Hawaii, USA

7 Kauai Helicopter Tour Tips

A helicopter tour over Kauai is a breathtaking experience that will leave you with memories for life. Although you can go on helicopter tours almost anywhere, in my opinion a helicopter over Kauai is an absolutely essential bucket list item. So much of this island is inaccessible, by car and even by foot, that one of the best ways to take in its beauty is from the air. From above you get a unique perspective and appreciation for the landscape, which you would not get from on the ground. In this post, I’ve put together all of my Kauai helicopter tour tips and advice for booking your trip. It includes how to choose a company, whether you should go doors-on or off, and my thoughts on whether the front-middle seat is so bad after all!

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Safety

Though a helicopter tour may seem daunting, all companies have to adhere to strict safety regulations and these types of tours are typically very safe. All passengers also receive a safety briefing before the flight begins. If the conditions on the day are not suitable for flying, the flight will be cancelled and rescheduled – not an uncommon occurrence thanks to Kauai’s tropical weather! Though accidents can happen, helicopter tours on Kauai are an incredible, and safe, way to explore this breathtaking island. That being said, feeling safe is paramount. Do plenty of research in advance and select a company that appeals the most to you.

Choosing a Company

There are so many companies offering helicopter tours on Kauai, it can be overwhelming to know where to start! A helicopter tour is such a big spend that it’s important to choose the right company for you. You’ll want to choose one you trust and that will make the entire experience smooth and enjoyable. As someone who’s seriously scared of flying, it was important for me to find a company with a great reputation for customer service, as well as safety of course! Having an amazing pilot who made us feel safe and reassured allowed me to enjoy the experience so much more.

Therefore, I’d highly advise doing plenty of research beforehand. Read the websites of numerous tour companies, as well as reviews of people’s experiences on independent sites such as forums. You’ll also want to consider the actual air time of the tour you pick. A ’60-minute tour’ doesn’t necessarily mean you will be in the air for the entire hour. Actual air time varies from company to company.

Book in Advance

After you’ve done your research and selected a company, it’s best to book the tour in advance. You’ll want to book your helicopter tour for early on during your trip. This will allow you time to reschedule, should your initial flight get cancelled. Kauai is a tropical island with a lot of rainfall, meaning flights often get cancelled and rescheduled for safety reasons.

You may also find companies offer significant discounts if you book online ahead of time. Helicopter tours are pretty expensive so it’s definitely worth shopping around. Do some price comparison between tours and look out for any discounts available.

Time of Day

The next step is deciding what time of day to book your Kauai helicopter tour. There are are a few factors to consider, the first of which is the weather. It rains a lot on Kauai, particularly in the centre of the island around the mountains. Many sources recommend the morning for helicopter tours as it tends to be less cloudy earlier in the day. However, if you want to take good photos, you’ll also want to consider the lighting. For good light in the canyons, valleys and on the Na Pali Coast, people tend to prefer the afternoon tours. Overall, I think a Kauai helicopter tour will be incredible no matter what time of day you fly. We personally chose our flight time based on the weather forecast, rather than anything else. Nonetheless, these are all factors to consider when booking your tour.

Doors On or Off?

When choosing a helicopter tour you’ll most likely find yourself deciding between a 4 or 6 person helicopter with doors on, or a 4 person doors-off tour. The doors-off helicopters are smaller than the other types, carrying only 4 passengers plus the pilot. Two passengers sit in the front with the pilot, and the other two passengers sit in the back. Obviously in a doors-off helicopter you are exposed to the elements (rain, wind etc.), so this is something to consider.

If a doors-off helicopter tour isn’t for you, you can decide between the two sizes of regular helicopters; 4 or 6-person. In a 6-person helicopter there are 4 people sitting in the back row. This means the views may not be as good for the people sitting in the two back middle seats. It depends on your personal preference, but these are all factors to consider when making your choice!

We chose the doors-off experience with Jack Harter Helicopters as we wanted to ensure we all had good views. Doors-off tours are certainly a bit more expensive than tours with doors on. However, in my opinion the higher price is thoroughly worth it for the unobstructed views.

The Front-Middle Seat Debate

One thing we found mentioned a lot whilst doing research was the ‘front-middle seat’ (seated next to the pilot). Even in doors-off helicopters which don’t have windows to obstruct the view, there’s still a lot of discussion surrounding the front-middle seat. Whether you like this seat is down to your personal preference – there’s a lot of mixed opinion about it online. However, since you can’t actually choose where you sit on the helicopter, you may well end up sitting there yourself. I was allocated the front-middle seat during out helicopter tour, so here is my experience and thoughts on the matter.

Though widely-criticised as the worst seat, I had the front-middle seat and honestly didn’t find it to be an issue. I was seated between the pilot and the friend I was travelling with. The pilot said I could take pictures out of his side of the helicopter, and of course my friend said the same thing. There were a few moments when my friend and I wanted to take pictures at the same time, and I had to wait for her and then have my turn. However, I didn’t find this to be a deal-breaker and I still took some amazing pictures during the flight.

Admittedly, it’s less awkward to lean over a friend to take pictures than if it were a complete stranger. But in that case I think a simple conversation before take-off, asking whether they’ll mind you taking pictures over them, would suffice. I don’t think any reasonable person would deny you that – it’s not every day you’re in a helicopter flying over Kauai after all! I personally had a great experience in the dreaded front-middle seat.

What to Expect

Whether you’ve been in a helicopter before or this is your first time, here are some things to expect before you go!

On any helicopter tour:

  • Noise – The helicopter is extremely loud, and everyone wears a headset. There is a button to press to open the microphone and speak to the other passengers/pilot.
  • Seating – Where passengers sit on the helicopter is decided by the company. Seats are allocated by weight, not by who is travelling together.
  • Bumpiness/turbulence – It’s very common to experience bumpiness when there is wind.

On a doors-off helicopter tour:

  • Weather – Without the doors you are exposed to the weather outside, such as wind and rain. Make sure to bring a coat or windbreaker to keep you warm enough during the flight. (This may sound off-putting, but I don’t remember anything about the weather throughout the flight. I was too distracted by the views, so don’t let this deter you!)
  • Price – The Kauai doors-off helicopter tour was the most expensive activity of our month-long trip to Hawaii. However, it was an exhilarating experience that was without a doubt worth the extra cash!

I hope this post on my Kauai helicopter tour tips is helpful for planning your own exciting Kauai adventure! If you’re interested, check out my other Hawaii blog posts below: