Wailua Falls
Wailua Falls
4.5
About
This two-tiered 80-foot-tall waterfall located near Lihue is famous for being featured in the 1970s TV series, Fantasy Island. These spectacular falls are easily accessible—no hiking required—and can be seen from the nearby carpark. Visit after rainfall when the falls are exceptionally impressive, or in the morning for a chance to catch a rainbow when the light is just right. Be careful though—it's not recommended to hike to the base of the falls as it's steep and slippery. You can see the falls on a day trip or from up above on an air tour of Kauai. – Tripadvisor
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- bpsNew Haven, Connecticut2 contributionsLovely to look at, easily accessible.The falls were beautiful, easy to drive to and look at. We were there in the rainy season and they were full and flowing but not as tall as we expected. We were the only ones by the edge of the road looking at them. We turned the car around and drove back to the main highway, not far away.Visited January 2024Travelled with familyWritten 26 January 2024
- ORMumLake Oswego, Oregon153 contributionsBeautiful falls but not much elseBeautiful falls very close to the Lihue airport. We went to the falls right after we arrived at Lihue airport and picked up our car. It is an easy 15-30mins drive by car and there is a small parking area where you can park and go to the viewing area to see the waterfalls from the top. There is not much else to do after you've seen the falls, so we drove back and stopped at a fruit stand on the way back. We spent about 30mins max at the falls.Visited February 2024Travelled as a coupleWritten 10 March 2024
- jbbyers67Kingsport, Tennessee309 contributionsFalls beautiful but local selling bracelets is a bit aggressive. Free visit and great picture spot!The falls were pretty. Because of all the rain, the falls were powerful. You can only view them. You cannot hike into them. The visit is free and there is limited parking but since views don’t take long, parking should open quickly. I would like to give a heads up. We were the third car in the lot. The weather was not great. We parked parallel with the vehicle next to us. The Hope bracelet asked us to straighten. My husband moved the vehicle to straighten and make it shorter walk since I was on crutches. As I was seeing the falls, I heard the man screaming at my husband that he parked crooked. His language was not PG and he kept yelling nasty things and calling us names because we parked crooked (no lines and we thought we were straight)! He even told me I didn’t belong there since I couldn’t walk. Another group waited in their car until we were safely in ours before they left. They were worried for our safety. We were the last of three cars to leave and no one else showed. The falls are worth a stop but be mindful if this gentleman is there and do not engage in conversation!Visited May 2024Travelled with familyWritten 17 May 2024
- BozedayChicago, Illinois224 contributionsQuick site to seebeautiful falls. Some really cool birds flying below too. The afternoon we went there was plenty of parking in the lot and people parked along side the road. There were 2 local sellers at the top with palm hats and leis. You can only look at the falls here, so it’s a quick stop. There used to be a hike to the bottom but now there are fences everywhere. It’s unfortunate because I bet it’s beautiful from the bottom. But this is a cool quick stop overall.Visited June 2024Travelled with familyWritten 25 June 2024
- Danielle SOceanside, California14 contributionsBeautifulThis was worth the drive to see. It was very tight and limited parking however we got there early in the morning so we got lucky and someone left right as we were coming in. You can’t hike down it’s too dangerous so you have to admire it from afar but we brought binoculars to see it up close too! We saw a mama chicken with its babies and my kids were so excited to see that. There was a local man there making and selling jewelry but he wasn’t very friendly didn’t say hello, or anything we likely would have purchased if he was friendly. However, the waterfall is stunning!!Visited June 2024Travelled with familyWritten 26 June 2024
- Viajera172705338 contributionsBeautiful waterfall! Worth the stop!Seeing Wailua Falls was the very last stop on this island, and I’m so glad we made time for it. It’s very easy to find and the waterfall is beautiful! Parking is a little difficult if it’s busy when you come because the road is narrow and the parking lot is very small. If a car is trying to pull into the parking lot and another car is trying to leave, one of the cars will have to back up to let the other car through. During our visit, there were some vendors selling fresh mango, pineapple, and banana bread. There was also a man making hats out of palms. My husband wanted one, so we waited for the man to finish weaving it. When he was finished, we went to pay and the man wanted to trade the newly made palm hat plus $10 for my husband’s Yellowstone National Park hat. He made the trade and both my husband and the man were so happy with their new hats!Visited June 2024Travelled as a coupleWritten 7 July 2024
- Nashville_brent_65Franklin, Tennessee388 contributionsShort and sweet visitI at least wanted to see the falls that are in the intro to Fantasy Island! You view them from the top or you can break the law, evidently, and hike down what must be a steep hike to the pool at the bottom. Spend maybe 20 or 30 minutes and that’s it. It’s easy to get to so make the trip.Visited July 2024Travelled as a coupleWritten 25 July 2024
- mike6410Peoria, Arizona146 contributionsVery BeautifulWith so many waterfalls on Kauai; Wailua Falls was an easy choice for us to visit. We had just completed the Outdoor Adventures Mountain Tubing, and Wailua Falls is just a short trip up the road, and is easy viewing right from the side of the road. The falls did not disappoint. They were beautiful! Highly recommend visiting these falls. Although we did not have an issue with parking; spaces could be difficult to find.Visited July 2024Travelled as a coupleWritten 19 August 2024
- Carol RAbrams, Wisconsin105 contributionsBeautiful natural fallsWorth the stop to see the falls. Only need to spend 15 - 30 minutes enjoying the view. It's so green and lush around the falls. Not a lot of area to park so go early in the day.Visited October 2024Travelled with familyWritten 17 October 2024
- Stephanie PJefferson City, Missouri913 contributionsWailua Falls is worth the drive!These are the falls on Fantasy Island and are very easy to get to by car with easy, great viewing of the Wailua Falls. There is not much parking (and the vendors are taking up a few spaces too) and no bathrooms. It is a quick walk from where you park to oversee the falls that flow into the pond and river.Visited November 2024Travelled as a coupleWritten 15 November 2024
These reviews are the subjective opinion of Tripadvisor members and not of TripAdvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews.
