Helicopter Tours on Kauai

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LifeIsGood
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Helicopter Tours on Kauai

Post by LifeIsGood »

We're doing a family vacation on Kauai this summer and 7 +/- of us want to take a helicopter tour. There seems to be about a dozen operators and the reviews on all look pretty good.
I'd like to get some photos from up there and see that some operators offer a "no doors" option and think that may be a benefit.
Can anyone recommend a particular operator for this excursion? Is the "no doors" option good in my situation?
Thanks for your comments.
ensign_lee
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Re: Helicopter Tours on Kauai

Post by ensign_lee »

No doors is cool, and makes it so you don't have a reflection back at you in your pictures. I would advise for it.

That being said, with 7 people, you may have to do TWO helicopters. Otherwise, some people are going to get stuck in less than ideal seats.
stan1
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Re: Helicopter Tours on Kauai

Post by stan1 »

If you are going to do this why not go all the way?

No point doing most of the effort and cost then having regrets that the glass and door are in your photo.
trizzle
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Re: Helicopter Tours on Kauai

Post by trizzle »

We did a heli ride in Kauai last summer and used Ali'i air. Small helicopters, 3 people max, doors on or off (you choose, but do doors off) and they don't mix in other strangers in an empty seat (ie private tour). It was very very good and I'd strongly recommend this operation. It's also very very expensive.

-t
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quantAndHold
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Re: Helicopter Tours on Kauai

Post by quantAndHold »

We used Jack Harter back when Jack himself was flying the helicopter. At the time, he was far and away the best, mostly because of Jack himself. I don’t have any idea how things stand now, but I suspect they’re still very good.
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Re: Helicopter Tours on Kauai

Post by Peculiar_Investor »

Over a decade ago we used Blue Hawaiian Helicopters for trips on Maui and Kona. We definitely enjoyed the experience. IIRC we received DVDs of the trip, including our own dialog, so taking our own photos wasn't a high priority.

As others have said 7+/- passengers could be a challenge and expensive.
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NDHawkFan
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Re: Helicopter Tours on Kauai

Post by NDHawkFan »

We did a 60-minute doors-off tour with Jack Harter on Kauai in January and highly recommend it. Their doors-off choppers hold four (+ pilot) so you'd likely need two; not sure if there are seven passenger flights available on Kauai.

Jack Harter's service was very accommodating in that we had to change our reservation date due to unforeseen circumstances, for which we were very appreciative.
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LifeIsGood
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Re: Helicopter Tours on Kauai

Post by LifeIsGood »

Thanks everyone for the feedback. I had already resigned myself to the fact that two copters would be needed for a group this size.
I'll move ahead with my research based on the names mentioned.

As an aside I'll mention something unrelated that we stumbled on while planning this trip. We've rented a VRBO house for the family for a week. My wife and I are going several days early to extend the vacation a bit. I hadn't rented a car since before Covid and had sticker shock when viewing the rates. We found a package deal through Costco Travel at a very nice resort that includes a car rental for 2 weeks. When you net out the room the 2 wk car rental only cost ~ $400.
lottadot
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Re: Helicopter Tours on Kauai

Post by lottadot »

We did this about ~7 years ago. It was not cheap, but for us a probably-once-in-a-lifetime trip, 100% worth it. The landscape is incredibly beautiful and you can see so much more than just traveling around in an automobile. I don't recall which vendor it was.

Ours helicopter had doors. It turns out this is bad because of the glare of the glass. There wasn't much I could do from the front windshield, expect try to position myself a bit (not very helpful, not much room to move). I think post-processing of the raw's somewhat helped there. My skills there are low, so YMMV.

We did pony up the extra money at the end for their photo's/videos. We watched it that week. I'm not sure we've ever watched it since.
Jags4186
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Re: Helicopter Tours on Kauai

Post by Jags4186 »

We did a Kauai helicopter tour about 5 years ago. Larger Helicopter that held 5 people + pilot. It had doors, but I don't recall much glare. It landed a few times for us to get around and see spots that you normally couldn't see -- like the water fall that was in the original Jurassic Park.

