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My husband and I decided to splurge during our first time to Maui and take the Blue Hawaiian West Maui/Molokai tour. It was expensive ($500 total) but worth every penny! If you have never taken a helicopter ride before, you will be positively mesmerized. The terrain is breathtaking and you will see parts of the islands that you can only see by air as there are no roads. We had an exceptionally clear day and had awesome views . . . as we flew down over the valleys we could literally see dozens of mini waterfalls seeping from the walls. Even more incredible, as we flew over the ocean the water was so clear we could see whales swimming in the water, manna rays and a pod of dolphins-wow! We paid a little extra and rode on the Eco-Star, a larger, quieter model. It was worth the extra money and had a great mike system that allowed us to talk to the pilot and hear the other passenger's questions. My husband and I lucked out and got front row seats . . . although there's so much window space on this model that really no seat is a bad seat. Our pilot, David Hernandez, was great and did a nice job of explaining what we were seeing and sharing some interesting history of the islands (such as the area of Molokai where the lepers were dumped off and left to form a colony). You can't afford to do this too often, but if you can swing it, at least do it once-you'll never forget it!

We loved our ride! The folks at Blue Hawaiian are great. We had booked the short 30min West Maui tour because of our budget. Well, we ended up being upgraded free-of-charge to a much more expensive 90-min tour called the Maui Spectacular, which included a landing in the middle of a pasture up in the mountains and a free glass of pineapple champagne. The reason for the upgrade: the other people on our original tour didn’t show up, and they can’t send a helicopter up with only two people in it. And to make up for the inconvenience (we had to kill about 2 hours until our rescheduled flight time), they even threw in the DVD of the flight for free. Great customer service. Well even if we hadn’t had the upgrade, we got more than our money’s worth. First of all, we lucked out and got the two front seats right next to the pilot. (They assign your seats by weight.) The front seats mean better views and less likelihood of motion sickness. The helicopter was the EcoStar, and they are right when they say this affords spectacular views, plus it also cuts back on motion sickness. It was unbelievable…you know, there are not enough words to describe how amazing this was…to be able to glide out over the mountains, to see waterfalls in their entirety instead of only from below, to see whales (!!!awesome!!!) breaching….that’s something incredible. (A side note—our best view of the whales by far was from the air, when you can appreciate their massive size. We saw some whale action from a boat we were on a few days later, but because of the mandatory distance the boats have to maintain, you can barely see anything.) Our pilot’s name was Curt, and he was a very knowledgeable tour guide. He told us everything you could want to know about everything you saw, and answered all of our questions. My only complaint, and it is a very minor one, is that Curt didn’t seem like he was enjoying himself. He wasn’t particularly chatty, besides the tour-guide stuff. Maybe he just has a more mellow personality or something. Basically, if there’s any way you can afford to book a helicopter ride, on any of the islands, DO IT. There’s nothing else quite like it. (Unless you’re a pilot!)

We took a 2 hour tour which included the "green side" of Hawaii along with the volcanoes. Forunately, the weather was on our side and we had terrific views of everything. Our pilot Ray did a good job describing what we were seeing. The highlight was actually seeing molten lava flow into the ocean. How spectacular to see new land being created. We were inspired and in awe. This is our second flight with Blue Hawaiian and we highly recommend them. The crews are fun and skilled. The only downside is booking. We went through the concierge at our hotel and could have gotten a better deal elsewhere. Search on line before booking. We would have saved almost $100 per person.

During my honeymoon on the Big Island, my wife and I decided to go on a helicopter ride. I'm very glad I did. We came across Blue Hawaiian as recommended by Fodor's website. We decided to go with the Kohala waterfall tour. Most people often will opt for the volcano tour, but we chose to try something different. I'm very glad that we did. The people waiting for the volcano tour unfortunately had theirs cancelled due to weather. We did get to go as scheduled. After a safety video and the life jackets strapped to our wastes we were ready to go. They distribute everybody in the helicopter by weight so don't expect to necessarily sit by the people you came with. They also have to types of craft, the Eco-star and the A-star. The Eco-star (which is the one we took) is supposedly smoother and has more room inside. It also has more windows to look out. I'm glad that we chose that option even though it was a little more expensive. The ride was a little bit rough in parts, but nothing too scary. The day was pretty cloudy and windy, but I thought that just added to a little bit of the excitement. The waterfalls and landscape were amazing and breathtaking. I'll just let some of the pictures do the talking. Our pilot was very knowledgeable and skilled. I would very easily recommend this company to anybody.

