A Helicopter Tour experience by Paradise Helicopters. Back to all Big Island tours.
Tour Summary: Skip the grueling multi-day hike and take in views of the majestic Kohala cliffs and waterfalls from the air. See graceful 2500' waterfalls tumble down steep volcanic cliffs covered in lush vegetation before flowing out to sea.
Important information:
With the retirement of its owners, Paradise Helicopters has gone out of business as of May 2024. Click here for more helicopter tours on the Big Island.
Upon arriving to the lush landscape of Kohala, your pilot will not only show you its rugged coastline, home to dramatic valleys, but will also educate you about this region’s significance in Hawaiian history. Image: Paradise Helicopters 
Departing from the Kona International Airport, this 60-minute tour is a great choice for guests wanting to see the beauty of Kohala, without sacrificing beach time for drive time. Image: Paradise Helicopters Take a helicopter tour to the Kohala valleys to hover amidst the breathtaking 2,500-foot waterfalls and sheer cliff faces Image: Paradise Helicopters Get close to waterfalls that are only reachable by air. Image: Paradise Helicopters Get close to waterfalls that are only reachable by air. Image: Paradise Helicopters The Kohala valleys are made out of breathtaking 2500’ waterfalls and sheer cliff faces. Image: Paradise Helicopters Get close to waterfalls that are only reachable by air. Image: Paradise Helicopters
4 Tour Highlights:
- 2500′ waterfalls and sheer cliff faces
- Frozen lava flows, Kona and Kohala
- Shorelines and black sand beaches, Waterfalls and rugged coastlines
- Optional: Landing and hike to beautiful lookout point
Important: Warm clothing suggested as flight is cool and windy, all cameras including cell phones must have straps.
Tour Information:
| Price: | Adult | Youth |
|---|---|---|
| (excluding taxes & fees) | $420 | $366 |
Tour Provider: Paradise Helicopters
Activity: Helicopter Tour
Tour start time: Variable, check-in is 45 minutes prior to tour
Duration: 1 to 2 hours
Departure from: Kailua Kona
Pick-up available? No
Included: Narration by your pilot during the flight
Cancellations: Paradise Helicopters requires 48 hours notice prior to flight time to change or cancel your reservation. Reservations cancelled outside of 48 hours are fully refundable. Tours cancelled with less than 48 hours notice may receive a partial refund based on how far in advance from the flight the cancellation occurs. If you need to change or cancel your reservation please contact Paradise Helicopters directly -- they will be happy to accommodate you.
Read more: about helicopter tour in our Big Island helicopter tour guide.
# Bookings are temporarily unavailable
With the retirement of its owners, Paradise Helicopters has gone out of business as of May 2024. Click here for more helicopter tours on the Big Island.
# Read more about this tour
The Kohala Coast is a hidden gem of the tropics, where graceful 2500′ waterfalls tumble down steep volcanic cliffs covered in lush vegetation before flowing out to sea. Skip the grueling multi-day hike, and take in views of this majestic region from the air.
Upon arriving to the lush landscape of Kohala, your pilot will not only show you its rugged coastline, home to dramatic valleys, but will also educate you about this region’s significance in Hawaiian history. Image: Paradise Helicopters
2 tour options: helicopter only and helicopter tour + landing + remote hike
There are 2 variations possible for this helicopter tour:
- The standard one, in which your tour the breathtaking Kohala Coast be helicopter
- An adjusted one, which includes a landing on a remote ridgetop and a small hike.
Kohala Coast & Waterfalls
Visit this hidden gem of the tropics, where graceful 2500′ waterfalls tumble down steep volcanic cliffs covered in lush vegetation before flowing out to sea. Skip the grueling multi-day hike, and take in views of this majestic region from the air.
Activity Level: Easy (Suitable for Adults, Children & Seniors)
Fly with Paradise to the Kohala valleys to hover amidst the breathtaking 2,500-foot waterfalls and sheer cliff faces. En route, you will witness frozen lava flows on the Kona and Kohala coasts from the 1801 Hualālai eruption and the 1859 Mauna Loa eruption, which traveled over 31 miles before reaching the coastline. Dotting the shoreline along the way, you can pick out pristine white and black sand beaches – including Mahai’ula, Kiholo, Anaeho’omalu and Hāpuna – to visit during your stay!
The Kohala valleys are made out of breathtaking 2500’ waterfalls and sheer cliff faces. Image: Paradise Helicopters
Upon arriving to the lush landscape of Kohala, your pilot will not only show you its rugged coastline, home to dramatic valleys, but will also educate you about this region’s significance in Hawaiian history as the birthplace of Hawai’i’s most famous ali’i (nobility), Kamehameha the Great. Departing from the Kona International Airport, this 60-minute tour is a great choice for guests wanting to see the beauty of Kohala, without sacrificing beach time for drive time.
Quick summary
Cost: $420 per person
Duration: 1 hour, all flight time.
Sights:
- 2500′ waterfalls and sheer cliff faces
- Frozen lava flows, Kona and Kohala
- Shorelines and black sand beaches
- Waterfalls and rugged coastlines
- Lush landscape of Kohala
- Birthplace of Kamehameha the Great
Route:
Approximate route for the Kohala coast & waterfalls helicopter tour. Image: Paradise Helicopters
Kohala Coast & Waterfalls + Remote Hike
The remote and exclusive ridgetop landing and hike will immerse you in the essence of Hawai’i. The perfect backdrop for epic vacation photos.
Activity Level: Moderate (ideal for active adults and active children over the age of eight. We suggest you wear clothes appropriate for moderate physical activity: long pants, closed-toe shoes, and sunblock).
The start of this variant is the same as the standard tour described above, but everything changes halfway your flight.
Remote landing
Mid-flight your aircraft will touch down at a remote location deep in the Kohala mountains to explore and enjoy a moderate half-mile pilot-led hike through a waiwi (guava) forest. The meandering trail immerses you in the flora and fauna of Kohala and surprises you with a dramatic coastline vista, offering views of the Mokupuku island formations and waves crashing along the rugged north shore of Hawai’i Island. All the while you will learn about the culture and diverse natural habitat of this serene location that most people never see. After your refreshing hike, take to the air again, to view the drastic landscape change from windward to leeward, and the world-famous white and black sand beaches and resorts en route back to Kona.
Quick summary
Cost: $560 per person
Duration: 1 hour flight time + 45 to 60 minutes ground tour.
Sights:
- 2500′ waterfalls and sheer cliff faces
- Waterfalls and rugged coastlines
- Birthplace of Kamehameha the Great
- Strawberry guava forest
- Landing and hike to beautiful lookout point
Route:
Approximate route for the Kohala coast & waterfalls + remote hike helicopter tour. Image: Paradise Helicopters
# About Paradise Helicopters
Paradise Helicopters is a locally owned and operated company founded in Hawai‘i in 1997. They Hawaii’s number 1 company regarding safety, quality, and customer service, which means they don’t offer the cheapest helicopter tours but in our opinion certainly the best!
Paradise helicopters engages with the community, local Hawaiian businesses, non-profit organizations, and charities, to build and maintain relationships all over the islands. These relationships allow them to “access the inaccessible” in a uniquely Hawaiian way, which no other company can replicate.
They are also a certified member of the Sustainable Tourism Association of Hawai’i and use a carbon offset program which is a way to leave a positive ecological footprint from the tours.
# Affiliate Disclaimer
Booking through this page costs you nothing extra and is made directly with Paradise Helicopters. We earn a commission from the operator, not from you, and it is what pays for the research that keeps lovebigisland.com free and free of paid placement. We only list operators we would send a friend to. Details on our affiliate links are here.