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Most Recent: Reviews ordered by most recent publish date in descending order.
Detailed Reviews: Reviews ordered by recency and descriptiveness of user-identified themes such as waiting time, length of visit, general tips, and location information.
Popular mentions
4.5
3,605 reviews
Excellent
1,877
Very good
1,262
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406
Poor
44
Terrible
16
Chad G
19 contributions
Feb 2020 • Solo
Wailua Falls is a gorgeous falls that runs year round on the east side of Kauai. The triple falls has a significant volume of water and is known to have rainbows form when the sun hits right. The are locals there selling artwork and homemade bread and the ever present chickens. The path down to the river has been closed for some time, but now is fenced off and ignoring the warnings can result in fines of over $500. My only regret is that the vegetation on the other side of the retaining wall is overgrown and makes it difficult to get a great shot, unless you are over 6’6”. I ended up using my cell to remote into my camera attached to a fully extended tripod balanced on the rock retaining wall to get the shot.
Written 21 February 2020
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Davinco
Milliken, CO50 contributions
Apr 2019
Amazing views of the falls here. Parking can get a little bit crazy at times. The last couple times we have been there is a guy making reed baskets and hats. We've picked up 2 baskets from him and they still look great years later.
Written 7 January 2020
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Climber419813
7 contributions
Oct 2019 • Couples
Best way to see these falls (and so much else!) is via helicopter (seriously, THE best bang for your buck of any activity on the island — Jack Harter’s doorless is the thrill of a lifetime!). First time at these falls we peered over the easy-access road lookout. Next we “hiked” (more like slipped and slid on the almost completely vertical decline) to the river from the lookout parking area, and we needed to cling to trees and vines, wading through waist-deep water to get to a point where we could view/photograph these falls. But there was too much spray and no easy vantage for a good shot. The most spectacular and symmetrical view of these picture-perfect falls is from a helicopter. Nuff said.
Written 22 February 2020
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Liz P
Topeka, KS975 contributions
Jan 2020
We made the easy drive to see Wailua Falls because if the nice reviews. Parking was abundant probably because of the time of year and early morning. I agree that it might get crowded at other times.
I was a little disappointed in the area around the falls. Weeds, trees and foliage have grown up along the railing between the road and cliff to the river. It is difficult to get a nice view of the Falls. Young people climbed on top of the railing to get a better view and a good picture, but I am too old to climb on top of the railing.
I was a little disappointed in the area around the falls. Weeds, trees and foliage have grown up along the railing between the road and cliff to the river. It is difficult to get a nice view of the Falls. Young people climbed on top of the railing to get a better view and a good picture, but I am too old to climb on top of the railing.
Written 25 January 2020
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Christina T
San Francisco, CA17 contributions
Jul 2019
The falls were really pretty, but we could only see them from a distance, on the side of the road, as they had blocked off the trails going down to the actual falls. The parking lot is super tiny so finding parking is a huge issue if you are going during tourist season (which is when we went). I would recommend coming here if this stop is on your way, but I don't think it's necessarily anything worth going out of your way for. It is possible, however, that the trails were blocked off for just the time we were there, so definitely be sure to check that out before going.
Written 15 April 2020
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
SDB545
Helena, MT221 contributions
Jan 2023 • Family
I was disappointed that the road just ends at the falls, with no good place to turn around. We had to rely on other drivers to let us maneuver a multi-point turn around. The falls are spectacular and worth the drive, but I can’t begin to imagine what this car situation would look like with lots of traffic. I don’t have a solution, just mentioning this so other travelers are aware. The man and son with the coconuts were a kick and worth the $8 for our grandkids to watch and then get to drink right out of the coconut.
