Manoa Falls, O’ahu, Hawaii

Manoa Falls is located in a tropical rainforest. Surrounded by lush greenery in every direction, this tall but narrow waterfall is a beautiful location. With a recently updated trail and adequate parking, it is easy to access and traverse. Amenities like sunscreen, bug spray, and rain ponchos are available at the entrance for purchase, in case you forgot yours.

Hours of Operation

• Sunrise to Sunset

Admission

• Park Fee – $5.00

  • Free if you park along the neighborhood streets and walk 0.5 miles to the entrance

What to Wear

• Insect Repellant (No matter the time of day, day of the week, or month of the year) is a must

• Good shoes, boots, or hiking sandals

• Clothing you don’t mind getting wet and muddy

What to Bring

• Water Bottle

• Rain Poncho (optional if you don’t mind getting soaked)

Timing

The sooner you arrive at this hike, the better. As the day goes on, the trail will become crowded. However, we went in the afternoon on a Wednesday (July 5, 2023), and it wasn’t very crowded. Weekends will have more people than weekdays.

Approach

From the H-1 freeway eastbound, take the Punahou Street exit (#23). From the H-1 freeway westbound, take the Wilder Avenue exit (#24), continue on Wilder Avenue, and make a right at Punahou Street. Continue north on Punahou Street and bear left at the fork in the road as it turns into Manoa Road. When you get to the five-way intersection, stay on Manoa Road.

Entrance

As you approach the Manoa Trailhead, a kiosk will be in the middle of the road before you reach the parking lot. Here, you can pay for parking and buy insect repellant, sunscreen, and rain ponchos if you forget any of these items. The trailhead is a short, clearly marked walk from the parking lot.

Microclimate

Even if it is sunny in Honolulu as you drive to Manoa Falls, don’t expect it to be that way when you arrive. Hawaii is full of microclimates, and Manoa Valley is one of them. Even if the weather is clear outside of the valley, you can almost guarantee it will be sprinkling, if not pouring, inside the valley. It had been raining since we arrived, and it never stopped. The volume varied, but there was no respite. We had come from snorkeling at Hanauma Bay and were still in our swimsuits, so we didn’t bother with ponchos. In the end, we wish we had them.

Trail

The trailhead is marked with several informational signs about the trail, the falls, and the ecosystem. Some trail areas are graveled, while others are compacted dirt. Some steps here and there appear to be more for controlling erosion. The first part of the trail is wide and easy to walk. As you advance towards the falls, the trail will become narrower and steeper. With a lot of rain, a small river will form on the trail, as it did for us. Nothing dangerous, but it can make the trail slippery, so watch your steps if this occurs. Along your hike, you will see a few side trails. If you’re feeling adventurous, you can try them out, but when my wife did on a previous trip to Hawaii, she came home with bug bite welts on her legs that didn’t go away for more than a month.

There is a specific section where going off the main trail is encouraged. A little more than half a mile into your hike, the trail opens up with a wide section of cleared ground to the right. Some benches will be there, and towards the back of the clearing, you will see an arch of vines between two trees. This is a great photo opportunity. It’s also a great spot to take a little break if needed. The arch was occupied on our way up to the falls, so we stopped by on the way back down.

Destination

The waterfall will come into view when you have about 100 yards remaining before reaching its base. A handful of steps lead to the concrete platform that forms the viewing area of the waterfall. A small wall encircles the platform to prevent visitors from falling off the edges. It also serves as a warning, along with many signs that warn visitors not to go further. There are several reasons for all of these warnings. First, rocks frequently fall from above and on either side of the waterfall. There is no clear path to the pool under the waterfall. Your hike out will be challenging with a sprained ankle or worse. The pool at the base of the falls may be infected with Leptospirosis, which causes severe flu-like symptoms for 7-14 days. If you are caught going beyond the wall, you will be fined. Finally, if the dangers don’t do enough, please don’t go beyond the wall and ruin the photographic opportunities of others. In other words, don’t be a jerk.

Manoa Falls

The falls are 150 feet high, and there is minimal water flow throughout the year. In March, the stream can become a trickle or even stop altogether. The falls can be underwhelming if you have seen a lot of waterfalls since the flow is nothing to write home about. However, the scene is beautiful, and it seems almost sacrilege to visit Hawaii and not see at least one waterfall. The large boulders surrounding the pool are from a rockslide in 2002.

Summary

Manoa one is probably the most accessible on O’ahu. (Waimea Falls is a shorter, more voluminous fall that is quite accessible, but more on that in a future post.) Manoa Falls is more of an experience along the way than at the destination. The surrounding ecosystem and microclimate provide a truly unique experience that should be enjoyed for the length of the hike. Even the return trip provides new angles of view to the surrounding landscape. I classify this as a must for anyone visiting O'ahu for the price, proximity to Honolulu, and overall experience. So much in Hawaii can break the bank, and to find such a unique and diverse experience compared to all the other offerings of O’ahu, I was glad we took the time to take this hike.