Reviews

My wife and I just returned from our 40th aniversary trip - first time ever to Kauai. Friends who had been there told us to be sure and take helicopter ride. Much to my surprise my wife, who is very afraid of heights and always said "no" in past said "yes". We planned it for morning of our second day. We chose Blue Hawaii based upon other reviews and we were not disappointed. First, it's not bumpy and my wife (she sat in front next to pilot) was very comfortable. Secondly, the island is amazingly beautiful. I have nevere seen so many waterfalls. We flew in the "Ecostar" helicopter with windows reaching from floor to ceiling. I've never seen so many waterffalls and other natural wonders in one short hour! Thge mini-Grand Canyon on this island is beautiful. We took a mid-morning flight. This adventure is definaely pricey (about $380 for two) but well worth it. Make this part of your trip to Kauai.

My husband and I chose this particular company after reading reviews and suggestions in the Frommer hawaii book as well as trip advisor . We called and got a "same day" discount, which is the same price as advanced booking on the internet. This was perfect because we had limited time on Kauai and taking the ride the first day allowed us to see the whole island. Just flying over the Na Pali coast as well as the Canyon was stunning. Our pilot, Jimmy, was wonderful. I also want to point out that our ride that day was shared by a family with a developmentally disabled daughter in a wheelchair. The company employees were so helpful to them, kind, and accomodating. but not fawning. I was so impressed!! I would highly recommend both this company and taking a helicopter. It was also our first helicopter ride. Smooth as can be.

I was reluctant to go on a helicopter tour, but my wife really wanted to. I was glad we choose Blue Hawaiian. The tour was one of the highlights of our trip, and I felt safe throughout it. We took the 8am tour, and when you arrive all the other companies have their helicopters parked on the helipad (perhaps 15 helicopters lined up to your left). BH stores its helicopters at the airport and then flies them in each morning. It is definitely the largest operation. I felt very happy when the helicopter flew in, because it is clearly more modern than anything else there. The experience of flying was magical. By about 20 seconds into the flight, it realized it was just too cool to be scared. Its a very different experience than an airplane. We were in the back left seats, which are supposedly the worst, but we saw everything and got plenty of pictures. The helicopter has giant windows. The pilot exposes both sides of the helicopter to most of the big sites. Our pilot seemed both fun and highly competent. We had hiked a fair amount by the time we took the helicopter trip, but we were shocked by the number of views/waterfalls we had missed. The tour is just non-stop views. I sort of wish we had gone earlier in the trip, because it gives you a good overview of the island. Overall, I highly recommend a helicopter tour, and BH. I was really glad we went, despite my initial reluctance.

This was pricey but worth it. The tour was 55 minutes which seemed like just the right amount of time. The pilot was very laid back and ride itself was very smooth and comfortable. He did a good job of describing everything we were seeing. We were blown away by the views! We did this early in our trip and it was helpful is giving us an overview of the island. The entire process operated in a very organized way.

We only had one day on Kauai and decided last minute to do a helicopter tour to get the real feel for the Island. This was our 2nd Blue hawaiian Trip in 2 weeks and they havent dissapointed us! Of course EVERYONE wants to sit in the front and take amazing photos but it's not always possible and I think its a little unfair of people to complain so much - we still had a lovely experience in the back! Joshua - our pilot - was amazing, he knew so much about the island and took us so close to everything and made sure each side had an equal view of everything which I though was lovely - no one missed out that way! It was a much different experience to the Big Island trip - You're very up and down so if you have a fear of heights and rides - be prepared! (its good fun though!) Obviously with no road going all the way around the island this is the best way to see the beauty of it. A MUST for anyone visiting. Thank you so much Blue Hawaiian.

In the short time that I could stay on island, this was the only way to truly see nearly all of the amazing beauty that Kauai has to offer. The pilot and guide, Barrett, was born and raised in Kauai, which made the narration and commentary seem more authentic. The flight was couldn't have been any better without actually touching down at any of the spectacular sights such as Jurrasic Falls, Napoli cliffs, and Wailua Falls (Fantast Island falls). I was hesitant to spend the money. After an amazing prospective flying through the air and hovering at the key spectacular locations, I would have eagerly paid twice that much. A must do, with Blue.

In September 2011 my wife and I had two Helicopter rides with Blue Hawaiian Helicopters on Kauai and Big Islands. The company is extremely professional with very high security standards and it is definitely worth seeing the active volcano on Big Island out of a helicopter. Far more impressive however is the sightseeing flight over Kauai.

Our pilot Kevin was excellent! Much smoother and comfortable than expected. Over way too quickly, but we would do it again in a heartbeat. Blue Hawaiian was highly recommended in the 'Ultimate Kauai Guidebook' and we can now certainly understand why. Don't visit Hawaii without taking this ride!

