Manoa Falls, O'ahu: Everything You Need to Know

Manoa Falls, Oahu. A popular and easy hike for tourists and locals alike, Manoa falls is a beautiful, 150-foot falls in the lush Manoa valley. It’s 1.7 miles round trip, with a muddy, gravel terrain. Part of the hike is uphill, but it’s generally an enjoyable and lovely hike. With a misty rain and colorful rainbows, Manoa falls has sometimes been called “valley of rainbows.” Very fitting!

This article will cover the basics of Manoa Falls hike—how to get there, how much it costs, what to expect, etc, AND the history, my favorite part. There are so many stories surrounding this area. Some stories are mysterious, while others are tragic. But if you plan on going to Manoa falls, you’ll definitely want to keep reading!

How to get to Manoa Falls

If you are staying in the Waikiki area, you can choose to rent a Hui, like we did. It’s an easy car rental option that allows you to book it for a few hours or the whole day. Here are some other options: ride the bus, catch a ride-share (like Uber or Lyft), rent a Moped. It takes about 15-30 minutes to drive there, so I don’t recommend walking.

The park entrance fee is $7 (as of December 2021). When we went, they were able to take a card.

What to expect

The trails are muddy, but it’s a sort of wet, reddish mud, not sticky mud. So while the bottoms of my shoes got pretty muddy, they were easy to clean up. The trails have gravel to keep the mud down, and it definitely helps. Since the valley is lush and there’s water everywhere (including standing water), expect mosquitoes and bugs. We didn’t use bug spray and got bites on our legs, so you’ve been warned. >.<

While the hike is relatively short (1.7 miles roundtrip), it does get quite hot, humid, and muggy. An occasional breeze will blow through the area, but expect to get somewhat sweaty. The way to the falls is mostly uphill, but the incline isn’t too bad. Enjoy the plants around the area, including bamboo, ti leaves, koa, ‘ohia, and more!

The water has leptospirosis, so I don’t recommend swimming int it, or worse, drinking it!

What to wear and bring

Of course, since it’s a hike you want some good shoes but honestly, there were plenty of people doing the hike in their slippers as they were visitors to the island, or locals who frequent the area. While it might be nice to cover up from the bugs, it can get very hot, sticky, and sweaty.

It rains in the valley, or mists frequently, so I brought an umbrella.

A little history about Manoa Falls

I lived in Oahu for a while, but my parents hardly took us around town, which I completely understand. Waikiki and Honolulu are packed with people, tourists, and busy-ness. But I

Night Marchers

If you don’t know about night marchers in Hawaii, you must not have grown up there. My mom told us all kinds of stories, especially since she grew up in Pupukea on the North Shore, a place where the night marchers frequented.

Legends of night marchers and their origins vary, but the legends can all agree on one thing: the night marchers are a spirit army, and when you hear them, you better 1) get out of there or 2) lay flat on the ground with your head to the earth, and DON’T LOOK when they march past. If you do that, they won’t bother you.

Since Manoa valley has such an interesting past, including the legends and stories told about it, I can see why people think it’s haunted. And if we even disclude the Hawaiian folklore about the area, there have been several deaths of hikers within the valley. Though it’s a relatively easy hike, it still has its dangers.

The Tragic Story of the Princess of Manoa

I’ve been doing a lot of research on Hawaiian folklore and legends. I love fairy tale and mythological retellings, so be sure to follow me on social media or sign up for my newsletter to learn more about my books and when they come out!

King Kalakaua shares in his book about the beautiful princess of Manoa. Her name was Kahalaopuna, but we’ll call her Kaha for short. The fame of her beauty spread across the Hawaiian islands and many men tried to woo her. Betrothed to Kauhi, a young chief from Kailua, Kaha kept faithful.

One day Kauhi went to a popular bathing spot, where two lesser chiefs taunted him. They wore flower lei around their necks and said that Kaha gave it to them, as well as made love with them. The two chiefs could not see very well, a physical deformation, and this only further enraged Kauhi. He thought Kaha had not only betrayed him, but mocked him.

He resorted to kill her within Manoa valley.

Kaha’s ancestor owl, an ‘aumakua, restored her to life, and Kaha followed Kauhi, asking why he did such a thing. He didn’t answer, but, instead, killed her once more. The gruesome incident occurred three times, and the owl ancestor restored Kaha’s life.

She followed him until Waikiki, and, for the fifth time, Kauhi killed her. But this time, he buried her body under the roots of a koa tree. Satisfied that the owl couldn’t reach her, he left.

A young chief, Mahana, found Kaha’s body, alive, under the tree. He took her to his home, where she was able to recover with the aid from Mahana and his sisters.

Though Mahana and Kaha fell in love, they couldn’t wed because of Kaha’s betrothal. Kaha and her family confronted Kauhi, and he admitted to murdering her. He, along with the two lesser chiefs that lied about her from the start, were cooked in an imu and their bones tossed into the sea.

Kauhi’s family gods rescued his remnants and turned him into a shark. Because of this, Kaha was warned not to go into the sea.

Mahana and Kaha married and were happy for two years. One day, Kaha longed to return to the ocean. She took a surfboard and paddled beyond the reef. Kauhi seized his opportunity at revenge and devoured her.

The shocked and grief-ridden parents of Kaha retired to Manoa valley, her father known as Manoa Wind, and her mother as Manoa Rain.

So don’t be surprised if it rains within the valley, a misty, light rain, as though Kaha’s parents are weeping, missing their daughter.

Read the full story, written by King Kalakaua, here: The Princess of Manoa

Chinese Influence in Manoa

The valley has a lot of mana, spiritual power and vibe, which is comparable with the Chinese concept of qi, chi, or life force. A young Chinese immigrant by the name of Lum Ching wanted to find a place suitable for the spirits. He searched until he came upon a spot where he felt powerful qi. He said, ““it’s the pulse of the watchful dragon of the valley. people from all directions will come across the seas and gather here to pay homage… the Chinese people must buy this area and keep it as sacred ground.”

The Chinese immigrants did buy the land, and the Chinese cemetery remains in the Manoa valley. The words “yi-cheng” inscribe the markers of the cemetery and mean “connection and righteousness.”

Is the cemetery full of qi? You’ll have to go and feel for yourself. 🙂

Final Thoughts

Have you gone to Manoa falls? When my husband and I went, we really enjoyed it. The hike was easy, the forest lush, and everything so green. The convenience and distance from Waikiki, where we stayed, was also a plus.

I hope you enjoyed this article, as well as the stories I’ve shared. When we learn a little more about the places we visit, we appreciate it more! Let me know in the comments about your Manoa falls experience? Do you recommend it? 🙂

Mahalo!

Lei

If you’re looking for more ideas or things to do during your stay in Waikiki, check out these articles: