Page 2) Sacred Falls Adventure - Wailua River Kayak, Hike & Waterfall Swim reviews, Kauai tours & activities, fun things to do in Kauai | HawaiiActivities.com

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Sacred Falls Adventure - Wailua River Kayak, Hike & Waterfall Swim

Overall Rating

4.80 4.80 / 5

Reviews

122 reviews
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Kauai Kayak was a great adventure!

Reviewed by: Dave, 2021/10/13

We had an awesome time. The adventure was a little strenuous at times but we got through it and the end rewards was well worth the effort! Our guide Devan was great and encouraged everyone along the way and was very knowledgeable of the area. The waterfall was amazing but the water cold! We really enjoyed the experience. We’ll worth it!

Reply from activity provider


Aloha Dave,
Glad that our guide enriched the experience and that you made it to the falls.
Reviews like yours helps match the tour to the right people and let them know what is in store.
Thanks for taking the time to share.
Keep chasing rainbows and waterfalls.

A hui hou,

Micco
Head Guide

Rating:
Attended as:Couples
Activity Date:2021/10/11
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Awesome experience

Reviewed by: Anthony , 2021/09/25

The kayak Kauai company was awesome. We missed our original appointment and they were still able to accommodate us. Garrett was an awesome guide. Very informative

Reply from activity provider

Aloha Anthony,
Thanks for taking the time to compliment our awesome staff. We do rock and really try to hard to make everybody happy and go the extra yard.
Thanks for sharing.
Micco
Head Guide.

Rating:
Attended as:Couples
Activity Date:2021/09/23
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Best part of our trip to Kauai!

Reviewed by: J’Neal, 2021/09/24

This tour was by far our favorite part of our entire trip. The kayaking is beautiful and relaxing - easy enough for beginners (like some people in our group) but still very enjoyable for seasoned kayakers like my husband and me. The hike was also a lot of fun. A bit challenging at times - not so much in the way of fitness, but more-so because there are some places where it’s uneven and slippery. But as long as you wear good water shoes and step carefully, it’s a fairly easy hike even for someone that’s out of shape like me. The waterfall and swimming hole are stunning. Totally worth the muddy hike. Something we’ll never forget. And the guides are AMAZING! Our guide was Garrick - he was super knowledgeable, friendly, fun, and funny. He made the entire trip a blast. And at one point we met up with another group and their guide, Ty, was also super knowledgeable and funny - and played the ukulele on the hike back down. It was great! I would absolutely recommend this to anyone visiting Kauai and would definitely do it again.

Reply from activity provider

Aloha J’Neal,


What a nice review with some advice of how to negotiate the often muddy trail. As you shared good water shoes helps allot.


Thanks for taking the time to let us know, well I mean that Garrick, continues to do good if not great job. Glad that you got to meet one of our other guides Tyler as well.

I can honestly say we have a great group of guides who truly love what they do and are their to interpret and share their particular and unique form of aloha.

Thanks for making it possible. You both sound like you might be candidates for our day long Na Pali sea kayak tour.

Stay active.

A hui hou,

Micco
Head Guide


Rating:
Attended as:Couples
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Challenging but worth it!

Reviewed by: Mary W, 2021/09/20

As a beginning kayaker, this was an energizing and satisfying ride. Make sure you have sturdy shoes for the hike. Our water ‘shoes’, more like socks, did not work as well as the closed toed more sturdy shoes would have been better and what most people had on. We made it though! That dip in the waterfall was worth the whole trip! J, our guide, was informative, attentive and amusing. Highly recommended.

Reply from activity provider

Aloha Mary,

Yep…just the right amount of paddling and hiking. By the time your arms are getting tired…you are out and hiking to the falls.

Thanks for taking time to share and reflect on your tour with your guide Jay.

Sturdy hiking shoes makes it much more enjoyable; thanks for warning others.

Keep active and sharing aloha,

Thanks again for your nice review.

A hui hou,

Micco
Head Guide



Rating:
Attended as:Families
Activity Date:2021/09/18
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We made it!!

