All Reviews for Kilauea Volcano, Big Island

Nice day & nice organization from VELTRA on that one.
Good comments & knowledge, full day spent on the big island, nice spots and nice knowledge overall.

This was my first experience in a helicopter. I had imagined it would be shaky, but it was completely stable, to the point where I almost dozed off. The flight time was longer than I expected, and I enjoyed the vastness of Hawaii Island and its magnificent nature from above. Next time, I want to challenge myself on another island.

ヘリ初体験となります。
揺れを想像してたのですが、まったくの安定感でうとうとしてしまうほどでした。
予想以上にフライト時間が長く、ハワイ島のデカさや壮大な自然を上空から堪能しました。
次回は、ほかの島でもチャレンジしたいと思います。

Every time I visited the Big Island, I applied for a helicopter tour of Kilauea Volcano, but I never succeeded due to bad weather or unfavorable wind conditions—six times for me and two times for my wife. This year, I wanted to finally make the volcano helicopter tour happen, so I applied to a different helicopter company with a Japanese pilot. However, since I applied close to the date, even foreign pilots were fully booked. Eventually, I managed to secure a reservation with Blue Hawaiian Helicopters, not being particular about having a Japanese pilot.

Fortunately, our helicopter pilot was Japanese. A German father and son who came from Singapore, a Japanese newlywed couple, and my wife and I—six of us in total—took off on this helicopter tour (Photo 1). Although there was quite a strong wind that day, the helicopter was stable, and the ride was comfortable with hardly any significant turbulence. Since there were four Japanese passengers, the pilot provided explanations in Japanese as needed, which made it very easy to understand. We toured both craters of Kilauea and were able to see orange lava, fulfilling a long-held wish (Photos 2, 3). The lava reached the coastline through a lava tunnel, creating steam (Photo 4).

After seeing the volcano at Kilauea, we went to Waipi'o Valley and enjoyed the beautiful coastline (Photo 5). I was very satisfied to see the red lava from the helicopter and returned to the hotel.

これまでハワイ島を訪れる度にキラウエア火山ヘリコプター遊覧を申し込みましたが、私は6回、家内は２回、悪天候、風向きが悪い等の理由で一度も実現したことがありませんでした。今年こそ火山ヘリコプター遊覧を実現したいと日本人パイロットで別のヘリコプター会社に申し込みましたが、期日がせまってからの申込みのため外人パイロットですら予約満杯でした。そしてやっと日本人パイロットにこだわらないとして申し込んだブルーハワイアンヘリコプターの予約が取れました。
幸運にも我々のヘリコプターのパイロットは日本人でした。シンガポールから来たというドイツ人親子（お父さんと息子）、日本人の新婚さん、我々夫婦の6名がこのヘリコプターの遊覧に飛び立ちました（写真１）。この日は結構強い風が吹いてましたがヘリコプターは安定しておりほとんど大きな揺れはなく快適な遊覧でした。日本人が4名乗っていることからパイロットが適宜日本語で説明してくれるのでとてもわかりやすかったです。キラウエアの二つの火口を遊覧しましたが、ともにオレンジ色の溶岩を見ることが出来て長年の願いが叶いました（写真２，３）。火口から溶岩トンネルを通じて海岸線にまで達し水蒸気があがっていました（写真4）。
キラウエアで火山を見た後はワイピオ渓谷に行き、きれいな海岸線を見ました（写真５）。
赤い溶岩をヘリコプターから見ることが出来て大満足でホテルに帰りました。
以上

Amazing day...a long day! But worth every hour we were up! Would thoroughly recommend! Our tour guide was super knowledgeable with a great sense of humor.
And just a wee tip...we found it better to buy lunch once at the restaurant rather than pre book.

I cannot say enough good about our tour guide, Shannon. She was very knowledgeable and very passionate about Hawaii and the things she shared with us. She got so excited about Valcano National Park which made her group excited. She took care of every detail for everyone on the tour. I would go on any tour Shannon was leading.

Had the best time doing this tour got to see so much of the island

This was a great tour for our first full day on the island. Kala , our guide, was a world of information about all things Hawaiian! He was so excited to show us turtles on the black sand beach, lava at the volcano,and beautiful Waipio Valley. He gave us great ideas on where the best burgers and the most delicious malasadas on the island where...and yes we went back to try them ! It was a long day, but as others had commented before me, it flew by!

I participated in a tour that took us around Kilauea Volcano, over Hilo, along the eastern coastline of the Big Island, and through Waipi'o Valley. It was my first experience in a helicopter, and I was truly moved by the magnificent natural scenery of the Big Island. The pilot provided guidance in both English and Japanese, which made for an immersive and informative experience. I highly recommend this tour to anyone.

