United States · Hawaii County
Waihilau Falls
Waihilau Falls is a waterfall in the Waimanu Valley, in the U.S. state of Hawaii on the island of Hawaii, the state's biggest and youngest island. It is the third-tallest waterfall in Hawaii and the thirteenth-highest in the world at 2,600 feet in height.
Facts from Wikidata and Wikipedia, compiled September 2026; season and access are our estimate, not a visit report. How we build these pages.
Waihilau Falls drops 792 metres (2,599 ft). It is a plunge-type fall, and the nearest base for a visit is Hawaii County, United States. Access to the main viewpoint is rated moderate.
Summary adapted from the Wikipedia article (CC BY-SA 4.0).
Waihilau Falls is the third-tallest of the 147 we cover in United States. 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 Waihilau Falls itself — the experience is the approach and the view. Guided day trips from Hawaii County are the easiest way to combine it with the area around it.
Also good forHikingPhotography
When to go
Getting there
- Base town Hawaii County, United States
- Country United States
- Region Hawaii County, United States, North America
- Access Moderate — a real walk — expect stairs, uneven ground or an hour on the trail
How it compares
Most similar
Puʻukaʻoku Falls
United States
Height840 mWidth—
Also a plunge waterfall, of similar height and in the United States too
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
Angel Falls is 1.2× taller than Waihilau Falls. It drops 7.3× further than Victoria Falls (108 m). We don't have a reliable crest width for Waihilau Falls yet, so it is left off the width chart. Tallest · widest lists.
On the map
20.11333, -155.6575
Quick answers
Where is Waihilau Falls?
Waihilau Falls is in United States (Hawaii County). The nearest base is Hawaii County, United States. Its coordinates are 20.1133, -155.6575.
How tall is Waihilau Falls?
Waihilau Falls drops 792 metres (2,599 feet). It is a plunge-type waterfall.
When is the best time to visit Waihilau Falls?
Peak flow is January to April and November to December. Fed by trade-wind rain: the wetter months from November to April carry the most water.
What can you do at Waihilau Falls?
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 Waihilau Falls?
The usual base is Hawaii County, United States. A real walk — expect stairs, uneven ground or an hour on the trail from there.
Nearby
Closest to Waihilau Falls
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