Jump to content

plane or helicopter tour of Kauai?


ConnieInNewJersey

Recommended Posts

Is a plane or helicopter tour better? Pros and cons of each?

 

I took the Big Kahuna airplane tour..only because I got spooked ..the day before booking a helicopter crashed!:eek: That was my only reason..I hear the helicopter tours are great!

Link to comment
Share on other sites

We did the heli tour in 2005. It was excellent. This year we did the airplane tour, as it was cheaper and we'd like to try. It was also great.

 

The heli tour allow you to see a little better. Closer, and it can stay at one spot and turn around easily. But it is a bit more expensive. If you can affor it, go for the heli tour.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

  • 3 weeks later...

We just returned from POA cruise. We went with the helicopter tour with Safari Helicopters. Was the highlight or our trip and that is saying a lot as we did some awesome stuff. I am a nervous and overly cautious person by nature, but I felt completely safe and had a goofy grin on my face from the minute we left until we landed.

 

My husband opted for helicopter over plane as he felt the helicopters could get closer and hover more. I have no idea if that is true, but this was his bucket item. So he got to decide.

 

We had front row seats - me next the pilot and hubby next to the door. Not sure how we got these. I did probably book earlier than any of the other passengers (3-4 weeks before we left) or could be because we are both on the shorter side. Not sure, but it was fantastic!! A must do!

Link to comment
Share on other sites

We just returned from POA cruise. We went with the helicopter tour with Safari Helicopters. Was the highlight or our trip and that is saying a lot as we did some awesome stuff. I am a nervous and overly cautious person by nature, but I felt completely safe and had a goofy grin on my face from the minute we left until we landed.

 

My husband opted for helicopter over plane as he felt the helicopters could get closer and hover more. I have no idea if that is true, but this was his bucket item. So he got to decide.

 

We had front row seats - me next the pilot and hubby next to the door. Not sure how we got these. I did probably book earlier than any of the other passengers (3-4 weeks before we left) or could be because we are both on the shorter side. Not sure, but it was fantastic!! A must do!

 

Thank you for sharing your experience - I have Safari Helicopters on my list of possibilities! Do you know if anyone on your trip found themselves in the position someone else mentioned of being in the middle and unable to see well out of a window? My husband and I are tall and likely would end up in different seats if you think being short helped land you the front row :p

 

Thanks!

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Thank you for sharing your experience - I have Safari Helicopters on my list of possibilities! Do you know if anyone on your trip found themselves in the position someone else mentioned of being in the middle and unable to see well out of a window? My husband and I are tall and likely would end up in different seats if you think being short helped land you the front row :p

 

Thanks!

 

There were 6 passengers on our flight all h/w couples. The other two couples sat in the back with the husbands in the middle and the wives on the outside. The guys were on the taller side - definitely taller than the wives and my husband. I didn't hear any complaints afterwards about not being able to see. As a matter of fact I heard one of the guys videoed most of the trip. One of the wives even told me after we landed she was worried I was not going to be able to see well because of the dash and I thought I had the best view in the house. 😃

Would be good to hear from someone who has been the back row middle for a first hand perspective on those seats.

 

If you go with Safari, I understand they have a $10 off coupon for the DVD on their website. One of the other couples told us about it. We asked about it when we got back to the office and I offered to pull it up on my phone, but they were happy to give it to us. They ship it to your house and we have not received it yet. (Just returned last Sunday.) I am anxious to see it and relive the awesome experience.

 

Enjoy your trip!

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Lightweight - thank you!!! I saw the DVD coupon, on the site but wasn't sure how much the cost was to start with. Would you mind sharing that info? Can't wait to hear how your video turned out!

 

My receipt shows $26.25 which includes $5 or so for shipping. So it would have been $36 without the coupon.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

We went on a plane tour and it was nice, but we could see from a higher altitude that helicopters got much closer to the terrain, and that helicopters afford a more exciting view of the terrain. Either way, though, is a good experience.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Is a plane or helicopter tour better? Pros and cons of each?

While I haven't flown in Hawaii, I have piloted airplanes & many hours flying helicopters which would be my choice to sightsee in Hawaii. Some are hesitant to fly in a helicopter but they're actually safer in an emergency which is very rare.

