A Helicopter Tour experience by Mauna Loa Helicopters. Back to all Big Island tours.
Tour Summary: The Kona coast at dusk from a private helicopter: Kua Bay's white sand from the air, lava cliffs with no road access below, and doors-on or doors-off at no extra charge.
The Robinson helicopter used on this tour seats up to 3 passengers privately. No shared guests regardless of booking date. 
The doors-off option removes the door panel before departure. Both doors-on and doors-off are included in the base price. The Kona coast at dusk from a private helicopter tour departing Kailua-Kona at 5:30 PM. Photo: Mauna Loa Helicopters.
5 Tour Highlights:
- The aircraft carries up to 3 passengers and no other guests.
- The route passes over Maniniʻowali Beach (Kua Bay) to the north and follows the lava coast south toward Captain Cook, with coastal cliffs and coves that have no road access.
- Doors-on or doors-off at no extra charge. The doors-off option removes the door panel before departure; most reviewers who mention it list it as the reason they chose this tour.
- When Kīlauea is actively erupting, volcanic aerosols downwind along the Kona coast intensify the sunset reds and oranges through Rayleigh scattering. The sunset is worth the flight on any clear evening.
- The 5:30 PM departure puts the flight over the west-facing Kona coast at dusk. The flight returns before dark.
Important: Minimum age is 7 years old (Door ON only). Minimum age is 12 year old for the Doors OFF option. Total weight per person cannot exceed 275lbs and total group total cannot exceed 650lbs (weights are taken at check-in)
Tour Information:
| Price: | Adult |
|---|---|
| (excluding taxes & fees) | $229 |
Tour Provider: Mauna Loa Helicopters
Activity: Helicopter Tour
Tour start time: 5:30 pm
Duration: 30 minutes
Location: Kona Coast
Pick-up available? No
Included: Fully private aircraft (up to 3 passengers, no shared guests). Pilot commentary on landscape and Hawaiian history. Doors-on or doors-off option at no extra charge, guaranteed window seat for every passenger
Cancellations: Free cancellation up to 24 hours prior to the flight time. Cancellations or delays to the flight are at pilot’s discretion for safety reasons, which may include inclement weather.
Read more: about helicopter tour in our Big Island helicopter tour guide.
Read more about the private sunset helicopter tour
The Kona coast faces west, so a 5:30 PM flight looks straight into the sunset. This is a private charter: the aircraft carries up to three passengers and nobody else.
The route covers roughly 30 miles of coastline north and south of Kailua-Kona. North of the harbor, the flight passes above Maniniʻowali Beach (Kua Bay), a white-sand bay. South, the flight follows lava fields and sea cliffs toward the Captain Cook area, with views of coves that have no road access. The pilot talks about the landscape and Hawaiian history during the flight.
Doors on or doors off, same price
Both options are covered in the base price at $229 per person. Doors-on is the standard configuration and the only option for passengers under 12. With doors-off, the door panel is removed before departure and the sides are fully open. The wind is louder, and there is no window between your camera and the coast. You also feel the height more. Several reviewers name doors-off as the reason they preferred this tour over others they had flown. If your group has mixed preferences or you are uncertain, the pilot will advise based on conditions and passenger ages.
The 5:30 PM departure puts the flight at dusk, and the Kona coast sits downwind of Kīlauea. When the volcano is actively erupting, fine particles in the air scatter the low sunlight and deepen the reds and oranges of the sunset. It is Rayleigh scattering, the same process that makes the sky blue, with volcanic aerosols scattering the light at a different wavelength. You see this only while Kīlauea is erupting. The sunset is worth the flight on any clear evening.
Weight limits, age minimums, and the solo-traveler rule
The minimum group size is 2. A solo traveler purchases 2 seats at $229 per seat. The per-person weight limit is 275 lbs. For a group of 3, no more than one passenger can be over 200 lbs. The minimum age is 7 for doors-on and 12 for doors-off. The tour duration is 30 minutes.
Mauna Loa Helicopters runs Robinson helicopters out of Kailua-Kona. Reviewers name individual pilots. They say the pilots narrate when there is something to explain and go quiet over the views. Reviewers mention one pilot who synced background music to the scenery over Kua Bay. Music is not a listed feature, so don’t count on it. Several reviewers who arrived nervous about flying say the pilot put them at ease once they were in the air.This is a private tour (best for 2 or 3 people)
About Mauna Loa Helicopters
Mauna Loa Helicopters has operated private sightseeing tours since 2006, starting on Kauaʻi and expanding to Big Island operations in subsequent years. The company uses Robinson helicopters exclusively and is a member of the Hawaiʻi Visitors and Convention Bureau. Their Big Island tours have been recognized in Hawaii Magazine and the Best of West Hawaiʻi awards. We list Mauna Loa because the pilots who staff these tours consistently appear by name in reviews, which is a more reliable indicator of how an operation runs than any credential listed on the website.
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