On June 1, 2009, I had the pleasure of hiking on the Manoa Falls Trail while vacationing in Hawaii. The trail is located just outside Honolulu at the end of Manoa Road. The rainforest canopies and stands of bamboo along this trail are so close to Waikiki hotels that it makes for the perfect hike any time of the day. It is a point to point trail, so after you reach the falls you will turn around and hike back the same way you came. The trail to the falls winds through a tropical rainforest full of giant ferns, wild ginger, guava trees, and bamboo groves. It is not a particularly difficult hike, but on some parts of the trail you will be walking on boulders and tree roots, so be sure to wear shoes with firm, non-slippery soles and take care not to slip in those areas. DO NOT wear flip flops! Much of the trail is uphill when you are hiking toward the falls. The trail runs along a stream the entire time, so keep that in mind if you are not sure in which direction to walk. The stream will always be on your right as you go toward the falls.

Manoa Falls is a spectacular site as it tumbles down a near vertical cliff for approximately 100 feet into a small pool. The hike to the falls is classified as "easy" and travels through the rainforest at the base of the Koolau Mountains. The trail is approximately a 1 1/2 mile hike, but DO NOT swim in or drink the water. The small pool at the bottom of the falls is filled with boulders and the bottom of the pool cannot be visualized, making it unsafe for swimming or diving. Also, swimming is not recommended due to the risk to exposure to leptospirosis, a bacteria that is present in almost all freshwater streams in Hawaii and is carried by rodents and wild pigs. Definitely DO NOT drink the water! Several of the locals reminded us of this.

The beginning of the trail passes over a footbridge and then crosses a small stream through a grove of eucalyptus trees. The .8 mile (1.6 miles round-trip) trail gradually ascends through a lush rainforest ending at a viewing area at an elevation of 800 feet that is set back from the base of the falls. There is a low rock wall and suspended cable with signs indicating the danger of landslide and instructing hikers to not go beyond that point. The amount of water flowing over the falls depends on the rainfall. There is always water in the falls, but during the summer months, the flow is thin (like it was the day we were there). This is not Niagara Falls, folks; enjoy the beauty of nature all around you and stop to smell the flowers along the way!

The trail leading to the falls is one that is surprisingly short and well maintained. It cuts through the forest in almost a straight path to the base of the waterfall by passing over the valley stream and through thick stands of bamboo and other vegetation. Fragrant flowers are not uncommon and the sounds of rustling trees and birds surround you all the way. This trail is also known to be muddy and slippery in spots and even more so after heavy downpours, but overall, the trail is a family friendly and enjoyable one. The day that we went it wasn't muddy, but there were still a few spots that were slippery, especially on the rocks. It generally takes about 30 to 45 minutes to get to the falls and even less time coming back as you're then going downhill. Allow time to rest along the way (it's not a race!) and be sure to bring plenty of water and insect repellant (the mosquitoes can be nasty!). The scenery was absolutely gorgeous. There were wild flowers and orchids growing all along the path, and everything along the trail was huge. The trees, the roots, the ferns -- everything was so big that we felt so little being in the midst of it all. I worked up a bit of a sweat on this trail, but it was more from the heat and humidity in the rainforest than the difficulty of the trail itself. I am not in great shape by any means, but did not find this hike to be extremely difficult. My friend Linda's kids RAN most of the way up to the falls. Honestly, I found hiking up Diamond Head to be a lot harder than this trail was. Also, spending a couple of hours here is a great way to escape from all the hustle and bustle of Waikiki without having to go very far. When you're standing in the middle of that rainforest and all you can hear is a running stream and chirping birds, it's hard to believe that downtown Honolulu is only about five miles away!

For you movie and TV buffs, filming for "The Lost World: Jurassic Park" and a couple episodes of "Lost" was done along the trail. Just before the trailhead to the right across the stream is the banyan tree that Charlie was hanged from by Ethan Rom, and further back toward the parking area is Paradise Park, site of the Others' cages.

Directions to the trail: From Waikiki: Take McCully Street out of Waikiki toward the mountains (or "mauka", as the Hawaiians say). Turn right onto Kapiolani Blvd. Turn left onto University Avenue and drive through the University of Hawaii Manoa campus. Turn right onto Manoa Road. Manoa Road continues into the back of Manoa Valley and dead ends at Paradise Park which is at the trail head. The hike itself is free; the parking fee is $5.00 and will also get you a trail map.