Beautiful view. This is what I imagine heaven to look like. We didn't hike down to the beach but enjoyed the view from the lookout. Great place for a picnic. read more

Waipi'o Valley - Beaches Near Me

Eden does exist, but you need a 4x4 to get down to it on a rough and tumble 25 degree sloped hill that descends into beauty. This is the land of the kings, where King Kamehameha was plucked to become the one who ruled all, and where at one point, there were over 15,000 Hawaiians who farmed and lived harmoniously before the arrival of the Europeans. It's still pristine, and farmers still till the land. Lovely black sand and an estuary that beckons any visitor to explore its secrets deep into the land. Hawai'i at its most pure and beautiful. read more

This was definitely the single most stunning spot on the island. Driving across the island from resort-land was impressive in itself - the scenery and weather change dramatically as you drive up towards Waimea, the landscape quickly changes from decades-old lava rocks to rolling green hills dotted with farms and ranches. And then suddenly it's raining, when you were in the blazing sun 20 minutes earlier. We were worried the rain might persist across the Waipi'o Valley, but it cleared as we headed down again towards the coast. The vista itself from the parking area was stunning. The beach stretches across the entire valley, and a waterfall glistens in the distance on the far mountain. Even if you're not going to walk or drive down, the view is worth a stop. The road down is drivable IF you have 4 wheel drive. It's paved, but extremely narrow and steep with grades of about 30% or steeper in some places. If the road is wet, as it usually is, 2 wheel drive won't get you back out. Our rental SUV didn't come with 4 wheel drive, so we walked down. The actual descent is just shy of 1,000 feet and a mile long according to the park ranger at the top, and even on foot, is slippery. You'll want sturdy shoes, water and possibly a rain jacket. As you walk down, the temperature rises quickly and the wind disappears, so you'll now want to ditch your sweatshirt. You're sharing the road with cars, but it's not that busy and the cars are moving slowly. There are stunning views along the way, too. When you get to the bottom of the road, take the road to your right for the beach. There's no sign pointing you to the beach, so it can be confusing. It says the road is closed, but whether on foot or car, you can get to the beach (about 15 minutes on foot). The road is unpaved and muddy with occasional lakes spanning the road - one looked like it was about 2 feet deep - so you'll want a jeep or something like it to drive to the beach. The beach is totally worth it. It's a black sand beach, but the sand is fine-grained and uncrowded. There were a few cars there, with families spending the day there, but if you can navigate across the river you can walk further up the beach where there are no cars and few people (TIP: cross upstream, not by the beach where you'll likely get swept out to sea by the current). If you're planning to spend a little time here, bring snacks and extra water since there are no services. Also, if you see a mixed breed dog with tan fur and black spots running around playfully, hang on to your flip flops, hats, socks or anything else that looks like a toy. I spent 10 minutes trying to retrieve one of my wife's socks, and someone else had to chase down their flip flop! The climb out is, well, steep and never-ending. If you're lucky, you can hitch a ride back up to the top. There are tour vans that come down occasionally, but I think you have to ride them round-trip. I saw people walking down with kids in tow - this seemed like a bad idea unless they were planning to carry them out. At the junction I mentioned earlier, you can also continue straight towards the back of the valley. We didn't walk that way, but it allegedly leads to a waterfall. There are also hiking trails that let you ascend the mountain on the other side of the valley, but are certainly equally steep. Maybe another time for us! read more

We defied the laws of gravity and our car rental agreement to check out this amazing valley! We contemplated going down since our rental agreement said going down Waipi'o was off limits, but decided YOLO, mang. We had upgraded to a Jeep w/ 4WD so lets make that sucker worth it. Going down was easy, but in the back of my mind I was secretly praying that the brakes don't fail. Coming back up was a WHOLE OTHER STORY!!!! I am surprised my boyfriend trusted me with his life and allowed me to drive down and call the shots. That's real love right there. The ride down was extremely bumpy, if it weren't for seat belts, and a handrail on the passenger dash, I think my boyfriend would have been tossed out the window. When we got down, we drove past taro farms and homes where the locals choose to live off-the-grid. We drove past waterfalls and past a road with a sign that said "End of County Road", ignored it and drove past that across rivers and creeks. Best decision ever!!! I've never been on such an adventure before! There were no roads and we really had to remember which rivers we crossed and which direction we went because our GPS didn't work and there was no cell reception. We felt like total badasses, living life dangerously. Everything seemed so gorgeous, untouched, peaceful, and serene. I cannot imagine living off-the-grid but these people seem to make it here. There were wild horses roaming around the gorgeous valley, clouds carved around the luscious green mountains, waterfalls like a wedding veil. The air was warm yet crisp from the light mist, beauty all around. 360 degrees of breathtaking views The drive up was scary because it was straight vertical climb up a bumpy path! Even with the 4WD, we heard the engine push to its limits as we inched our way back up. The Jeep was literally using all the muscle power it had to pull itself back out of this trench! 3/4 of the way out, the temperature gauge went all the way to HOT, red engine light was blinking and smoke started to come out of the hood! We were like "Oh fuck, we're not gonna make it out alive". I stopped the car, put it on park and prayed that the car didn't flip backwards. The steepness is no joke! After about 10 minutes, we turned the car back on and with every last power it had, pulled us out! Fuck! THAT WAS CLOSE! I opened the hood and let the engine cool and found out that the coolant was almost empty! We waited 30 minutes with the hood open to let it cool down before quickly driving it to the next gas station for some engine coolant, and it wasn't until the 2nd gas station bc they were sold out on the 1st one. I would do this all over again! read more

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This is a sacred place to Hawaiians, and peaceful & serene to the rest of us. The walk to/from the valley is not for anyone who is out of shape, but it's completely doable if you take it slowly, and yield to every vehicle as they have the right-of-way on this very steep road, so watch for them and step aside! I'm not sure how long the walk down to the beach is--maybe about a mile? Take baby steps (easier on your knees!). Bring water. When you come to the fork in the road, go right which will take you to the crashing waves of the black sand beach. You'll pass muddy areas closer to the beach; wear good walking shoes. Stay off any private property; you aren't welcome, but you're fine on the main road. The payoff is the stunning beach with its rolling waves, and the unworldly green of this rich valley. The walk down may have taken us about 30 minutes (and we're not young thangs). The walk back up would have taken MUCH longer due to the steep grade, but we were saved by two angels in a Jeep who offered us a ride back up to the lookout area. We were SO SO grateful! read more

Beautiful lookout spot, oh man!! BUT... Don't do like we did and drive nearly 2 hours from Kona to hike down to this beach, only to be turned around due to the risk of Dengue Fever (January 2016). The road is closed. We were turned around at the lookout point and sent back, so we drove (another 60-75 minutes, can't remember exactly) to Pololū Valley. The hike there was beautiful (shorter though - only about 10-15 mins in either direction) and also has black sand beaches. Very pretty & we're glad the man at the visitors desk told us to drive out that way! read more

This is one of the most spectacular places I've seen in the Big Island. After exploring Akaka Falls (left there ~9am), it took me about 1.5 hours to get to the Waipio Valley lookout (~1030a). The view from there is incredible, but this is just the beginning of the adventure. Many folks take a 4WD vehicle down the very steep, twisty road into the valley floor, but if you're a hardy hiker I don't think it's worth the trouble! Make sure you bring water, the lookout does not seem to have a water source. Bring snacks, wear good shoes, bring hiking poles. The 900 ft descent is easy, but remember you'll hike this back up. At the bottom there's a junction: to the left, a short walk leads to an amazing view of Hiilawe Falls. To the right is a lush mini-forest with gargantuan muddy potholes of mysterious depth towards the beach. There are waterfalls on both sides of the beach! The black sand is fine and I had a great time walking all the way to the cliffside barefoot with the surf on my right. There's a section where a stream flows into the ocean; this requires good balance to cross and could be waist-deep in some parts. At the end of the beach is the start of the Z- or Muliwai trail. There are unbelievable views of the valley going up. The trail goes much further to Waimanu valley but unfortunately I only had a day to spend here. On the way back I took a short detour to explore Kaluahine falls on the other cliff. Overall, it was about a 6 mile roundtrip hike, lasting about 4-5 hours with plenty of photo-stops. Exploring this place is worth every calorie spent!! NOTE: Take your time hiking up the road. It's a tough ascent, but I think it's MUCH better than driving this road back up. read more

