Maui Helicopter Blog
Which Maui Helicopter Tour Is The Best?
There are many adventures to experience in Maui including snorkel tours, luaus, zip-lining, and hiking. Many would agree that the best way to truly explore Maui is by air. Maui has more flight options than the other Hawaiian Islands and it can be hard to decide which flight to take because they are all amazing! Here are the three best options for a Maui helicopter tour.
Hana and Haleakala
The Hana and Haleakala helicopter tour features the highlights of East Maui. You will view the valleys and waterfalls of Hana along with Haleakala, the worlds largest series of dormant volcanoes. This helicopter tour is the same flight pattern as the Complete Island, minus the West Maui Mountains. It offers less time in the air, so it is less expensive.
West Maui and Molokai
This tour begins in the West Maui Mountains, home to Puβu Kukui watershed with lush valleys and waterfalls. The tour continues across the Pailolo channel to the north shore of Molokai which features the tallest sea cliffs in the world and the largest waterfall in Hawaii. During whale season in Maui (December-April) you also have a chance to witness humpback whales as you cross the channel. Air Maui offers an exciting Doors Off option for this flight pattern.
Complete Island of Maui
This is one of the more popular choices to see all of Maui in one hour. It includes the highlights of both East and West Maui and features the Hana rainforest, Haleakala Crater and the West Maui Mountains. Blue Hawaiian Helicopters offers this tour with an added private landing at Ulupalakua on the slopes of Haleakala. It is called the Maui Spectacular and it is 90 minutes total time.
A few more things to consider when choosing your Maui helicopter tour:
There are three types of aircraft to choose from:
The A-star aircraft is an industry-standard built with sightseeing in mind. It costs less to fly in an A-Star than an Eco-Star.
The Eco-Star was also built for sightseeing and it also has 23% more space inside with wraparound windows for better viewing.
Doors Off. There is only one option for a Doors Off helicopter and that is with Air Maui on their West Maui and Molokai flight.
Seating:
The helicopters hold six guests plus the pilot. Seating is based on the weight and balance of the passengers and is determined by the tour provider. Air Maui and Blue Hawaiian offer a guaranteed front seat upgrade for a fee.
Experiencing Maui by air is one of the most exciting things you can do on this beautiful island. You will not be disappointed!
What Maui Helicopter Tours Leave from Kapalua airport?
Maui has some of the most beautiful scenery in the world and it said that 70% of the island can only be seen by air. We offer 45 minutes, 60 minutes, and 90-minute helicopter tours. They have different flight patterns and some of the highlights include Hana waterfalls, Haleakala Crater, West Maui Mountains and the island of Molokai. You will also choose from different types of aircrafts including A-Star, Eco-Star and even a doors-off option!
The one thing you cannot choose is what part of the island your helicopter departs from.
There are no helicopter flights that leave out of Kapalua or the west side of Maui. All of the helicopter tours in Maui depart from the Kahului heliport just 5 minutes from the main airport. The drive time to the Kahului heliport from the west side of Maui is 45-60 minutes and from the south side it is 20-30 minutes. If you are traveling inter-island, Kapalua airport offers commuter flights to Oahu and Molokai. Mokulele airlines also offers a Father Damien Kalaupapa tour out of Kapalua several days a week. This tour begins with a flight across the Pailolo Channel where you will experience the tallest sea cliffs in the world and some of Hawaiiβs tallest waterfalls. After landing, you will be taken on a guided tour of Kalaupapa Settlement and learn about the rich history and the life of Father Damien.
You may be thinking βIs it worth driving back to the airport to do a Maui helicopter tour?
The answer is YES! A tour of Maui by air may be the most exciting thing you do on your Maui vacation. Plus, there are a lot of fun things to do in the Kahului area before or after your tour. Looking for ideas? You can check out some things to do on this Maui helicopter tour blog post.
How to take the best photos on a Maui Helicopter Tour
A helicopter tour over the island of Maui can be a once in a lifetime experience. Capturing an experience like this to remember forever is high on the priority list for most of us. There are several ways to ensure that you get the best photos or video footage on your helicopter tour. Our helicopter specialists have years of experience and have great tips to assist you in shooting some Instagram worthy content.
#1) Choose the most scenic flight pattern.
Not all helicopter tours are the same. If capturing images and video is a priority ensure to pick the most scenic flight pattern. The sea cliffs and waterfalls on the West Maui & Molokai tour is one of the highest-rated flights for scenery. Experience iconic landmarks such as the Wall of Tears, the tallest waterfall in Hawaii, Papalaua Falls, and the tallest sea cliffs in the world.
#2) Choose the best helicopter aircraft.
There are several helicopters aircraft models to choose from. An ECO-Star helicopter is the most state of the art and features 23% more room than itβs predecessor the A-Star. ECO-Star helicopters offer wraparound glass and theater-type seating for optimal viewing.
#3) Remove the doors.
Choose a tour that offers a flight with the doors off. Only for the fearless and most adventurous photographers! A doors-off helicopter flight removes any obstacles between you and your camera capturing an award-winning photograph. Keep in mind, that normally only a cell phone is allowed onboard.
#4) Wear black clothing.
Glare and reflections can be a photographerβs worst enemy on a helicopter flight. Ensure that everyone in your party wears dark clothing. This will remove unwanted reflections off of the interior glass window which is very common on a helicopter flight. Long sleeves will also assist with removing glare from arms and legs.
#5) Purchase a video of your tour.
Enjoying yourself in the moment can be challenging when focusing on getting the shot. Sometimes the best decision is to just relax and enjoy the experience. Most tours offer a pre-recorded video or an actual video of your flight. They will also always take a photo of you in front of the helicopter prior to boarding.
Jurassic Park Scenes on A Maui Helicopter Tour
Jurassic Rock
Many scenes in Hawaii were made famous by the Jurassic Park movie franchise. On Maui, when you fly in a helicopter, you can see Keopuka rock also known as Jurassic Rock off of the Road to Hana near the Garden of Eden. Jurassic rock was featured in the beginning scenes of the original 1993 Jurassic Park blockbuster film.
If you want to see Jurassic Rock, choose one of these flights:
There are also some amazing waterfalls on Maui and Molokai that are not featured in the Jurassic Park movies. You can see waterfalls on any Maui helicopter tour that you choose although some of the most dramatic waterfalls are located in the interior of the West Maui Mountains and the Northshore of Molokai. The West Maui Mountains are one of the wettest locations in the world and receive between 400-500 inches of rain annually. This area is estimated to be 1.7 million years old. The valleys which have been carved out from erosion are breathtaking. The West Maui Mountains is home to the largest waterfall in Maui, rising just above 1100 feet.
To see experience the Wall of Tears, choose one of these tours:
The Northshore of Molokai has the tallest sea cliffs in the world and some of the largest waterfalls in Hawaii. Papalaua Falls towers at 1200 feet and is one of the most photographed waterfalls you will see on your Maui helicopter tour to Molokai.
If you love waterfalls we recommend the West Maui Mountains and Molokai flight: