Kauaʻi packs more waterfalls per square mile than any other Hawaiian island, and access is the real variable: Wailua Falls is a drive-up lookout, Hanakāpīʻai an 8-mile round-trip hike, and Manawaiopuna (Jurassic Falls) helicopter-only. This guide covers the ten most accessible, sorted by what it takes to reach each.
One thing changed in 2026: Waipoʻo, Hanakāpīʻai, Wailua, and ʻŌpaekaʻa now sit behind a state park fee, $5 per person plus parking for nonresidents, so a casual roadside stop is no longer free. Kēʻē Beach parking for that 8-mile hike is reservation-only and sells out, so book the slot first. The comparison table sorts all ten by access, effort, fee, and height.
Table of contents
Related waterfall guides: Also visiting another island? We have waterfall guides for the Big Island, Maui, and Oʻahu.
- The best 6 waterfalls to visit on the Big Island
- 10 Maui waterfalls worth the drive
- Our 10 Favorite Oʻahu Waterfalls
FAQ: What are the best waterfalls to visit for…
The short answers to the four questions we hear most:
Q: What is the best waterfall to swim in on Kauaʻi?
When conditions are calm, Hoʻopiʻi is the one we’d swim at. While a simple dip is usually okay, we advise against jumping off the cliffs.
Q: What is the best waterfall on Kauaʻi for families?
If you simply want to drive up to the lookout, Wailua Falls is the best for its ease of access and its photogenic lookout. For families that want to hike, we recommend Waipoʻo Falls in Waimea Canyon.
Q: Which waterfalls can you hike to on Kauaʻi?
Waipoʻo, Hoʻopiʻi, Waiʻaleʻale, and Hanakāpīʻai Falls are all hike-to waterfalls. Uluwehi adds a kayak leg before the hike.
Q: Which waterfalls can you drive up to on Kauaʻi?
ʻŌpaekaʻa and Wailua Falls are both reachable by car.
Kauaʻi Waterfalls at a Glance: Access, Fees, and Map
Wailua Falls is a five-minute drive from the highway. Hanakāpīʻai Falls is an 8-mile round-trip hike. The table below ranks all ten by how hard they are to reach, so you can pick one before reading a single full entry. The map under it shows where each sits: nine of the ten, anyway. Secret Falls hides up the Wailua River and stays off the map.
Details and map locations below last verified August 2026.
| Name | Entrance fee | Note | Height |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1Waipoʻo Falls (Details ↓) | $5/person + $10/vehicle (nonresidents) | Hike in Waimea Canyon; trail ends at the top of the falls | 800 ft |
| 2Hanakāpīʻai Falls (Details ↓) | $5/person + $20/vehicle slot, reservation required | 8-mile round-trip hike on the Nāpali Coast; book Kēʻē Beach parking ahead | 300 ft |
| 3Wailua Falls (Details ↓) | $5/person + $10/vehicle (nonresidents) | Drive-up lookout, no hiking; new paid park site as of February 2026 | 140 ft |
| 4Uluwehi Falls (Secret Falls) (Details ↓) | Guided kayak tour about $120 pp, plus $5/person + $10/vehicle at the marina | Kayak the Wailua River, then a 20-minute hike | Not listed |
| 5ʻŌpaekaʻa Falls (Details ↓) | $5/person + $10/vehicle (nonresidents) | Roadside lookout in Wailua River State Park; receipt is a day pass for other park sites | 150 ft |
| 6Hoʻopiʻi Falls (Details ↓) | Free (park at Kapahi Park) | 1-mile hike each way in Kapaʻa; upper and lower falls | ~20 ft |
| 7Manawaiopuna Falls (Jurassic Falls) (Details ↓) | Helicopter tour only; landing tour $449 | Private land in the interior; the falls from Jurassic Park | 400 ft |
| 8Kīpū Falls (Details ↓) | Closed to the public | Kipu Ranch's 3-hour ATV tour ($190) visits a nearby private falls instead | Not listed |
| 9Waiʻaleʻale Falls (Blue Hole) (Details ↓) | Free | Hard 5-mile hike toward Mt. Waiʻaleʻale; experienced hikers only, guide recommended | Not listed |
| 10Kahili Falls (Five Sisters) (Details ↓) | Helicopter tour only | Private land; a cluster of at least five closely spaced falls | Not listed |
The 10 Kauaʻi Waterfalls, in Detail
These are the 10 waterfalls we recommend on Kauaʻi:
- Waipoʻo
- Hanakāpīʻai
- Wailua Falls
- Uluwehi/Secret Falls
- ʻŌpaekaʻa Falls
- Hoʻopiʻi Falls
- Manawaiopuna (Jurassic Falls, helicopter tour only)
- Kīpū Falls
- Waiʻaleʻale Falls
- Kahili Falls (Five Sisters Falls, helicopter tour only)
Waipoʻo Falls
Description: The 800-foot Waipoʻo Falls is the best family waterfall hike on Kauaʻi. The trail to Waipoʻo Falls at Waimea Canyon runs out to it across open, red-walled terrain, so the falls read bright green against the dry rock, and you get long canyon views the whole way.
