Just minutes away from the bustling state capital of Honolulu – but still within the city limits – is the lush Manoa Valley. This residential area is home to the University of Hawaii at Manoa, receives almost daily rain, and was the site of the first sugarcane and coffee plantations in the Hawaiian Islands. And hidden deep within Manoa Valley are four amazing destinations worthy of a Saturday full of exploration: Manoa Falls, the Lyon Arboretum, the Wailele Manoa, and Mu Ryang Sa Korean Buddhist Temple.
And while these attractions are all incredible in their own right, there is a hidden gem few people even know about: a natural infinity pool carved into the mountainside and overlooking this lush valley, Honolulu, and the Pacific Ocean, and it’s the wondrous Upper Manoa Falls.
This is Upper Manoa Falls, and it is perhaps one of the coolest — and most hidden — natural wonders on the island of Oahu.
Brandt Haapala/AllTrails
This little-known wonder is accessed via the popular Manoa Falls Trail, which leads countless tourists and locals 30 to 45 minutes into the valley, through a bamboo forest, and to the base of the 150-foot Manoa Falls.
Megan Shute/OnlyInYourState.com
Megan Shute/OnlyInYourState.com
While Manoa Falls, which plunges down a vertical drop into a small pool below, is gorgeous, true adventurers will love taking the ‘Aihualama Trail towards Upper Manoa Falls….
Armistead Booker/Flickr
…which, by the way, is quite impressive from afar.
Howzitboy/YouTube
This trail is suitable only for those with extensive hiking experience, as the trail is not only overgrown and steep but requires quite a bit of actual climbing. The round trip trail is approximately 3.5 miles and will take you at least two hours — not counting the time you’re sure to spend taking photographs and marveling in the lush scenery.
Chrisfit_808/Instagram
If you look mauka (or towards the mountain) you will see an incredible waterfall feeding into a pool surrounded by moss-covered rocks.
Howzitboy/YouTube
And if you look makai (or towards the ocean) you will find one of the most captivating views we’ve ever seen: a striking pool that drops over the cliff into another waterfall overlooking the lush Manoa Valley as well as Honolulu and the Pacific Ocean in the distance.
Christie Gieryic/Facebook
We guarantee you won’t find anything quite like this natural pool that extends over the cliffside anywhere else in Hawaii.
brownebrah/Instagram
Not ready to visit this gorgeous spot on your own? Why not live vicariously through YouTube user Howzitboy, who documents his hike to Upper Manoa Falls in this video:
Brandt Haapala/AllTrails
Megan Shute/OnlyInYourState.com
Armistead Booker/Flickr
Howzitboy/YouTube
Chrisfit_808/Instagram
Christie Gieryic/Facebook
brownebrah/Instagram
Because this incredible destination is a waterfall, it is important to issue a friendly warning about the risks associated with flash flooding, as well as the leptospirosis bacteria found in many of Hawaii’s natural pools. It is advised that you check weather reports and ocean conditions before heading out for the day; never swim in these pools when you have open wounds, and always watch your step. Also, please do not overestimate your true hiking abilities: this is not an easy trail, and should only be completed by experienced hikers.
Forget hotel pools; gorgeous swimming holes are where it’s at in Hawaii! What are your favorite natural swimming pools in Hawaii? Are there any hidden gems you’d like to see featured on Only In Hawaii? We are always up for a new adventure, especially of the waterfall chasing variety!
And speaking of swimming holes in Hawaii, here are 12 of our favorite spots to cool off.