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Nice little adrenaline rush. Driving up and down the road isn't all that bad (it was my first time doing the driving here). The massive puddles with big gnarly boulders hidden in them? That was a little nerve racking with the beater truck I was driving. I learned something. I'm an excellent driver. Doesn't mean I'm an excellent off-road driver. Now I can admit I was squeaaaazing. But at the time I had to play it cool so my gf wouldn't freak out. Later she said she was playing it cool, too, so not to feed the already very nervous silence, as I rushed us through the puddles in the diminishing twilight. The beach itself was way more crowded than I expected. Not many people in the water, just lots of young people partying and drinking. Nothing like I remembered, from when I was a kid. Nothing like what I expected. But, the beach is big, and there was plenty of space for everyone to do their own thing. We didn't get to explore much into the valley this time, I'm sure it's still a "magical place" as so many people describe. For some reason, it just didn't feel that way to me. Still, I look forward to going back. read more

This was probably my favorite and most rewarding hike I've ever done. Hike down was fast and easy since it's all downhill. Pros: breathtaking views.. black sand beach Cons: Hike back up is super steep read more

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You need a four wheel drive to go down the valley, otherwise you can walk. My friends and I didn't go too far, but we had a great view anyway. We figured the view wouldn't change or get better if we went down into the valley, so we stopped about 1/3 of the way (or what I think is about 1/3 of the way). Walk down is easy because it's all downhill, but the walk back up may be a challenge. Doable though! I kept wanting to ask one of the people with four wheel vehicles passing us by if we could get a ride down and back up; didn't end up doing it though, oh well. Definitely a nice place to visit, not sure whether I would recommend the hike though. read more

Drive into the valley and into the black sand beach area. As stated many times over, there's no way that you can do this without four wheel drive. We were in a Jeep and getting in and out were not a problem but the grade is so steep it did make me scared. The black sand beach at the bottom of the valley is devoid of rocks for a good stretch so it is decent for wading in. I don't know that I would attempt more than that as the tide is quite powerful. We also hiked to a small waterfall that empties directly into the ocean on the right side of the beach (requires hiking on the rocks, not too difficult if you have sneakers, decent balance and are a regular hiker). It was a little underwhelming but we are glad we did it. The real superstar of the valley is the Hi'ilwae falls. There were many signs saying the trail to it was closed. We decided to believe those signs though multiple people have written this is not the case and is rather that the residents there prefer to dissuade anyone they can because of the heavily traversed area. The guy at the top of the lookout before heading into the valley was pretty brash. Before we rode down he made sure to lecture us that "This is MY valley, not yours, respect it and us" and that he wouldn't allow us down there (and I'm not sure that could even be true). We never had any intention of being nor were we at any point being disrespectful...he certainly went about it all the wrong way. Just nod and say "thank you". Overall, kind of unfriendly to tourists but don't let that deter you. We saw six of the wild horses on our drive back to the road from the beach which was such a novelty for us and they were beautiful creatures. read more

Escaping the fires we drove to this side of the island to breath easier. We came to this look out point and wanted to head down but you have to have a 4 wheel drive and there is someone there to make sure you have it before he will let you down. Damn Ford Focus rental! read more

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Breath taking view . It is a long drive if you are more inland but it's worth the drive specially if you are willing to make the drive down to The Valley or hike there. However be warned the drive is for experienced drivers with a 4x4 vehicle . The hike is also very steep and long . read more

