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Top Waterfalls on Hawaii's Big Island
Big Island of Hawaii Waterfalls
Simply put, waterfalls on the Big Island of Hawaii are some of the world's finest. The lush green northeastern coast- the Hilo and Hamakua Coast regions- is home to lovely tropical gardens nourished by the abundant rainfall the area receives. And this rainfall provides lots of opportunities to appreciate the island's falls. The best part? What takes a waterfall from "beautiful" to "spectacular" is height- and Hawaii's falls undoubtedly have it! Big Island is home to some of the tallest falls in the state.
Below we've included links to several of the best waterfalls on the Big Island, most of which you can see without a helicopter (all falls visible from the air only are noted). And while you can certainly get to some of these places on your own, a great way to see the highlights is by booking a Big Island Tour with The Volcano Van.
On the list of Big Island of Hawaii waterfalls below, we've included the height of the falls, a ranking, have noted if it's a seasonal waterfall, and have added any additional information as necessary. If you think you've located a Big Island waterfall we've omitted, please contact us, and we'll make sure it's added. Also, be sure to check out all the waterfalls in Hawaii on our Hawaii Waterfalls page.
Big Island of Hawaii Popular Waterfalls
Featured Big Island Waterfall Tours
If you're looking for the best Big Island waterfall adventures, then look no further. Our featured listings highlight those tours that combine exceptional waterfall experiences, professional guides, and more fun than you can imagine. Whether you want to soar over the falls or dive right in and swim them, we have the tour for you. Book any of these great Big Island waterfall tours today!
Founder & certified Hawai'i travel expert with 20+ years in Hawai'i tourism, University of South Carolina climate-research training, and NOAA weather-station experience.
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Trade winds are strong right now, with high surf hitting the south shore today. Windward areas are seeing frequent showers through the weekend.
South-facing beaches have dangerous surf today through Sunday—stay out of the water unless you're an experienced swimmer. East-facing shores will build rough water by Sunday or Monday. The bigger picture is a tropical system, Fausto, heading our way. It's weakening but should arrive near the islands by Tuesday or Wednesday as a tropical storm or weaker system, bringing strong winds, rough seas, and heavy rain. The exact track is still uncertain, so check the forecast daily.
Get your beach time and water activities in today through early next week on the leeward side, where conditions stay calmer. Be ready to shift plans by midweek when conditions turn rough.
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Windy conditions across Maui right now, with trade winds gusting strong. South-facing shores have high surf today and will see another big swell Saturday and Sunday—the water's dangerous unless you're an experienced ocean swimmer.
Through the weekend, windward areas will get frequent showers while trade winds stay gusty. The bigger picture arrives midweek: Hurricane Fausto is weakening as it moves toward the islands and should reach Maui as a tropical storm or weaker system Tuesday or Wednesday. That'll bring rough seas, strong winds, and heavy rain. Track and timing are still uncertain, so check updates daily.
Hit the leeward beaches and snorkel south Maui coasts today through early next week, but stay out of windward and south-facing waters through Sunday.
0:000:54
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Windy conditions dominate right now with strong trade winds pushing across the island. South-facing shores have high surf today—dangerous water if you're not an experienced swimmer.
Through the weekend, those south shores see another big swell Saturday and Sunday, and east-facing shores will build dangerous conditions by Sunday or Monday. Windward areas get frequent showers. A tropical system—the remnants of Hurricane Fausto—is weakening and headed toward the islands as a tropical storm or weaker system by Tuesday or Wednesday, bringing rough seas, strong winds, and heavy rain midweek. Timing and track are still uncertain, so check updates daily.
Leeward beaches on the Kona side stay your best bet today through early next week, but avoid the water on the windward and south shores through Sunday.
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Strong trade winds are pushing showers across windward areas through the weekend. On Kauaʻi, expect frequent showers on the windward side.
High surf is running on south-facing shores today and will build again Saturday and Sunday—stay out of the water unless you're an experienced swimmer. East-facing shores will also see dangerous swell by Sunday or Monday. Hurricane Fausto is weakening as it moves toward Hawaii. By Tuesday or Wednesday it should reach the islands as a tropical storm or weaker system, bringing rough seas, strong winds, and heavy rain. Track and timing are still uncertain, so check updates daily through midweek.
Beach time on leeward shores works through early next week. Plan water activities for today, but be ready to shift if Fausto's track becomes clearer—conditions will deteriorate by midweek.
Created with AI from the official NWS forecast discussion · verify with NWS before heading out