Reviewed by: Ke , 2021/08/23

If you've never Kayaked with your spouse. Practice yelling at each other before the tour. Once you figure it out, you'll be glad you did it. Amazing views and swimming in the grotto of the waterfall is an amazing experience!!

Reply from activity provider

Aloha Ke, We often say about paddling with your spouse, "Families that paddle together...pray together"> Glad you figure out the paddling stroke and enjoyed this beautiful area that is the Wailua River complex. Keep yelling, paddling and enjoying each other. A hui hou, Micco

Rating:
Attended as:Couples
Activity Date:2021/08/21
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Relaxing River Time

Reviewed by: Kelda & Jody Senyohl, 2021/08/11

Ty was an amazing guide! He was extremely knowledgeable about the flora and very fun to talk with throughout the entire trip! Thank you also Ty for the recommendations for the North Shore! We snorkeled Tunnels and had an amazing sunset too!! Thank you for a terrific day! Mahalo!

Reply from activity provider

Aloha Kelda y/o Jody,

Thanks for taking the time to confirm what we already know, i.e. that Tyler is rockin in the field!

You may not know that in the background Tyler running our Wailua River program and scheduling and hiring our other excellent guides while keeping equipment in excellent shape.

Tyler make it all possible.

Thanks for taking the time...and keep hiking, paddling and snorkeling.

A hui hou,

Micco
Head Guide

Rating:
Attended as:Couples
Activity Date:2021/08/09
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Kayaking Only

Reviewed by: Gina M., 2021/07/07

We went on a 2 hour kayaking trip. Unfortunately, the hike/sacred falls was cancelled due to inclement weather. It was a bummer, but we know it was for our safety. However, it did hurt a little when we were seeing others continuing to go past the fork in the river. We did get a partial refund. After concluding our kayaking trip, our tour guide Tyler did point us to the Nounou trail to hike which was great. So we were able to fill more of our day on this hike with spectacular views!

Reply from activity provider

Aloha Gina,

Safety is no accident!

When in doubt we don't go out or up the North Fork that constricts and is more prone to flooding as consequence.

Having pioneered the tour we have safely been guiding folks to the falls for the last 37 years while other companies have lost clients in flood like conditions.

We love repeat business and believe "safety is no accident".

Glad to hear that Tyler was able to take curve and make it a plus.

Stay well and safe. Thanks for sharing.

A hui hou,

Micco

Rating:
Attended as:Couples
Activity Date:2021/07/05
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Worth the work!

Reviewed by: Kim H, 2021/06/24

Ty was very patient and informative. We had a great time. The falls are definitely not a secret, got very crowded, I suggest taking the earliest tour possible. I would absolutely do this again!

Reply from activity provider

Aloha Kim,

When we pioneered this tour to the Falls we called it the Secret Falls.

Victim of our own success...it quickly became the best known secret. Now we call it the Sacred Falls and inspite its popularity, as you observed and learned, it is still a terrific way to spend the day.

Thanks for sharing and for 5 star review and photo

Stay paddling and hiking.

A hui hou,

Micco

Rating:
Attended as:Couples
Activity Date:2021/06/21
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Great trip

Reviewed by: Lee T, 2021/06/08

A good variety of activities with kayaking, hiking and the waterfall/swimming.

Reply from activity provider

Aloha Lee,

Thanks for the 5 hokus/stars.

Feel our Wailua River Paddle and Hike is a nice combination of upper and lower body.

By the time your arms might be getting tired from paddling you are hitting the trail and working the legs to get to the falls.

Stay active and thanks for taking the time to share.

A hui hou,

Micco
Head Guide

Rating:
Attended as:Families
Activity Date:2021/05/12
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Fantastic way to spend a half day in Kauai

Reviewed by: Halls, 2021/05/15

Dustin was amazing. He was very patient and helpful in teaching everyone how to kayak. The hike was challenging through streams, rocks and mud but Dustin made sure everyone was safe and knew what to do. It is definitely a tour I would do again. The waterfall was beautiful. We learned a lot about Kauai history and the plants and trees we saw along the way.

