Locations | Hilo Airport

Hilo sits on the windward east coast of Hawaiʻi Island within the crescent curve of Hilo Bay. Hilo is the most populated area of the island and is a center of commerce in large part due to the large shipping port and international airport here. The areas surrounding the city are covered in lush vegetation, nourished by frequent tropical rain showers and black volcanic soil.

South of Hilo, the bounds of Volcanoes National Park contain craters, cinder cones, cracks extending deep into the earth, and other fascinating volcanic formations of the most active volcano on earth, Kīlauea.

Hilo is the gateway to Volcanoes National Park. Volcanoes National Park is 523 square miles and Kīlauea rises to 4,091′ feet. There are some roads that extend through this vast park, however the best way to fully appreciate the gaping volcanic formations and see the paths left by past lava flows is from an aerial vantage point.

While aloft you'll also be able to appreciate the waterfalls the rainfall of this region produces. A helicopter tour will also reveal to you the various agricultural farms, expanses of jungle, and black sand beaches of the Hilo region. The surrounding area is diverse and fascinating - well worth a drive, but even better explored from the air.