SheilaK

"We did Blue Hawaiian helicopters in Kauai this past August and it was fantastic, the highlight of our entire trip. Definitely one of the top 2 excursions we have ever done, anywhere.

If you read the posts from people who have done the airplane tours, they most always mention how much $$ they saved over a heli tour. In all fairness, I have never done the plane tour, so I honestly can't compare the two ( and usually neither can those who do the plane ), but I CAN tell you that when we were in those mountain canyons and so close to the walls you felt you could practically reach out and touch them, and dropping down inside the inside of an extinct crater, there were NO airplanes anywhere to be seen anywhere on our tour.

I don't think there is any way a plane ride can compare to the experience you would get on a 'copter due to their ability to hover, drop and make tight turns. If you can afford it, do the 'copter. It is a once in a lifetime you will never forget. "

Thank you so much for your information. I think now we just need to decide open door or not!

Do you mean, should you rethink the heli tour and choose an airplane tour instead? There wasn't anything in that quote that favoured an airplane tour over a heli tour.

We are considering a heli tour but it appears many posting here have favored an airplane over a helicopter...I was asking if I should reconsider my position on the helicopter being the better way to view Kauai?

Wondering what are the pros and cons of a plane vs a heli for this type of tour? Thanks for any input. Marilyn

I read this on another post and have been considering a helicopter tour as a result. Should I rethink this?

"

There are some pretty big differences between airplane and helicopter tours on Kauai. Both have their merits. Helicopters can go as low as 500' above the ground on a tour. Airplanes have an altitude restriction of 1500' above the ground. This difference is huge in the Waimea Canyon, theHanalei and Hanapepe Vallies, and Na Pali. Airplanes are good if you don't have the money to spend for the helicopter. All airplanes and most helicopters have windows that can make photography challenging. Some helicopters (Jack Harter) fly without the doors on their Hughes 500 helicopters.

Short Helicopter tours over Kauai that are less than 60 minutes are going to fly faster over the island. The faster they fly, the higher they stay and they can not make as many turns during their flight, because turns = time."