Helicopter tours of Kauai, Hawaii begin at about $150. Online booking and non-peak season travel can cut costs (peak is mid-December through mid-April). Tours may be canceled due to weather, so check a company's policy. Be prepared to give your weight and to be weighed before boarding since weight restrictions apply on all flights. If you weigh considerably more than your reported weight, you may not be allowed to board but will still be expected to pay for your seat. Also check cancellation policies.
Blue Hawaiian's Kauai ECO Adventure runs in daily flights of approximately 50 minutes. Their eco-star helicopters, featuring 23% more interior space, can carry up to six passengers in business-class seating. Passengers have two-way communication with their pilot and outstanding views through the expansive cockpit glass. The tour includes Hanapepe Valley, Mana Waiapuna, Olokele Canyon, Waimea Canyon, Na Pali Coast, Bali Hai Cliffs, Hanalei Bay, Princeville Resort area, and Mount Wai'ale'ale (weather permitting).
2010 Rate
Adult: $191.50 ($154.90 online)
No charge for children ages 0 to 2 held on the lap. There is a $112.99 comfort seat charge for passengers over 250 pounds.
Blue Hawaiian Helicopters (Kauai)
Harbor Mall Suite 114
3501 Rice St.
Lihue, HI 96766
Toll free: (800) 745-2583
Local: (808) 245-5800
www.bluehawaiian.com/kauai
Sunshine Helicopter, Inc., offers two different tours for about $200 each. Its Princeville Explorer tour is a 30 to 40 minute round trip leaving out of the Princeville airport on board a WhisperSTAR helicopter. Sites include Waimea Canyon and Na Pali Coast.
First class seating is also available in limited numbers at a higher rate. You can save $50 by booking an Early Bird flight that leaves before 8:30 a.m. or after 2 p.m. Last-minute and standby status are also available.
Sunshine Helicopters, Inc.
Kahului Heliport #107
Kahului, HI 96732
Toll free from U.S. and Canada: (866) 501-7738
(808) 270-3999
www.sunshinehelicopters.com
Sunshine's second offering is the Ultimate Kauai tour on a Euro Copter 350 A-Star that has air conditioning, Bose (R) aviation headsets, and panoramic windows. This 55- to 60-minute flight out of Lihue Heliport includes a narrative history of the remote valleys, waterfalls, and sea cliffs you'll see.
Sunshine Helicopter, Inc.
3-3222 Kuhio Hwy.
Lihue, HI 96766
Toll free from U.S. and Canada: (866) 501-7738
(808) 270-3999
www.sunshinehelicopters.com
Fly in an ASTAR 350B2-7 on the Deluxe Waterfall Safari, a 55 to 60 minute tour that includes Hoary Head Mountain Range, Hanapepe Valley, Manawaipuna Waterfalls, Olokele Canyon, Waimea Canyon, Waialea Waterfalls, Kokee State Park, the Na Pali Coast, Hanalei Bay, Lumahai Beach, Namolokama Mountain, and Mount Wai'ale'ale. The ASTAR provides air conditioning, BOSE noise-cancellation headsets, two-way intercoms, and a multiple video-camera system to record the actual tour. A copy of the tour is available afterward for $40.
First class seating is also available at a higher rate. Passengers over 250 pounds are charged for an extra seat, and two passengers flying together whose combined weight is over 450 pounds are charged for three seats. There is a 48-hour cancellation policy. Cameras and video-recorders are allowed, but no baggage, including camera bags.
Safari Helicopters-Kauai
3225 Akahi Street
Lihue, HI 96766
Toll free (800) 326-3356
Lihue office (808) 246-0136
www.safarihelicopters.com
