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!