Hilo Waterfall Experience Helicopter Tour
- 1 hour
From $511 per person
Check availability →Next step: see exact departure times, live prices and real traveler photos on GetYourGuide.
Blue Hawaiian Helicopters flies this hour-long route north from Hilo along the Big Island's greenest coastline, trading the volcano for the cliffs of Waipiʻo Valley and the waterfalls dropping off the Kohala coast into dense rainforest. The aircraft is an Eco-Star (EC-130), a wide-cabin helicopter built with large windows for sightseeing, and every seat gets Bose noise-cancelling headsets wired for two-way conversation with the pilot, a State of Hawaii certified guide. Transportation to and from the heliport is included. At 5.0 stars, the rating looks perfect, but it currently rests on a single review rather than the deep review history a flagship product usually carries, so treat the score as a strong early sign rather than a settled verdict. Free cancellation up to 24 hours before departure.
Overview
Waipiʻo Valley's sheer green cliffs and the waterfall-streaked Kohala coast are the draw on this 1-hour flight, operated by Blue Hawaiian Helicopters from the commuter terminal at Hilo International Airport. The aircraft is an Eco-Star (EC-130), built with a wide cabin and large windows for sightseeing rather than utility work, and a State of Hawaii certified pilot narrates through Bose noise-cancelling headsets wired for two-way talk-back, so questions go both directions instead of getting lost in rotor noise. Transportation to and from the heliport is included in the price. This listing is new enough that it's currently running on a single five-star review rather than a long track record, which is worth knowing going in, even though nothing about the aircraft, guide certification, or route is unusual for this operator.
What's Included
- 1-hour helicopter flight in an Eco-Star (EC-130) aircraft
- State of Hawaii certified pilot and guide
- Bose noise-cancelling headsets with two-way communication
- Transportation to and from the heliport
- Aerial views of Waipiʻo Valley, the Kohala coast, and waterfalls
- Hats, large luggage, and selfie sticks (not permitted onboard)
- Photo and video packages (available to purchase separately)
- Gratuities (tips)
- Meals and beverages
- Travel insurance
Itinerary
- Check in at the Blue Hawaiian Helicopters counter in Hilo Airport's commuter terminal at least 45 minutes before departure. Passengers over 240 lbs are seated next to an empty seat, billed at 50% of the fare for weight and balance.
- The Eco-Star lifts off and heads north along the Hamakua and Kohala coastline, tracing the cliffs above Waipiʻo Valley where seasonal waterfalls drop hundreds of feet through rainforest toward a black sand beach at the valley floor.
- The pilot narrates the valley's geography and history through two-way headsets on the return leg to Hilo Airport, closing out a flight of roughly an hour.
Expect a greener, softer-edged flight than the volcano route: this one trades steam vents for cliffs and waterfalls, and the Eco-Star's large windows make it a genuinely good aircraft for photography. Prohibited items onboard include hats, large luggage, and selfie sticks, and photo or video packages cost extra if you want professional footage instead of your own phone shots. No scuba diving is allowed in the 24 hours before the flight, standard practice for any Hawaii air tour because of decompression risk at altitude.
What to Know Before You Book
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Passengers over 240 lbs are seated next to an empty seat at 50% of the fare, a standard weight-and-balance rule for small aircraft, not a penalty.
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No scuba diving in the 24 hours before the flight, the same rule that applies to any pressurized-cabin ascent after diving.
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The 5.0 rating is currently built on a single review. That's a genuinely strong data point, not proof of a long track record, so weigh it against the volcano flight's 267-review, 4.2-star history if you're choosing between the two.
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Free cancellation applies up to 24 hours before departure, and weather over Waipiʻo Valley itself, not just at Hilo Airport, can force a delay or reroute.
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Bring a passport or government-issued photo ID and a credit card for check-in, the same as any Hilo-based air tour.
Best Time to Fly
Waterfall volume and coastal cloud cover both shift with the season here.
| Season | Months | Typical Conditions | Trade-off |
| Winter | Dec – Feb | Waterfalls run at their fullest after winter rain | More frequent storm fronts can force delays or reroutes |
| Spring | Mar – May | Rain tapers off; valley and rainforest look their greenest | Trade winds can still build cloud along the coast by early afternoon |
| Summer | Jun – Aug | Longest daylight window and the most consistent trade-wind pattern | Waterfalls run lower without winter and spring rain feeding them |
| Fall | Sep – Nov | Transitional season; mornings tend to be the clearest | Less predictable than summer, so flexibility helps |
If the volcano is the bigger draw for you, the Hawaii Volcanoes National Park Flight covers Kīlauea's caldera instead of Waipiʻo Valley, and the Hilo helicopter tours guide compares both flights side by side, including how each stacks up against Hilo's ground-based volcano tours.
Frequently Asked Questions
What kind of helicopter is this?
An Eco-Star (EC-130), a wide-cabin aircraft with large windows built for sightseeing flights.
Is there a weight limit?
Passengers over 240 lbs are seated next to an empty seat, billed at 50% of the fare.
How early do I need to check in?
45 minutes before departure, at the Blue Hawaiian Helicopters counter in Hilo Airport's commuter terminal.
Can I scuba dive the same day?
No. Scuba diving within 24 hours before the flight isn't allowed, due to decompression risk at altitude.
What should I bring?
A passport or government-issued photo ID and a credit card for check-in. Hats, large luggage, and selfie sticks aren't permitted onboard.
Book it today with Hilo Tours or simply following this link.
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Live dates, prices and the full review history sit on the GetYourGuide listing.
★ 5.0 · 1 review on GetYourGuide · Read more reviews