Reply from activity provider

Aloha Halls,

Thanks for letting us know that Dustin continues to "rock". Isn't it great to traverse a beautiful area like the Wailua River and appreciate its cultural and natural history.

We all fortunate to have Dustin share his knowledge, patience and brand of Aloha,

Thanks again for your kinds words.

A hui hou,

Micco
Head Guide

Rating:
Attended as:Families
Activity Date:2021/05/13
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Kauai Kayak - the best

Reviewed by: Mary SantaFe, 2021/03/05

I did a mid week kayak trip with Kauai Kayak. Instructor was excellent, gear provided was in good shape, and the lunch was fresh and delicious. The walk portion described as “along the river bank” was challenging as we walked over large river rock and then through streams, boulders, and mud to reach the falls. The company provides an excellent trip and I would easily recommend them to anyone interested in a fun and challenging half day.

Reply from activity provider

Aloha Mary, Thanks for taking the time and sharing with others your impressions of our Wailua River Sacred Falls paddle & hike. We try to do a good job and have managed to retain staff through this pandemic. Thanks for making it possible and helping share the salutary and beautiful Kaua'i outdoors. Stay well...and outdoors. A hui hou, Micco

Rating:
Attended as:Solo Travelers
Activity Date:2021/03/03
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A knowledge guide with a great sense of humor made it such a great experience!

Reviewed by: Libby V, 2020/12/26

The waterfall is beautiful, the river is stunning in its peaceful beauty. The guide was so knowledgeable, engaging and funny; the food was so tasty! (I need to get the name of the place they got it from;-). Great experience overall, strongly recommend!

Reply from activity provider

Aloha Libby, Thanks for taking the time to let us all know we are doing a good job. Makes it all worth it. Shoot us all when/if we ever loose our sense humor. Moral of the story is you can have fun and also be safe. Our caterer is Passions Bakery: https://www.passionbakeries.com/?v=7516fd43adaa

Stay well...and keep laughing and soon we wil be up and about.

A hui hou.

Micco

Rating:
Attended as:Solo Travelers
Activity Date:2020/12/01
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Great knowledgable guided tour... amazing hike!

Reviewed by: Julia , 2020/11/18

We signed up for the kayaking but the hike and the waterfall was the best part of it!!
Our guide Jay was so knowledgeable about the nature, trees, plants and history of Kauai! we learnt so much and even had a taste of Kuala along the way
highly recommend this adventure, the 5 hours passed so fast!
Do it!! all get and skill levels!

Reply from activity provider

Aloha Julia, So nice to be outdoors and sharing the beauty of Kaua'i with visitors and locals alike once again. Good to know that Jay has dusted his wares and sharing his knowledge of all things Kaua'i. We are very fortunate to have him out in the field. Thanks again for your kind words and keep enjoying the salutary outdoors. Stay well. Micco/Head Guide

Rating:
Attended as:Families
Activity Date:2020/11/16
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Great Adventure!

Reviewed by: Staci, 2020/03/14

Jay was our guide and he couldn't have been more awesome. He's a local and a bit of a botanist so he was very knowledgeable and truly happy to take us on the tour. The kayak to the hike was fairly easy for two inexperienced kayakers as we were flowing down stream. The hike was fairly easy for non-experienced hikers. We went during the rainy season so it was very muddy, so it was a bit slick in spots, but that's part of what made it fun. The waterfall was astounding. So tall and powerful. Well worth the hike to see it's beauty. The lunch provided was enjoyable. The kayak trip back was a bit of a challenge as you're going upstream, but once you hit a nice flow, it becomes much easier. I would definitely recommend this excursion to anyone visiting the island looking for a little adventure!

Reply from activity provider

Aloha Staci,

Glad you enjoyed your recent paddle and hike on our Wailua River Sacred/Secret Falls tours.

Jay is a local boy who has proudly been sharing the beauty of Kaua'i with friends, locals and visitors alike; he "walks the talk".

You're description of the tour is great. The more mud...translates for a more forceful waterfall.

Thanks for taking the time to share with us and others your experience.