We selected this company because they have a good reputation for safety. The whole experience was well organized and professional. My only gripe was that I was seated right behind the pilot and didn’t feel like I got views on par with the people in the front and on the other side. About 70% of what the pilot described was on the right side of the chopper and while he did sometimes turn to give me a view, it didn’t feel like it was as balanced as it could have been. In an Ecostar, the front is undoubtedly the best place to sit, following by the right side. I know not everyone can sit in the front or right (they claim to use an algorithm to determine seats), but when one is paying so much money, you don’t want to leave feeling like you got the short end of the stick. They really should try to do a better job of balancing views and commentary on both sides (or then provide discounted seats for the left). When considering my next tour I may look at a company that offers front seats at premium pricing. That said, the views are absolutely gorgeous so it is hard to still not leave the chopper with a smile on your face.

I submitted the following review online at Blue Hawaiian immediately following our tour: "Just stepped off the helicopter ride with Barrett as our guide. Best experience ever! Thrilling ride and the most beautiful sights imaginable. Thanks for the ride!" Barrett was a great guide and clearly has great knowledge of the island from his experience being born and raised on Kauai. He was a really fun guide to have on the tour. The ride was smooth and we had a great clear day to see all of the sights, including Wai'ale'ale. My husband and I were even lucky enough to see two whales swimming in the water below us when we were hovering over the Na'pali coast. Not a bad way to see the beautiful sights of the island. Words really do not do the experience justice. Everyone who visits Kauai should do this. We didn't think that the windows posed much of a problem for us as far as glare was concerned. Turn off your flash and be sure to wear dark clothing so it reduces glare. One guy in the back had on a white shirt but it didn't affect our pictures at all. You can always order the video for a pretty decent price, too, and there's no glare in it. Overall it was a great experience for the value. No complaints here. Thanks for everything!

I've flown on many air charters , and Blue Hawaiian is THE BEST ! They're located in the Harbor Mall, within easy walking distance across from the Kauai Marriott. We took their one hour flight on their EcoStar . The pre-board procedure has obviously been well rehearsed. The pilot, Stephen, offered the perfect blend of personality to put the passengers at ease, and professionalism while piloting the EcoStar flawlessly. The Bose noise canceling headphones provided a well choreographed musical score, ( taking off to the Hawaii 5-0 score , and including the Jurassic Park movie score as well), to accompany our flight. The flight was smooth as silk ,with the time passing in a blink of an eye. A truly once in a lifetime experience tat should not be missed! Do it ! You will NOT be disappointed !

Just getting up in a helicopter in Kaua'i and seeing all those things you would have no way else of seeing is a marvelous experience no matter how you get there. I cannot compare Blue Hawaiian to any other companies, but I can say that it is hard to imagine any other company running their tours more efficiently and professionally. I am fascinated by "process' so I tend to pay more attention to how the they went about their business. You can see that they are run on a very precise schedule, and have lots of experience making sure everything happens safely and efficiently. GIven that, you might expert it to be a dry, mechanical experience, but the folks you interact with seem to have a great way of balancing that operating efficiency with making it a very pleasant, personal and enjoyable experience, so you do not really feel like you are just part of the machine.

Blue Hawaiian has tow pilots the day we went...both vets of Iraq/Afghanistan. Both were excellent pilots and tour guides with lots of dialogue as we flew over the island--coast to coast, down into canyons, over sugar cane fields and waterfalls. Simply a spectacular tour. Our pilot made may "U-turns" so everyone had a clear view no matter which side of the copter they sat. A 55 minute tour, with optional video purchase of your individual flight, with your voice (if you spoke/asked questions during the flight). Several camera mounted on the outside of the copter made the video of your journey. Well worth the just over $200. I'd do it again in a minute! Safety conscious and well able to calm nervous passengers. Six, plus the pilot, in our copter, all first timers, and all thrilled with ear-to-ear smiles at the end.

I have to admit that it's definitely a unique experience and there is no doubt you will get to see things that you otherwise wouldn't. So everything that the company or for that matter any helicopter company is advertising is true. Blue Hawaiian has very nice helicopters, great gear and the pilot was knowledgeable. The only issue I had with the company was the seating. Not everyone will end up by the window. The best seats are in the front by the window and worst are in the back. It's supposed to be based on weight. While I understand that there may be a safety reason for doing things this way I completely disagree that someone who sits in the middle in the back should be paying the same as someone who sits in the front. The experience will be very different and you will not be able to see nearly as well. I didn't try the other operators in Kauai. Some of them specifically make a point to advertize window seats for everyone. However, if I were to do it again I would definitely consider this point.

My wife and I thought this helicopter tour was the absolute high point of our entire trip to Hawaii. The pilot was very informative and was great at pointing out the sights. However, the scenery was the star of the show. Words cannot describe the experience. My wife is afraid of hights, but this ride was so smooth she didn't have a problem. The Bose noise cancelling headsets were great. The other helicopter tour companies did not have as nice a copter or the Bose headsets. Do not bring any bags or hats with you, as they are not permitted.