Rainbow Falls

Rainbow Falls

Rainbow Falls Hawaii Pixabay Public Domain

Welcome to Rainbow Falls, one of the most popular sets of waterfalls in Hawaii, located within the Wailuku River State Park in the city of Hilo. Along the Wailuku River, as you may have guessed, these falls are easily accessible and known for, as also the name suggests, rainbows that form around the surrounding mist of the cascades. The falls themselves are 80 feet tall, the base a hundred feet in diameter and surrounded by lush, dense tropical rainforest. The extraordinary natural beauty surrounding this gorge is almost unbelievable, aided nicely by the sparkling turquoise pool below the falls, as well as all the nonnative wild ginger and Monstera growing all around the waters. Be sure to bring a camera while here so you can catch all the glorious scenery within the area.

These falls are also called, by locals, Waianuenue, or rainbow water, and are known to be at their best viewing on a sunny morning around 10 am (best rainbow opportunities). Save some time to learn all about the geography of these falls and their impact on the culture and community, including the story of the natural lava cave they flow over, supposedly the home to the Hawaiian goddess Hina. A bit further upland along the river your group will also find Peepee Falls (pronounced peh-eh peh-eh), the falls that feed the famous Boiling Pots. These "boiling" pools of water appear as such due to the combination of the incoming cascade of the falls and the slow cooling of the surrounding basalt lava. At both this location and Rainbow Falls there are no lifeguards on duty, so it is not advised to swim in these inviting pools but to just admire them.