The scarce information about this waterfall is contradictory – there is another tall Waimanu Fall in Hawai’i island and it may happen that the information about both these monuments is mixed together.

References

1. Waimanu Falls. World Waterfall Database.

Waimanu Falls are included in the following article:

Other falls of Kamalo Canyon, which are described here, are Mo’oloa Falls (440 m) and Hina Falls (380 m).

References

1. Haha Falls. World Waterfall Database.

Haha Falls are included in the following article:

Other falls of Kamalo Canyon, which are described here, are Haha Falls (240 m) and Hina Falls (380 m).

References

1. Mo’oloa Falls. World Waterfall Database.

Mo’oloa Falls are included in the following article:

Falls are named for moon goddess Hina, mother of Moloka’i. Located at 990 m height.

Other falls of Kamalo Canyon, which are described here, are Mo’oloa Falls (440 m) and Haha Falls (240 m).

References

1. Hina Falls. World Waterfall Database.

Hina Falls are included in the following article:

Description

Contrary to the Hipuapua Falls, Moa’ula is not that well seen from Highway 450. Walk to the waterfall takes a bit more than one hour in one direction. It is advised to unite it with a walk to the nearby Hipuapua Falls, which are somewhat harder to access than Moa’ula, but more impressive.

Falls are perennial – formed by a fairly wide river thundering down along the basalt cliff.

Often it is mentioned that Moa’ula Falls has two drops. Aerial photographs though show at least seven drops, each ending with a pool. This rises also doubts about the estimated height of falls – it is mentioned that the two drops are 76 m tall, which may mean that upper drops are not included in this height. For the most part, falls are not free falling, water flows along the steep cliff.

The lower pool below Moa’ula Falls is swimmable and deep – but one should be careful – occasionally there fall enormous rocks from above.

Legend

Name of falls – moa-ula – means: "red lizard".

This name originates from a popular legend telling that water spirit – mo’o – in a form of lizard still is living in the deep pool below the falls. He might attack people who swim here.

Before the swimming the mood of mo’o should be tested with a ti (Cordyline fruticosa (L.) A.Chev., 1919) leaf dropped in the water. If it floats – guest can swim. If not – better don’t, lizard is annoyed.

Similar legends exist about other waterfall pools in Moloka’i, for example, Papalaua Falls.

Rich history

The beautiful Halawa Valley is one of the first areas to be inhabited in Hawaii. Settlers from the Marquesas Islands came here around the 7th century AD. The fertile valley experienced a boom of the population – it was densely inhabited and the main foodstuff was locally grown taro. Unfortunately, this beautiful valley experienced much warfare.

With the arrival of Europeans the life of native Hawaiians changed. The last blow to the traditional lifestyle though came in the middle of the 20th century, when powerful tsunamis covered the valley with sea salt in 1946 and 1957. Taro fields were not fertile anymore and most people left for cities.

Nowadays in the valley there live few families – but otherwise, the valley looks pristine and primeval. A walk through the valley though reveals signs of the past: it leads along with the ancient temples – heiau – some as large as a football field.

Private property

Walk to the beautiful waterfalls inevitably leads through private properties. Naturally, locals are not too happy to see endless lines of tourists passing there and back through the peaceful valley. In fact – not so peaceful – there is frequent noise pollution coming from other tourists flying around with helicopters.

Sadly – this is the price for living in an extremely beautiful place.

Tourists walking to the falls are kindly advised to take local guides.

References

1. Moa’ula Falls. World of Waterfalls. Accessed on June 8, 2010

Moaula Falls are included in the following list:

Description

Hipuapua falls are easily seen from Highway 450. Walk to the waterfall takes approximately one and a half hours in one direction. It is advised to unite it with a walk to the nearby Moa’ula Falls. Hipuapua Falls is somewhat harder to access than Moa’ula, but more impressive.

Falls have formed on the Hipuapua stream and are perennial. From the distance, they look like a narrow ribbon but as one approaches the base of the falls, turns out that there is a fairly wide river thundering down along the basalt cliff.

Falls have one main drop – some 152 – 160 m tall (estimates differ in different sources). For the most part, there is no free fall of water, it flows along the steep cliff. Below the falls there has formed a rather large pool.

