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The most beautiful waterfalls in Hawaii

Waterfalls are simply breathtaking, located in the middle of nature, everything is blooming all around and the view of these huge masses of water that just come down into the basins. This power that radiates a waterfall is simply indescribable and has to be a part of any hawaii vacation !

Today, I would like to tell you about the most beautiful waterfalls on the islands in this blog.

On the island Oahu there is the Manoa waterfall, which is also the most famous on Oahu. The water of the Manoa waterfall "falls" for roughly 46 meters and splashes everyone with a few drops who approaches it 🙂 It is nice that the waterfall is located right on the outside of Honolulu and you can take a bus of the line 5 from the Ala Moana Shopping Center directly to the Manoa Valley (The bus leaves about every hour). The 30 min climb first leads over normal roads and then through the jungle afterwards. You have the perfect view of Hawaii's fauna and beautiful vegetation here. The air on the way is fresher and cooler than in the valley, it is humid everywhere and you can see the raindrops on the leaves. You can really catch a breath here. My tip for you: Remember to wear sturdy shoes on this trail. Because clearly, as the name suggests, the waterfall is in the rainforest. It rains often and it is very, very slippery 😉

The waterfalls can be marvelled at from a distance right at the beginning of the trail. This keeps your goal in mind because the trail is often steep, rocky and sometimes narrow. Once you have arrived at the destination, the Manoa waterfall shows itself in all its beauty. The water runs down from above into a medium-sized basin but direct access to the waterfall is prohibited because of falling stones. In front of the waterfall, however, you can take great photos and cool off with the splashing water. Before the hike, definitely check the Hawaiin weather. If it is sunny in Waikiki it can be rainy in Manoa Valley. A little trick from me: Just take a look at the mountains, if dark clouds are hanging there, it is probably raining and you should postpone the tour The "sweeties" among you should think of the mosquito repellent because there are many mosquitoes in the valley. Also important, please NEVER drink water from the waterfalls, it could be filled with bacteria. Rather pack enough water in the backpack and take it with you.

Maui has great waterfalls to offer, for example the Waimoku Waterfall, which is located in the southeast of the island.

maui waterfall road to hana big island

To reach the waterfall, you have to walk the Pipiwai Trail at Haleakala National Park It is a 5.9 km long trail that takes about 2 hours. On the journey to the Waimoku waterfall, you should wear sturdy shoes again because the path can often be very muddy and slippery. You may be up to the ankles in the mud if it is rainy 🙂 Two bridges and two river crossings make the hike a great adventure for everyone. I find it simply amazing that there are four points on the trail where you can see something special. Previously, there were even five points, but one point has been closed by the state because it was too dangerous for the public due to falling stones.

You start climbing at the wooden hut in the parking lot, passing steep cliffs. I recommend taking the first stop at the beautiful Banyan tree, a type of fig (Ficus). The tree is huge in size and can not be missed. Between its many, large branches you can rest briefly or take great photos, wow! The hike goes on and after a short while you get a great view of the Makahiku waterfall from a distance. The third point on the tour is simply insane: At the beginning, you still walk over roads and looked into deep canyons, now you arrive at a Bamboo forest. The poles of the bamboo are partly grown so close together that you might think it is already in the middle of the night. A super experience to see such high bamboo, where you can also still walk through. Be sure to take lots of photos! A few steps further and you are in front of the mighty Waimoku waterfall, which lets its water fall from 100 meters.

My tip for you: The waterfall on Maui is very famous and also a popular destination with many tour operators, so please leave early and remember the sunscreen, water bottles to drink and bug spray! 😉

The Opaekaa Falls are located on the beautiful island Kauai and it is one of the most accessible waterfalls on Hawaiiwhich flows into a hidden water basin. Accessible in this case means that you can see the waterfall directly from the road. You would not even have to get out of the car 🙂 A waterfall "drive-thru", so to speak 😉

In the Hawaiian language, Opaekaa means "rolling shrimp" which probably developed from the time when shellfish were still present here in great abundance. The waterfall is located 4 miles southwest of Kapaa,. If the weather is good, the waterfall has a double cascadebut if it has rained a lot, the two merge to become one big one. On sunny days, the visit to the falls is more spectacular than on cloudy days because the waterfall and all the vegetation lighten up and sparkle in the sun's rays. Just fabulous. Unfortunately, it is not possible to get to the basin where the waterfall flows. This access is blocked by a fence since 2006 because two women had fatal accidents there. My tip for you: Go to the Opaekaa Lookout in the direction of the mountain, cross the road there and you will be rewarded with a spectacular view of the valley along the Wailua River. You will have far views and can take great photos there. This is what freedom feels like! 🙂 The Opaekaa Falls, like the Uluwehi Fall, flow from the Wai'ale'ale mountain and thus form the Wailua River.The river flows through the whole of Kauai and ensures that everything remains lush and green. It has also been the setting for the Indiana Jones movie because of its beauty. Woooow!

rainbow falls hilo big island

On Big Island I would like to present the Akaka Waterfall to you. On the northern Hamakua coast and 18 km north of Hilo at Akaka Falls State Park, the Akaka Waterfall and the Kahuna Waterfall are located. Since the Kahuna Fall seems rather small at 30 meters, the Akaka Fall impresses even more with proud 135 meters and is, therefore, the most famous waterfall on Big Island. The hiking trail to the waterfalls is not so tiring and you reach your destination in about 1 hour. Thanks to the developed and concrete hiking trails, the tour is even manageable with flip flops 😉 Nature lovers get their money's worth on the entire way to the falls because the trail goes through the rainforest. Orchids, long hanging fern species and bamboo groves decorate the way. A beautiful tour through the jungle. Highly recommended!

akaka falls Big Island
hidden waterfall big island Big Island

The last island with an incredibly impressive waterfall is MolokaiThe Moaula Waterfall is located in the heart of the island in the Halawa Valley. The trail starts at a small church and takes about 2-3 hours. It runs across the jungle again, along the stream into the island. On the way, you can marvel at mango trees, banana trees, ginger, orchids and many ferns but be careful here too, the mosquitoes are your constant companion 😉 The path to the waterfall is well marked, so you can't get lost. My tip for you: Remember to wear proper hiking shoes if you choose this trail because you often cross the stream on the way to the 80-meter high Moaula Fall here.

Who stays dry here? 🙂          

Once you have arrived at the waterfall, you can finally recover from the heat and swim around in the 10-meter wide pool of the Moaula waterfall. Simply amazing to take a bath under a waterfall.

Which waterfalls do you like the most? Maybe others that I have not mentioned? Let us know and we'll report on it! 😉

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