Unbelievable experience. Although the cost seems steep I am so glad we pushed ourselves to take this ride. It is a ride my husband and I will never forget. We booked the day after one of the volcanos erupted and ended up with a 2:30 time which really worked out perfectly. Our guide was so amazing i believe her name was Tatiana if I heard correctly, she mentioned that she always dreamt of being a pilot since a little girl and it truly showed in how passionate she was about flying. A once in a lifetime experience that I will never forget! Side note: directions where a little confusing as paradise was separate from other helicopter tours. Best advice is to park in airport parking and walk all the way to southwest airline and you will see paradise helicopters to the right of southwest airline booth... read more

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Great tour, amazing views, and an unforgettable experience! Would definitely recommend the "doors off" tour with Allen who was an amazing pilot! read more

Paradise Helicopters - #Allen - Aerial Tours Near Me - Hilo, Hawaii

They will cancel your tour if you're just a couple; honeymooners, anniversary celebrators and any other pair of tourist planning to take a volcano tour beware!! We booked the volcano tour for my honeymoon and two days before the tour, Paradise Helicopter cancelled it. First they messaged me saying the tour was not confirmed because they needed at least three people (on a four passenger flight). Then out of nowhere, the helicopter conveniently needed maintenance and they canceled the tour, TWO DAYS BEFORE THE FLIGHT. Keep in mind that it is impossible to find another booking two days before your tour, not just with them, but any other agency. They've ruined our opportunity to go on a helicopter tour. Go with any of the other companies and avoid this hassle, especially if you're here on a once in a lifetime trip! read more

Paradise Helicopters - First they message me saying the flight can't happen without three paid seats - Aerial Tours Near Me - Hilo, Hawaii

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My friend and I purchased the helicopter ride to see the eruption of Mauna Loa on December 3rd, but due to the whether it was cancelled. It was a last minute cancellation on their part. We drove one hour to get there in time and it was cancelled after we waited for 30 minutes when we were already there. Afterwords I sent them an email asking for the refund and I never received an answer. I emailed one more time and nothing. Just now I emailed them for the 3rd time because they charged me for it. I had also to open a dispute with my credit card. This was terrible customer service, I am very frustrated and unhappy with how this turned out. read more

Paradise helicopters is definitely worth it. I was skeptical about flying because I have problems with heights, plus the fact that we were going to fly near active volcanoes. Dareen was the attendant who checked us in and grabbed our weight, we flew with four other people, so our weights were needed to balance out the helicopter. She was such a sweet heart and explained what we should expect and what our roles were in the event of an emergency. Mike was our pilot, he took off and landed smoothly, gave an amazing detailed history of Hilo throughout the tour. When clouds were bunching up together he was swaying the helicopter just enough to part the clouds. Overall, my experience was comfortable, enjoyable, and most important... memorable. So you want the perfect experience to see the active volcanoes.. fly with Safari Helicopters. read more

Bottom: A great tour company and the only choice for a doors-off experience. There are a handful of helicopter operators on the Big Island but I believe Paradise is the only company to offer the "doors off" experience. I couldn't imagine checking out Kilauea any other way so that is the tour we booked. Our pilot for our doors off adventure was Chris. Of course he safely flew the helicopter but he also provided a fun soundtrack for our ride and an informative narration of what we were seeing below us. We cruised out to Volcanoes National Park listening to Magic Carpet Ride and had the sounds of Volcano and Ring of Fire playing as we ooohed and aaahed at the Puu Oo crater and it's molten lava churning within sight. Once the smell of sulfur had burned our nostrils it was off to Hilo Bay while listening to TLC's Chasing Waterfalls. After flying along to Steppenwolf, Jimmy Buffet and Johnny Cash, that didn't really seem like Chris' jam but it was perfectly fitting since the next major sight was the Wai'ale waterfall. In addition to the lava and waterfall, I also enjoyed seeing the old lava flows and the mac nut farms from the air. Our flight was about 45 minutes and that was the perfect amount of time to enjoy myself without using the "lava flow bag" in the seat back pocket. I tied my hair back in a ponytail but I wish I had been more diligent in those efforts because I had the most knotted hair of my entire life! I probably needed a braid, all of the barrettes from the Russian gymnastics team and some "Something About Mary" hair gel to tame my hair for the doors off adventure, but it was worth it. The doors off adventure seats five people total in the Hughes H500, including the pilot. Seating assignments are based on weight so be ready to rub shoulders with strangers. Paradise Helicopters is located at the Hilo Airport within the terminal. Park in the main lot of the airport and then proceed to Lobby 2 with your parking ticket. Look for Paradise Helicopters' counter to get weighed in and briefed. Before returning to your car, pay for parking in "Lobby 2" of the airport. Within my group weights of some passengers were recorded erroneously but luckily that was resolved before takeoff and it was smooth sailing from there! The only thing that would make the experience better is more lava! But, that is understandably at the discretion of Mother Nature and not within Paradise Helicopter's control. read more

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We did the "doors off" helicopter tour. There's no active lava right now, but it was still super cool! It was great to have an unobstructed, open view of the scenery. We got to see part of the Kīlauea Volcano- the most recently active crater/vent that caused a lot of destruction last year. We got to see the coastline, the devastation that the lava caused, and some waterfalls as well. Really great. Our pilot Joyce was really knowledgeable and explained what we were looking at, also answered all our questions that came up during the flight. read more

Sadly I can't speak to my tour because it was canceled due to storms, but I wanted to write anyway because Paradise acted so honorably. I was scheduled for a Saturday at 1:15. The sweetest lady called to say my tour was being cancelled--which I could understand looking out my window. That was a day when it didn't stop raining in Hilo! We rescheduled for Sunday. Sunday came, and the weather still looked pretty iffy. I went to the airport and a while after checking in, the pilot came to sit with me to break the bad news. I have never in life felt so disappointed and so respected at the same time. We chatted for a bit, of course he didn't need to explain much since it was raining again. Then he excused himself and went to speak with other passengers. My refund was processed that Monday! Can you believe it!!! My experience with Paradise was top notch--and I didn't even get to fly! I would definitely book with them again, should I be fortunate enough to have the opportunity. read more

Everything about this experience was amazing. From calling about a month and a half ago to make a reservation, to today's flight over the volcano to the super smooth landing. I couldn't have asked for a better experience! Since it's my birthday, I decided to go with the doors off flight! I honestly don't think it would have been as good with the doors on! The rush of wind blowing in your hair (or beard in my case), the smells of the sulphur from the volcanic release, the coldness of the high altitude, and feeling a the majestic heat of the lava from below. You can't beat it! The staff is wonderful and the pilot, Daniel, was superb! Definitely recommended! You gotta do the open door! Quick Tips 1. Located at the airport terminal. 2. Paid parking lot. I paid $7. 3. You can pay a little extra for window seat. However the open door helicopter I was in today only had 4 sears, including the pilot. read more

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Going up in a helicopter is certainly one of those bucket list items. Having had a blast in Kauai, we decided it was time to do that on the Big Island. The trick is to time it when the volcano is active. Sometimes you get to see a lot, sometimes you don't. First of all, checking in was a pleasant experience. The girls at the counter were a hoot to chat with. Definitely lots of aloha! We saw a video, got a safety lesson, and learned the specific instructions on how to helicopter. Considering that we were doing the no-door one, I paid extra attention. It's really common sense, but folks get excited and don't think. You really don't want to get caught in the tail, so it's best to listen. IMPORTANT: *You have to leave everything but your camera in the safe boxes. They don't want the hazard or liability of something flying out and hitting a person or equipment. And phone cameras are only allowed if you have a strap on it (which they also sell if you need one). Minimize what you take if you don't want to leave stuff with them, or leave them in your car. *The parking lot is owned by another company, so they don't validate. Be ready to pay separately at the machine when you depart. Our pilot was Paul that day. He was a fun and chatty fellow and told us plenty of interesting things on the way to the active spots. I was very impressed by the timing of his music to what we were seeing. "Ring of Fire" when we saw the lava and "Don't Go Chasing Waterfalls" right as we came across some waterfalls. That was worth a few chuckles. We saw plenty of active lava flows--some were even bubbling. You can feel the heat emanating from it. And the smell of the sulfur. Whew. One other important thing to mention is that the pilot does A LOT of circling around the sites. Round and round in one direction. Then round and round and round and round in the other, so that both sides can see. Be warned if you get motion sickness! I'll admit I got a bit light headed. If you're staying in Kona, it's really worth the drive over to Hilo to go on the Paradise Helicopters. It's a fun road trip, and the cost of the ride is less than if you did it from the Kona side. read more