Written 2 January 2023
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
BeppesPop
Boston, MA8 contributions
Feb 2020
You observe the waterfall from the top, we could find no trace of a trail to the bottom mentioned by other reviewers. Space for about 8-10 cars only
The waterfall is about 15-20 minutes off the main highway on the coast, through a more flat section of the island than the very mountainous north.
Total time about 10 minutes
The waterfall is about 15-20 minutes off the main highway on the coast, through a more flat section of the island than the very mountainous north.
Total time about 10 minutes
Written 13 February 2020
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
arlenejoe
Tacoma, WA150 contributions
Jan 2020 • Couples
It’s an easy drive to the falls, and I think we were lucky to get up there with a place to park, given the low tourist season. It must be a challenge during the high summer season. There is a viewing platform, the only place to enjoy the fall’s beauty, but the viewing is a little limited. That said, we enjoyed the excursion, not long at all.
On the drive down, we stopped at a cemetery that appears to be managed by a Catholic group, and Mother Mary was prominent on the grounds. But there was also a beautiful Buddha, which I thought was lovingly inclusive, especially for all the Japanese-American families buried there.
On the drive down, we stopped at a cemetery that appears to be managed by a Catholic group, and Mother Mary was prominent on the grounds. But there was also a beautiful Buddha, which I thought was lovingly inclusive, especially for all the Japanese-American families buried there.
Written 20 January 2020
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
abrp722
Honolulu, HI375 contributions
Jun 2020
If you are renting a car and planning to see Wailua Falls from the dead end of Rt 583, in my believe, it is just not worth your time. You will only see a small part of the whole picture. Vegetation around is pretty impressive. But the same vegetation you can find in many other places.
Written 28 June 2020
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Cassidy S
3 contributions
Jun 2021
This was not a hike to do if you are not prepared for muddy and steep conditions. You should have on hiking shoes or hiking sandals. Many people attempt this not prepared which makes it very dangerous. Given the proper footwear, anyone with athleticism and patience will make it to the falls properly. You can swim in the pool or go behind the falls. Be prepared to get wet.
Written 26 June 2021
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
My husband and I will be in Kauai until the end of December. We are looking for people to hike with or/ and share a car with as we don’t drive.
If anyone interested please contact me at +17144069862.
We have open schedule
Mahalo!
Written 24 December 2019
Can you tell me more about the hike
Written 15 August 2019
The is no hiking path down into the canyon to the pool below the Wailua Falls. Parking is limited but just wait a few minutes and someone will leaving a place for you to park. The view of the Falls and the canyon only takes a few minutes, 10 to 20, The best time to view the Falls is just after the area had a good rain.
Al
Written 15 August 2019
I have seen some beautiful pictures of the falls and I was wondering when the lighting is best for taking photos at this site. Morning, afternoon? Any tips would be greatly appreciated.
Written 20 May 2019
We were there in the morning and had the best pictures.
Written 23 June 2019
Easy way to hike down to bottom from top viewing area?
Written 23 July 2018
The trail near the overlook is really steep and dangerous. People have been seriously injured trying it. Just before you get to the overlook, there is a cane haul bridge. Just before this bridge, on the right hand side, is a trail that will take you to the bottom of the falls. It is very difficult, but better than the suicide trails near the overlook. It is signed that it is closed and unlawful to use, but a few people do it anyway.
Written 4 March 2019
We are planning a trip to Wailua Falls in April, 2018. We have read some scary reviews and some, like yours, that say that this is doable for experienced hikers, which we are. We don't mind getting muddy, but we certainly do not wish to hike a steep, muddy, dangerous trail. We also are not interested in breaking any laws. Any additional information that you can share would be welcome. Thanks!
Written 21 January 2018
This is supposed to be dry season but 2018 March and April LOTS OF RAIN
Written 20 April 2018
can i get to the falls walking with a bad leg? not totally disabled but limited hiking ability
Written 29 April 2017
You can check out the falls from the road. If there is a tyrail it will be a big downhill and probably steep down and tough to get back up. There are falls nearby that have a nice easy hike: I think the name is Hookipa Falls.
Written 2 May 2017
Going to kauai in June!!! How is the hike down to wailua falls??? I heard it's pretty step. Is it manageable for active 18 year olds??
Written 23 April 2017
It's not particularly steep, but can be problematic during rainy periods. Active terms and adults should have no problems. Then there's the nice dip in the pool at the end.
Written 23 April 2017
Hello, is this lookout worth driving to on a rainy day? Thanks!
Written 28 February 2017
Sure, as it is not to far off the main road near Lihue.
Written 5 March 2017
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