キラウエア火山、ヒロの上空、ハワイ島東部の海岸線、ワイピオ渓谷を周遊するコースに参加しました。ヘリコプターも初めての体験で、本当に素晴らしい雄大なハワイ島の自然の景観を目の当たりにして感動のフライトでした。　パイロットは英語と日本語でガイドしていただけたので臨場感たっぷりの説明が聞けて素晴らしい体験ができたと思います。　どなたにもお勧めできるツアーです。

We arrived at the helipad we spotted on the way from the airport to the hotel, picked up by the Mauna Kea Beach Hotel. We were the only Japanese couple there. We received instructions in fast-paced English, but as long as we could catch some words, we managed. We stored everything except our cameras and water bottles in lockers, put on life vests, and waited while watching a safety video. Everyone was excited by the sound of the helicopter returning with the previous group. After the helicopter returned and underwent maintenance, we had to wait quite a while. Due to nerves, everyone kept needing the restroom, but there was only one unisex restroom, so it got crowded.

There were about 20 people in our time slot. We were grouped based on our participation unit and weight, and we shared the helicopter with two other couples and six individuals. We communicated through headphones and handheld microphones. Even if you're not good at English, the staff is friendly and engages in conversation, so it's fine to speak in broken English.

As we ascended, background music played effectively, and the optimal music for each spot was prepared, which further lifted the mood. Unfortunately, I have a weak vestibular system, and shortly after ascending, I started feeling nauseous and couldn't look down when we approached the most scenic spot near the magma. I managed not to throw up, but I held onto an etiquette bag the whole time. The etiquette bag was stuck in front of my seat, but since I was firmly secured with the seatbelt, it was out of reach for someone petite. I couldn't reach it, so I gestured to my tall husband to get it for me, but I think those with a weak vestibular system should move it closer to them beforehand.

Unfortunately, I felt nauseous, but it was undoubtedly a valuable experience to see breathtaking spots that are normally inaccessible up close.

マウナケアビーチホテルからのピックアップで空港からホテルへ向かう道中に見かけたヘリポートに到着。日本人は私達夫婦だけでした。早口の英語で指示を受けますが、単語が聞き取れればなんとかなります。カメラとペットボトル以外はロッカーに入れて救命胴衣を装着、安全ビデオを見てその時を待ちます。前の時間帯のパーティーを乗せたヘリが戻って来る音でみんな大興奮。前機戻って来てヘリの整備やらでその後結構待ちました。緊張でみんなトイレが近くなるのですが、トイレが男女共用で1つしかないので混雑します。
同じ時間帯の組は20名ほどでした。参加単位と体重で乗る組み合わせを振り分けられ私達はカップル2組と6名で同乗。ヘッドホンと手持ちのマイクで会話します。英語が苦手でも楽しく話しかけてくれるので片言でも大丈夫です。
上昇とともに効果的にBGMが流され、スポット毎に最適なBGMが用意されているのでさらに気分が盛り上がります。
私は三半規管が弱いため上昇してほどなくして気持ちが悪くなってしまい、一番の絶景スポットのマグマへの接近で下を向くことができませんでした。なんとか戻すことはありませんでしたが、ずっとエチケット袋を抱えていました。座席前に刺さっているエチケット袋ですが、身体ががっつりシートベルトで固定されているので小柄な方では手が届きません。私は届かず背の高い主人にジェスチャーで即して取ってもらいましたが、三半規管が弱い方は事前に手元に移動しておいた方がいいと思います。
生憎気持ちが悪くなってしまいましたが、普通では立ち入れない絶景スポットを目近で見られるので、とても貴重な経験が出来たことは間違いありません。

Tour Guide was great!!!!!! Great Value!

Would suggest that you have passengers switch seats during the tour. Unfortunately we get the back seats and the viewing is not as good as the seats further towards the front. Also it was harder to talk to the guide from back there. Might be nice if halfway thru the tour everyone switch seats.

The tour tour was as described. The tour guide was very knowledgeable and presented various flowers and other botanical specimens common to the island. The lunch was also very good.
We had a wonderful time exploring Hawaii on this tour.

We had a great guide Wendy! Thanks for all the information on Kauai and the movies.

We had a blast! Beautiful views and the only way to really see the lava inside the volcano! I'm so glad we did the helicopter tour instead of the one without!

It's a special experience where you can feel the grandeur of the Big Island, including the appearance of the volcano, the flow of magma into the ocean, the townscape of Hilo, and the waterfalls in the valley. It's an experience that money can't buy. I highly recommend it! Although I wasn't a Japanese pilot, I could somewhat understand what was being said through the words.

火山の様子やマグマの海への流出、
ヒロの町並み、渓谷内の滝が流れる様子、
とにかくハワイ島の雄大さを感じることができるスペシャルな体験です。
お金じゃ買えない経験です。お勧めします！！
なお、日本語パイロットではなかったですが、
単語でなんとなく言っていることは分かりました。

The helicopter ride was amazing! Absolutely unbelievable and breathtaking. The motorcoach bus tour was a bit longer than we expected it to be plus you can only see so much volcanic rock in one sitting before you feel like you've seen it all. But the views were unforgettable. The guides for both the helicopter and bus tour were informative, knowledgeable and made the trip fun. I highly recommend it!!