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Address: Manoa Falls, Honolulu, HI 96822, USA
The OIYS Visitor Center
Infinity Pool In Hawaii August 09, 2022 Sarah M. What are the best waterfall hikes in Hawaii? Hawaii is known across the world for its amazing waterfalls, and while there are many no-hike falls that can be viewed from highway pullouts or scenic overlooks, there are many, many more tucked away in the lush forests, craggy shorelines, and wondrous jungles of the Aloha State – and hiking is the best way to experience them! These waterfall hikes in Hawaii are some of those adventures, and many are shorter treks that are accessible to hikers of all abilities and skill levels. Some of our favorite waterfall hikes in Hawaii include the Maunawili Falls Trail, a stunning three-mile trek through lush forests; the hike to Uluwehi Falls, which makes for a picture-perfect day trek in Hawaii; and the hikes to Lulumahu Falls, Hanakapi’ai Falls, and Onomea Falls. What are the most beautiful waterfalls in Hawaii? For a show-stopping waterfall sure to take your breath away, venture to the breathtaking National Tropical Botanical Garden, a place that attracts photographers, gardeners, botanists, scientists, and nature lovers from across the world. Protected from harsh tradewinds and blessed with fertile volcanic soil, the stunning 40-acre Onomea Valley is a natural greenhouse that is full of the plants and greenery one thinks of when conjuring up images of the Aloha State: from flowers to trees, more than 2,000 species of flora are found in this gorgeous garden. And in the midst of this real-life Garden of Eden, the small-but-stunning Onomea Falls is a glorious scene that looks too beautiful to be real and is an easy-access waterfall in Hawaii worth seeking out.
The OIYS Visitor Center
Infinity Pool In Hawaii
August 09, 2022
Sarah M.
What are the best waterfall hikes in Hawaii? Hawaii is known across the world for its amazing waterfalls, and while there are many no-hike falls that can be viewed from highway pullouts or scenic overlooks, there are many, many more tucked away in the lush forests, craggy shorelines, and wondrous jungles of the Aloha State – and hiking is the best way to experience them! These waterfall hikes in Hawaii are some of those adventures, and many are shorter treks that are accessible to hikers of all abilities and skill levels. Some of our favorite waterfall hikes in Hawaii include the Maunawili Falls Trail, a stunning three-mile trek through lush forests; the hike to Uluwehi Falls, which makes for a picture-perfect day trek in Hawaii; and the hikes to Lulumahu Falls, Hanakapi’ai Falls, and Onomea Falls. What are the most beautiful waterfalls in Hawaii? For a show-stopping waterfall sure to take your breath away, venture to the breathtaking National Tropical Botanical Garden, a place that attracts photographers, gardeners, botanists, scientists, and nature lovers from across the world. Protected from harsh tradewinds and blessed with fertile volcanic soil, the stunning 40-acre Onomea Valley is a natural greenhouse that is full of the plants and greenery one thinks of when conjuring up images of the Aloha State: from flowers to trees, more than 2,000 species of flora are found in this gorgeous garden. And in the midst of this real-life Garden of Eden, the small-but-stunning Onomea Falls is a glorious scene that looks too beautiful to be real and is an easy-access waterfall in Hawaii worth seeking out.
The OIYS Visitor Center
The OIYS Visitor Center
Hawaii is known across the world for its amazing waterfalls, and while there are many no-hike falls that can be viewed from highway pullouts or scenic overlooks, there are many, many more tucked away in the lush forests, craggy shorelines, and wondrous jungles of the Aloha State – and hiking is the best way to experience them! These waterfall hikes in Hawaii are some of those adventures, and many are shorter treks that are accessible to hikers of all abilities and skill levels. Some of our favorite waterfall hikes in Hawaii include the Maunawili Falls Trail, a stunning three-mile trek through lush forests; the hike to Uluwehi Falls, which makes for a picture-perfect day trek in Hawaii; and the hikes to Lulumahu Falls, Hanakapi’ai Falls, and Onomea Falls.
What are the most beautiful waterfalls in Hawaii?
For a show-stopping waterfall sure to take your breath away, venture to the breathtaking National Tropical Botanical Garden, a place that attracts photographers, gardeners, botanists, scientists, and nature lovers from across the world. Protected from harsh tradewinds and blessed with fertile volcanic soil, the stunning 40-acre Onomea Valley is a natural greenhouse that is full of the plants and greenery one thinks of when conjuring up images of the Aloha State: from flowers to trees, more than 2,000 species of flora are found in this gorgeous garden. And in the midst of this real-life Garden of Eden, the small-but-stunning Onomea Falls is a glorious scene that looks too beautiful to be real and is an easy-access waterfall in Hawaii worth seeking out.
