A Waterfalls experience by Kulaniapia Falls. Back to all Big Island tours.
Tour Summary: One of the only swimmable waterfalls near Hilo where a daily visitor cap means you won't share the pool with a crowd.
IF conditions are suitable you can use on-property SUP and kayak equipment to explore the waterfall. Image credit: The Inn at Kulaniapia Falls. 
If conditions are suitable you can use on-property SUP and kayak equipment to explore the waterfall. Credit: Hawaii Tourism Authority (HTA) / Heather Goodman View of the 120-ft Kulaniapia waterfall from the bamboo garden. Credit: the Inn at Kulapiania Falls. IF conditions are suitable you can use on-property SUP and kayak equipment to explore the waterfall. Image credit: The Inn at Kulaniapia Falls. Overview of all 4 private waterfalls. The rapelling will happen at the tallest waterfall in the top-right of the image. Credit: the Inn at Kulapiania Falls.
4 Tour Highlights:
- 4-hour access to Kulaniapia Falls and surrounding nature trails
- Kayak and paddlboard rentals are available when river conditions are suitable for swimming
- At 120ft, the Kulaniapia Falls are 40ft taller than the famous Rainbow Falls!
- The discounted price of $49/$29 is available for the 10am start time only.
Important: The discounted price of $69/$49 is available for the 10am start time only. Please bring everything you need to enjoy your day (towels, swimwear, etc.), lunch, and a (refillable) water bottle. There is a refilling station, but no food / drinks are sold on-site
Tour Information:
| Price: | Adult | Youth |
|---|---|---|
| (excluding taxes & fees) | $49 | $29 |
Price note: The $49 adult / $29 child rate is the 10 a.m. early-arrival slot. Later slots, 11 a.m. through 3 p.m., are $69 adult and $49 child. A kamaʻaina vehicle pass with Hawaii ID covers up to 8 guests for $99 to $149.
Tour Provider: Kulaniapia Falls
Activity: Waterfalls
Tour start time: 10am (at a discounted price), 11am, 12pm, 1 pm, 4pm (important: for dinner guests only).
Duration: 4 hours
Location: Hilo
Pick-up available? No
Included: Also includes discounts on the Waterfall Rappelling tour and the Farm to Table Cooking Class.
Cancellations: Customers will receive a full refund or credit with 48 hours notice of cancellation for 2 guests, 72 hours for 3-4 guests, and 7+ days for 5 or more guests. Customers will also receive a full refund or credit in case of operator cancellation due to safety or other unforeseen circumstances, however, please note, we operate rain or shine. On days when swimming is not safe, you may still access the trails, etc, but we do not provide refunds in such cases. Contact the Inn at Kulaniapia Falls by phone at 808-935-6789 to cancel or inquire about a cancellation. No-shows will be charged the full price.
Read more: about waterfalls in our Big Island waterfalls guide.
Read more about how the waterfall daypass works
Kulaniapia Falls caps the number of visitors admitted each day, and it shows. Reviewers consistently report walking in to a near-empty property: just a handful of other guests, or none at all. For a 120-ft waterfall within an easy drive of Hilo, that is unusual.
View of the 120-ft Kulaniapia waterfall from the bamboo garden. Credit: the Inn at Kulapiania Falls
The experience starts with a walk through a bamboo forest down to the waterfall pool. The trail is easy, with some mud depending on recent rain. At the bottom, the main falls drop into a pool you can swim in when river conditions allow. The water runs cold year-round. A quick dip is fine without a wetsuit; extended swimming is better with one. The banks are rocky with limited seating and no beach area, but there is a covered seating area available a few feet from the pool entrance.
IF conditions are suitable you can use on-property SUP and kayak equipment to explore the waterfall. Image credit: The Inn at Kulaniapia Falls.
The property covers 40 acres, with trails and views of three additional smaller waterfalls and the bamboo gardens. Kayak and SUP rentals are available when water levels are safe, at $27/person (this is not included in the day pass price). No food or drinks are sold on-site, so bring lunch, snacks, and a refillable water bottle. There is a filling station on the property.
This tour is worth it considering if you want a waterfall you can actually reach without queuing for a viewpoint, and without a tour group around you. It is self-directed: no guide on the trails, no schedule beyond your arrival time. If you want structure built into the visit, the rappelling or cooking class add-ons are the way to get it.
If we are being honest, the low visitor count is the real product here. The staff gets consistently good marks for being welcoming and patient. The main thing to manage is expectations around swimming: conditions are assessed on the day, the water is cold, and if levels are too high for safe swimming, access to trails stays open but you cannot enter the pool.
Discounted arrival time
The 10am arrival is the discounted slot at $49/person — later times run around $20 more per person.
Good to know:
Have a good look at the following rules before making your reservation:
- Important: There is no access to the property without an advance reservation.
- Same day bookings, when available, are subject to additional fee of $20/guest.
- Discounted Arrival Time: The 10am arrival is discounted with $20/person (your whole party may arrive early if any of you book an activity that starts before 10am). You must arrive promptly at 10am. After 10:30am, late arrivals are subject to an additional fee of $20/guest.
- Additional entry times (full price) at 11am, 12pm and 1pm
- 4pm admission time is for dinner guests only. You can buy the dinner admission here on the Kulaniapia falls website.
- The daypass is valid for 4 Hours, depending on entry time
- The daypass gives access to the grounds rain or shine. Swimming / kayaking / paddleboarding is only allowed when river conditions are safe, but trails are always open. While no refunds are provided due to unsafe swimming conditions, if conditions are unsafe on the day you book, you may come another day, free of charge.
Discounts on the waterfall rappel and farm-to-table cooking class
Your day pass also includes a discount credit (equal to your base admission price, excluding taxes and fees) toward the waterfall rappelling tour, farm-to-table cooking class, farm tour, and other on-property experiences. If you’re planning to add one of those, you can signal your interest when booking.
Read more about the waterfall Rappell. Credit: the Inn at Kulapiania Falls.
Gather farm-fresh produce together before starting the cooking class. Image credit: The Inn at Kulaniapia Falls.
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