Rich history

The beautiful Halawa Valley is one of the first areas to be inhabited in Hawaii. Settlers from the Marquesas Islands came here around the 7th century AD. The fertile valley experienced a boom of the population – it was densely inhabited and the main foodstuff was locally grown taro. Unfortunately, this beautiful valley experienced much warfare.

With the arrival of Europeans the life of native Hawaiians changed. The last blow to the traditional lifestyle though came in the middle of the 20th century, when powerful tsunamis covered the valley with sea salt in 1946 and 1957. Taro fields were not fertile anymore and most people left for cities.

Nowadays in the valley there live few families – but otherwise, the valley looks pristine and primeval. A walk through the valley though reveals signs of the past: it leads along with the ancient temples – heiau – some as large as a football field.

Private property

Walk to the beautiful waterfalls inevitably leads through private properties. Naturally, locals are not too happy to see endless lines of tourists passing there and back through the peaceful valley. In fact – not so peaceful – there is frequent noise pollution coming from other tourists flying around with helicopters.

Sadly – this is the price for living in an extremely beautiful place.

Tourists walking to the falls are kindly advised to take local guides (in fact – not so cheap!).

References

1. Hipuapua Falls. World Waterfall Database.
2. Hipuapua Falls. HawaiiWeb.com.
3. Hipuapua Falls. World of Waterfalls. Accessed on June 7, 2010

Hipuapua Falls are included in the following article:

Description

Falls have formed in some of the highest cliffs of the world (Haloku Cliffs), which are located in the north-eastern part of Moloka’i, in some 4 – 5 km long section between the Pelekunu and Wailau valleys. Here the ocean meets nearly vertical cliffs rising up to 1,010 m above the sea. Cliffs end abruptly in the sea and in Hawaiian are called “Na Pali” – sea cliffs.

There are numerous small streams falling over the edge of the cliff. These streams are small (only 1 – 3 km long) and seasonal – during the dry season there is little water. But during the rainy season (November – March) enormous cliff becomes adorned with numerous white ribbons of waterfalls.

Pu’uka’oku Falls, according to the estimates from topographical maps are approximately 840 meters tall. The water here is not falling in a free fall – for the most part, it slides down along the nearly vertical basalt cliff.

Waterfall is thin and deeply etched in an inaccessible cliff. Due to this it is rarely seen and photographed.

Falls can be observed from the sea – there are tourist companies offering guided boat tours along this rugged, extremely impressive coast. One can go closer to the falls and experience a mist falling from this wonderful nature monument. Even more impressive sight opens from a helicopter. Boat ride and helicopter though require good weather conditions.

Only 500 m to the west there is located the highest known waterfall in Hawaii and one of highest waterfalls in the world – Olo’upena Falls (approximately 900 m tall) and some 200 – 400 m to the west are some 580 m high Wailele Falls. 800 m to the west is another very tall waterfall – Haloku Falls (approximately 700 m).

In some lists Pu’uka’oku Falls are listed as the 8th highest falls in the world. As most of the waterfalls in the world have not been exactly measured, such lists are very approximate.

At high winds Pu’uka’oku Falls and other falls nearby don’t reach the ocean – wind catches them and rises up again. This fascinating sight is not seen by general tourists – helicopters and boats do not move around in such weather.

References

1. Pu’uka’oku Falls. World Waterfall Database.
2. Pu’uka’oku Falls, image. Diddit.com. Accessed on June 6, 2010

Pu’uka’oku Falls are included in the following list:

Formation

Volcanoe, rain, and ocean in the north-eastern part of Moloka’i have created one of the most spectacular landscapes in the world.

Volcanic activity over the last 1.5 million years has created mountains here. The summit of East Moloka’i volcano (1,514 m high) gets a lot more rain than the western part of Moloka’i island – approximately 4,000 mm per year – thus the rainwater has cut spectacular valleys in the volcanic shield and formed very tall, nearly vertical ridges. Rain maintains lush vegetation – even very steep slopes here are covered with an emerald green cover of plants. Waves of the Pacific ocean have washed out the volcanic shield, creating spectacular cliffs.

Valley

Papalaua Falls are located at the beginning of one such valley – called Papalaua Valley, also Hāka’a’ano. It is some 1.2 km long, up to 1.4 km long – and sides of the valley are more than 800 m tall. Sun in this deep valley shines only for part of the day. Valley is isolated – one can leave it by water or by hard climbing. In earlier times here lived Hawaiians and at late period – Chinese, there still are seen remnants of terraces for growing taro. Nowadays valley is not inhabited.

