Reviews

I can't say enough good things about the heli tour we took on Blue Hawaiian. I was not expecting much, to be honest... I had read in a tour book that you get better views if you sit on a certain side of the helicopter, so I was kind of expecting it to be the luck of the draw and if you weren't sitting on the right side, you didn't get to see anything. I was so wrong!! We took the Big Island Spectacular tour that took off in Kohala and saw the waterfalls and the volcano. Our pilot was named George and he was really nice, made corny jokes the whole time, etc. He circled around each point of interest numerous times so that everyone could get a good look. The tour stopped halfway in Hilo I think, so that everyone could get off and go to the restroom. The views are so amazing! I'm going to post some of my own pictures here so that you can see what it really looks like. The waterfalls and valleys were so enormous that you can't really get pictures of those... All in all, this trip was WELL worth the money!

We did two tours, the Circle of Fire in Hilo and the Early Bird Special in Maui. In Hilo we were treated to close-up views of the Pu'u O'o (spelling?) vent among other things. I didn't realize until Maui that you can request a window seat. I had the camera in the worst possible spot in Hilo but in Maui I was in the front. On sunny days your pictures will have your own reflection in them, so pray for overcast weather. In Hilo the pilot made several sharp 360 degree turns and while fun they were not very comfortable. To give him the benefit of the doubt, he might have a lot to show in 45 minutes. In Maui our pilot (Jack) was flawless, he kept us comfortable even during a 5000' climb and the descent at 3000'/min. The scenery was great on both trips. We liked the eco-star helicopter more, but you pay more for those trips. The A-star helicopter had only VHS for take-home video, and that was a huge drag since we don't own a VCR. The Eco-star had DVD in Maui. You should inquire with BH about which tours have DVD available. On both we were treated to noise-cancelling headsets, and music is played during the tour while the pilot narrates. The tours are informative and a fun ride in a helicopter. Based on our first experience I'd recommend you take one Advil and one Gravol about 30-60 mins before your flight. I found that just wearing the headset for so long gave me a headache, and if the pilot isn't smooth you might get some motion sickness. Overall, Blue Hawaiian is a quality outfit, and we would definitely visit them again in the future.

My girlfriend and I booked their West Maui and Molokai tour and were utterly awestruck with the magnificence and untouched beauty of what truly must be viewed as God's country. I am a rather heavy-set guy (most would say overweight) and despite my being excruciatingly honest about my weight (295 lbs) because my girlfriend clocked in at a sprightly 112 lbs they good folks at Blue Hawaiian waived the "overweight" surcharge and we were both moved almost to tears (honest-to-God) at the mind-blowing cliffs, water-falls, untouched valleys and spectacular reefs. Our pilot was exceptionally well-versed with the islands' history and points of interest and we were literally riveted by this tour. If you are going to take a helicopter tour, Blue Hawaiian is the only way to go.

We received the Maui spectacular tour as a honeymoon gift. As soon as we arrived at their heliport we knew we were in for a good ride. The reception is brand new, and very professional looking. As soon as you see the helicopters you'll see why Blue Hawaiian is referred to as the Rolls Royce of tours! The seating in the aircraft is determined by weight, and we did get to sit together. We took off over the island and our pilot Gernod was both funny and extremely knowledgeable. After about 30 minutes we touched down on a hillside for a quick champagne break! After taking off again we flew over the other side of the island, before returning. When presented with the choice of an 8 hour drive to Hana or a 1 1/2 hour helicopter ride, the choice is easy. This trip is 200% worth the money. Make sure you get a copy of your flight on DVD. It was only $25 but has our trip and us speaking with the pilot - Brilliant.

I probably never would have booked a helicoptor tour myself, but a friend took me and wow! It was so worth it. We took the Molokai West Maui Mountain tour and I was gobsmacked by the scenery. You get an incredible view of the cliffs of Molokai (tallest in the world) and waterfalls that you would not get any other way. From the moment we got on the helicoptor I felt we were in good hands. Our pilot was young, but seemed very very careful and knowledgable. The helicoptor was spacious with panoramic views. They taped the whole trip so I bought a DVD of the trip when we landed and we have enjoyed watching it and remembering the sights since we came back. This was one of the highlights of my trip to Maui and I highly recommend it.

This was a great way to actually see some lava being that there was not any surface flow during our visit. The pilot was awesome and made sure to drive around so we cound get some good shots of Pu'u Oo and over to where the lave meets the ocean. The pilot was very knowledgable of the area and seemed to really like his job and sharing his info about the Island. We did the circle of fire plus waterfalls and I have to say my only complaint would be if you want to see waterfalls all you get is a quick once over of Rainbow falls, which was fine with us because we had already been there

We chose the Circle of Fire tour. The view of the lava fields and volcano were spectacular! Ray (our pilot) did a great job of narration - he even called us by our first names, which was a nice personal touch. Make sure that you bring your camera!