This is my wife and I's 4th flight with Blue Hawaiian Helicopters. We took the Hana/Halaekala tour last May with Emery Lee and West Maui Mountains with Gernot last May. And then this trip we took the Circle of Fire plus waterfalls with Mike ? on Hilo. Then back to Maui the next day for a Maui Spectacular with Emery Lee again. We specifically requested Emery Lee as a pilot, due to his vast knowledge and wonderful sense of humor. The flights are informative and truly spectacular. What I would recommend for those that have never been.. 1. Plenty of Dramamine 2. Ginger Ale 3. Light breakfast or lunch Bring your camera and most certaintly buy the DVD of the flight at the end. So much stuff you miss with your camera and you can share the flight with your friends and family. For those saying they expected more.... Some of the pilots we have flown with admittedly could have been a bit more talkative and informative. But considering they have your lives and the 1Million + helicopter to be concerned about, I would just be happy that I'm on Maui and flying over Maui. You could of course be at the office not experiencing the trip. But I've found nothing in Maui that has disappointed me or my family in our 2nd trip to the Valley Isle. For the money Maui Spectacular was great. Landed on an old volcanic vent and shut the helicopter down and got to walk around and take pictures outside the helicopter. Emery Lee is a top notch pilot and I would highly recommend any potential customer of Blue Hawaiian to get him as the pilot for their flight. He knows his stuff. Mahalo to the staff of Blue Hawaiian and Emery Lee for another pleasant and rewarding flight.

We had booked the afternoon tour on 20 May 2008. I knew from the cloud cover that our Maui Spectacular tour might be in jeopardy. When we checked in, we were told there would be a decision from the pilots on what they could do. After about 10-15 minutes, our group was briefed that they couldn't do the Maui Spectacular due to cloud cover and rain on Haleakala, but the West Maui tour could be done with a tour of Molokai, as well. They gave us a choice of either rebooking later, or doing the West Maui tour at that particular rate. We all decided to do the West Maui tour. The pilot (Marty) was talkative and narrated our tour professionally. Friendly and a great pilot. Saw some HUGE manta rays off the coast of Molokai and great, up close scenery. Worth every penny! We plan on doing the Maui Spectacular next year. See my videos and pictures! Enjoy! Aloha!

To start off I must say we had a minor problem - we got there and they had a mechanical problem or something and our flight was bumped and another lady was downgraded to an A-Star instead of an Eco-star. That said the trip was phenomenal - granted, to give others the benefit of a doubt, being in the helicopter was the cool part so other places could do just as good a job. If you have the time and money do the full big island trip. The volcano is neat but the valleys at the other end of the island are amazing! note about vog: (yes vog, not fog) vog is only on one side of the island, your helicopter trip will not be obscured if you're swimming in pea soup since the winds seem to blow one way. note about seating: you cannot choose your seats and they tell you they arrange it by weight but i'm not so sure. What they seem to do is take couples and space them out, you if there are 3 couples on of each of the couples gets an outside seat and one an inside. We got to sit in the front, but I have a feeling that's because we were bumped off our original flight and they felt guilty and not because we weighed anything different than anyone else (I'm certainly not complaining about it!) - but bribery and asking won't get you anywhere.

Three of us (me, my wife, and 13 year-old son) took the Big Island tour in min-June. Bob was our pilot, and he was great. It really is a thrilling experience if you've never been in a chopper. The staff were friendly and informative. Bob, from the very start, was outstanding. He kept a narrative going throughout. He was fun and educational and made a real effort to show us the best spots. Alas, my wife didn't quite make it to the end of the flight without using "the bag." She was hugely embarrassed, but Bob was tremendous and made a real effort to fly level and tried his best to make her feel better about a crummy situation. The ground crew were also very understanding when we arrived back. Thanks, Bob and the rest of the staff.

Whatever you do on Maui, definitely take a helicopter tour of the island. There are many to choose from and we decided on Blue Hawaiian. It was an excellent choice. The tour was phenomenal. Our pilot, Mike, was really friendly and informative and a great pilot. The entire trip was smooth and he deftly maneuvered the helicopter into positions so everyone could see. The whole experience was great. It is an amazing way to see the island...the coast line, mountains, and all spectacular waterfalls and valleys, up close. My advice is don't skimp because of cost. It's expensive anyway, so go with a full island tour and consider the upgrade to the 'eco-star' helicopters. They are very comfortable. Our tour even included landing on Haleakala to sip some pineapple "champagne". Do it. It's well worth it and you'll be so glad you did.

Our pilot, Glenda, gave us a great flight around the east part of Maui - Haleakala and Hana. It was like riding in a car, but up high! I was a little afraid of motion sickness, but that was not a factor. They have the little air blowers onboard like on airplanes. We got a discounted flight on the A-star - I waited until we were there to book the flight - they had some openings they wanted to fill and hence the discount. I would recommend that you wait until you get there to book. It was a great experience for all of us, myself (age 39), my mom (age 62) and my sons (ages 14 and 8).

