Manoa Falls Trail, about 50 minutes from the Ko Olina Beach Villas, is a great walking trail that offers up gorgeous rainforest and Manoa Valley scenery along the way and culminates in a 100-foot high waterfall.
Manoa Falls Trail is a roundtrip distance of just 1.6 miles and has an uphill grade that isn’t too demanding. The trail is shaded by trees for most of the journey. Along the way, you’ll see and smell eucalyptus trees, banyan trees, tropical flowers, and eventually a bamboo grove. The entire way, you’ll take in breathtaking, panoramic views of the misty green valley below as you hike uphill.
Manoa Valley is considered a rainforest. So even if it’s dry and sunny just a few miles away, you can expect the trail to be drizzly or downright rainy. There’s a good chance you’ll spot at least one rainbow while you’re there. Midway up the trail, there’s a detour that takes you on a parallel path through a bamboo grove, and then it eventually rejoins the main trail. Because this detour tends to be less muddy and slippery, you may want to take it.
At the end of the trail, you are rewarded with a view of the 100-foot-high Manoa Falls, which flows straight down a large rock face. Depending on the amount of recent rainfall, the waterfall could be an impressive gush or a disappointing trickle.
The entire walk takes 1-2 hours roundtrip, depending on how muddy the trail is, how fit you are, and how long you linger at the waterfall. Once you get back to the trailhead, there are some hoses you can use to rinse the mud from your shoes and legs.
There is paid parking in the Paradise Park parking lot at the trailhead. Be sure to wear mosquito repellent, close-toed shoes, and clothes you don’t mind getting wet and muddy.
Remember to bring water to drink, a camera, a towel (you may be wet and muddy), and a change of shoes and clothes if you plan to go somewhere else afterward and want to be dry and clean. If you tend to be unsteady on your feet, you may want to bring a walking stick or find a branch that you can use when you get to the trail.
For more information, including directions and maps, visit https://hawaiitrails.hawaii.gov/trails/#/trail/manoa-falls-trail/225.