Keep paddling and hiking.

A hui hou,

Micco
Head Guide

Rating:
Attended as:Couples
Activity Date:2020/02/18
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Amazing time!

Reviewed by: lk , 2020/03/14

“Doc” was our guide and we had a great time kayaking and hiking to the sacred falls. It’s an all day trip so plan for it and it’s not for people who can’t handle the long bike and kayaking. Prepare to get muddy! Definitely unforgettable!

Reply from activity provider

Aloha Ik,

It is nice to have a "Doc" in the crowd when you are hiking to the Sacred/Secret Falls.

We are blessed to have Doc lead our Wailua River paddle and hike tour as he juggles other commitments in life.

Thanks for reminding folks that there will be mud. We are fond of saying, "embrace the mud"! More mud ...the stronger the falls is.

Thanks for you kind words and 5 star review and for making it possible for us all to share the beauty of Kaua'i with others.

A hui hou,

Micco
Head Guide.

Rating:
Attended as:Families
Activity Date:2020/03/11
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Great time.

Reviewed by: Dan, 2020/02/14

Great time. Good solid adventure and not too much exertion for relatively fit mid-40s husband and wife. Water was cold in February but probably feels nice in summer. Josh was a great guide- lots of interesting history and knowledge along the way. Be sure to hike in the puddles, as odd as that sounds. It has the best footing and you are going to get muddy and wet anyway.

Reply from activity provider

Aloha Dan,

Glad you enjoyed your Wailua River Secret/Sacred Falls tour with your guide Josh. Thanks for your wise council on the trail. I think more folks have gotten injured trying to avoid puddles instead of just plowing through them and resigning themselves to wet shoes and mud.

Your guide, as all our excellent guides at Kayak Kaua'i, bring a real love to what they do and there to keep you informed, entertained and safe.

Stay paddling and hiking. Until our paths cross.

A hui hou,

Micco
Head Guide

Rating:
Attended as:Couples
Activity Date:2020/02/10
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Great family experience!

Reviewed by: Mike E., 2020/01/04

This was a great experience for my wife, our 16-year old daughter and me! And our guide, Tyler, was extremely helpful, friendly and knowledgeable about the area and the various interesting things we experienced along the river and the trail leading up to the waterfall. We highly recommend this excursion to anyone visiting Kauai!

Yes, the trail is muddy, but you just have to, in Tyler's words, "Embrace the mud" and not worry about it and your experience will be much enhanced. And the falls at the end were magnificent -- my daughter and I swam up to the base of them and the winds had spray had to be hurricane-force.

My only advice is to book the early-morning tours, before the crowds begin showing up. That way, you will have the trail (and the falls) mostly to yourself, and the mud won't be as bad.

This was a great experience and is highly recommended. Thanks Tyler!

Reply from activity provider

Aloha Mike,

Nice review and correct, if you come with the mind set that it will be muddy, you will have better time.

We are blessed to have Tyler working with us.

Morning tours are definitely nice, but ending the day on the river is not too shabby either.

Thanks for sharing and thanks for making it possible and for your kind words.

A hui hou,

Micco
Head Guide.

Rating:
Attended as:Families
Activity Date:2020/01/01
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Great experience

Reviewed by: David , 2019/12/03

Beautiful all tge way to the waterfall. Tour Guide was very knowledgeable about the plant life.wear water shoes !! Or shoes ur willing to throw away. Worth every penny.

Reply from activity provider

Aloha David,
Thanks for you 5 star review.
Glad you enjoyed the tour and thanks for making folks aware that some sort of shoes, like water/aqua shoes are a good idea.
Happy Holidays....and thanks for takin the time to share and letting our guides are doing a good job and keeping you informed.
A hui hou,

Micco
Head Guide

Rating:
Attended as:Couples
Activity Date:2019/10/07
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Great adventure for all ages!

Reviewed by: Anna, 2019/08/26

Dustin did a great job interacting with all of us and we were a very diverse group (age, gender and skill level)!