The staff is awesome! They were able to book us same day. The people we were with were friendly and I sat in the middle seat next to my bf so I got to see both sides of the helicopter. I was initially worried but that seat was pretty good. They try to distribute the weight evenly in the helicopter and match people up so the helicopter is even. Marco was awesome and took us close to the lava and we saw real lava up close and person and went to around the top of the volcano. We also saw humpback whales (mom and baby) over the ocean on the way back. 45 minutes is plenty of time in the helicopter. The staff is really awesome. The Asian female at the counter recommended we go to Richardson Park to see the turtles and that was awesome! It became our favorite park on the island! read more

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Matt was our helicopter pilot for our tour today, February 12, 2021. It was a beautiful day in Hilo and we were able to see all of the caldera in the volcano all the way down to the ocean. It was a very smooth flight no issues whatsoever. Thank you Matt at Paradise helicopters for a great adventure. read more

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We drove from Kona to Hilo for our helicopter tour and had Pete as our pilot. Very professional operation and they took the time to make sure we were all safe, but still comfortable and had a good time. We flew on the MacDonald Douglass MD500 and it was a very fun ride. I've flown in Bell helicopters before, but the MD500 was a blast to ride in. Pete was very knowledgeable, experienced and took us on a great flight and found us some lava to take pictures of and also educated us on lava, volcanoes and the history of the surrounding area. We checked out Paradise Helicopters at the recommendation of Joyce S. who is a family friend. Would do this again! read more

I booked a lava and rainforest helicopter (doors off) tour through Paradise Helicopter tours flying out of Hilo, Hawaii on the Big Island. I was thrilled with my experience. Paradise Helicopters did a great job making me feel safe and securely strapped in the helicopter. There is a 30 minute safety video that you watch prior to lift off. I was very nervous going into this activity. We were extremely lucky to have a great pilot named Chuck who navigated through clouds and over Kileuea to show us some lava spewing. He rose up in the air nice and easy at first and it made me feel comfortable that he was a safe pilot. I was sitting on the outside and thankfully had a handle to hold onto. I felt safe overall but was still "holding on for dear life" as they say. We made some other passes over other craters, plantations, and rainforest as well. There is only five people including the pilot in the helicopter and mid-flight we all agreed to spend more time at the volcano rather than go and see waterfalls. You are able to communicate with the pilots via headset radio and other passengers but sitting on the outside made it difficult do to the sounds of the chopper. It was a once in a lifetime experience that I am excited to cross off my list. I was also able to bring a gopro and get some great footage that I posted to youtube. read more

There are 6 of us who just finished our first helicopter ride with Paradise Helicopter. It was a dream come true. Our piolet was Colin who was passionate and very informative about the island. He had a great sense of humor too! We were so fortunate to have perfect weather of 80°, with complete sunshine and no clouds. We we're blessed to see rainbows, waves on the shore, waterfalls and hot lava! It couldn't have been more perfect! Highly recommend! read more

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Five stars for the pilot, guy's from Dana Point and is just pure coolness! Three stars for the helicopter, it's older than my teenage kids if not as old as myself. But it flew. Negative two stars for the counter staff. How difficult is it to check inventory to see if there's a smaller size? Didn't know it's so difficult to spend $50 on two tee shorts for the kids. Wonderful experience made horrible. Great job! read more

Very cool way to see the island. We were given some gift certificates from friends and decided on the Volcanos & Waterfalls tour - https://paradisecopters.com/tours/hilo-volcanoes-waterfalls/#.WII1jVUrKpo Our flight was at 3:30 p.m. but we were told to arrive an hour beforehand. When you get there you check and weigh in so they can assign your seat on the helo. Then you have to be in their briefing room 40 minutes before the flight. You sit and watch videos about the lava flow (this was okay, but could have done without it. There were kids in the group and they were antsy waiting to go up and this video was torture.) We were then briefed, given instructions, and led out to the tarmac. You are given a headset and a personal flotation device before boarding. Then they call you by seat number, seat belt you in, and plug in your headset so you can hear the pilot and other passengers talk. We were on a doors on tour (but the windows were still off where the pilot and two passengers were sitting) so it can get a bit chilly & windy in the back so I recommend bringing a light jacket. You fly at elevations between 1100' to 3500' and the views are quite stunning. The trip ends quickly and leaves you wanting for more. read more

