DK Eyewitness New ZealandDK Eyewitness
Guidebook
DK Eyewitness New Zealand
DK Eyewitness · 2024
Illustrated maps and regional chapters, helpful for planning a road trip between Taupo, Waitomo and Fiordland.
New Zealand · Far North District
Rainbow Falls (Far North District)
The Rainbow Falls, Māori name Waianiwaniwa, , are a single-drop waterfall located on the Kerikeri River near Kerikeri in New Zealand. Unlike most New Zealand waterfalls which are created by the erosion of soft rock, the Rainbow Falls are sited on a hard basalt layer of rock beside softer mudstone.
Essentials guide
Facts from Wikidata and Wikipedia, compiled September 2026; season and access are our estimate, not a visit report. How we build these pages.
Rainbow Falls (Far North District) drops 27 metres (89 ft) on the Kerikeri River. It is a plunge-type fall, and the nearest base for a visit is Bay of Islands, New Zealand. Access to the main viewpoint is rated moderate.
Summary adapted from the Wikipedia article (CC BY-SA 4.0).
As a plunge waterfall, water leaves the rock entirely and falls free through the air.
What you can do here
A walk-in-and-look waterfall
No commercial adventures run at Rainbow Falls (Far North District) itself — the experience is the approach and the view. Guided day trips from Bay of Islands are the easiest way to combine it with the area around it.
Also good forHikingPhotography
When to go
Spring, September to December, pairs snowmelt or winter rain with lengthening days; autumn (April to May) is the quieter second season.
Getting there
- Base town Bay of Islands, New Zealand
- Country New Zealand
- Region Far North District, New Zealand, Oceania
- Access Moderate — a real walk — expect stairs, uneven ground or an hour on the trail
How it compares
This waterfall
Rainbow Falls (Far North District)
New Zealand
Height27 mWidth—
Most similar
MacKenzie Falls
Australia
Height30 mWidth—
Also a plunge waterfall, of similar height and in Australia
Largest curtain
Victoria Falls
Zimbabwe · Zambia
Height108 mWidth1,708 m
Largest single sheet of falling water
Tallest on earth
Angel Falls
Venezuela
Height979 mWidth—
Widest on earth
Khone Phapheng Falls
Laos
Height21 mWidth10,783 m
Measured across the whole multi-channel system
27 m
30 m
108 m
330 m
979 m
Rainbow Falls (Far North District)MacKenzie FallsVictoria FallsEiffel TowerAngel Falls
Khone Phapheng Falls
10,783 m
Victoria Falls
1,708 m
Angel Falls is 36× taller than Rainbow Falls (Far North District). Victoria Falls is 4.0× taller. We don't have a reliable crest width for Rainbow Falls (Far North District) yet, so it is left off the width chart. Tallest · widest lists.
Watch and read
Books worth packing
Moon New ZealandJamie Christian Desplaces
Guidebook
Moon New Zealand
Jamie Christian Desplaces · 2024
Built around road trips and the Great Walks, a good fit if you're combining the Milford Track with North Island falls.
Guidebook
Lonely Planet New Zealand
Lonely Planet · 2023
The 21st edition covers Fiordland, Milford Sound, Taupo and the Waikato, so it handles every NZ fall on this site.
The Rough Guide to New ZealandRough Guides
Guidebook
The Rough Guide to New Zealand
Rough Guides · 2023
A current second opinion on routes and stays, with good coverage of the Waikato and the road into Milford Sound.
On the map
-35.21417, 173.94203
Quick answers
Where is Rainbow Falls (Far North District)?
Rainbow Falls (Far North District) is in New Zealand (Far North District). The nearest base is Bay of Islands, New Zealand. Its coordinates are -35.2142, 173.9420.
How tall is Rainbow Falls (Far North District)?
Rainbow Falls (Far North District) drops 27 metres (89 feet). It is a plunge-type waterfall on the Kerikeri River.
When is the best time to visit Rainbow Falls (Far North District)?
Peak flow is September to December. Spring, September to December, pairs snowmelt or winter rain with lengthening days; autumn (April to May) is the quieter second season.
What can you do at Rainbow Falls (Far North District)?
Beyond the viewpoints: hiking and photography. Access to the main viewpoint is rated moderate — a real walk — expect stairs, uneven ground or an hour on the trail.
How do you get to Rainbow Falls (Far North District)?
The usual base is Bay of Islands, New Zealand. A real walk — expect stairs, uneven ground or an hour on the trail from there.
Nearby
Closest to Rainbow Falls (Far North District)
Haruru Falls
New Zealand · 12 km away
Haruru Falls is a five-metre-high waterfall near the settlement of Haruru in the Far North District of New…
Whangārei Falls
New Zealand · 26 m · 60 km away
Whangārei Falls is located just on the outskirts of Whangārei on Boundary Road in the suburb of Tikipunga, a…
Paraua Rapids
New Zealand · 140 km away
Paraua Rapids is a waterfall in New Zealand.
Tarakihi Rapids
New Zealand · 140 km away
Tarakihi Rapids is a waterfall in New Zealand.