This Gorgeous Waterfall Trail Close To Waikiki Travels Through Hawaii's Lush Forests

Mānoa Falls, also known as Waihii Nui by locals, stands as one of Oʻahu's most iconic waterfall hikes. The approximately 150‑foot cascade plummets into a small plunge pool carved into the Koʻolau Range's basalt backbone. It's the perfect excuse to escape Waikiki's beach crowds and shopping malls, and it's just a 15 to 20 minute drive away from the neighborhood.

To get to the falls, you must first hike the Mānoa Falls Trail, which spans approximately 1.6 miles round‑trip. Typically, hikers reach the falls in 30 to 60 minutes and return within two hours. Classified as easy to moderate, the path is suitable for most fitness levels, though grippy hiking boots are advised due to mud and slick rocks. The trail meanders through multiple vegetation terrains: You'll walk in a dense forest of bamboo, banyan trees, ginger, eucalyptus, native ferns, and more. 

Scenes from Jurassic Park, The Hunger Games: Catching Fire, Lost, and Hawaii Five‑0 were all filmed here, which is no surprise considering the rainforest looks straight out of a movie. A towering bamboo forest comes right before reaching the falls, and at the trailhead you'll run into the iconic Lyon Arboretum, previously called the Mānoa Arboretum, a 200‑acre botanical garden maintained by the University of Hawai'i. Established in 1918, this lesser-known Hawaiian destination reforested former sugarcane lands and now harbors over 15,000 specimens, including endangered native Hawaiian flora.

Unlike O'ahu's 7-hour long Koloa Gulch hike to a 100-foot waterfall, Mānoa Falls is easy and quick enough to consider a stop at the Mānoa Heritage Center, just a short distance from the trailhead. This hidden gem offers an introduction to the valley's cultural and ecological significance. You'll find the Kūkaʻōʻō Heiau, an ancient Hawaiian agricultural temple, among native botanic gardens filled with endangered plants. You'll learn about traditional Hawaiian land use, spiritual practices, and the importance of preserving endemic species.

Mānoa Falls is also a great spot for budget-travelers, as it's completely free. You can easily drive to the entrance of the trail from Waikiki, in which case parking will cost $7. Also, buses take you there from the Ala Moana Shopping Center. Transportation from your hotel will be included with a guided tour, a choice we recommend to elevate the experience beyond a simple hike. Local guides share the valley's rich cultural history, native legends, and ecological significance — details you might miss on your own. They'll point out rare plants, explain the significance of the flora and fauna in Hawaiian traditions, and even highlight filming locations from the aforementioned movies and TV shows.

Finally, the Hawaiian government's safety concerns are real: Flash floods are common and swimming is prohibited due to leptospirosis bacteria in stagnant pools. Plus, fatal incidents have occurred from slipping near the top of the waterfall's edge. Gates open with sunrise, but the Paradise parking lot opens at 8:00 a.m. (and closes at 6:00 p.m.) For a less busy hike, arrive early before tour buses dominate between 10:00 a.m. and 3:00 p.m.