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We checked all the local helicopter tours and decided on Paradise based on reviews and availability. Man, are we glad we did!! Not only did they have accommodations for us the next day but we flew with an amazing pilot by the name of Rob. He was amazing and made the flight all the more enjoyable. Even our 4 year old son had a blast! Absolutely love this place, highly recommended and would go back for tours anytime! Thanks everyone for being so amazing!! read more

Paradise Helicopters - Aerial Tours Near Me - Hilo, Hawaii

Great experience! Our pilot Matt was amazing, very smooth and felt safe throughout. Got to see volcanoes and briefly waterfalls. Doors off experience was slightly pricey but well worth it. Def recommend them. They're located right next to the airport. It's about 45 minutes in total. read more

Paradise Helicopters - Aerial Tours Near Me - Hilo, Hawaii

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Wanna go for a ride or a RIDE!!! DOORS OFF!!! Like a 4D thrill theater, there is no better way to enjoy unobstructed aerial views over an erupting volcano than in a chopper with no doors. From the cold air whipping through your hair at 1,500' above the ground to stinging needles of rain traveling at 110mph, to the heat rising from the 2000 degree active flow as it pours into the ocean just 500' below. Stare straight down at the ground while banking, only your seatbelts are preventing you from going splat; it just adds to the thrill factor. On our tour, a very friendly, humorous, and knowledgeable pilot who narrated the entire flight and who was more than willing to answer any questions. Outstanding. If you're saying "hell no, I'm scared", no tourist has fallen out of a chopper in Hawaii. While choppers do occasionally uhhhhh crash, more people die in airline crashes. Finally, you know, the tour company wants to stay in business, it's in their best interest nothing happens to you. They even strap you in, nice and tight. Booking - online or over the phone. Call center in Hilo. Very friendly locals answer any questions. Location - ITO main terminal left of Hawaiian Airlines. Pricing - $1,300/hr private charter. $280/person for standard 50 minute tour. Kamaaina discount with local ID. Check-in - 45 minutes ahead of your flight at the ITO counter. They will weigh you followed by a mandatory safety briefing before they take you on the tarmac. Lockers for your personal belongings (nothing on your lap if not strapped on you including cameras and phones, nothing in your pockets if not zippered). Seating - FOUR passenger max (all good seats). Don't pay the premium for a guaranteed window seat on this flight). Seating is ASSIGNED based on passengers weight) Clothing - Light jacket or hoody (and zip it up to the top before takeoff), covered shoes, jeans, and sun glasses (you need something to keep the wind out of your eyes). Other - Bring cash to tip the pilot. They want you to tip when you land but before you leave the chopper. The Travel Channel is right, this is a thrill ride worth seeking out. read more

"Woooooo-hoooo!" Followed by a hole heck of a lot of "Holy $&*!", "OMG", "____" (that last one is my dead silence as I try to hold it together!) This was my fist helicopter ride, and it was quite a wild-ride! I totally recommend Paradise Helicopters; they were friendly, informative and fun. The girls that strap you in take the time to take pics of you with the Helicopter, on your phone or camera. If you forgot to bring a jacket, hair tie, camera strap, they will lend you one. And the pilot I had, York, was awesome! Seriously, shout out to the playlist, too funny! Flying over the worlds largest active volcano is definitely a bucket-list experience! However, be warned that the most you may see is smoke. Best to call and inquire as to the level or intensity of lava flow, if that is what you are really after. read more

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Completely disappointed! I saw ocean most of the time. The pilot catered to the people who were sitting on the right. I give it 3 stars cause I saw couple minutes of fissure 8. When I say couple minutes, I mean in total of less than 2-3 minutes. Again, very disappointed!!! The pilot could of turned a little for my side to watch fissure 8, but he chose to entertain the people on the right more because there was a little kid. I gave the pilot a chance because I thought I would get to see later on during the tour, but then he then flew off to go see Rainbow falls. On his way leaving, I get to point my camera to take pics of it. If I do call to talk about my experience, what can you do?... Nothing. My experience is already ruin. read more

Stayed in waikaloa but opted to fly out of Hilo because we wanted to drive and explore the island. We also preferred the shorter flight in case we got nauseous. We were very fortunate to have great weather and visibility for our flight. Our Pilot Jork was extremely knowledgeable and courteous. We felt very safe on what was our first helo ride. He asked several times to make sure we were getting nauceous before doing more "sporty" maneuvers in the 4 person chopper. We saw lava flows, and even a small tornado on the volcano which was really cool. We kept the doors on but since the pilot and front seat passenger had doors off we could smell the fire and feel the heat of the lava when Jork took us in for close up views. I also really loved the classic rock playing on the radio, made flying in a helicopter feel that much more badass! I can't imagine coming to Hawaii and missing out on this memorable experience. Well worth the money and would definitely fly with paradise again. read more