Nick and Misty did a great job interacting with the group and went out of their way to make sure everyone was comfortable with the tour and the information. Our day was 12 hours long and was very enjoyable from the time we were picked up at our hotel till late in the evening. The volcano lava viewing in the evening was amazing!

Loved the trip. Our driver Chris was very knowledgable and funny. Food was great and time allotted for each site was perfect. I would highly recommend this tour.

This company was everything they said. On time with an accurate description and follow through of the tour. Professional all the, from booking to the day of tour.

I am always Leary of organized tours but this one was an exception. Our guide Nick was exceptional. He went out of his way to make sure we were comfortable, and well taken care of. He has done his homework and knows the history and the island well, showing us a lot of extra things along the way such as plants, historical notes etc. it was a long day but we enjoyed every minute and would recommend to anyone.

Best guided tour by far. Very professional-able to anticipate your needs and provided things you didn't even know you needed. Chris- the owner, and our guide for the night- was fantastic. His enthusiasm was contagious. Great company, great tour. Do it!

It was great to see the expansive views of the entire Big Island of Hawaii, the volcanic craters with visible lava, and the waterfalls in the valleys, as well as swimming whales.

広々としたハワイ島全体の景色や溶岩が見える火山口や滝が流れる渓谷のほか、泳ぐクジラも見れてよかったです

Overall the tour was well organised and professional. However due to low visibility from low cloud and rain, the helicopter part of the tour was cancelled and refunded. Since the hotel pick up was 6am, we had already flown to the big island before that decision was made, therefore the package became just an expensive day trip bus ride. We would have preferred to cancel the whole trip if we had known the helicopter portion was not gonig ahead, althought that is the decison of the pilots.
The bus tour and guide was very good and knowleldgeable and could not fault what we did experience.

It rained continually all day which was disappointing so we could not see a lot so I will not at any comments on the actual tour. Pre ordered a cheese burger for lunch but this was not on our menu.

We did the Circle Island Tour, small group tour which was fantastic. I cannot say enough about this tour. It was approx. 11.5 hours but the day flew by. Our driver Kevin was amazing and informed us about everything. It was a maximum 12 people which made it very enjoyable. Our lunch break we stopped at an Orchid shop and our driver had picked us up Bento Boxes, it was delicious. We saw everything from waterfalls, rain forest, black sand beach, lava tubes, lava fields, and volcanoes and so much more. I would highly recommend this trip to anyone. Well worth the money.
Thank you for the great tour.

Our guide was very knowledgeable and attentive to detail. Viewing the volcano in the light and then at night was awesome. The restaurant was so cozy and had great food. Afterwards we hiked thru a fern forest to a lava tube. Amazing!

The pilot was friendly and being Japanese made me feel at ease. Unlike most sightseeing helicopters that fly for around 20 minutes, this one flew for over 2 hours, which was very satisfying.

パイロットの方も感じが良く日本人なので安心できました。観光ヘリは20分前後が多い中でみっちり2時間以上も飛んでくれて大満足でした。

I came to Hawaii Island for the first time. I wanted to see Kilauea Volcano, but it would take too long to get there by rental car, so I joined this tour. I was worried about whether the high cost of the tour would be worth it, but the experience was even more wonderful than I imagined. The pilot was Japanese and occasionally explained things in Japanese, which made it easy to understand.

However, be prepared for the possibility of cancellations due to weather conditions. We were able to go, but the next group had their tour canceled after checking in and had to go back...

初めてのハワイで、ハワイ島に来ました。
とりあえずキラウエア火山を見たいと思っていましたが、レンタカーでは行くまでに時間がかかり1日潰れてしまうのでこのツアーに参加しました。
このツアーの料金が高いので満足できるか不安がありましたが、結果は想像以上に素晴らしいものでした。
パイロットの方が日本人で時折日本語を交えて説明してくださったので理解しやすかったです。

ただ、天候によって中止になることもあるので覚悟が必要です。
私達は乗れましたが、次の時間の人たちは受付をした後中止が決まり、帰っていきました…

Although a little long in length, this tour was my favorite activity of our entire trip. We got to see a good portion of the island and its amazing landscape and learned a lot along the way. Our tour guide, Nick, was top notch. Even our two surly teens rated this one of their favorite activities, which says a lot!

This tour was neat for movie buffs and for anyone wanting in depth knowledge about the ins and outs of the island. Kat and Mickey were wonderful tour guides. This was a must do in my book; I just wish we had done it earlier in our trip.

The day we six (6) friends took this tour was fantastic. Our guide, Nick, was super. He was attentive, interesting, and very funny. We covered a lot of ground and learned a lot about the big island. Had a great lunch and a fantastic dinner. Recommend this tour for sure.