Oahu Helicopter Tours

While a helicopter ride in and of itself is a spectacular experience, one can only imagine what seeing a tropical island from the secluded, elevated helicopter cabin soaring through untouched forests, bluffs, beaches and mountains would be like. Seeing Oahu via helicopter is a truly unforgettable experience.

Oahu Glider Rides has specialized in one and two passenger piloted flight-seeing rides for over thirty years. Average visibility of Oahu's famed North Shore from one of their gliders is thirty to forty miles. Catch an aerial glimpse of the shore's brilliant coral pools and a panoramic view of the North Shore coast. The tour goes through the Waianae Mountain Range, Waialua Plantation and the US Air Force Satellite Tracking Station.

Paradise Helicopters offers tours which depart daily from the Turtle Bay Resort on the North Shore. You can decide between a 20 minute North Shore tour or a one hour flight visiting sights all across the island, from Waimea Bay to the Sacred Falls. Everyone gets a window seat on Paradise Helicopters' Oahu tours, as well as headsets which allow you to communicate with the pilot and other passengers.

Heli USA is a newcomer to the Hawaiian helicopter tour industry, and offers tours of both the Oahu and Kauai islands highlighting various points of interest such as the Nu'uanu Pali Valley (where Kamehameha the Great gained control of Oahu in 1765), Pearl Harbor, Battleship Row, Punchbowl National Cemetary and the USS Arizona Memorial. Heli USA also offers regular tours of the Honolulu area. Tours include both narration and music as you fly through Oahu's beautiful landscapes featuring turquoise coral reefs, the white sands of Waikiki and the extinct volcano, Diamond Head, the so-called home of 'Pele,' Godess of fire.

Makana Kai Helicopters is another well known tour company in Oahu. The name "Makani Kai" literally means "wind over water" and that is exactly how you will feel on one of their tours. Makana Kai is the largest and oldest helicopter tour company on Oahu, established in 1988. They offer several tours, all of which can be narrated in either English or Japanese by knowledgeable and trained pilots. As a Part 135 operation, the FAA holds them to higher flight and safety standards than many other tour operators.

Seeing Oahu by helicopter is becoming an increasingly popular way to view all that the island has to offer, and with all the diverse landscapes and tour options available, it is really no surprise why.