He was very knowledgeable of Hawaiian culture. We also learned a lot about the plants and animals of the area. Beware of the wild boar. ;-)

The hike was muddy but not too difficult. The waterfall was spectacular and much colder than expected.

Would definitely do this again! The morning is cooler and may be drier than the afternoon.

Rating:
Attended as:Families
Activity Date:2019/07/31
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Sacred falls adventure

Reviewed by: Amy, 2019/07/28

Easy kayaking. The hike is easy but take your time not to fall. Our guide was helpful at crossing all more challenging obatacles. Beautiful falls and swimming area. Nice lunch.

Reply from activity provider

Aloha Amy,

Yes...wise council...go slow. Half the fun is getting there!

Thanks for sharing and glad we were able to share the day with you.

Keep chasing waterfalls.

A hui hou,

Micco
Head Guide

Rating:
Attended as:Families
Activity Date:2019/07/25
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Review of kayak and hike

Reviewed by: John, 2019/07/26

Overall I had fun. The trip is basically kayak for 2 miles, hike for 1 mile, visit a 100' water fall, and then hike back for 1 mile and then kayak for 2 miles. Since I like physical activity, this trip worked well for me.

Kayaking requires some physical work, and since there are 2 people per kayak, at last one should be in good physical shape.

Hiking was through lots of mud. You will cross streams, ankle deep mud, and will get dirty. Best to wear sandals since sneakers will be ruined. My youngest son loved this part (getting dirty is always fun).

  • Rainbow during kayak

  • Waterfall. There is a pool at the bottom.

Reply from activity provider

Aloha John,

Thanks for taking the time and for your nice and constructive review on what to expect and what to bring.

If you don't like to paddle and hike this could be wrong tour for some.

Keep active...and thanks again.

A hui hou,

Micco
Head Guide.

Rating:
Attended as:Families
Activity Date:2019/07/16
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BEST DAY EVER!

Reviewed by: Renee, 2019/06/22

A beautiful, unique, and memorable experience. The guide was friendly and helpful, everyone was able to paddle up the river at their own pace, the river is lined with greenery, but the real treats were the hike along a gorgeous trail with amazing foliage and, of course, the waterfall. Swimming in the pool at the base of the waterfall and looking up at the water pouring over the cliff is an experience like no other. I went with my teenage daughter on a beautiful sunny day. There were no significant recent rains, so the trail was not muddy or slippery and the hike wasn't strenuous at all. I highly recommend this tour!

Reply from activity provider

Aloha Renee,

Glad you enjoyed our Wailua River paddle and hike to the Sacred Falls with your daughter.

Yes it’s pretty classic and you gave a really nice review. Thanks for taking the time and until our trails cross.

Stay paddling and hiking.

Aloha,

Micco

Rating:
Attended as:Families
Activity Date:2019/06/19
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Had a great time

Reviewed by: Nicole, 2019/05/02

Even with the rain it was a blast... wear proper shoes they will get muddy!!

Reply from activity provider

Aloha Nicole,

Without rain you could not have rainbows.

Thanks for warning people about shoes.

Until our trails meet again.

Thanks for taking the time.

Micco

Rating:
Attended as:Couples
Activity Date:2019/04/29
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Sacred Falls Kayak and Hike

Reviewed by: Tena, 2019/04/19

We very much enjoyed the kayak and hike to Sacred Falls! Our guide Dustin was outstanding! He shared his knowledge of the area and kept us entertained with his jokes throughout the tour. The hike is muddy so wear shoes you don’t mind getting wet and dirty.
We would definitely do this activity again!

Reply from activity provider

Aloha Tena,

Dustin is on a roll. One out of every 3 honorable mentions this month, has Dustin's name affixed.

That said all our guides I can humbly say, "Do an outstanding job!".

Thanks for warning others about the property shoes to wear.

Stay paddling and hiking.

Thanks again for sharing.

Micco
Head Guide

Rating:
Attended as:Couples
Activity Date:2019/04/16
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Great time

Reviewed by: Ron Z, 2019/03/31

This was a great time. This was our first time in kayak and we did awesome as our guide said. The hike to the falls was muddy but well worth it. I would recommend it for anyone looking for a little adventure.

