Waimea Falls

A pleasant 1-mile walk through Waimea Valley and the Botanical Garden takes you to a beautiful waterfall and natural swimming pool. The 50-foot cascade pours down from the immensely wet and lush jungle valley above and eventually flows out to Waimea Bay below. Along with the nearby beach and the cultural opportunities, you can find a lot to do in this area. Not far from Hale'iwa, this is one of the iconic stops along your journey through O'ahu's North Shore.

Keep your eyes and ears peeled for some of Hawaii's wonderful songbirds among the foliage. They are small, colorful, and give off the most idyllic tunes. The ali'i, or chiefs of old, were covered in headdresses made from the feathers of these birds, which came in brilliant yellows and reds.

​There is an incredible assortment of tropical plants and flowers on the walk up to the waterfall. Waimea is known as the Valley of the Priests, and there are many sacred sites that have been left undisturbed within the valley. There used to be professional cliff divers that put on exhibitions, but they are no longer performing.

Note: Personal floatation devices are provided and required for all swimmers. Open seven days a week from 9:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m.