Paradise Helicopters - Aerial Tours Near Me - Hilo, Hawaii

We loved our No Doors Volcanoes & Falls tour. This was our first helicopter ride, so we weren't sure what to expect. We booked in advance through AdventureInHawaii.com (http://adventureinhawaii.com/bigisland_helicopters.htm), and the entire process was easy and straightforward. We were given great directions to the Hilo International Airport by email, good advice on what to bring (it is cold up there, so definitely wear long pants, socks, and a long-sleeve jacket), and staff were friendly and informative. There were only four passenger spaces on our helicopter, and no bad seat (you get assigned to your seat according to weight). The views are spectacular, and the pilot did an excellent job of making sure everyone got to see the same view from several perspectives. As long as you had your camera strapped, you could take pictures. The pilot was knowledgeable and told us about the landscape below. We flew over macadamia farms and on to the lava flows of the Kilauea Volcano. It is hard to predict what the flows will look like on any given day, but we were fortunate to see some molten lava streams, and it was breathtaking to watch them flow into the ocean. When we circled over the lava, you could feel the heat, an unforgettable sensation! (So glad we chose the no-doors option!) On the way back, you get a great view of Hilo's harbor and a glimpse of the Rainbow Falls. Here's what we saw on our tour: http://transplantedtatar.com/2013/09/01/flying-over-lava/ I'd do it again, and would certainly choose the no-doors option. read more

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Want to see things for angles you can't on the ground? This is your tour! Our pilot Matt was wonderful, knowledgeably narrating our tour, and the aircraft was state of the art, clean and well- maintained. We felt perfectly safe the whole flight. Highly recommend! read more

What an amazing experience! Considering Isaac & I are both from Hilo, I still took the tour and thought it was worth while. Our pilot Zak was a great guide, we saw flowing lava, natural waterfalls and Hilo bay. The doors off option allowed us to have clear, unblocked views throughout the entire ride. The staff was friendly and efficient. They also took the time to take multiple pictures for us. Highly recommend taking this tour! read more

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we booked through our hotel at Hilton .. we initially wanted to do the night flght but everywhere we called it was a fortune. we booked through our hotel at the Hilton and they got us a discount. then we switched to doors off .. its fewer people .. you are not going to be stuck in the middle seat and much better view for pics. No reflection. Our pilot Sean was excellent. my husband has issues with vomiting with motion .. took prescription meds and that plus the breeze made it comfortable for him. It was cold up there .. a sweatshirt or heavy jacket is good. Loved it .. great experience. They literally buckled me in to make sure i was safe. doors off was an extra 100 a person ... WELL Worth it. but our Hilton guy got it down to 50 extra a person. So we drove to Hilo Airport.. There was a sign for helicopter tours and pay parking across from that... Parking ended up being 7$. They tell u what time to be there because there is paperwork.. Weigh in and safety video. The weigh in was desreat.. Not only the employee sees results and they don't announce it. flew over the active volcano and some amazing waterfalls ... i love playing with my camera but i find myself focusing too much on getting that perfect pic and not being in the moment .. i tried to get pics but not limit to the camera eye piece . so my pics aren't the best but i certainly saw it with my own eyes. smelled and felt the heat of a active volcano .. how amazing. read more

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The ride was amazing! Alan our pilots was so informative, friendly and funny. Go doors off!! It's cold but so with it!

