Reviews

Do this tour - you won't regret it! Our tour was with Scott and he made it awesome. The views and scenery were already amazing, but his insightful commentary and responses to questions made it even better. He was great at making the tour exciting and balancing it with respect for those caught up in the lava destruction. Also, Scott looks a lot like James Hetfield (in disguise maybe?) and his choice in flying themed playlist was perfect (classic rock + disney, yes please) :)

The best parts of this adventure were the views and our pilot. The weather cooperated, light clouds above 3,000 ft. Hilo typically gets weather later in the day, over 200 inches of rain a year so try to book a morning flight. Our pilot was very professional with aptly timed humor. “First time flying in a helicopter?” “Yes!” “Mine too.” The flight was smooth but in order to get views from both sides, sharp turns are needed. If you are prone to motion sickness take some Dramamine. It’s not bad at all (I enjoyed it but by son got sick) We saw the beautiful coastline of Hilo, then the devastation of Leilani Estates, the lava entering the ocean, Fissure 8 with a small bit of lava inside, Puʻu ʻŌʻō, then a waterfall near the botanical gardens. Our pilot (I am terrible with names) was great. He pointed out all the sights with background info and welcomed any questions or comments. He even gave us a great suggestion where to eat lunch in Hilo. The staging before the flight could be a bit better. We walked out to the flight line and you have to wait for your turn. There is no shade but umbrellas are provided. I would suggest the staff hold us inside the covered terminal building (a short distance away) until the helicopter arrives, then walk us out. One concern I had was due to weight balance, the kids are loaded last. This means the kids are told to wait outside the running helicopter alone. Fortunately our kids follow directions, but a staff member should stay in close proximity to them until they are ready to load up. Overall, a great experience. I highly recommend going.

The views and lava flow pattern from the air give you a unique perspective on the path of the recent Volcano. Best way to see what the Volcano has done to the geology of the big island. Our pilot was very knowledgeable. Great ride. Thanks!

My wife and I scheduled a tour. We were warmly greeted and given safety instructions. The pilot introduced himself and readied us for the flight. We saw the new lava flow and fissure eight, but twenty minutes into the flight clouds rolled in. It was hard to see anything on the ground. The pilot told us he was canceling the rest of the flight because we would not be able to see anything. We were all sad but certainly understood his decision. When we returned to the heliport the agent gladly refunded our full fare. If we get back to the island we certainly would use Blue Hawaiian again.

The Circle of Fire tour is what you expect, an above air view of the recent volcano activity of Kilauea. Blue Hawaiian tours are very professional and all safety aspects attended to. My only criticism is if you are in the middle seat at the rear of the helicopter. Despite assurances from the company the view is not 360% and it does make the trip somewhat disappointing. As the pilot gasped at the scenes below, I was left blinded. Taking photos from this seat is almost impossible unless you keep reaching over the next person next to you! I would ask for a window or front row seat before booking. All lava flow has now ceased but still amazing to see the destruction.

Sarah the pilot was very knowledgeable about volcanoes to my surprise. So much so I even asked her about it. She said she has flown Volcano tours in Africa and Alaska before coming to Hawaii. She was great. There isn't any flowing lava right now so it was as exciting as it could have been. Which I guess is something that we should have taken into account before booking. My only real issue is the Tour title is a bit deceiving. Circle of Fire and Waterfalls Tour. We saw exactly ONE waterfall at the end. So for that reason I give it just average.

What an experience this was not only for myself, but especially for my teenage kids. Wesley was such a great guide in educating us about everything we saw from above. So well worth the experience and to be able to see such beauty from up in the sky. Would definitely love to do that again.

Our family flew twice with Blue Hawaiian Helicopter Tours. This tour was outstanding, the pilot explained about the volcanoes and geology of the area. He was very personable with all the members of the family. The only down side is that it was raining slightly in some areas of the island, so visibility wasn't the greatest! However, well worth the money! Highly recommend!

We got very lucky, perfect weather for our flight. Ethan was a great pilot, sharing his experience and knowledge.

My wife & I were upgraded to the front seats & given "co-pilot" bands which are normally charged 100 bucks as our flight got shifted to a later slot due to some glitch in the copter, so we had the best views! The topography of ancient solidified lava flow is bizzare & the vastness of it can be appreciated only from the sky. Craters of different types are pointed out by the pilot, some with smoke rising. His constant commentary is very informative. But no glowing lava spilling into the ocean or any fires to be seen. Wipe out those images seen on the promotional websites or you will be disappointed as i was. There are a few waterfalls seen in the later part of the ride and the pilot goes around them so that all can see, but i expected him to go lower down which he did not, maybe due to imposed restrictions. The ride is a unique experience but don't expect too much.

Great sights for sure. Our pilot was self-proclaimed not going to provide an auditory tour but would answer any questions. Otherwise this would have been 5 Stars.

My wife loved this tour so much it brouht her to (happy) tears. The steam coming off that volcano and circling around it was just amazing and a shout out to our pilot, Sarah, she answered all of our questions and the flight was so smooth it felt like we were floating on air. We'll be back for sure.

WOW!! What an absolute amazing experience!! To fly over an active volcano, lava fields, destroyed villages, lava tubes and vents and the worlds newest black sand beach was awesome! As well as seeing waterfalls inaccessible from land with a pilot - Greg O who was knowledgeable and friendly we all had a great time!

Yes, very pricey but what an experience! Seeing the Big Island from they sky was awesome! The lava flow sites, the growth of the island and the beautiful land was amazing. The pilot was very informational and pleasant on our flight.

It was amazing to see the crater of vulcano. Smoke come out of the crater. We get an extra tour to see waterfall and rainforest. And we flow over macademian farms