Reply from activity provider

Thanks Ron for a nice review. Summer "dryness" has arrived and the trail is a wee bit less muddy. Thanks for warning folks about the mud.
Stay paddling and hiking.

A hui hou,

Micco
Head Guide

Rating:
Attended as:Couples
Activity Date:2019/03/27
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Best Part if our trip!

Reviewed by: Pilar Abalos, 2019/02/27

We got to kayak down the Wailua River. Jay our guide was amazing. He told us about historical information about the beautiful island of Kauai and it’s history. Our hike to the waterfall was deep in the interior and he pointed out plants and trees and gave us history and background about them. He was patient and very friendly. Our swim in the falls was something on my bucket list and was definitely what I was expecting and more! Thank you to Jay and everyone at Kayak Kauai!

Reply from activity provider

Aloha Pilar,

Glad to hear that not only that Jay did a great job guiding but that he help lighten "your bucket".

Keep filling up that bucket and thanks for letting others know what a good job Jay is doing; we are very
fortunate to have him on board.

A hui hou,

Micco

Rating:
Attended as:Families
Activity Date:2019/02/23
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Excellent Choice!

Reviewed by: Trish F, 2019/01/11

Wonderful experience! Our guide Dustin was amazing and shared interesting history of Hawaii. Well worth it! We'd do it again!

Reply from activity provider

Aloha Trish,

Dustin is a legend in his own mind...but then maybe, given your review, he is a legend. Thanks for sharing and confirming what we all knew at Kayak Kaua'i, i.e. that Dusting rocks.

Until our wakes or trail meet.

Micco

Rating:
Attended as:Couples
Activity Date:2019/01/08
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Sacred Falls

Reviewed by: Karen, 2018/11/06

We took the Sacred Falls kayak, hike and waterfall swim with Doc as our guide. He was awesome, providing great information about many of the plants we saw. He was better than our guide at one of the botanical gardens we visited. He also provided information on Hawaiian culture and history. The kayaking was at a very comfortable pace. My advice to future visitors would be to wear shoes you wouldn't mind throwing away. The mud was VERY deep but not too difficult to hike through. The waterfall was beautiful and a fun place to at least wash off your feet!

Reply from activity provider

Aloha Karen,

Thanks for sharing your impressions and insights to our Wailua Sacred Falls.

Glad to hear that Doc is doing a good job. Very lucky to have a Doctor in our employ who brings a real love and knowledge of the environment we are celebrating>

Stay paddling and hiking.

Thanks again.

A hui hou,

Micco
Head Guide

Rating:
Attended as:Couples
Activity Date:2018/10/31
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Great weather, great guide, beautiful view

Reviewed by: Mylène, 2018/11/05

The kayak ride down the river was beautiful and relaxing. The waterfall was beautiful, and worth the hike! However the trail is very muddy and we weren't expecting that, and therefore ruined our good pair of running shoes. It is worth it, but do bring a good pair of shoes (you'll need them!) but that you don't mind getting wet and dirtying forever.

Reply from activity provider

Aloha Mylene,

Thanks for nice review.

Yes...we usually recommend some "beater tennis shoes" or sports sandals for hike to the waterfall.

Thanks for sharing and keep on paddling and hiking.

A hui hou,

Micco
Head Guide

Rating:
Attended as:Couples
Activity Date:2018/11/02
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Absolutely amazing! Exotic hike/waterfall swim checked off bucket list!

Reviewed by: Ashley , 2018/10/04

Our leader, “T” was awesome. He had so many cool stories, and was a local that knew it all. He did the whole hike barefoot, which I could have never done!!
Beautiful adventure. Well worth the money.

Reply from activity provider

Mr T...has a lot of "sole"...that is why he can amble in bare feet.
T is classic and allot of fun. A real pleasure to work with. Glad to hear
that he is sharing his aloha in the field. Thanks for sharing.

A hui hou,
Micco

Rating:
Attended as:Couples
Activity Date:2018/09/29
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