Our helicopter tour was amazing! We did the Volcanoes and Waterfalls extreme with the doors off. It was $282 per person. The helicopter is tiny so you can't bring anything with you, except for cameras with straps. You'll go check in and they will weigh you on the spot. They need to balance the helicopter so when you put in your weight when you book it, try to be as accurate as possible. Also, bring a jacket and wear pants as there is constant wind due to the doors being off the helicopter. If you forget, they can loan you a nice clean jacket. You'll go over a safety video and then they will lock up anything that you can't take on the ride (which is basically anything except for cameras with straps). If your cell phone doesn't have a wrist strap, they will not let you take it on the ride. However, they loaned me a make-shift wrist strap made of hair ties that I attached to my cell phone case (which was very handy). The ride itself is amazing. You'll get very close to the volcanoes. Also, the pilot was great at making sure each side of the helicopter had a chance to get their pictures (really appreciated that). It was a really great way to see the island. I would definitely do this again. read more

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We had a great experience from start to finish with Paradise Helicopters! The customer service team was knowledgeable and provided thorough answers to the many questions we had, particularly related to COVID considerations. We were well-informed ahead of time about the possibility of our flight being changed and so we were not caught off guard when they needed to switch us to a different flight than originally reserved. The tour itself was wonderful and our pilot, Ryan, was great! He shared a lot of interesting information during the flight. This was definitely a once in a lifetime experience and we would highly recommend choosing Paradise Helicopters for the value and experience. read more

Open door helicopter ride was the best! We had great weather (10/21/12), great pilot who was very knowledgeable, and fantastic staff that just made us feel very welcome. Their enthusiasm was infectious! It was a little pricey but worth every penny. We flew over the kilauea volcano and saw lava spewing! We also flew over rainbow falls. Amazing sites that we would never have seen except over the air. Highly recommend it!! read more

Paradise Helicopters - Open door helicopter looking over Rainbow Falls, Big Island. - Aerial Tours Near Me - Hilo, Hawaii

What an amazing trip!!! From the reservation with Jill, check in with Bronsten and flying with Matt. The customer service is phenomenal! Matt was wonderful in making sure both sides of the helicopter had equal time at every waterfall, crater (yes, we did see red hot lava) and whale!!! What a trip! I have flown with a couple of the other tour companies and I would definitely go with Paradise next time!!! read more

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Open Doors Tour Review- After a brief check in with Jessica -who was totally awesome and informative, a group of us were given a fun but serious safety & instructional demonstration of how our flight would be conducted & what to expect. Being it was my first time in a helicopter, I had all of the questions & a lot of nerves. My safety instructor assured me that we had an incredible veteran pilot & that I was in great hands. I'm proud & grateful to all of our serving soldiers, so I already felt much more safe knowing he had served our country's military. Of course I had to leave all of my things behind -safety first; but thankfully they held all of our possessions safely in their own lockers for me. It was all for the better - I didn't need any distractions from the amazing tour. We were lead out onto the pavement & we had a woman guide & load us onto the aircraft. She personally strapped us in one at a time & connected our head sets. Rob politely introduced himself and welcomed us as we loaded in... which created a level of comfort that I need for these kinds of situations. Once everyone was safely aboard, he began take off... Pretty impressive! I never realized the precision & spatial awareness it took before I sat beside Rob that day. We flew over farm lands & deep tree groves. We were briefed on the history of the land, people & events that have happened on the Big Island. We toured over Mauna Loa & found some active spots which Rob tactically soared us over. Ring of fire playing in our head sets & nikon cameras ready, we were happily snapping away! He was so considerate of our shots & made sure we ALL had an opportunity to get a view of the sights. As some weather moved in, we headed over the the waterfalls; with Rob confidently flying us through clouds & mild rain, I was surprisingly (to me) comfortable. My nerves floated away as cruised through the Hilo skies. TLC's "Waterfalls" played in my head set & I knew just where we were going... We coursed into the lush greenery & with one turn, he exposed gorgeous waterfalls & again we were clicking the shutter buttons to our heart's content. We were given more history of the area & plenty of great jokes too! Cruising over the ocean, we had a new perspective of Hawaii's beauty that we could have in our memories first hand & not just another photo on the Internet. We were given some island touring pointers as we headed back to the airport. We landed safely & I high fived, thanked & took a photo with our pilot & my boyfriend. As we returned our gear & made our way out... The first thing on our mind was, "let's do that again!" Thank you to the Paradise Team for showing us the best views & having such an incredible staff. We seriously can't wait to book our next doors off flight! read more

Paradise Helicopters - Aerial Tours Near Me - Hilo, Hawaii

We went with the 45-60min tour, and really only got about 40min of flying. The doors off option was amazing! Got to really feel like we were soaring high above. We went to Kilauea crater, but didn't actually see any huge amounts of lava. We also went to the rainbow falls, but couldn't really see a great amount of awe in them. Our pilot was really knowledgeable, but if I could do the experience again, I would check the lava activity, as he said it changes daily. For us when we booked the tour we were expecting lava oozing off of cliffs and waterfalls super upfront and in our face, and what we experienced was a "plane"-view of everything. A little disappointed, but still a fun experience. Be sure to bring a light jacket! read more

