クチコミ

My goal for going to the big island was to see the volcanoes, and what better way than by air. The staff ran this excursion very well. We were greeted, then had to watch a safety briefing. We were given life vests to wear and were then escorted to our helicopter. The staff got us secure in our seats, put on our head sets and gave us our buttons that would allow us to communicate with the pilot, Ethan. Off we went. Ethan was very knowledgeable about all we were seeing. We did see lots of lava fields and lava flow, but were disappointed not to see red lava flowing. This was probably my ignorance as I didn't realize that unless the volcano is actively erupting, the black/silver slow moving lava flow is what you do see. The best part was we saw a little area of red lava flowing in a lava tube as we approached Puuoo. Puuoo was so impressive! It was steaming, and when we flew over it, we could look down into the opening and see the red lava bubbling. So Cool!!! We didn't find out until later that they are not allowed to fly over Volcano National Park where Kiluea is. The only way to see Kiluea's lava is by viewing it from land-which we did later in the day. The helicopter ride was very smooth and fun. On the way back to the airport, Ethan flew us over waterfalls that were pretty. When we landed, we went into their little store and purchased the memory stick with the video of our flight. Apparently there are 4? cameras on the helicopter that records not just the view, but our conversations with the pilot too. We haven't viewed it yet as we just got home. We paid $41 for this, but on the other helicopter, I think I heard it was $26-depends on if the helicopter is outfitted with HD etc. We flew on the newer helicopter, the Eco Star, which I would recommend. The windows are bigger than the A Star and from what I understand, the Eco Star is quieter. The Eco Star is a bit more expensive though. It was a great experience.

Great flight from Hilo, over waterfalls then up to the volcano. Very informative pilot - Colleen- and her flying skills were exceptional! Apart from the rain limiting visibility a little we had fabulous views of the extensiveness of the volcanic activity. Highly recommended !!

We went on the circle of fire tour. It was incredible to get that close to a volcano. Wesley our pilot was very informative and funny. The whole staff was very professional. The whole experience was worth it. I can't wait to take another helicopter tour. There is a good reason why they are always ranked the best.

We went on the volcanoes/waterfalls tour out of Hilo (50 minutes). We booked ahead of time. We went on a Hilton timeshare tour, so our price was discounted through a Holo Holo card. Our family of 5 included 2 adults/3 kids ages 11-17. Check-in was easy at the Hilo airport. They weighed each of us. If your weight is over 250 they will charge you more. They use the weight to select optimal seating for balance. Our pilot, Scotty, made our daughters feel at ease. He told our 11 year old she was his co-pilot. Sweet! He explained what he was doing and first took us toward the volcano's Puu Oo vent. We were able to fly right over it for some great pictures. He explained previous flows, how to spot active flows, and other facts about the volcano. Then, we flew toward waterfalls. They were beautiful from the air. It had just rained, so they were full of rushing water. Then, he flew us over Hilo and back to the airport. Scotty had a great personality, and he made our experience fun!

Exciting, felt safe the whole time and the only wheelchair accessible helicopter operation on any of the HI islands. The views from the helicopter are extraordinary;lava flows, water falls-parts of the island that can not be seen any other way!

We took the circle of fire tour and loved it. Our pilot was very informative and ensured that all of us saw the sites. We saw some active lava flows. We bought the video of our trip and would recommend that to all. Can't get a better view.

This tour was worth every penny. Not too expensive and the scenery was breath taking. Our pilot was Colleen and she was very knowlegeable about volcanoes and the geology of the area. You would be crazy to skip this tour on the big island!

Professional organization. Well organized. My first helicopter ride so I was a little nervous. Everyone was great however, and I enjoyed it immensely. Fantastic way to see the volcano and lava flows. Much better than trying to see it from the land, and they don't let you get very close. Took several spins around the volcano, and well as beautiful scenic views of landscape, waterfalls, etc.

Cannot praise them high enough! Great service, including safety training, our pilot Ethan was wonderful, very informational. We saw the lava, the coast, and the start of the Wainaku River. Our tour included gorgeous blue skies, clouds, and a little rain. The clouds allowed us to see some of the glowing, flowing lava. It was a thrill being in dark clouds and rain, high above the ground. All seven of us highly enjoyed!!

