The Best Big Island Waterfalls (and How to See Them)

The best Big Island waterfalls cluster on the lush, rainy Hilo side and the Hamakua Coast — and the two stars, Akaka Falls and Rainbow Falls, are among the easiest waterfalls to reach in all of Hawaii. One is a 442-foot plunge a short walk from the car; the other is a roadside cascade right in Hilo town.

The Big Island is the wettest of the main islands on its windward side, and that rain is the whole point: it keeps the rivers full and the cascades roaring. This guide covers the waterfalls actually worth your time — the drive-up easy ones, the few that take effort, and the remote giants you'll only glimpse — plus when to go, whether you can swim, and how to see the most in a day.

What's in this guide

• Where the Big Island waterfalls are
• Akaka Falls: the 442-foot star
• Kahuna Falls
• Rainbow Falls: the easiest in Hawaii
• Peepee Falls and the Boiling Pots
• Umauma Falls: the triple-tier one
• Hiilawe Falls: the tallest, and the hardest
• More Big Island waterfalls worth knowing
• Kulaniapia Falls
• How to see the most waterfalls in a day
• When to go
• Can you swim? And staying safe
• What to bring
• Where to stay
• Big Island waterfalls FAQ

Photo: rjb Studios on Unsplash

Where the Big Island waterfalls are

Nearly all of the Big Island's waterfalls are on the windward, eastern side — around Hilo and up the Hamakua Coast. That's the rainy side, where steady trade-wind showers feed full rivers and green hillsides. The dry, sunny Kona side on the west has the beaches and the resorts; it has almost no waterfalls at all.

So a Big Island waterfall day is a Hilo-and-north day. The drive-up falls sit within about 30 minutes of Hilo, strung along the coast highway toward Honomu and Waipio. If you're based in Kona, it's a long cross-island drive — pair the falls with Volcanoes National Park and a Hilo overnight rather than a single brutal round trip.

Akaka Falls: the 442-foot star

Akaka Falls is the most spectacular easy waterfall on the Big Island — a single sheer ribbon dropping 442 feet into a rainforest gorge in Akaka Falls State Park, near the old sugar town of Honomu. A paved 0.4-mile loop trail through bamboo, ginger, and giant philodendron takes about 20 to 30 minutes and also passes the smaller Kahuna Falls.

There's an entrance fee — around $5 per person plus about $10 to park for non-residents — paid at the parking lot. It's worth every dollar; this is the postcard. Our full Akaka Falls guide covers the trail, the fees, and the timing in detail.

The catch is the same as everywhere on this coast: it's often raining. That's what makes it lush, so bring a layer and embrace it rather than waiting for a sunny day that may not come.

Photo: Martin Zangerl on Unsplash

Kahuna Falls

On the same Akaka Falls loop, you'll pass Kahuna Falls — a wider, lower cascade across the gorge, often half-hidden behind the rainforest growth. It's nowhere near as dramatic as Akaka's single sheer drop, but it's a free bonus on a walk you're already doing: catch it on the loop and you've bagged two waterfalls for one short hike.

Rainbow Falls: the easiest in Hawaii

Rainbow Falls (Waianuenue) is probably the single easiest waterfall to see in all of Hawaii. It's right in Hilo, in Wailuku River State Park — you park, walk a few steps to the railing, and there it is: an 80-foot fall tumbling into a wide pool, with a lava cave behind it that, in legend, was the home of the goddess Hina.

It's free, and best in the early morning, when the sun angles into the mist and throws the rainbow that gives the falls their name. Come after a good rain and it's thundering; in a dry spell it can thin out. Our Rainbow Falls guide has the timing and the parking.

Because it's this easy and this central, Rainbow Falls is the one to anchor a Hilo morning around — go first, while the light is right and before the tour vans.

Peepee Falls and the Boiling Pots

A couple of minutes upstream from Rainbow Falls, still on the Wailuku River, Peepee Falls feeds the Boiling Pots — a series of pools connected by churning, bubbling water that looks like it's boiling when the river is high. It's a free, quick roadside lookout and a natural add-on to Rainbow Falls.

It is strictly a look, not a swim. The Wailuku River is one of the most dangerous in the state, with sudden currents and flash floods, and people have died here ignoring that. Stay behind the railings and enjoy it for the geology, not a dip.

Umauma Falls: the triple-tier one

Umauma Falls is a photogenic three-tier waterfall on the Hamakua Coast north of Hilo, on private land run as the Umauma Experience. You pay an admission fee to access the viewpoint and gardens, and the same operation runs zipline courses that fly over the falls and river gorge.

It's a different model from the state-park falls — more managed, more of an attraction — but the three-tiered cascade is genuinely beautiful and far less crowded than Akaka. If you want a waterfall with an activity attached, this is the one.

Hiilawe Falls: the tallest, and the hardest

Hiilawe Falls in Waipio Valley is the tallest waterfall on the Big Island — a free-falling drop of roughly 1,450 feet at the back of the dramatic green valley. It is also the hardest to actually see. The falls sit deep on private property, and access to Waipio Valley itself has been restricted for safety and cultural reasons, so you can't simply hike to the base.

What you can do is take in Waipio Valley from the famous lookout at the top, where, when it's flowing, Hiilawe is a thin white thread far across the valley. In a dry spell it can vanish entirely. Treat it as a bonus view, not a guaranteed sight, and never trespass into the valley to chase it.

