the "LA Times," "Orlando Sentinel" and "Caribbean Compass."
