Epic Travel → North America → Hawaii → The Big Island → Rainbow Falls

Location: Hilo, Hawaii

Time Required: 20 minutes

Red Tape/Notes: None.

What’s Nearby?: Emesine Cave, Boiling Pots and Pe’epe’e Falls

This waterfall is absurdly easy to get to (just drive up and park in the large parking lot), and it’s beautiful if the conditions are right (specifically: moderate flow, in the morning, with sun to create the namesake rainbows in the spray). It’s pretty regardless (if there’s no sun, try playing around with long shutter speeds like shown in some of the pictures below), so it’s worth a stop even if the conditions aren’t ideal. Five minutes will suffice to get the classic view, so this is a great option if you’re pressed for time but want to see some of the area. There’s a trail that runs along the rim to the top of the falls if you want to do more, but in my opinion the best view is from the viewing platform at the bottom.

Epic Travel → North America → Hawaii → The Big Island → Rainbow Falls