Reviews

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.

Is it expensive? Yes! But we got to see more of the island than I ever imagined. The crew - ground and air - were top notch. Picked us up early at the hotel, drove us to their facility, weighed us (discreetly), briefed us on safety, and off we went. Our pilot was safe and funny - a great combo. We did not see much active lava - but we saw a lot of it's aftermath. After a technical stop in Hilo, we were off on what I thought was the best part of the trip - waterfalls and valleys. Seriously some are 3000 feet high!. Coming out of the valleys onto the upper pastures of the island was breathtaking. So, yeah, it is expensive, but the experience, professionalism, and the once in a lifetime views were worth it.

The staff and pilot (Tim) were knowledgeable, helpful, and safety conscious - I would fly with them anywhere in the world! The price was reasonable and we felt like we were provided a custom tour even though our family members that went ahead of us saw the same things. Really great experience.

A great way to see the Big Island. The lava flows were awesome. A once in a lifetime opportunity to see an active volcano. The cliffs and waterfalls that we saw are only able to be seen from the air and our pilot got us into position to make the most of it. Absolutely breathtaking. Well worth the money.

After spending two weeks hiking around the Big Island the one thing I hadn't managed to do was see lava. I booked the 2hr Big Island tour to try and resolve this. I can't praise Blue Hawaiian enough. I received a friendly welcome in the morning and after a briefing we were taken to our lovely Eco-Star Helicopter. The views from the helicopter were fantastic. We covered all the main sights and the best bit was flying over Kilauea and getting up close and personal to the eruption sites. We managed to see lava. Noah, our pilot, was brilliant and provided great commentary throughout. The video of the trip was a great purchase at the end. Very professional video and a great reminder of a fantastic flight. Yes, it's not cheap. However, it's worth every penny.

It was a memorable experience. Tim was entertaining. I especially enjoyed how he asked where we were staying (Pahoa) and proceeded to fly us by the town. All the views were wonderful, but Tim made a big difference. We were comfortable asking any questions, and we always got honest and interesting answers. What a great ride. Thank you!

The flight was very pleasant, the views breathtaking and the hospitality and friendliness of the staff unparalleled. Our pilot, Nathan, made the flight all the more pleasant with the explanations of the sites, and with his amicable demeanor. Thanks a lot! I hope to come again!

This was fantastic. The ride was very smooth. Jax was knowledgeable and accomodated everyone so that we could all take pix. The lava flows were amazing. It will be something we remember forever.

We had a great flight with Tim over Kīlauea and the lava fields. Tim was an excellent pilot and narrator and we all had an amazing time. I was hoping to see red flowing lava but it really isn't there to be seen. We flew over on a day when the lava was creeping towards houses. You won't see fountains of lava or even much red flowing lava at all, but you can't really appreciate the whole scene until you see it from the air. Also, the main active vent right now can only be seen from the air. An excellent experience - highly recommended!

So after a shakey start (helicopter needed a service, had to wait for another hour for our trip... But after getting annoyed at the next time slot boarding and flying before us, we did get the Eco star after paying for an A star) so Coleen took us over the live volcanoes, epic viewing and we saw lots of waterfalls. She was very knowledgable and interacted with all of us- just at the right level so we could enjoy the view and chat! The views were fabulous! Some difficulties if your from the uk and you want to buy the inflight DVD! (Needs converting) def a great experience once your up in the air

We took the tour out of the Waikoloa airport. Seems to be very popular even though it is very expensive. The tour started out by going over the farmland to the volcano. At the volcano we circled a crater and followed an active lava flow. My husband was disappointed that he didn't see more magma, so if you are looking to see a lot of the orange/red magma flowing don't take this tour. Either way, I thought it was interesting to watch a lava flow that is probably going to destroy some nearby homes very soon. After the volcano, we took a much needed quick break in Hilo. My ears were hurting and I felt a little motion sickness (which I normally don't get) from all the quick turns around the crater. Once we were back on the helicopter we flew down the coast and saw the beautiful waterfalls prior to turning into a valley full of them. The scenery was spectacular and breathtaking. While my ears were still aggravating me, it was worth it. You can ask the pilot to go easy on the altitude changes, but who wants to complain on a souvenir video. They record the whole trip, so everything you say is permanent and you don't want to ruin it for someone else. If you take a bottle of water with you that helps. Overall, I highly recommend splurging on this fun activity and get a view of the island you will not see anywhere else. Plus the helicopters are really nice.

We (a family of 4) did a two-hour tour around Big Island and it was a mesmerizing experence. Our pilot, John, had wonderful, dry sense of humor and packed in so much information while making our kids feel right at home as his "co-pilots". The whole company is extremey well organized, from the internet booking until the flight itself. We would definitely want to fly with them again

First time on a helicopter; our ride was very smooth. We took a 50 minute ride down to the south coast and the eruption at Pu'u O'o, back to the waterfalls east of Hilo. Our pilot was great and shared a ton of information on the region with us, and got us acquainted with the Island as we set out to explore!

Visiting the Volcano National Park you'll find that some of the trails and lookouts may be closed for various reasons. You should call in advance to find out what is open when planning your nature adventure. Any park ranger will tell you however the best way to view the volcano is by helicopter. If you're interested in a first hand view of one of the world's most active volcanoes this is the best way to do it. It is a bit of an investment for a one hour tour but worth it....they offered kama'aina fares. The promotional videos are a bit misleading....the helicopters don't take you as close as to the active lava flow, or to the ocean as the lava pours into the ocean as they show in their advertising on television but it is still worth the awesome views and the experience. Our family has never flown in a helicopter before and it was a first time experience for us. Pilot Nathan was informative. The Blue Hawaiian Helicopter staff were professional and friendly.

I read a prior negative review and could not disagree more. The trip was easily scheduled, well organized and the pilot was very friendly and knowledgeable. We took the 'Circle of Fire and Waterfalls', 50 minute tour out of Hilo. We paid the extra fee for the Eco Star model and enjoyed the extra space although I would have to compare with a ride in the A Star to determine if the extra cost was worth it. Safety is a priority and we felt very secure during the entire trip. The currrent Pu'u O'o lava flow could not be seen from an over-flight due to a 2 mile FAA restriction. Smoke from burning vegetation was easily seen from the flow. We were able to fly directly over the extended lava tube that was burning trees and debri in its path. When booking, provide your accurate weight so they may balance the helicopter. One parent following my ride learned the hard way; one member of his family was unable to join them because of the disparity of the weight they provided for her compared to her heavier weight determined upon arrival. Wear dark clothing as they suggest, it reduces interior reflections to increase the quality of photographs taken.