This is without question a relatively expensive event, especially for two people, but if you REALLY want to say that you have seen Maui, you should do it, or start saving to add it to your itinerary. Be sure to ask for the Eco Star helicopter. It is quieter and more comfortable than the other model that they have. The trip is about one hour and covers most of the island, and if the weather permits, you will see things from the air that you only see on travel shows. Hopefully it will have rained previous to your flight, because the waterfalls will be visible and active. Watch the weather reports so that you can try to schedule on the best day during your stay. If you are planning on driving the road to Hana or driving up to the Haleakla Crater, I suggest that you do that before the helicopter trip. Then you can say "...oh yeah, that's where we were.." when you see it from the air. Our Captain, Mike, was very knowledgeable and friendly. We learned that he is a very experienced pilot, and we became comfortable with the flight soon after we took off. Also at the end of your flight, purchase the optional video DVD that is filmed during your flight. You can preview it before you purchase. It clearly shows what you saw during your flight and even some shots inside the cockpit. Be careful what you say during the flight because there is a complete voice recording as well :-)

I chose the Blue Hawaiian helicopters since my wife was really concerned about my safety and they seemed to boast of the most safety awards. It was money well spent. My pilot Will Curry was a very experienced guy who explained lots of features of the landscape and gave us a safe but spectacular flight. The flight itself was spectacular with some real stunning views and I got what I had expected to see...Lava..!! A lady Rowena who works at the site was really nice to us, talked to us for a long time and even gave us advice about where to eat. thanks Rowena!! It took a little time for the DVD to be cut and they made us wait for a little while. The DVD was 25 bucks.

I went on the Blue Hawaiian Complete Island (Maui) tour last week. It was awesome!! David our pilot was great, giving us lots of island history with some personal touches. I had a great view sitting in the front seat right next to David. While the views of the coast and Mt Haleakala were beautiful, the West Maui mountains just left me speechless. The Wall of Tears was just beautiful, I felt like I was in the movies. The flight was very smooth and it was very relaxing with our headsets on listening to Hawaiian music (& U2 one of my favorite groups) inbetween David's comments. Would highly recommend this trip to everyone. I purchased the DVD of our flight for $25 as a memento.

Earlier this week my family and I took a ride on Blue Hawaiian Helicopters. We booked online and I think this saved us some money. I called b/c my AAA book said I got an AAA discount, but the online price was better than my discount. We chose Blue Hawaiian b/c Samantha Brown on the travel channel recommended it and it had the best reviews on this website. It also has some of the best safety ratings, and the concierge at our hotel said they were the best. When you go to the heliport you will see that the Blue Hawaiian Eco Star is like the cadillac of helicopters. It looked way nicer than all of the other helicopters there. It is pretty expensive so we booked the shortest tour, the West Maui Mountains. However, my family and I are fairly large people and everyone kept talking about how small the helicopters are so we did spring for the Eco star b/c we were told it was larger and more comfortable. We were also told it is quieter and that is important so you can better hear the pilot. We booked an 8am flight, but we got a call about 7:30 saying it was too cloudy and could we go tomorrow. I was biking down Haleakala the next day, so we had to do it that day. So, they said to come at 1pm, but they might change our route due to cloud cover. They wanted to make sure we saw something. We arrived to check in at 12:30. Check in was easy and they weigh everyone to balance the helicopter, but don't worry, no one except the check in person can see what the scale says. The computer chooses your seat in order to balance the helicopter. You have to watch a short safety video. B/c our earlier flight was canceled we were put on the next flight available for our party size. So, we got to go on the whole island tour of Maui, which was a serious upgrade! And no we didn't have to pay extra. We went on the ecostar and I think it was definitely worth the money b/c we were all pretty comfortable. Mom was on the front right and dad and I were in the back left. Mom worried that dad didn't have a good view b/c he was in the back and middle, but b/c the seats are set up higher in the eco star dad said he had a great seat and saw everything. The pilot was also pretty good about making circles so both sides could see everything. I think the whole island tour is the way to go b/c we didn't spend much time in the West Maui mountains and all of the cool stuff we saw seemed to be near the crater or after the crater which is the South side of the island. There is a microphone that you can talk to the pilot and the pilot tells you all about the island. Our pilot was Mike and he was great. So for those of you thinking about doing this I enthusiatically endorse Blue Hawaiian helicopters. I know it is expensive, but totally worth it. In fact, I would say spring for a big tour and the eco star. You wont' regret it. It is worth every penny. My parents loved it so that they even bought the dvd of our ride.

We chose Blue Hawaiian based on the recommendation of friends who had flown with them. The tour was the highlight of our trip. An unbelievable experience we won't soon forget. The aircraft was comfortable and we were able to see much of the island we wouldn't have seen otherwise. We flew into the West Maui mountains where we saw spectacular and up close views of the most amazing waterfalls I've ever seen. Our pilot was extremely informative explaining much of the local culture and vegetation. I understand why they call them "flying classrooms". It was pricey but then everything there was so in the scheme of things it was well worth every penny! If you have only one event to choose from while in Maui, we highly recommend Blue Hawaiian.