Good to Know: The trail ends at the top of the falls, not the base, so you won’t swim here or see the full 800-foot drop from the end of the hike. Look at the falls from the Waimea Canyon lookouts first to get the scale, then hike in for the close view. Waimea Canyon is now a fee site: nonresidents pay $5 per person plus $10 per vehicle, and the same receipt covers Kōkeʻe State Park the same day.
The Waipoʻo Falls as seen from a lookout along the canyon road. The hike ends at the top of the falls. Image: Hawaii Tourism Authority (HTA) / Tor Johnson
Hanakāpīʻai Falls
Description: The 300-foot Hanakāpīʻai Falls is an 8-mile round trip: two miles along the Kalalau Trail on the Nāpali Coast to Hanakāpīʻai Beach, then two more up the valley on a stretch the state rates for experienced hikers only. The hike is steep and often muddy, with slippery stretches, but it is the most adventurous waterfall on this list. The route itself, with its drop-off views of the coast and ocean, is half the reason to go.
Good to Know: You don’t need a permit to day-hike to the falls, though the full Kalalau Trail does require one. Parking at the Kēʻē Beach trailhead must be reserved in advance through the state park system: nonresidents pay $5 per person to enter Hāʻena State Park plus $20 per vehicle per parking slot, and the slots sell out. Do not swim at Hanakāpīʻai Beach. The state’s own trail page warns that drownings occur here regularly.
The 300 ft (91 m) Hanakāpīʻai Falls on Kauaʻi. Photo by Casey Horner on Unsplash.
Wailua Falls
Description: The 140-foot Wailua Falls spills over jungle-draped cliffs into a wide pool below. It takes no hiking. You park at the lookout and the falls are right in front of you: the simplest waterfall on Kauaʻi to reach with kids.
Good to Know: As of February 2026 this is a paid Wailua River State Park site: nonresidents pay $5 per person plus $10 per vehicle, credit card only, and the receipt also covers ʻŌpaekaʻa Falls and the Wailua Marina that day. Parking is limited and fills fast, so come early or late. The old, unofficial trail down to the base is closed off for unstable ground, so stay at the lookout and respect the posted closures.
The Wailua Falls. Credit: Hawaii Tourism Authority (HTA) / Tor Johnson
Uluwehi Falls/Secret Falls
Description: Uluwehi Falls, in Wailua River State Park, goes by the local nickname Secret Falls, partly a holdover from the days before the internet kept any waterfall secret, and partly because it stays hard to reach. Getting there means kayaking up the Wailua River and then hiking about 20 minutes inland.
Good to Know: Because the trip pairs a paddle with a hike, a guided kayak tour is the easiest way to do it. Guided tours run about $120 per person ($70 for kids) and take 4 to 5 hours with gear and a guide included, for example this one from Wailua Kayak Adventures. Tours run weekdays only: the state closes the river to commercial kayak operators on weekends. The Wailua Marina launch is now a state park fee site too: $5 per person plus $10 per vehicle for nonresidents.
The Uluwehi (Secret) Falls. Swimming is possible, but stay out from under the falls: rocks come down with the water. Image credit: Joe Baz, source.
ʻŌpaekaʻa Falls
Description: ʻŌpaekaʻa Falls is one of the classic roadside stops on Kauaʻi, in Wailua River State Park. From a pullout off the highway you look across a green gorge at the 150-foot falls. No hiking required.
Good to Know: ʻŌpaekaʻa means rolling shrimp, named for the freshwater shrimp once common in the stream here.
Entrance fee: As part of Wailua River State Park, the ʻŌpaekaʻa Falls parking lot now charges an entry fee. Nonresidents pay $5 per person for park entry plus $10 per noncommercial vehicle for parking. Your receipt works as a day pass for the other Wailua River State Park sites.