Paradise Helicopters - Aerial Tours Near Me - Hilo, Hawaii

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We did the doors off helicopter 6/16/18 and it was AMAZING! Booking was easy. It's a bit expensive, but worth it! Doors off was one of the coolest experiences but it is pretty crazy. Getting up there is fine, but when they turn, you really feel the G forces and I definitely was scared I was going to fall out! (Even though I was strapped in and knew this wouldn't happen). Doors off is not for people who are scared of flights. But if you like adrenaline and excitement, you'll love it. We were right over the active fissure and it was incredible. Our pilot, Charlie, was great and explained things along the way. Best thing: they weigh you before but you and people you're with can't see the amount! lol Clearly they care about modesty. read more

ONE OF THE BEST EXPERIENCES OF MY LIFE!! I'm an adventure seeker and this one tops the list!! Better than climbing Mt Whitney or any of the other 20 14ers I've climbed. We were the inaugural Kohala valley falls tour and we were not at all disappointed. Flights from Hilo often dont get to leave due to weather, and the inactivity of the volcano made us switch options. This is an area that you cannot access without a helicopter or a serious desire to hike these massive cliffs! The tour guide was super friendly and a local who knew everything we asked. If you want a thrill do this tour doors off! Amazing views even when the weather is overcast! Because of all the recent rains, the waterfalls were all at full tilt!! Cannot recommend this tour enough! read more

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Imagine getting close to the beating heart of a dragon. That's exactly what it felt circumnavigating the Pu'u O'o crater with the doors off! Doors-off is the way to go for aerial photography, too. Also got to see (from afar due to a no-fly zone) some steam/smoke from the lava flowing into Pahoa. Very professional, safety-first crew and fantastic two-way communication with highly knowledgeable pilot Rhys. MINOR quips: The waterfalls section of the tour was anticlimactic, especially after the thrill of Pu'u O'o. You go way above the falls, totally unlike copter tours to Molokai and Kauai where you're more on the side of the palis. Unfortunately, no lava was flowing on that day that we can access, though there were portions where we could see it under the crust. I could totally do this again if there's lots of lava flowing! Tips: Bring a light jacket as it would get really windy, make sure the camera has straps. Any loose items need to go into the locker. If you have time, visit the Apa'a Transfer Station in Pahoa for a closer look of the recent (but solidified) lava flow. read more

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Terrible experience. I would not recommend to anyone. I wouldn't trust their scheduling and I would also question their safety procedures. Read on if you want details. Flights from Kona (where I was staying) were full, but their reservations employee suggested she could fit me in for a flight from Hilo if I could make it in time. I accepted the challenge and proceeded to rent a car and drive the two hours it takes to get to Hilo from Kona. I made it with fifteens to spare! Upon arrival at the airport in Hilo, their desk manager checked us in, charged my credit card and sold us some extra chords to safely hold onto our cell phones. Shortly there after, we were directed into a room to watch a brief safety video with other passengers. About five minutes into the presentation, my name was called and i was told that they could not fit me and my guest on their flight. While they cited "for safety reasons", I'm not sure why they chose only two of us to be removed from the flight. All that said, I'm angry. I wasted 4 hours of my vacation in a rental car that I wouldn't have bothered to rent had it not been for the flight scheduled with them. They didn't even bother to call and tell that i wasn't going to be flying. Instead they told me in person about ten minutes before my flight. what a waste of time, not to mention that they have not yet refunded what i paid. instead, all i've received so far is a lame form letter telling me it'll be 7-10 days before the refund hits. Jerks. read more

I took a tour of lower Puma to see the lava flows last week. It was so amazing that I took a second flight later in the week. The helicopters fly right over the lava and give you a great view of the eruptions. Then, for a little added bonus, they fly you to the waterfalls above Hilo. I recommend the "doors off" flight! read more

Awesome and smooth ride. Luca (the pilot) was great and courteous! It was our daughters first helicopter ride- she is 8 yrs old. They made it so comfortable and she was not scared for even one second. She was talking and talking to the pilot. So cool! She will remember it forever! Thank you! Paradise helicopters team. read more

Paradise Helicopters - Aerial Tours Near Me - Hilo, Hawaii