From the booking process to the flight, this was a great experience. I booked online from Australia. I had a lot of questions, such as how many people fit in one chopper, whether we could all go up at once, availability etc. and all were answered promptly and courteously by email. We were two families each with two kids, ranging from age 6 to 10. Once I had booked the helicopters, I found that there were no longer enough flights available for 8 of us to get from Oahu to Big Island that day (we were doing a day trip specifically to do the helicopter tour). I called Blue Hawaiian, and despite a dreadful Skype connection, was assured that my booking could be changed to another date. We were very lucky insofar as each family of 4 ended up with a helicopter to itself, with the two central seats in the back being vacant! Great views for all! (Though I think views from the middle would have been fine too). Computer selects seating based on weight distribution. The Ecostar Helicopters were well worth the extra spend -modern, clean comfortable and big. Ground staff was efficient, friendly and helpful, taking photos of us in front of our aircraft, ensuring safety, etc. The views once in the air were fantastic as there is so much glass. Chad our pilot was great-informative as well as giving us a smooth ride and wonderful views. He circled each feature a few times, changing direction so as to give equal view to those on both sides of the aircraft. We did the Circle of Fire and Waterfalls tour. It was amazing to see the size of the lava fields, how close a flow went to a town, the vents, and bubbling lava. The waterfalls were in a lush area, and very pretty, then we flew over the bay on our return, which was also very pretty. A few notes, which are absolutely not criticisms, just so expectations are met. The volcanoes you are viewing on this island are Shield Volcanoes, not the more well recognised cone volcanoes. The terrain is quite flat looking (not dramatic peaks and deep craters) from the air. The waterfalls are not super high and are not in a deep gorge, they are plentiful along streams and viewed from above. If you go expecting steep cones filled with boiling lava and flights along dramatic gorges to super high cascading falls,you will not find what you are looking for. What you will find is a dramatic, violent, unearthly landscape, and a contrasting tropical paradise. This was an experience of a lifetime for every one of us. Thank you to all the team at Blue Hawaiian Helicopter Tours. I would recommend this tour to everyone! A little housekeeping for information if required. You are asked to wear dark coloured clothing to reduce reflection on the glass in photos. Sunglasses are allowed, hats are not. Phone cameras and normal cameras are allowed, tablets are not, again to reduce reflection issues. They have 4 cameras on the aircraft, and a dvd of your flight including cabin conversations is available after the flight for an additional cost. There is also a small gift shop. There is a safety briefing, after which you can leave small bags in a locked cupboard. I don't think they would store suitcases etc. though. They apparently have an electric lift device to assist people into the aircraft if needed. Ask the company for more details if needed. They do have to weigh every passenger for weight distribution calculation-this is very discreet with only the operator being able to see the result. I hope this helps with any questions.

Took the kids on the helicopter ride to see the volcanoes and waterfalls. Had a great time. Pilot Brian made the trip fantastic too, answering all of our questions about volcanoes and helicopters and weather. Highly recommended!

This is one of the most incredible trips that you can take of the island if you don't have the time time to go around and see it all individually. The one advantage is a bird's eye view of a smoldering caldera and molten magma spilling from the edges of a volcano. Total flight time is about 45 minutes, followed by a free t-shirt, the recorded footage of your trip and a DVD with the best sights from all of the Hawaiian islands. Truly an amazing experience. Highly recommended.

Our captain, Scott was knowledgeable and fun! I have been on a helicopter tour before but Scott made this adventure so relaxing and fun with my 3 teen sons. Scott was clearly as excited as we were to see the new lava flowing and the beauty and wonder that Mother Nature is not done with our planet. If I do a helicopter tour on another Hawaiian island, we will for sure use Blue Hawaiian again! Thank you Scott for making us feel so safe and laughing with my teens!

What an amazing flight to the volcano and waterfalls! Amazing history and wonderful people. Much to see! Enjoy and bring the family !

Evan was our pilot & did an excellent tour....very knowledgeable & funny. Gorgeous views from very clean/nice chopper