Hoʻopiʻi Falls
Description: Hoʻopiʻi Falls sits in Kapaʻa at the end of the Hoʻopiʻi Falls Trail, about a mile each way. It’s small, maybe 20 feet, but it spills cleanly over a rocky streambed, and the walk through the forest is the kind locals do on a weekend. The pool draws a steady local crowd for a dip.
Good to Know: There is no fee, but there is no official trailhead either. The route crosses private land, so park at Kapahi Park and walk in from there. Hoʻopiʻi has an upper and a lower fall. Most people stop at the upper, so keep going downstream another 15 to 20 minutes for the quieter lower falls.
You can see the hike to the Hoʻopiʻi Falls in the following video. Skip to the 2 minute mark to see the falls:
Manawaiopuna Falls (Jurassic Falls)
Description: You have probably seen this 400-foot waterfall before. It’s the one the helicopter lands beneath in Jurassic Park, which is how it picked up the name Jurassic Falls.
The Manawaiopuna Falls, the waterfall the helicopter lands beneath in Jurassic Park. Image credit: Opacity on Flickr.
Good to Know: Manawaiopuna sits on private land deep in the island’s interior, so a helicopter tour is the only way to see it. Some tours fly over the top; Island Helicopters lands at the base, on a 75 to 80 minute flight at $449 per person. If a helicopter ride is already on your list, pick one that stops here.
Kīpū Falls (closed to the public)
Description: Kīpū Falls was once a popular swimming hole and is now closed to the public. The land is private, and access was shut after a string of deaths at the falls. Do not try to reach it on your own.
Good to Know: You can still get to a waterfall in this area legally, on private land, with Kipu Ranch. Their 3-hour waterfall off-road ATV adventure ($190 adult, $128 ages 9 to 17) crosses the ranch to a private falls and includes a swim. Tours run Tuesday through Friday; drivers must be 18 or over with a physical license, and kids ride from age 9.
Waiʻaleʻale Falls
Description: Waiʻaleʻale Falls, known as the Blue Hole, takes a hard five-mile hike (one way) toward the center of the island, where the water pours off Mt. Waiʻaleʻale. The mountain is one of the wettest places on earth, averaging more than 450 inches of rain a year.
Good to Know: This hike is for experienced hikers only. The route is easy to lose, and flash floods can raise the water in minutes, so watch the weather closely. We would go with a guide. You can contact Kauai Hiking Tours for details.
Views along the trail to the Waiʻaleʻale Falls. The trail is hard to follow and grueling if you are not in shape. Expect wild orchids and knee-deep mud most of the way. Image credit: Taylor Boger, source.
Kahili Falls (Five Sisters)
Description: The Kahili Falls, or Five Sisters, are a cluster of at least five closely spaced falls a short way upstream from Manawaiopuna. Like their neighbor, they sit on private land and can only be seen from the air.
Good to Know: Much of Kauaʻi’s waterfall country is this rugged and this private, and the air is the only way in. A helicopter flight is the one splurge we defend on this island. Not every Kauaʻi waterfall flight passes the Five Sisters, so confirm this stop with the operator before you book.
The Kahili (Five Sisters) Falls are best seen from a helicopter tour. Photo by Jordan McQueen on Unsplash
Swimming, leptospirosis, and cliff jumping: know before you go
Kauaʻi’s waterfalls are worth getting close to, and swimming is possible at several of them. A few things to keep in mind before you do:
- Please respect the posted signs. Even if other people are ignoring them, don’t. People have been injured and died at these falls: you can’t see what’s under the surface of most pools, and rockfall is a real hazard.
- If you have open cuts, stay out of the water. Many Hawaiian streams carry the bacteria that causes Leptospirosis. It can enter your body through open cuts and wounds. If you have a cut, it’s best to stay on shore and admire, even if it’s safe to swim otherwise.
- Do not drink the water. Bacteria can also enter your body if you drink contaminated water. Bring your own drinking water.
- Wear water shoes or secured sandals while in the water. Many waterfall pools have poor visibility, and the wet rocks are slippery and sharp. Water shoes protect against cuts and help you keep your footing.
- Never jump from a cliff and avoid swing ropes. You may see locals doing this, but you’re not a local. They’re experienced and familiar with the pools; you’re not.