Helicopter tours of the Big Island are wildly popular, and if you choose to include one in your vacation plans, you'll understand why. The Big Island is a dynamic place, and while you can rent a car and see a lot of it, the best sightseeing is arguably done from above. You can fly over active volcanoes, flowing lava fields, rain forest valleys, picturesque beaches, and deserts when you treat yourself to a helicopter tour on the Big Island, and you'll hardly have to do anything but sit back and enjoy the views. Many Hawaii visitors choose to enjoy their Big Island helicopter tours at the start of their trip, so they can get an idea of destinations that they think deserve a closer look once they're back on the ground.

Flying over Hawaii Volcanoes National Park is among the highlights when it comes to helicopter tours of the Big Island, and if you get the chance, you'll also want to consider doing some hiking in the park. Seeing hot, flowing lava in the park's lava fields is something most Big Island visitors will never forget, and soaring over the still-active Kilauea Crater is a joy. The lava fields on the Big Island reach the sea, continuously expanding the island's size once the lava cools, and soaring along a steaming coastline is also something that you can do on Big Island helicopter tours. Should you prefer flying over a greener stretch of land, the scenic Kohala Coast makes an ideal destination. You can choose to take a 50-minute helicopter tour on the Big Island, or you can opt for an extended two-hour adventure if you're up for it. The shorter trips will focus more on a specific region, while the extended tours include a wider range of sights, with the option to even fly over parts of Maui if that interests you.

In addition to seeing breathtaking views, you'll also enjoy informative commentary from your guide during a helicopter tour of the Big Island. This will help you understand what you're looking at and how the land was formed, and you'll even learn about Hawaiian history and culture as you go. The pilots who operate the controls on helicopter tours of the Big Island are state-certified tour guides, so you can depend on them to answer most if not all of your questions pertaining to all things Hawaii. As for finding places to arrange Big Island helicopter tours, Kona and Hilo are the top destinations. The Kona and Hilo areas are top locations for most Big Island activities, which is why they also boast the most area lodging options.

Big Island Map

While helicopter tours of the Big Island are not cheap, they are reasonably priced, and you will get your money's worth. You will understandably pay more to enjoy an extended helicopter tour on the Big Island, and it's worth it if you have room in the budget. If you're trying to include other top things to do on the Big Island, such as swim with dolphins or play a round of golf on a world-class course, then the shorter and cheaper flights might be a better fit. It all depends on your desires, and finding the right helicopter tour for your group shouldn't be hard. They're all unforgettable, so you can't go wrong.