About Manoa Falls
Manoa Falls is perhaps O’ahu‘s most popular waterfall (especially with the 1999 closure of Sacred Falls).
I think it’s very well known and popular because it’s literally a hop, skip, and a jump from Honolulu or Waikiki. And from what we could tell, this thin 55ft waterfall (though I’ve seen some claim it’s 160ft tall; maybe there are hidden upper tiers?) is one of the island’s more impressive waterfalls.
We experienced this pleasant 1.6-mile round trip hike, which was far enough to keep the casual visitors away while close enough to keep it from becoming an arduous trek amidst mosquitoes and humidity. Who knew that such a pretty natural attraction could be so close to the urban jungle of Honolulu?
During the mostly flat hike, we walked through a lush rainforest with groves of bamboo sprouting up here and there. I thought I overheard another tour guide in the area say they were invasive here due to their rapid ability to grow and spread (and hence elbow out and outcompete native species for real estate). In any case, it seemed like the lushness of the trail helped provide some shade, but with the humidity, I’m not sure it made too much difference.
Apparently, Manoa Falls can go dry in Summer or during unusually dry Winters. We noticed that the plunge pool beneath the falls was once a popular swimming hole, but upon further research, we learned that swimming was banned after a landslide at the base of the falls in 2001/2002 as well as the detection of the dangerous leptospirosis bacteria in the stream.
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“Lost” October 8, 2008 4:28 am - Nice, easy, pretty hike to Manoa Falls. Great for taking photos along the way. Falls was roped off due to rockfall danger, but still well worth the hike. Tallest falls I've seen on Oahu. The TV series "Lost" has been filmed along this trail. We came across a TV set, but it was being torn… ...Read MoreVisitor Reviews of this Waterfall:
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