Wailua Falls - A Waterfall You Can See From Your Seat
Photo: Ekrem Canli, CC BY-SA 4.0 (cropped)
A stop on Maui: The Road to Hana, a free self-guided tour.
Some waterfalls make you work for the view. Wailua Falls is not one of them. This 80-foot waterfall drops off a cliff right beside the highway, framed by tropical plants, and you can see it from the bridge without any hike at all.
That makes it one of the most photographed waterfalls in Hawaii, and you will often share it with other travelers. There is a small parking area on the ocean side just past the falls. Pull in only if there is a legal space, and please do not stop on the bridge or in the travel lane.
A short path leads down to the pool at the base. The rocks are slippery, and the stream can rise quickly after rain, so watch your step and keep children close. On a dry day, standing in the spray at the bottom is a refreshing break from the car.
You are now on the quieter side of Hana. Traffic thins out, and the road feels even more remote.
Getting here: Return to the highway from Haneoo Road and continue south on Route 31 about 6 miles. The falls are just past mile marker 45, with a small lot on the ocean side.
Did you know?: This is one of at least two famous Wailua Falls in Hawaii; another, on Kauai, appeared in the opening of the TV series Fantasy Island.
Photo op: From the edge of the parking area, frame the full drop of the falls with the green cliff and plants around it.
Nearby: Small parking area only; no restrooms or water.
More on Wikipedia: Hana Highway · Hana, Hawaii
Stops on this tour
- Paia - The Last Big Stop Before the Curves
- Hookipa Beach Park Lookout - Windsurfers and Sea Turtles
- Twin Falls - A Farm's Gift to the Road
- Garden of Eden Arboretum - Where Jurassic Park Took Off
- Kaumahina State Wayside - Restrooms With a View
- Keanae Peninsula - Taro, Lava and an 1850s Church
- Halfway to Hana - Banana Bread Checkpoint
- Upper Waikani Falls - The Three Bears
- Waianapanapa State Park - Black Sand and a Royal Legend
- Hana Town - Birthplace of a Queen
- Hamoa Beach - A South Seas Crescent
- Wailua Falls - A Waterfall You Can See From Your Seat
- Kipahulu and Oheo Gulch - The End of the Road