Stream

Papalaua Falls have formed on Kawai Nui Stream. Contrary to most waterfalls of Moloka’i, Papalaua Falls are perennial, e.g. flowing also in the dry period of the year. The estimated average volume is 1 m³ per second. In the rainy season (November – March) falls can become very powerful.

In Papalaua Falls meet two streams. For the most part, these streams are separated and they join only at the lower part of falls. The smaller stream is located to the north, it is higher.

Falls

Papalaua Falls are approximately 501 meters tall and consist of 5 drops. Especially impressive is the middle part – 340 m tall drop. The water here, for the most part, does not have a free fall, it flows along a very steep fissure made by the force of the stream. Each of the drops ends with a pool.

This middle part of falls can be well observed from the sea. Lower part though disappears from the sight – it is hidden in a very deep and steep chasm.

Experienced trekkers can reach the pool of the lower, 24 m high drop.

Legend

There is a Hawaiian legend about the lower pools and the origin of the valley:

The main goddess of Hawaiians – Hi’iaka – fought the evil water spirit of this stream – a giant man-eating lizard (mo’o). Lizard in agony carved the valley with its tail.

Hawaiians have a belief that water spirit – mo’o – in a form of a lizard still lives in the deep lower pool of Papalaua Falls. He might attack innocents who swim here. Similar legends exist about other waterfall pools in Moloka’i, like Moa’ula Falls.

Wrong images

Very often under the name of Kahiwa Falls there are published images of Papalaua Falls. See yourselves – search of "Kahiwa" in Flickr will bring you four images of Papalaua Falls! Only one of these images by luck contains also Kahiwa Falls seen to the right from the pole.

If you see under a name of Kahiwa Falls an image of a very high waterfall at the far end of the green valley – these for sure are not Kahiwa Falls but rather the Papalaua Falls which are only 1 – 1.2 km away. Kahiwa Falls fall nearly directly into the ocean!

References

1. Papalaua Falls. World Waterfall Database. Accessed on June 6, 2010
2. Papalaua Falls by John "Caveman" Gray (with images). World of Waterfalls. Accessed on June 6, 2010

Papalaua Falls are included in the following articles:

…and here are located the spectacular and extremely high Kahiwa Falls.

Description

Falls have formed in very tall cliffs located in the north-eastern part of Moloka’i, in some 2.5 km long section between the Wailau and Papalaua valleys. Here ocean meets nearly vertical cliffs rising up to 800 m above the sea. Cliffs end abruptly in the sea and in Hawaiian are called “Na Pali” – sea cliffs.

Few small streams fall over the edge of the cliff. The largest of these streams, forming Kahiwa Falls, is just 1 – 1.5 km long and due to the small catchment it is seasonal – during the dry season, there is little water. But during the rainy season (November – March) there is falling very impressive fall. Contrary to the higher falls more to the west (f.e. Olo’upena Falls), Kahiwa Falls, for the most part, are free falling and not that much floating along the basalt cliff.

Kahiwa Falls, according to the estimates from topographical maps are approximately 660 meters tall. The whole height of falls is hard to see – the upper part is hidden among the cliffs. Falls have 6 drops, the highest drop is 183 m tall.

Waterfall is thin – but at heavy rain, it can get up to 8 m wide. The upper part of the falls is deeply etched in an inaccessible cliff.

Falls can be observed from the sea – there are tourist companies offering guided boat tours along this rugged, extremely impressive coast. One can go closer to the falls and experience a mist falling from this wonderful nature monument. Even more impressive sight opens from a helicopter. Boat ride and helicopter though require good weather conditions.

When the wind is strong, Kahiwa Falls do not fall into the ocean – wind catches the water and rises it up again. This fascinating sight is not seen by general tourists – helicopters and boats do not move around in such weather.

Common misunderstandings

Tallest in Hawaii?

Often there is mentioned that Kahiwa Falls are the highest in Hawaii. This is not true – not far from Kahiwa are Olo’upena Falls (roughly 900 m), Pu’uka’oku Falls (roughly 840 m), Haloku Falls (roughly 700 m). On Kaua’i island there are Wai’ale’ale Falls which also could be 900 m high.

