For a whirlwind tour of all the greatest sights across the Hawaiian Islands, all you have to do is take a ride with Sunshine Helicopters. Their many tours promise to delight you as they take you across the Big Island, Maui, and Kauai. You’ll get to see many amazing natural landscapes inaccessible by other means while zipping across the skies.
Your Sunshine Helicopters pilot will get you close to beautiful mountains, canyons, coastlines, and so much more, so you can build memories to last a lifetime. You’re also welcome to bring along your smartphone or a camera to take photos and shoot videos all along the way.
For the best views, you’ll definitely want to get a first-class seat, which puts you right up with the pilot. Although it does cost a bit more per ticket, it’s much better than leaving it to chance. Otherwise, you might end up in one of the four rear seats, which have relatively limited views in the two middle spots.
If you go with open seating instead, the pilot will assign seats based on weight. You do need to hop on the scale, either way, so they can best balance the helicopter you’ll be flying in. No matter what tour you select at Sunshine Helicopters, you have to choose between either the FX Star or Whisper Star helicopters. For a more luxe experience, go with the Whisper over the FX, although both offer smooth, quiet rides.
After getting checked in, your pilot will welcome you aboard, help you get buckled in, and provide a comfortable headset to wear. As you lift up into the sky, they will let you know what to expect along the way, and then proceed to talk you through your tour. You’ll learn all about the history, culture, and landmarks all across your selected Sunshine Helicopters tour space, including key places to visit after landing.
Sunshine Helicopters‘ most popular tours include:
Kauai Helicopter Tours
The Kauai Helicopter Tours take you on a big loop around the island, so you can check out the Waimea Canyon, Mount Waialeale, and Alakai Swamp. You’ll also get to see Wailua Falls and all the beauty of the Napali Coast as you zoom around the blue skies.
Hana Haleakala Helicopter Tour
A popular Maui jaunt, Hana Haleakala Helicopter Tour takes you right over the Haleakala volcano, and then over the Hana Rainforest. You’ll also get to catch sight of Old Hana Town, Kipahulu, and the many waterfalls along the coast.
Kohala Hamakua Coast Helicopter Tour
If you’d like to gaze upon the Kohala Mountains and the South Kohala Resort coastline beyond, you can sign up for the Kohala Hamakua Coast Helicopter Tour. Your pilot will fill in all the details as you soar high above the many ranches, ocean cliffs, and waterfalls all across the island space.
Many of the Sunshine Helicopters flights are available as early bird tours, which, despite the name, head out before 8:30 am and after 2 pm. Since most people prefer to fly between those times, these tours come at a discount, but the view is often just as good.
Insider Tips:
-You must pay for parking, so bring your cash or card to the lot.
-Plan to put your purse, hat, and other belongings in the locker before you hop on board for your tour.
-The flight times listed on the site typically include loading up, taking off, and landing the helicopter.
-Even though you can take your own during the Sunshine Helicopters flight, their professional photos and high-definition videos are well worth purchasing at the end of your ride.