10 Must-See Maui Waterfalls (5+ That You Can Swim In)
Wondering which waterfalls to chase in Maui? You’ve come to the right article.
I recently spent 5 days exploring Maui, and visiting the natural waterfalls was by far my favorite part of the trip. Maui has many stunning waterfalls tucked along the Road to Hana, and hidden in the West Maui mountains.
With so many different waterfalls, it can be confusing to decide which ones to visit. This article will cover the best waterfalls to visit, whether you want to swim in them, or go for a scenic hike.
Here are 10 beautiful Maui waterfalls that you won’t want to miss.
Note: There’s little to no cell service on the road to Hana. I recommend downloading the offline map, as it’s easy to drive right past the waterfalls!
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Best Maui Waterfalls
Pua’a Ka’a Falls
- Location: Road to Hana
- Highlight: 2 tiered waterfall with plunge pools, and dedicated parking area
Pua’a Ka’a Falls are one of the most easily accessible waterfalls I stumbled across while driving the road to Hana. This is a series of two waterfalls and plunge pools, with a small parking lot, picnic areas, and restrooms.
This is the perfect place to stop for a picnic, or take a dip in the upper or lower waterfall on the road to Hana.
Twin Falls
- Location: Road to Hana
- Highlight: 2 tiered waterfall with swimmable pools on a private nature reserve, with a dedicated parking area ($10/vehicle)
Twin Falls is the first waterfall you’ll come across as you drive the road to Hana. It’s a multi-tiered waterfall on a private nature reserve, with a lower and upper waterfall that you can swim in.
Parking is $10/vehicle, and it’s a short walk to access the lower waterfall that has a large plunge pool. To visit the upper waterfall, you’ll want to bring water shoes, as it’s a 1.8 mile roundtrip hike with a river crossing.
Waikamoi Falls (Haipua’ena Falls)
- Location: Road to Hana
- Highlight: Waterfall with a huge swimmable pool near the beginning of the road to Hana
Waikamoi Falls is another lesser known waterfall near the beginning of the road to Hana. It’s a small waterfall, with a large swimmable pool that’s fed by an irrigation stream from a sugarcane farm.
To get to it, it’s labeled “Haipua’ena Falls” on maps, and the best place to park is “Waikamoi Falls Nature trailhead”. From there, it’s a short walk up the highway to get to it.
Wailua Falls
- Location: Road to Hana
- Highlight: 95 ft tall waterfall off the side of a bridge with a small pullout for parking
Wailua Falls is one of the most impressive, 95ft tall waterfall you’ll see off the side of the road to Hana. It has a small pullout for parking, and a bridge you can walk to for an amazing photo opportunity.
It’s located near the end of the road to Hana, leading up to the Kipahulu district of Haleakala National Park.
Note: It’s not recommended to hike to the base of this waterfall, because there’s slippery rocks and potentially strong currents.
Makamakaole Falls (13 Crossings Trail)
- Location: West Maui
- Highlight: Adventurous rainforest waterfall hike with 13 stream crossings
If you’re looking for an adventurous hike, hike 13 Crossings Trail to Makamakaole Falls in West Maui. This is a 2 mile roundtrip rainforest hike, with 13 stream crossings, to a small waterfall with a plunge pool.
You’ll want to bring good hiking/water shoes for this hike, as you’ll be crossing over potentially slippery rocks. It’s a few miles down from the Waihee Ridge trailhead, and there’s a pullout for parking off of the side of the highway.
Upper Waikani Falls
- Location: Road to Hana
- Highlight: 70ft cascading waterfall with a turquoise blue pool, and limited street parking
Upper Waikani or “Three Bears” Falls is a beautiful 70 ft tall cascading waterfall with 3 streams, and a turquoise blue plunge pool.
It’s located right off of the side of the bridge, and there’s no designated parking, so you’ll have to park a bit further up the highway. You’ll have an amazing view from the bridge, and there’s a short trail underneath the bridge to reach the pool.
