While on the Big Island touring our luxury vacation homes, we booked an early-morning tour to get a birds-eye view of this massive and beautiful island. Dubbed by the Travel Channel as "The hottest helicopter ride on earth," this was truly an unforgettable experience.
Read on for a sneak peek of this adventure while we fly over and around the stunning landscapes of the Big Island. From towering mountains, active volcanoes, lush forests, and even a little farmland, we suggest that everyone start their trip with this up-close and personal expedition of Hawai'i!
The famously erupting Kilauea Volcano
Visitors to the Big Island can access helicopter adventures from both Waikoloa and Kailua-Kona. Guests staying at luxury villas along the Kohala Coast can lift off just minutes away at the Waikoloa Heliport. It’s an ideal departure point for those staying in resort communities such as Hualalai, Wailoloa, Mauna Lani and Mauna Kea. Visitors based near Kailua-Kona or the Kona International Airport can choose tours that take off from there.
We started our tour from the Kona airport and flew straight towards the peaks of Mauna Kea. As we watched the landscape drastically change, our pilo walked us through a bit of violent volcano history as we hovered low over the ground. The scenery is almost like being transported to another world, with desolate black and brown rocks as the base to towering mountains and slowly moving fog and clouds.
Me, Ryan, and Exotic Estates Founder Tyler Coons, enjoying the sweet ride (I was lucky enough to get a co-pilot seat)!
You’ll glide over ancient lava fields and follow the coastline toward Puʻuhonua o Hōnaunau and Kealakekua Bay. Whether departing from Waikoloa or Kona, these aerial journeys showcase the Big Island’s dramatic contrasts, from black-sand beaches to rainforest heavy cliffs with towering waterfalls cascading into the ocean or valleys below.
The beautiful and other-wordly landscape as we approach the Kilauea Volcano
Seeing the active volcano and lava was truly breathtaking. I am sure many of us dream of lava as a kid as we play the famous “don’t touch the hot lava” game. It’s pretty magical to see this magical fiery flow come to life!
Flowing lava from Kilauea Volcano - check out that bright red color!
Although we came on the tour to see the lava, we were pleasantly surprised by the rest of the scenery. Our pilot continued the history lesson as we flew through the island and alongside the green and lush Hilo Coast. We were met with massive waterfalls that delicately plunged to earth from the tops of towering Hawaiian cliffs. It's hard to describe the beauty in words, so we did our best to capture this stunning sight on film!
The beautiful Hilo coastline with stunning waterfalls as tall as the eye can see!
Our pilot also pointed out an old plane crash (everyone survived) of one of the few remaining B-18 "Bolo" Bombers from WW2. The Army originally contemplated dismantling the crashed Bolo and packing the pieces out on mules. However, the terrain encountered soon convinced them that this would be impossible, and the plane was abandoned to the jungle.
Old plane crash of the B-18 "Bolo" bomber from WW2
As we ended the tour, we flew over the adorable western town of Waimea and alongside the coast of Kona. If you let your pilot know which resort you are staying in, he might even help you spot the general location of your vacation home!
Waimea Town and rolling green hills that surround
Finally, if you are lucky (and we were), you might spot the majestic humpback whales as they soar through the Pacific. Look at those two!
Humpack Whales - Mom and baby out on their daily stroll of the warm Hawaiian Pacific
All smiles after our amazing flight, thanks to Ryan for our exhilarating adventure!
The helicopter tour was the experience of a lifetime! For more information on visiting this magical place, check out our Big Island Guide.
Written by Shanon Searls
