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Waimea Valley Falls, Hike & Swim

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Waimea Falls is nestled deep in Waimea Valley on Oahu's North Shore. Here, visitors can swim in the pool at the base of the falls or enjoy a stroll through the botanical garden leading up to it. The valley also houses numerous sacred native Hawaiian conservation sites, and various cultural demonstrations are held throughout the year.
History of Waimea Falls

Known to ancient Hawaiians as "The Valley of the Priests," Waimea Valley was given its name over a thousand years ago in 1090 when Kamapua’a, the ruler of Oahu bequeathed the land to the high priest Lono-a-wohi. For hundreds of years, the descendants of the kahuna nui (high priests) lived and cared for the land while creating large heiau (temples) and numerous fishing shrines along the edges of the entrance to the valley. They even carved out burial caves within the steep cliffs of the surrounding valley walls.

The priests and their descendants were stewards of this lush paradise until Western explorers, whalers and missionaries made contact with the islands and overthrew the indigenous Hawaiian religion in the late 1700s and early 1800s. Eventually the last remaining descendant of the kahuna nui fell heavily into debt and had to mortgage the land. Upon her death in 1886, Waimea Valley was foreclosed.

Although the property went through a number of different owners, by the beginning of the 1900s, Castle & Cook held the deed to the land, but unfortunately a slew of torrential floods decimated the ancient taro fields and fruit trees that remained, and soon after, the area became used for ranching and immigrant camps. In the 1940s, after the attack on Pearl Harbor, the U.S. military moved in and built a number of installations throughout the valley.

At the end of WWII, Waimea Valley was rebranded as “Waimea Falls Ranch and Stables,” and in the 1960s and 1970s the commercialism of this venture pushed the sacred nature of the area into the shadows. This venture eventually turned the valley into a theme park complete with ATV rides and cliff diving shows in the late 90s, but it continued to struggle financially until it eventually went bankrupt.

With the future of the land at stake, the National Audubon Society was eventually awarded the lease to the land and went back to the area's roots to showcase the valley as an ecological and cultural center. Currently operated by the Office of Hawaiian Affairs, Waimea Valley's sacred natural landscape and its rich historical background are once again being recognized.

Highlights

- Waihi Waterfall: Visitors to Waimea Valley can now swim in the falls as long as they wear the provided life jackets.
- Botanical Collection: You can now explore over 150 acres of gardens filled with more than 5,000 types of tropical and sub-tropical plants, many of which are native or endangered.
- Cultural Activities: Throughout the day, there are numerous demonstrations including hula, Hawaiian games and crafts as well as story telling with kupuna.

Things to Know

Hours of Operation: 9:00am to 5:00pm, open daily except for Thanksgiving and Christmas Day.

The walk over the paved path through the Botanical Gardens is 3/4 mile one way or 1.5 miles round-trip. Golf cart shuttles are available from the ticket area to the waterfall for $6 one way or $10 round-trip.

Top-Rated Activities for Oahu

Latest reviews of Waimea Valley Falls, Hike & Swim

Majestic Guided Island Tour & Waimea Falls with Lunch - From Waikiki & Ko Olina

Great way to see the other side of the island.

2023/10/28 Couples Piper

It was a good tour and great driver. I wish we would have stopped at more of the scenic spots and skipped some of the roadside gift shops. One was enough. I would skip the Dole Plantation altogether.

Waimea Valley Toa Luau & Free Admission Entry Ticket to Waimea Falls

You feel just like family.

2023/09/25 Couples Bert & Theresa

From the beginning to the end you truly feel like you are part of the family. The host has such a love for Hawaiian history and the desire to preserve every ounce of it. What a beautiful display of culture. The meal ... more

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Waimea Valley Toa Luau & Free Admission Entry Ticket to Waimea Falls

Amazing

2023/09/10 Families with Young Children Courtney

Hands down would do again! The luau was amazing, and everyone was so kind and worked so hard to put on an amazing show. We also got to swim in the falls which was amazing. Definitely recommend! If you're reading this, ju... more

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Waimea Valley Toa Luau & Free Admission Entry Ticket to Waimea Falls

Great show

2023/09/08 Couples Noah

The show was super entertaining! 10/10.
The food was fantastic and they don’t let you go hungry :). 10/10
The bar drinks were disappointing. We each had 2 and none were drinkable. 1/10

Waimea Valley Toa Luau & Free Admission Entry Ticket to Waimea Falls

Great performance

2023/08/03 Families Yvonne

The Luau was good. The Kalua pork was amazing. The plating could have been better. The staff were very friendly and nice.

Waimea Valley Toa Luau & Free Admission Entry Ticket to Waimea Falls

Cultural Experience

2023/07/26 Couples K. C.

Great show, solid food, mixed drinks good, interactive displays fun. We got the gold package which was nice, but silver would have been almost as good. It's awesome that the botanical garden tickets were included with th... more

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Waimea Valley Falls, Hike & Swim | Book Oahu Tours, Activities & Things to Do with HawaiiActivities.com
Waimea Falls is nestled deep in Waimea Valley on Oahu's North Shore. Here, visitors can swim in the pool at the base of the falls or enjoy a stroll through the botanical garden leading up to it. The valley also houses numerous sacred native Hawaiian conservation sites, and various cultural demonstrations are held throughout the year.