More Big Island waterfalls worth knowing

A few others round out the list, depending on time and appetite:

• Onomea Falls — small cascades along the lush four-mile scenic drive and botanical garden just north of Hilo; the drive itself is the draw.
• Waiale and the upper Wailuku falls — glimpsed from various points along the river, less visited.
• Nanue and the Hamakua roadside falls — seasonal ribbons you'll spot from the highway after heavy rain, no stopping required.

You won't do all of these in one trip, and you don't need to. Akaka and Rainbow alone justify a Hilo day; the rest are for waterfall enthusiasts and repeat visitors.

Kulaniapia Falls

Kulaniapia Falls is a roughly 120-foot fall on private property above Hilo — and one of the rare Big Island waterfalls you can actually swim beneath, because access is managed through the lodge and retreat on the land. You either stay there or book a guided visit; you can't just drive up.

That controlled access is exactly why swimming is possible here when it's banned at the state-park giants. If a swim under a waterfall is the dream, this is the realistic place to do it.

How to see the most waterfalls in a day

The efficient route is simple: base in or start from Hilo, do Rainbow Falls and the Boiling Pots first thing, then drive north up the Hamakua Coast to Akaka Falls, adding Umauma or the scenic drive if you have time and budget. It's a relaxed half to full day, all within about 40 minutes of Hilo.

For the remote, road-less falls deep in the valleys — the ones you can't drive or hike to — the only real way to see them is from the air. A Big Island waterfalls and volcanoes tour packages the highlights with a guide and the driving handled, and helicopter flights out of Hilo reveal the hidden cascades no road reaches.

If you're building the wider trip, our things to do on the Big Island guide slots the waterfalls in alongside the volcano and the beaches.

When to go

The waterfalls run best in the wet season, roughly October through April, and any time after a good rain. The windward side gets showers year-round, which is why the falls flow all year — but volume swings a lot, and a long dry spell can thin even the big ones.

For the falls themselves, early morning is best: softer light, the rainbow at Rainbow Falls, and fewer tour groups. Rain is part of the deal on this coast, so don't wait for a perfect blue-sky day — the falls are at their most powerful when the weather is at its least cooperative.

Can you swim? And staying safe

Most Big Island waterfalls are for looking, not swimming. The marquee ones — Akaka, Rainbow, the Boiling Pots — are fenced overlooks above gorges, and swimming there is both prohibited and dangerous.

Three real hazards to respect:

• Flash floods. Rivers here rise fast and violently after rain upstream, even when it's dry where you stand. The Wailuku River is especially deadly.
• Leptospirosis. Hawaii's fresh water can carry this bacterial infection; avoid submerging cuts, and don't drink it.
• Slippery rock and steep drops. Wet lava and mud are treacherous. Stay behind railings and on marked trails; the Hawaii ocean and water safety guidance applies inland too.

The waterfalls you can responsibly swim near are generally the managed, private ones (like Kulaniapia) with supervised access — not the state-park giants.

What to bring

A Big Island waterfall day rewards a little preparation for the rain:

• A packable rain jacket — it will rain, and that's fine.
• Water shoes or trail shoes with grip for wet, slick paths.
• A dry bag to keep your phone and camera dry in the spray.
• Reef-safe mineral sunscreen for the sunnier stretches.

Cash or a card for the park fees, bug spray for the rainforest, and a willingness to get a little wet round it out.

Where to stay

To do the waterfalls without a marathon drive, stay in or near Hilo — you'll be minutes from Rainbow Falls and well-placed for the Hamakua Coast and Volcanoes National Park. Compare Big Island stays on Booking.com or on Expedia, and our where to stay on the Big Island guide weighs the Hilo-versus-Kona split — which, for a waterfall trip, leans firmly toward rainy, lush Hilo.

Big Island waterfalls FAQ

Where are the most waterfalls on the Big Island?

On the windward, eastern side — around Hilo and the Hamakua Coast. That's the rainy side, where full rivers feed the cascades. The dry Kona (west) side has the beaches and resorts but almost no waterfalls, so a waterfall day means heading to Hilo.

What is the biggest waterfall on the Big Island?

Hiilawe Falls in Waipio Valley is the tallest, at roughly 1,450 feet — but it's on restricted private land and hard to see, visible as a distant thread from the Waipio Valley lookout. For an accessible big one, Akaka Falls (442 feet) is the spectacular, easy-to-reach star.

Can you swim in any waterfalls on the Big Island?

Not the famous ones. Akaka, Rainbow, and the Boiling Pots are fenced overlooks where swimming is prohibited and dangerous (flash floods and steep gorges). Some private, managed falls like Kulaniapia offer supervised swimming, but the state-park waterfalls are strictly look-don't-touch.

Do all Big Island waterfalls have entrance fees?

No — it's a mix. Akaka Falls State Park charges a small per-person fee plus parking for non-residents, and the private falls (Umauma, Kulaniapia) charge admission. But Rainbow Falls and the Boiling Pots, both in Wailuku River State Park, are free.

Are there guided tours to Big Island waterfalls?

Yes. Driving tours from Hilo or Kona package the main falls with Volcanoes National Park, and helicopter flights out of Hilo are the only way to see the remote, road-less cascades deep in the valleys. For a free, self-drive day, Rainbow Falls plus Akaka Falls is the classic combo.

When is the best time to see Big Island waterfalls?

The wet season (October to April) and any time after heavy rain, in the early morning. The windward side flows year-round, but volume rises with the rain — so the falls are most impressive exactly when the weather is wettest.

One honest aside: a misty waterfall morning is a gorgeous start to a day, though we run beach picnics on Oahu, not the Big Island — so here, just bring the rain jacket and the camera. For the rest of the island, our Big Island travel guide maps the route.