Sometimes there is met also announcement that Kahiwa Falls are the LONGEST falls in Hawaii. This is somewhat harder to grasp – may be here is meant the distance between the extreme ends of waterfall. In the case of Kahiwa this distance seems to be less than 300 m: thus here Kahiwa does not win either – there are numerous falls in Hawaii with many drops divided by some distance.

Wrong images

Very often the beautiful nearby Papalaua Falls are presented as Kahiwa Falls. See yourselves – search of "Kahiwa" in Flickr will bring you four images of Papalaua Falls! Only one of these images by luck contains also Kahiwa Falls seen to the right from pole.

If you see an image of very high waterfall at the far end of green valley – these for sure are not Kahiwa Falls but rather the Papalaua Falls which are only 1 – 1.2 km away. Kahiwa Falls fall nearly directly into the ocean!

References

1. Kahiwa Falls. World Waterfall Database.

Kahiwa Falls are included in the following lists:

Here are located several spectacular and extremely high waterfalls, including the highest falls in the United States and Oceania – the 900 m high Oloupena Falls.

Description

Volcano, rain and ocean in the north-eastern part of Moloka’i have created one of the most spectacular landscapes in the world.

Volcanic activity over the last 1.5 million years has created mountains here. Summit of East Moloka’i volcano (1,514 m high) gets a lot more rain than the western part of Moloka’i island – approximately 4,000 mm per year – thus the rainwater has cut spectacular valleys in the volcanic shield and formed very tall, nearly vertical ridges. Rain maintains lush vegetation – even very steep slopes here are covered with an emerald green cover of plants. Waves of the Pacific ocean have washed out the volcanic shield, creating spectacular cliffs.

The highest cliffs – Haloku Cliffs – are located in some 4 – 5 km long section between the Pelekunu and Wailau valleys. Here the ocean meets nearly vertical cliffs rising up to 1,010 m above the sea. Cliffs end abruptly in the sea and in Hawaiian are called “Na Pali” – sea cliffs.

There are numerous small streams falling over the edge of the cliff. These streams are small (only 1 – 3 km long) and seasonal – during the dry season there is little water. But during the rainy season (November – March) enormous cliff becomes adorned with numerous white ribbons.

Olo’upena seems to be the highest fall here – estimates in topographical maps show that the fall is approximately 900 meters tall. The water here is not falling in a free fall – for the most part, it slides down along the nearly vertical cliff.

Waterfall is thin and deeply etched in an inaccessible cliff. Due to this it is rarely seen and photographed.

Falls can be observed from the sea – there are tourist companies offering guided boat tours along this rugged, extremely impressive coast. One can go closer to the falls and experience a mist falling from this wonderful nature monument. Even more impressive sight opens from the helicopter. Boat ride and helicopter though require good weather conditions.

When the weather is windy, the wind catches the falls and raises them up in the air. Unfortunately very few see such sight – boats and helicopters do not go there in such weather.

Only 300 m to the west there is another very tall waterfall – Haloku Falls (roughly 700 m). 500 m to the east is even higher fall – Pu’uka’oku Falls (around 840 m).

Some misconceptions

Fourth highest in the world?

Very often there is written with a sure hand that Olo’upena Falls is the fourth highest in the world.

In fact, we should not be that sure about this – nobody has measured and accounted for all the waterfalls of the world. There also is no clear border dividing true waterfalls and seasonal streams floating down a slope. It is well possible that in Venezuela and some other countries there are numerous unaccounted seasonal falls higher than Olo’upena Falls.

Nevertheless Olo’upena certainly is in the league of highest waterfalls in the world.

Wrong pictures

Very often there are published other Hawaiian waterfalls under the name of Olo’upena Falls. Some Websites under the name of Olo’upena publish the wonderful Papalaua Falls (more than 500 m high) located 5.5 km to the east.

Don’t believe that you see the true Olo’upena Falls if the image shows a waterfall in a valley, with a plain between the falls and the ocean. Olo’upena Falls are falling down along rugged cliffs directly into the sea.

References

1. Olo’upena Falls, image. WorldReviewer. Accessed on June 6, 2010

Olo’upena Falls are included in the following articles: