Kauai Helicopter Tour

On our first trip to Kauai, we took a helicopter tour to see views of the island that could only be seen by air or boat. With over 70% of the island being inaccessible by car, this is the ultimate way to see the stunning views of the Nā Pali Coast and miles of Kauai’s vibrant coastline. 

The day of our tour we arrived at the Lihue Airport, where our helicopter would be departing, and as we checked in we were instructed to join our group for a safety briefing. Not long after our briefing, we headed to our helicopter and started our ride. We had a total of 7 people including our pilot onboard, and each of us received headsets for ear protection with a microphone for us to communicate with each other. Our pilot was very personable and surprised me when he remembered all of our names. We listened to Hawaiian music in our headsets and our pilot pointed out sights surrounding us along the way. Anytime we had a question, he eagerly answered and provided many facts about the island. 

As we began to gain elevation and started our flight around the island, views of the mountains and lush green forests came into view. We were amazed to see waterfall after waterfall along the way. Along the coastline, we could see crescent bays that made secluded little beaches side by side and continuing down the horizon. Later, we recognized the 3,000 ft tall rock mountains that formed the impressive, “Grand Canyon of the Pacific,” also known as the Waimea Canyon.

As we neared the end of our flight, our pilot let us know that we were approaching the Nā Pali Coast. This was one of the biggest highlights of our helicopter ride. The vibrant Pacific Ocean and jagged coastline surrounded mountains reaching as high as 4,000 feet. It was a picture perfect view that we would never forget.

The grand finale and second highlight of our flight was getting to see the Wai’ale’ale Crater. It was the moment I was waiting for and what I was most excited to see. The 5,148 ft mountain walls towered around us with fog hovering over the peaks and fresh water trailing down the sides. Plant life was abundant and flourishing, filling the inside of the crater. The recent rainfall made the fresh water feeding the waterfalls flow freely and everything looked so lush. Mount Wai’ale’ale is one of the wettest places on earth, with approximately 450 inches of rain every year. 

This was an experience like no other, and was well worth it to fully experience the beauty of the island. The views from the sky give you a completely different perspective than when you are on land, and most of the time they are even better. I highly recommend taking a helicopter tour if you never have or if you are visiting the island for the first time.

Happy travels!