Waimoku Falls
- Location: Road to Hana (Haleakala National Park)
- Highlight: 400ft waterfall accessible by an adventurous 4 mile hike
Located in the coastal district of Haleakala National Park, Waimoku Falls is a stunning 400ft waterfall that you can reach via Pipiwai Trail.
It’s a nearly 4 mile roundtrip hike through bamboo forests, and up stairs, so you can expect your legs to be sore the next day! I hiked a portion of the trail, and it reminded me of the adventurous waterfall hikes in Costa Rica.
Just remember to wear good hiking shoes, and pack wipes for after, as the trail can be muddy. Entrance to Haleakala National Park is $30/vehicle (up to 4 people), and valid for 3 days.
Seven Sacred Pools
- Location: Road to Hana (Haleakala National Park)
- Highlight: Short hike to a series of stunning cascading waterfalls and lava rock ponds
The Seven Sacred Pools (O’heo Gulch) are a series of picturesque waterfalls and freshwater lava rock pools in Haleakala National Park.
The pools (pools of O’heo) are considered sacred so you cannot swim in them, but it’s one of the most scenic viewpoints in all of Maui. It’s a short hike from the Kipahulu entrance parking lot to reach the view of the Seven Sacred Pools, and black sand beach.
Tip: If you visit either Waimoku Falls or the Seven Sacred Pools, I highly recommend watching the sunset from Haleakala National Park within 3 days!
Hanawi Falls
- Location: Road to Hana
- Highlight: Lesser known 2 tiered waterfall off of the side of the bridge
Hanawi Falls is another gorgeous waterfall off of the road to Hana, located a few miles down from the Hana Lava Tube. This is a lesser known waterfall, and there’s limited parking so it can be easy to miss.
There’s signs posted discouraging tourists from swimming in the pools, but you’ll have a nice view from the bridge alone.
Honokohau Falls (only viewable by helicopter tour)
Honokohau Falls is a 1,100 foot tall waterfall tucked in West Maui’s lush green mountains, that’s only viewable by helicopter tour.
If you’re up for an adventure, you can get a birds eye view of all of the hidden waterfalls in West Maui, and Molokai on a helicopter tour!
Best Maui Waterfall Tours
With Maui’s waterfalls being so spread out on the road to Hana, many of them are easy to miss. If you don’t want to worry about finding parking, I recommend joining a tour.
There’s a variety of guided waterfall tours, where you’ll visit multiple waterfalls in a day with an experienced local. Here are some of the best options.
- Maui Waterfall Tour: Guided Road to Hana waterfall hike and swim, with lunch and roundtrip transportation
- Waterfall Horseback Riding Tour: Guided horseback riding tour to West Maui waterfalls
- VIP Private Road to Hana tour: Private tour to Road to Hana’s waterfalls, and hidden gem attractions like the Waioka Pond (Venus Pools)
Maui Waterfalls Map
Maui Waterfalls FAQs
Which Maui waterfalls are free to visit?
All of the waterfalls on this list are free to visit, with the exception of Twin Falls, the Seven Sacred Pools, and Waimoku Falls.
Twin Falls has a $10/vehicle fee to park on the private reserve, and Haleakala National Park is $30/vehicle to access the Seven Sacred Pools and Waimoku Falls hike.
What are the best Maui waterfalls outside of the Road to Hana?
The best waterfall outside of the Road to Hana is Makamakaole Falls, that you can reach by hiking 13 crossings. The trailhead is only 20 minutes from Kahului in West Maui.
Additionally, Twin Falls is located at the very beginning of the road to Hana (mile marker 2), and only a 30-45 minute drive from Kahului.
What are the most easily accessible Maui waterfalls?
The most accessible Maui waterfalls are Pua’a Ka’a Falls, Twin Falls, and Wailua Falls. They’re all located on the Road to Hana, and have designated parking spots.
Upper Waikani Falls is also relatively easy to get to, but parking is limited, so you’ll have to park a few hundred yards up the highway.
Does Iao Valley State Monument have a waterfall?
Iao Valley State Monument has a small cascading stream you can get to via a short hike, but no designated waterfall.
If you want to do a waterfall hike, I recommend opting for the 13 crossings trail instead, which is only a 20 minute drive from Kahului.
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