A Waterfalls experience by Umauma eXperience. Back to all Big Island tours.
Tour Summary: A Hāmākua coast waterfall site, the same one filmed for The Bachelorette, reached by van and run at a deliberately restful pace with swim, kayak, and SUP options.
Large photoJump into the splashing falls, swim in its cool waters or kayak/SUP on its clear surface - Large photo
Jump into the splashing falls, swim in its cool waters or kayak/SUP on its clear surface. Image: Umauma eXperience instagram page. - Large photo
Lunch is served at the private pavilion adjacent to the falls. Image: Umauma eXperience instagram page. - Large photo
Jump into the splashing falls! - Large photo
The waterfall swim is great for couples. - Large photo
4 Tour Highlights:
- Private river access on the Umauma River, swimming under a waterfall
- Swim, kayak, and stand-up paddleboard options at the site, with equipment provided
- Low-key pace that works from age 4 up, with an optional small cliff jump that even older guests do
- The same falls used as a filming location for ABC's The Bachelorette
Important: Check-in is 45 minutes prior to your tour time
Tour Information:
| Price: | Adult | Youth |
|---|---|---|
| (excluding taxes & fees) | $92.50 | $82.50 |
Tour Provider: Umauma eXperience
Activity: Waterfalls
Tour start time: 12pm
Duration: 1h15
Departure from: Hakalau
Pick-up available? No
Included: Catered lunch included
Cancellations: 48-hour cancellation policy: Bookings cancelled less than 48 hours before tour time will be charged in full if your seats cannot be filled.
Read more: about waterfalls in our Big Island waterfalls guide.
# Read more about this Kayak & Waterfall swim experience
This puts you in a private section of the Umauma River, reached by van from the visitor center, where you swim beneath a waterfall well away from the public Umauma Falls overlook crowd.
Where the van takes you
You check in at the Umauma Visitor Center 45 minutes before your start time, then ride a short van transfer to the river site. From there the time is yours for about 1 hour: swim, take out a kayak, try a stand-up paddleboard, do the small cliff jump, or sit on the bank and do nothing at all. A catered lunch is included. The water activity equipment is provided.
One honest note on the word private. It refers to the site, not your group. This is private river access on the operator’s own land, so you are not swimming with the general public, but you may share the spot with one other small group. Book it as a relaxed swim with a private site, not a private outing for just your party, and it delivers.
A restful stop, not an adrenaline one
The pace is deliberately low-key. This is positioned as recovery time, and it holds up that way. The cliff jump is small and gentle, the kind of thing a 74-year-old guest can do alongside swimming and paddling without a second thought. Nobody is pushing you toward the next thing. The water runs cool rather than cold.
Who it actually suits
We slot this into a Big Island itinerary as the easy stop between harder ones, the gentle add-on after a long summit drive or a full hike. Families work here, with a minimum age of 4, and at $92.50 adult and $82.50 youth it is priced as a short break rather than a headline excursion. Couples who want a relaxed picnic and a swim fit too, as long as they go in knowing it is not a solo-private outing for two.
The logistics are the part most people underestimate. The van transfer from the visitor center is what keeps the site clear of overlook traffic, and it is also why you commit to a start time rather than wandering in. The falls themselves had a turn as a filming location for ABC’s The Bachelorette, which is a real draw if you have seen the show, though it changes nothing about the swim itself. Bring a dry change of clothes for the ride back to the center.
# About Umauma eXperience
Umauma eXperience runs this swim on its own stretch of the Umauma River on the Hāmākua coast, which is why the site is private river access. The same operator runs ziplines, ATV, e-bike, and horseback tours across the property, so the river swim sits inside a working adventure operation rather than a standalone outfit.
# Affiliate Disclaimer
Booking through this page costs you nothing extra and is made directly with Umauma eXperience. We earn a commission from the operator, not from you, and it is what pays for the research that keeps lovebigisland.com free and free of paid placement. We only list operators we would send a friend to. Details on our affiliate links are here.