Manoa Falls trail was one place that had been recommended to me by a friend before we left for Oahu. It was close enough to our hotel on Waikiki Beach for a morning trip. After enjoying breakfast at ARVO we drove up to the entrance in our rental car. First thing to note, is plan to arrive early. We didn’t have any trouble finding parking at the base but the lots were filling up quickly. When we started the hike there were lots of people already on their way back down. I definitely wish we would have gotten an earlier start to the hike and done our leisurely breakfast another day.
The Manoa Falls Trail is such a beautiful hike and is good for all fitness levels (in my opinion) but, you definitely need to be wearing hiking appropriate shoes. Because of the moisture in the air, it is a tropical rain forest, the ground was slippery at certain spots. Justin and I traded off carrying Mason on our shoulders since the hike is definitely not stroller friendly and he was not about to hike to the falls holding our hands. The temps and humidity definitely add a little bit of challenge to the hike especially if you want to keep up a steady pace, like we did.
Once you get to the falls you’ll probably be ready for a dip or at least to put your feet in the water to cool off a bit. This is the main reason why it’s important to go early. By the time we arrived to the falls it was already so crowded with people 1. waiting to get that perfect shot and 2. people hanging out in the water and on the rocks. I was surprised at how many people were taking up so much time to catch that insta worthy picture and not being at all considerate for the people waiting. I know that as a content creator I want to capture the perfect shot all the time but in situations with large crowds I am always considerate!
Since we were traveling with Mason, I definitely wasn’t going to be wading into the water trying to capture a cool shot with the falls directly behind me because I knew there was no way Mason 1. would sit still and let Justin take the photos and not get himself into danger or 2. even have the patience to wait out the long line of people waiting their turn who were before us. Luckily, traveling as a family it’s easy to chat with other families so we swapped taking photos for each other and I think we were able to capture a really cool shot and with a lot less hassle.
So there you have it, my recommendations for hiking Manoa Falls! If you breezed right past the post and are just reading at the end, here’s a quick recap.
1. Plan to arrive early if you want to get in the water and snap a pic right under the falls without lots of people around you.
2. Wear the right shoes since the hike can be slippery at times.
3. Make sure you have sunscreen on and wearing a swimsuit on the hike (if you do want to get in the water to take a picture)
4. You can’t bring a stroller on the hike so be sure to have a carrier with you or be ready for your younger ones to be riding on your shoulders or carrying them on your hip as you go.
5. The hike is definitely for all fitness levels, you just might want to walk to the side to let others pass you.
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