| Hana
Heli-Van Tour |
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List price: $358.53
Internet
Special: $338.53
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The ultimate East Maui
adventure, this sky trek combines a one-way 37 minute helicopter tour of
Haleakala and the Hana rainforest with a 3 1/2 hour luxury limo-van tour
of the famous "Road
to Hana" on
the return. The trip includes a delicious beachside picnic lunch served on
white linen and crystalline plates, expert narration, a waterfall swim,
tropical gardens tour, and many picture stops along the way. Why drive to
Hana when you can fly and ride? … you can concentrate on the beauty
instead of worrying about the winding road.
This
tour is offered at twice daily. The morning tour meets at the
heliport at 7am; you do the van tour to Hana first, then eat lunch,
followed by the helicopter tour which returns you to the airport in
Kahului. The afternoon tour meets at the heliport at 11am; you do
the helicopter tour to Hana first, then eat lunch, followed by the
van tour on the return to the airport. NOTE: This tour typically
uses Blue Hawaiian for the helicopter company; sometimes it is flown
with Air Maui. The helicopters used for this tour are A-stars (the
Eco-star is not available for this tour). Cancellation for parties
of 6 or more require a minimum of 72 hours notice. Weight
restrictions apply; individuals over 240 pounds or couples with a
combined weight over 420 pounds may need to purchase an additional
seat.
TT / V
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NCL
cruise ship passengers are able to do the Hana Heli-Van
Tour on the afternoon
of the first day
or the morning
of the second day
while in port in Kahului. This requires a very short cab ride of 5 minutes or less. Lahaina
cruise ship passengers can only
do this tour on the morning of
their second day in port they will need a rental car as the drive to the
Kahului Airport takes an hour. We can arrange car
rentals for $39 per day. Be sure to see our Kauai
Helicopter Tour page also. For
rental cars with cruise ship shuttle pick-up see our rental
car page. |
Activity
Tips
It never ceases to amaze me that people spend thousands
of dollars to come to Hawaii, but think it is too expensive to spend
another $100 - $200 to REALLY see the islands from a helicopter. There is
so much beauty that you cannot see any other way. Do yourself a favor and
SPLURGE! You will thank me.
Flying in a helicopter is like riding a magic carpet.
They are much more stable than twin engine planes ... motion sickness is
seldom an issue for anyone. They cut through the wind like a knife. Thrill
seekers may wish for a more roller coaster-like experience, but the pilots
fly a very gentle pattern. Don't expect plunging drops and steeply banked
turns.
The best time for helicopter tours (as a rule) is in the
morning hours, as cloud cover tends to get thicker throughout the
afternoon. Don't feel badly if it looks cloudy just before your flight
though ... helicopters can fly just under the cloud ceiling, which
typically is around 4,000 feet. These clouds can add an element of mystery
and beauty all their own. Check out some of the waterfall
photos for an example.
All helicopter tours
leave from the Kahului Airport. Plan on a 45 minute drive from
Lahaina / Kaanapali Resorts, 60 minutes from Kapalua, 30 minutes
from Kihei and 45 minutes from Wailea. Save yourself some driving
... consider planning the helicopter tour for early morning on the
day that you drive to Hana.
Wear dark clothing for your helicopter flight. A light
colored shirt will cause a reflection on the windows ... you won't notice
it during your flight, but it shows up like crazy in any pictures you
take. A polarizing filter on the front of your camera will also help
remove window glare (and greatly improve pictures that you take of
the ocean too).
A note about
weight
restrictions. Almost all companies charge extra for heavier
passengers. This is not a matter of discrimination toward larger guests ... it
is a business reality due to the spatial limitations of the
passenger compartment. The cost and profit margins of the helicopter
companies is based upon their helicopters flying with every seat
occupied. If the helicopter holds 6 passengers and the size of a
guest means that they can only comfortably seat 5, they are losing
money. The "comfort seat" is exactly that ... it
really does make everyone more comfortable. It also ensures that the
helicopter's overall weight capacity is not exceeded, which
makes this a SAFETY CONCERN as well. For each company's exact
"comfort seat" policy and charges, see the weight
restriction link under each company's description.
Most tour helicopters on Maui are
Eurocopter A-STAR's ... the seating configuration in each is the same. Two
passengers sit up front with the pilot and four sit in the second row.
People often say to me, "But two people in the back seat don't
get a window seat." True, but visibility from these helicopters is
excellent ... you really get a 180 degree view no matter where you sit.
Yes, yes, it is cool to sit up front. But I like to describe the
experience as sitting in a flying theatre. By the way, you don't get to
decide where you sit, or pay extra for a front seat. FAA requirements
dictate who sits where based upon body weight. (I once had a couple that
was so adamant about sitting up front that they paid for all six seats. If
you are made of money, go for it!!! I'll be glad to set you up ... haha)
The Cadillac of the helicopters on Maui is
the Eurocopter ECO-STAR. This brand new model was introduced
by Blue Hawaiian Helicopters in 2002 and they are the only company
to operate them. Enhanced visibility, a more roomy passenger
interior, quieter operation, and state-of-the-art color radar screen
make this the safest and most luxurious tour helicopter in the
world. The seating is laid out the same as a 6-seater A-STAR but the
passengers in the back get a better view and have individual bucket
seats. Nice ... very nice ... but expect to pay more.
Blue Hawaiian and Air
Maui produce a live
video of your flight which you can purchase for $20 VHS ... DVD is now
available too for a few dollars more. A five-camera system
allows the pilot to edit a video "on the fly" including shots
inside the cabin so your relatives back home can see you during your
flight. The quality of these videos is not as high as professionally shot
stock videos, but it makes a great souvenir.
Which company is
best? Well, truthfully, they all do a great job. You'll be thrilled
with the experience no matter who you fly with. My
recommendation is to pick the FLIGHT that you'd like to take,
and we'll match you with the best helicopter company for your
flight. My favorite flight is the West Maui / Molokai
flight, which is available in a 45 minute and a 60 minute
version with Air Maui and a 60 minute tour with Blue
Hawaiian. I
am less crazy about the 45 minute Hana / Haleakala flight. It
takes a lot of time to climb to 10,000 feet and take a peak
into the crater, which is restricted air space. You get a
similar view as if you drove to the top yourself. Then the
rest of the flight seems to rush by.
What about the active volcano? Lots of people ask about
a helicopter ride from Maui over Kilauea on the Big Island. There used to
be a very expensive tour ($420) but it isn't available any longer. It's
just too far to fly there in a helicopter. We used to book day trips where
you would fly over to Hilo for the day on Hawaiian Airlines, have
a rental car for the day, and then fly back later that evening.
Unfortunately flight schedule cuts make this unfeasible. All flights from
Maui to Hilo connect in Honolulu and you spend most of the day just flying
there and back.
The best way to
see Kilauea is to plan an overnight stay in Hilo. You can fly
to Hilo on Hawaiian Airlines, have a rental car, do a helicopter
flight, spend the night, then fly back the next day. This
entire package runs around $450 per person (about $260 without
the helicopter flight). The advantage of this itinerary is
that when you spend the night there, you can drive to the
volcano and do a little hiking and view the lava at night when
it is far more spectacular!
Check out the volcano page for
more information and an on-line form to book it!
We
are a true activity company; we do not promote timeshare sales in any way.
