One of the most popular activities when visiting Kauai is taking a helicopter tour. And for good reason, it is an awesome experience. Here is what you should know before you book a helicopter tour on Kauai.
Kauai is the Best Island for a Helicopter Tour
There is probably no better place in the world for a helicopter tour than Kauai. A one hour ride takes you along the Na Pali coast, over jungles of waterfalls, into a dormant volcano and through the Grand Canyon of the Pacific. I challenge you to find another place with tours through this diverse of a landscape. Plus, only about 10% of Kauai is accessible by car according to the officials in charge of Hawaii’s tourism. So unless you have time to hike the entire island, a helicopter tour on Kauai is your best option to see all that island offers.
Motion Sickness
If you are prone to motion, car or sea sickness, helicopter rides may not be for you. A helicopter is much different than an airplane. Pockets of wind, sudden drops in altitude, and sharp turns will leave you feeling like you just spent an hour jumping on a trampoline after eating an entire birthday cake to yourself. To avoid nausea, take the appropriate motion sickness medicine and eat a small, lightweight meal before you get on the helicopter.
There are a few types of helicopter tours on Kauai. Most tour operators have enclosed helicopters but some companies do the tours with the doors off. If the thought of hanging out the side of a chopper like a machine gunner during Vietnam War scares you, make sure the doors-on tours have air-conditioning during the flight. Blasting that AC in your face and will help prevent motion sickness.
The Tours are Narrated
Your pilot doubles as a tour guide. You will get a headset so you can hear them speak. They give you all sorts of information and tips on what to do around the island. As you gaze out the windows admiring the island, you tend to tune out what the tour guides are saying so don’t expect to come away with a lot of knowledge. Tour guides understand this so there are parts of the tour where they just play music so you can enjoy the views. Personally, my favorite part of our helicopter tour on Kauai was flying by the waterfall that was in the first Jurrasic Park movie as the pilot played the film’s soundtrack.
Wear Dark Colors
Unless you do a doors-off ride, you’ll be looking through the windows of the helicopter. Light colors cause a reflection in the glass. Wearing dark clothing reduces these reflections resulting in you being able to take pictures where you don’t notice the glass. Even if you don’t plan on taking pictures, wear the dark clothes out of respect for those other passengers who do (says the photographer).
Worth the Expense
Yes, helicopter tours on Kauai are expensive. We are talking a couple hundred dollars per person. But before you remove this from your itinerary look at the idea with a different perspective. You’re not just buying a tour, you’re buying a lifetime experience (If you were wondering, yes, I have a Bachelors Degree in Marketing). As cheesy as that sounds, you’ll never forget the views looking down on one of the most beautiful and remote wildernesses in Hawaii.
Our Experience
For a first-hand account of what a helicopter tour is actually like check out our experience during a Blue Hawaiian Tour in Kauai
Chad can be summed up by his idea of a perfect day: Waking up early to watch the sunrise over the mountains, warm cup of coffee in hand then grabbing his camera and fly rod, hitting the trail to explore some uncharted territory followed by cold beers and campfire steaks. Chad is often joined on his adventures by his wife, Tori, and their dog, Kona.