 

All small aircraft are affected much more by 'weight & balance' than in commercial aircraft. That is a big consideration when loading passengers but they probably also do it to try to not block anyone's view. And the views are not all alike depending upon the type of helicopter being flown.

 

Despite being in Hawaii frequently I've never taken a sightseeing tour. I recently bought the Blu-ray/DVD of the PBS program "Over Hawaii" which shows all of the islands' sites in perfect weather conditions. Unfortunately you could fly for a whole week & still not be able to view everything due to clouds. Kauai's Mt. Waialeale & West Maui's Pu'u Kukui mountains are the 2 wettest locations recorded so it's difficult to get there with so much cloud cover.

 

I enjoyed the "Over Hawaii" program very much & it included songs from great Hawaiian performers like the Brothers Cazimero & Hapa. It was nice to hear local artists being used unlike Hawaii 5-0 who rarely uses them. :(

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Notwithstanding all the good things said here about helicopters, the fact is that a fixed-wing, airplane tour, Wings Over Kauai, is the number one tour according to Tripadvisor, beating out all the helicopter tours.

 

http://www.tripadvisor.com/Attractions-g60623-Activities-c25-Lihue_Kauai_Hawaii.html

I didn't read all of the comments but since a helicopter tour is equally highly rated at #2 along with mostly other helicopter tours, I wonder if those who flew in an airplane have been on a helicopter tour?

 

I looked at the price & it appears to be more affordable than in a helicopter but still doubt if they are better than on a 'magic carpet' helicopter tour. I'm not trying to be biased however having flown airplanes & helicopters, my educated opinion is that a helicoper would be the best. Although if there's a big price difference, then I might consider an airplane tour.

 

I think that either one would provide an enjoyable air tour & probably couldn't go wrong either way! :)

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Just returned from POA cruise and my wife and I did the doors off tour with Mauna Loa in Kauai. You are guaranteed that you will be the only ones in the helicopter with the pilot. There are are two seats in the front including the pilots and two in the back. I sat in the front and my wife in the back. I highly recommend this company.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

We just returned from a cruise to Hawaii, Wings Over Kauai, was the company we went with. The trip was fabulous, just a bit over an hour, with a DVD for us to bring home. It was so quiet and peaceful in the plane. I liked it better than a past helicopter ride we once took. We saw the heli below us but we had a much wide view of the scenery. All in all, a great tour!

Link to comment
Share on other sites

We went with AirVentures and had a wonderful flight. We chose the airplane due to lower cost and the fact that there is no extra charge for someone of heavier weight. The fact that everyone has a window seat was also a major consideration. We chose AirVentures due to their 'bubble windows'. They also advertise that their plane was designed for sightseeing and flies at a lower speed accordingly. I cannot compare to helicopter flights, but our views were spectacular!

 

Here are our pictures of that day.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

We went with AirVentures and had a wonderful flight. We chose the airplane due to lower cost and the fact that there is no extra charge for someone of heavier weight. The fact that everyone has a window seat was also a major consideration. We chose AirVentures due to their 'bubble windows'. They also advertise that their plane was designed for sightseeing and flies at a lower speed accordingly. I cannot compare to helicopter flights, but our views were spectacular!

 

Here are our pictures of that day.

Thanks for sharing your pictures. We just booked with AirVentures a few days ago, and it looks like it will be fantastic!

 

Doug

Link to comment
Share on other sites

I opted for the airplane tour in Kauai (AirVentures, based on many recommendations on various forums so Thank You!!). I did a helicopter tour in the Grand Canyon and felt like I was going to hit the Canyon wall every time the wind blew... The two of us were placed in the front of the Helicopter so we had an awesome view... just some heart-stopping moments that I don't care to experience again :)

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Archived

This topic is now archived and is closed to further replies.

  • Forum Jump
    • Categories
      • Welcome to Cruise Critic
      • New Cruisers
      • Cruise Lines “A – O”
      • Cruise Lines “P – Z”
      • River Cruising
      • ROLL CALLS
      • Digital Photography & Cruise Technology
      • Special Interest Cruising
      • Cruise Discussion Topics
      • UK Cruising
      • Australia & New Zealand Cruisers
      • Canadian Cruisers
      • North American Homeports
      • Ports of Call
      • Cruise Conversations
×
×
  • Create New...