I got incredibly nauseous on the ride. Something to keep in mind if you have never taken a helicopter before.
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Re: Helicopter Tours on Kauai

Post by radiowave »

OP, you seem to have your heart set on the helo ride, but consider a boat tour along the coast. My wife and I did that several years ago, a little over 4 hours, you'll see just as much of the Na Pali coast and then some, had dolphin frolicking along site of us for much of the trip, and stopped in a beautiful cove and snorkeled for a while in incredible number of fish. You can't get that on the helo ride. and you don't have to worry about having 7 in your group.

For instance: https://www.tripadvisor.com/Attraction_ ... aii.html
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jackholloway
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Re: Helicopter Tours on Kauai

Post by jackholloway »

We really enjoyed Jack Harter helicopters, some years ago. They were doorless, which I would recommend.
Thaddeus
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Re: Helicopter Tours on Kauai

Post by Thaddeus »

Another big thumbs up for Jack Harter.
And a strong recommendation for NO DOORS.
There is a huge difference. When you ride in a helo with doors, you are enclosed in a capsule. The no doors experience is much more immersive and immediate. It's a similar situation to car vs motorcycle. As any motorcyclist would agree, being in a car as the landscape goes by is like watching a movie. By contrast, riding a motorcycle through that same landscape is like being the star of the movie as it actually happens to you.
Back to Na Pali...our flight was magical, and it was a sensational highlight of our lives. Don't miss out. All my life I have sought out intensely beautiful areas and thrilling adventurous sensory experiences. Trust me, a no doors flight over the Na Pali coast rivals anything on the planet.
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LifeIsGood
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Re: Helicopter Tours on Kauai

Post by LifeIsGood »

Radiowave, as a lifelong sailor I’d love to see Hawaii from a boat. I was stationed in Hawaii MANY years ago and went deep sea fishing while there. The wave action was unlike anything I’ve ever experienced and was sick the entire day. I reluctantly agreed to a second trip a year later and in spite of anti-nausea meds was sick again. I’ve only flown in a helicopter once before but had no motion sickness issues.
I see Jack Harter’s name come up several times in this post so I’ll definitely check him out.
Thanks everyone for your feedback & suggestions.
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snackdog
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Re: Helicopter Tours on Kauai

Post by snackdog »

Don't fly if there is any question about the weather. Hawaii has unusually high rates of tourist chopper crashes and fatalities, a couple per year, mostly due to flying into clouded terrain.
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barreg
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Re: Helicopter Tours on Kauai

Post by barreg »

It's a beautiful way to see the island. As noted below, if anyone in your party has issues with motion sickness, be sure to take medication prior, like Bonine or Dramamine. On our honeymoon, we did helicopter tours on both the big island and Kauai, and while they were both amazing, the one on Kauai was a lot of up and down and I was feeling a little nauseous by the end.
NDHawkFan
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Re: Helicopter Tours on Kauai

Post by NDHawkFan »

"Hawaii has unusually high rates of tourist chopper crashes and fatalities, a couple per year..."

With all due respect, I would be very interested in seeing a source or support for this.
Silence Dogood
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Re: Helicopter Tours on Kauai

Post by Silence Dogood »

We also went with "Jack Harter Helicopters" (doors off) when we visited Kauai.

I remember having sticker shock when we went to book our tour (it is expensive), but it was a lot of fun and I'm glad we did it.
PaulieLilly
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Re: Helicopter Tours on Kauai

Post by PaulieLilly »

My wife and I took a Jack Harter "doors off" ride over Kauai two months ago. We are not much for travel adventures and have never been in a helicopter so this seriously pushed the envelope, and was well worth it! I struggled a bit for the first 10 minutes or so (front seat, barely inside the doorless cockpit, hung on tight) as we traveled toward the Napoli coast, narrowly clearing some ridge-tops, etc. My wife barely opened her eyes for the first half of the flight. Near the end of our flight we flew over a 360 degree rainbow ... I didn't know there was such a thing! Realistically, the ride was so hyped (here & elsewhere) that I would not say it exceeded my expectations but it sure met it.

I contemplated the Napoli boat tour vs (or in addition to) the helicopter but ultimately passed on the boat. It was February and the waters are typically rough. Departures from the North end of the island are preferred for closer proximity (less wasted travel time) but they don't even run in the winter due to the rough seas. Boat tours do operate from the South side of the island as its typically calmer but due to the distance they often do not cover the entire Napoli coast, and your still prone to rougher seas as you travel further North.
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