Just book it! Everyone who worked for Blue Hawaiian did a great job. We took a flight in Jan 2006 on Kauai and can't wait to go back again to book another flight. If I were rich, I would have taken a flight every day or even better owned one of these fantastic helicopters! Their helicopters are a lot better than any other you can book on Kauai. We loved our pilot/guide and for only $25 got to take home a DVD of the flight. It's one of the best things we've ever done (and my husband wasn't too keen on taking the trip in the first place because he gets air sick easily). He didn't get sick (nowhere close--there was barely any turbulence); in fact, he loved it so much he can't wait to go again. If you book online a few days in advance you can save some $$$. I can't say enough good things about our ride.

Like any business--everybody has a bad day once and awhile. Fortunately, Blue Hawaiian understands that. We didn't enjoy ourselves and BH made it right. We appreciate their professional effort. I thank them and encourage you to give them a try. First rate business and Maui is lovely from any anglel...but, especially theirs! Aloha & Mahalo.

We recently took the COMPLETE ISLAND tour on Maui and it was by far one of the most enjoyable things we did while we were on the islands. Our pilot was Guss and you should request him if possible. The ride was smooth, the views incredible, and Guss's knowledge of the island was great. It was money very well spent and we thoroughly enjoyed our experience!

This is a must if you are going to see the interior of the island. Great ride, smooth, and fantastic scenery. A little pricey, but worth every penny. The experience was so awesome.

We took a helicopter tour on Kauai as part of our honeymoon celebration and it was the coolest thing we've ever done (besides getting married of course). It did rain on us the day we were scheduled to fly but we were rescheduled very quickly. Our rescheduled day came and it was pouring rain. We were worried that we wouldn't be able to fly again! The staff told us we were fine and that is was just a passing shower and sure enough we were up in the air by 2pm! If you are prone to motion sickness - do not worry! This is the smoothest ride you will ever take. P.S. They arrange the seats by weight - just by luck my husband and I weighed enough to sit in the front. Truly amazing! This is the one and only time I congratulate myself on being a bit "heavy".

As odd as it sounds, I never took a flight on Blue Hawaiian Helicopter (BHH) tours, but would give them the highest rating possible. Bar some minor snafus, the company has treated me very well. Safety – Outstanding Given the two recent accidents (not BHH related), I did extensive research into safety. In every instance, Blue Hawaiian Helicopters (BHH) came up as the top firm in safety and procedures. They voluntarily comply with the higher safety procedures from the FAA and the owners are leaders in industry safety initiatives. Service - Outstanding My family scheduled two tours with BHH. Their representatives were extremely helpful on the phone and even told me how to save money with online booking. Once booked, I was able to speak to a real person to make adjustments and even select the pilot we preferred, after getting a bio that listed their experience. When we ultimately had to cancel the tour, the owner of the firm got personally involved to make sure everything was handled professionally. We had one representative who treated us poorly the day our tour was cancelled, but all issues were ultimately resolved by the owner. Very few firms provide the high level of customer service exhibited by BHH. They are the best. Tour and Reservations – Above Average Due to high winds and poor visibility, all tours were cancelled the morning of our reservation on the Big Island. Rather than risk not having my kids see a volcano, we started the long drive to the opposite side of the island, not yet knowing if the afternoon tour would also be cancelled. We were only there for a day trip and wanted to guarantee some sight seeing. Considering how often flights are cancelled, I do not recommend the two hour tour for people on a one-day excursion. For one day trips, book the BHH one hour tour out of Hilo. That way, if the tour is cancelled, you are guaranteed to still see the sights, since Hilo is near the action. If you are a guest on the Big Island, the two hour tour out of the Kona side should be great since the risk of a cancelled tour is mitigated. Planning and Weather Having taken other helicopter tours, I can verify they are awesome. Nothing beats seeing mother nature up close from a helicopter, without the bother of traffic and crowds. However, they are always subject to safety and weather. When we first took a tour in Alaska, it was a scramble to find a tour not cancelled due to weather. We succeeded, but found out weather cancellations are a common occurrence. My advice. Have a backup plan. Schedule your tour in such a way that you can easily have a good time if it is cancelled. Good companies, like BHH, will always put safety first, so you can trust their decisions. But, they do not control the weather. As the boy scouts say, always be prepared. While I should have prepared a backup plan, it would have been nice if the BHH reservation agent had given me some more insight into selecting a tour, especially after informing him of our one day itinerary. Overall, don’t bother looking anywhere else. BHH is the only company to use in my book, and I did the research.

We paid the few extra bucks for the EcoStar, and it was worth it. The seats had plenty of room and a gentle, cool air blew at our faces. We went out on a windy day and have the tendency to get motion sickness, but this helicopter was so comfortable that we didn't feel sick at all. The pilot was informative without being too talkative. A video of the flight is offered when you return. Definitely recommended.

I recently took a helicopter tour of Maui with Blue Hawaiian Helicopters. They have new helicopters called Eco Star's. They are 50% quieter, have more room inside, and better viewing than the industry standard A Star's. Marty (our pilot) was funny, informative and did a great job narrating the trip and answering questions. These helicopters have cameras all over them so you can purchase a DVD of your actual flight, complete with questions asked on board, after you land. Overall it was worth every penny to have a grin from ear to ear for an hour, and be able to take it home.