Reviews

This was fantastic. We highly recommend and would consider this a must do! Everything was very professional and safe. We did the waterfalls/waipio tour on the ecostar- the views were spectacular! Truly truly spectacular. The pilot did a nice job of turning the helicopter so both sides of the copter could see everything. I was in a window seat in the back and husband was in a back middle seat. Absolutely no problems seeing. 1 hour was the right amount of time for us.

Our guide was entertaining and an incredible helicopter pilot.We saw amazing views of both the dry and wet sides of the island. Incredible views overlooking the caldera of Mount Kilauea and the gorgeous waterfalls of Waipio Valley! We had a fantastic tour!

Superb! The pilot was excellent and knowledgeable, felt very safe in his hands. Would definitely recommend to anyone. Spectacular!

We departed from Hilo airport and went out to the smoldering Kiluea volcano, then to the lava beaches and on the way back saw several waterfalls. A great trip way to see the volcano without having the drive all the way to the park. TIP: Spend the extra money for the Eco-star helicopter. It has much more glass and you can see a lot more than in the A-Star. And if you're staying at one of the Hilton properties in Waikaloa, ask the concierge for a "Holo Holo" card - it gives you a big discount. Our pilot (Colleen) was awesome and she gave us some great tips about other things to do in Hilo. Highly recommend the team at Blue Hawaiian!

After being on a prior iconic helicopter trip, I thought this would be an ideal way to see the big island, even though it was nearly $500!! On booking I was told to wear dark coloured clothing to save glare and make picture taking easier. After booking I read that iPads were not allowed on board due to hindering other passengers with their picture taking. I explained my luggage, including my camera were lost in Europe but it made no difference. I bought a disposable camera from the local shop prior to my trip. Imagine my surprise when a couple on my helicopter were dressed in white, 1 with checks! And video camera as well as a camera each! They got the front seat and I was sat behind them, which wasn't ideal, as not only did my disposable camera not have zoom so I could take pictures through the front windscreen but I couldn't take them through the side window due to the glare off the guys shirt. I also paid for the video of my trip which also didn't live up to expectations. So after paying nearly $500 I have no decent physical memory to show others of this trip, and will have to rely on recall and hope the other couple who were on the trip with us will email me some pictures. On a good note, the trip was great and the guide was knowledgeable, although being on the right side of the chopper I missed a lot of the scenery as we travelled up the coast. In conclusion, as there was only 3 of us in the back and my iPad isn't huge I think some sort of discretion should have been used! Even the pilot seemed surprised I wasn't allowed to take pictures, what should have been a lifetime experience, caught on film, turned into a very expensive 2 hours. If your going on this trip make sure none of your group are in light clothes, oh and buy a decent camera!

I wanted to take the helicopter tour primarily to see the volcanoes. But I figured I'd sign up for the "Big Island Spectacular" tour because it was the only way to depart from Waikoloa and see the volcanoes. To make a long story short, seeing the volcanoes from the air was really interesting. But flying through the canyons on the north side of the island to see the waterfalls and rainbows was simply magical. I was quite surprised, but flying through the canyons on the north side of the island was actually more fun than seeing the volcanoes from the air.

My family of four were in Hawaii for Thanksgiving, and decided to splurge on a helicopter tour and Blue Hawaiian was a no brainer based on the reviews and personal recommendations. We did the Kohala Coast Adventure tour from Waikoloa, and this was just outside of our resort and even chose the EcoStar.. Everyone at Blue Hawaiian was exceptional, and we all loved it (even my son who was a quite a bit nervous). Our pilot was Kiwi and he was very knowledgeable and professional and provided a very personable enjoyable tour. Blue Hawaiian truly provided lifelong memories for my whole family!

We had a FANTASTIC time! Eric was awesome! Professional, friendly, very informative and we felt really took the time to make sure we were enjoying the flight. Thank you! PS - I've taken Blue Hawaiian on Maui and it was a great experience too! :)

My first time viewing the volcano, lava fields and ocean shoreline with 4 grandchildren (ages ranging 6-14). Jeremy our pilot was the best we could have hoped for. He answered all the questions from the kids and made our flight interesting and informative. Thank you Blue Hawaiian for setting up a livelong memory for all of us! Along with the memories, I thank you for helping me set this trip up for my son and his wife as well, (first timers as well). Top recommendation for Blue Hawaiian Helicopters!

Our pilot was very friendly and welcoming and made us feel at ease from the start. He had good knowledge of the area, answering all of our questions. We got great views of the island with the volcano in particular looking spectacular, including current lava flows and smoke. Although expensive, I would definitely recommend it to do at least once!

Being obsessed with all sorts volcano, my husband and I booked this flight with this company. It was handled in a professional manner and exceeded our expectations about our needs. My husband is a photographer and I'm a volcano enthusiast. The pilot made sure he got his shots and I got as close as safely possible. I had many questions about the area, volcanic activity, and the Big Island in general and our pilot, Scott, answered them patiently and as best as he could. I recommend this experience with this company. And as my title said, the only way to get closer is a grueling, hot, and long day's hike in and out. It's worth the money to view the activity safely and as close as possible. And this is not something you will see wandering around Volcano National Park.

I had never flown in a helicopter before and the ride was wonderful and smooth. We had great weather and the pilot was friendly and informative. I just hated the cost! When we were not dressed in dark shirts, they let us borrow a $2 cost tshirt and then had the nerve to take it back. Do they wash and reuse? EW! Come on! the $2 shirt would pay for itself with free advertising. Would have been very nice if the pilot had taken us down to the beach level and then climbed to the top of the waterfalls. (another BH chopper did before us and we saw it. maybe our guy was crabby or we were too heavy, dunno) I'd like to do it again but do not want to take out a loan for 2 people at close to a grand.

We had hoped to take the Circle Island Trip, which circles the whole island including the volcano. Unfortunately, due to weather and the high level of activity of the volcano our trip was cancelled and rescheduled three times. In the end we opted to take the shorter trip over the Wailea Valley. Gorgeous views. It was a wonderful experience and another time we hope to be able to complete the full island trip. Thanks to the staff, they managed everybody's disappointment at having to change their plans with smiles and efficiency.

The trip was 2 hours of information about the Big Island, Mauna Loa is one impressive site with history.

This review is mostly from a photographer's point of view. First flight on a helicopter for me. I don't like heights but no problem looking at the scenery way below. I brought along my professional level camera (24-105mm lens) and a GoPro camera and hoped for clear views through the windows. Maybe the staff noticed my camera gear but it was probably just luck that I got the front row seat next to the door. We started from the Waikaloa area and headed east toward the volcano. This was about 9:30am so the sun was in your face and not so great for photos but there were some really nice views of the Mauna Loa lava flows. The pilot circled the steaming Kilauea volcano which gave everyone on board a good look at it (and a slight whiff of sulfur). The GoPro camera videos of the volcano came out very good but there were some reflections and distortions from shooting through the windows. We landed in Hilo to refuel and to take advantage of the restrooms. From Hilo we flew north toward the valleys and waterfalls in the Waipio area. The sun was now (mostly) behind us which made for much better photography conditions. This area is quite spectacular and maybe even more so than the volcanoes. The pilot flew past the cliffs in both directions to the benefit of all the passengers. I wish I'd brought along a wider lens since we were pretty close to the waterfalls and I couldn't get them all in the frame. The GoPro got them all in since it was at its widest setting. The 2 hour trip was expensive but for the memories and images I got, it was worth it.