Paradise Copters

Flights over macadamia nut plantations to the lava flows at Kilauea. Because Kona is twice as far from the volcano as Hilo, tours that leave from Kona are generally 2 hours long and accordingly more expensive. You may choose to drive 2¼-hr to Hilo if money is a consideration. Morning helicopter flights tend to have the least cloud cover, but also book first. If taking photos, wear dark clothing to avoid reflections from windows. A special mention should be made about the "doors off" helicopter tour, which lets you smell the lava and feel its heat.

Website: paradisecopters.com (opens in a new tab)

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Listing from Wikivoyage: Hilo, CC BY-SA 4.0.

Updated 28 Sept 2026. Something wrong? Tell us.

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