View The Volcano From The Sky with Big Island Helicopter Tour

Some of the most amazing places on the Big Island are very difficult to reach over land. Using a helicopter makes it possible to see many of these wonders in a very short amount of time. Helicopter tours depart from Kona, Hilo, and Waikoloa and can last between 1 hour and a full day.

 

Not all helicopter tours are the same and depending on your budget and priorities you have some options. The three main attractions on the Big Island that are definitely worth being seen from the air are:

 

·         Lava and Volcanoes

·         Waterfalls and dramatic cliffs

·         Circle island (around the Big Island)

 

Lava And Volcanoes Helicopter Tours: The lava and volcanoes Big Island Volcano Helicopter Tour are best suited for people that mostly want to see the lava. These tours tend to be the shortest and most affordable when they depart from Hilo because the active part of the Kilauea volcano is closest to Hilo airport.

 

Typically, you will make a 40 to 50-minute flight going southwest from the Hilo airport to lower Puna where the 2018 LERZ eruption took place and a few other vents of the Kilauea volcano, then northeast to the waterfalls and jungle at the Hamakua coast, and then back to the airport.

 

Waterfalls And Dramatic Cliffs: The best places to see waterfalls and dramatic cliffs on the Big Island are on the north (Kohala) and east (Hilo + Hamakua) side of the island. The Kohala coast with the Waipi’o valley 2000+ ft cliffs and waterfalls will hands-down be the best part of this ride.

 

Circle Island Helicopter Tours: A Big Island Helicopter Tours combines all of the above, sometimes with a bit more. These tours can take the whole day, with at most ~2 hours of flight time. The rest of the time is used for on-ground sightseeing at locations that differ per tour. If you do decide to go for one of the circle island tours, try to make sure that you will fly over the west (Kona) coast to see the spectacular sunset.

 

Your helicopter will off course depart from an airport or a heliport, but which one depends on the company you choose. Some companies even provide free transport to and from the airport. Because the drive to and from the heliports can easily take a few hours to your tour. Helicopter tours depart from 4 places: the Hilo airport, the Kona airport, and the Hapuna and Waikoloa heliports (both close to the resorts). The price difference for tours leaving from these locations can be significant. Kona tours cost sometimes almost twice as much as the Hilo tours.