WAIPI'O VALLEY is located about 40 miles north of Hilo. Along with the view of Halemaumau Crater, Akaka Falls State Park, the view provided when you stop at one or more the bridges along the Hamakua Coast, and the quick jaunt down in to Pololu Valley, a hike down into Waipio Valley is one of the mainstream, must-see-and-do things on the Big Island. You will need to park your automobile at the top of the Valley. However, if you own a 4-wheel drive, it may be possible for you to take the short drive down to the valley floor. The hike down does not take long, but it is very steep and is a bit like climbing up or down a steep staircase. Once at the bottom, you can walk to the ocean where you will find yourself at the base of a series of huge cliffs. However, most people will be drawn inland, where an easy stroll brings you past taro fields, and views of an occasional waterfall. The end of the trail brings you to a little house, with a platform enables a view of Waipi'o Falls. The view of Waipi'o Falls is one of the iconic scenes of the Big Island (see my attached photo). I am not sure if it is possible to hike further and actually reach the base of the waterfall. HIKE FROM WAIPI'O VALLEY TO POLOLU VALLEY. The hike from Waipio Valley to Pololu Valley (or the other way) takes several days, and is a possibility only for advanced hikers. However, there is nothing to stop the vigorous amateur hiker from continuing north from Waipio Valley to the next valley to the north, or from continuing from Pololu Valley to the next valley to the south. On two occasions, I have hiked down into Pololu Valley and on to the next valley. The view from the Pololu Valley is better than the view in Waipio Valley, because of the fact that picturesque seastacks reside in the ocean near Pololu Valley. The sequence of locations from Pololu Valley on south the Waipio Valley is as follows: (1) Pololu Valley (2) Kalele Gulch; (3) Honoke'a Stream; (4) Honopue Valley; (5) Waiaalala Stream; (6) Kaimu Stream; (7) Waimanu Valley; (8) Haweleau Gulch; (9) Lonokiokio Gulch; (10) Waipahoehoe Stream; and finally (11) Waipio Valley. THE RIM. A road from the town of Waimea leads to a trail, where the trail brings you along the top rim of Waipio Valley. Given the right weather conditions (no fog) and the right water conditions (irrigation controls allowing flow of water), the view from the rim is amazingly photogenic. The view from the rim provides a close-up of a row of several waterfalls plummeting down into the valley. I do not disclose the name of the road here. Also, I do not have enough information to recommend taking the trail. read more

Waipi'o Valley - Waipio Falls photo, taken from the little house with platform, accessible to the public. - Beaches Near Me

Best Valley in the world!!! with much great energy!!! Lovely colors and wind......to be on your bucket lust read more

Majestic... simply majestic. Believe what YOU want about evolution/creation; when I see this, I KNOW in whom I have believed! It is stunning. It is breathtaking. It is simply from the lookout. The walk down to the lookout is steep, but not undoable. The walk down into the valley: I saw an in-shape teen boy huffin' it. He said "pay for the 4x4 tour!" LOL. Kids. It is a trek down there and I wouldn't recommend it. But just driving to the look out and spending time was worth every mile! We started in Hilo that day and did the entire coastline with all to see. It was a superb way to end the ride! VERY VERY inspirational and awesome! read more

Waipi'o Valley - From the Waipi'o Valley Lookout.. definitely worth it! - Beaches Near Me

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Wonderful views, lengthy hike, although we didn't go down to the bottom it was definitely a very physical hike that requires water and tennis shoes/hiking shoes read more

One of the most beautiful places Ive ever seen, definitely one of the most beautiful places on the Big Island. Would definitely recommend hitchhiking up/down if you're not an experienced hiker, or in good shape. The hike up can be a little much, but you get a good workout in! If you don't have much time to spare it is definitely worth just the top overlook view, although if you walk down the trail just a little you can get an even better view. read more

This place is magical, and not for everyone. Definitely a place that demands respect from tourists. Chances are you should just take a few pics from the overlook and be on your way. read more

Cool place, but needs a little more, I loved the waterfall, but it's missing something, not sure exactly what. Also, we were told my our host at the bed and breakfast we were staying at that people often get their cars broken into, so be careful, leave your valuables elsewhere and lock your doors. The drive here is absolutely beautiful, nonetheless, something is missing. BUT... still beautiful! read more

This place is awesome and well maintained. Come ina four wheel drive car just in case you drive down. If you walk, it takes forever and is super tiring, especially on the walk back up the hill. It's a winding road although it is paved. The views are amazing but the water is pretty rough usually. When you come here, you HAVE to go to Tex Drive In and get malasladas. It's a MUST, no matter what time of day it is, you must get one!! Have fun and adventure on! read more

This is one of the reason I rented a 4x4 while in HI. The other being the green sand beach, 4x4 is definatly required for both. The valley and the beach are one of my top memories of my visit to the island of Hawaii. Though I'm glad I didn't have to hike my way down and then up again, it probably is worth it. I was told that the 2 rivers that run through this valley are the 'road' to the waterfall, I will try this next time I'm here. So very worth it! read more

We went on Sunday, no shuttle no problem. We hiked down and then up. Both ways really hard! We're in excellent shape and it was a challenge. The experience totally worth it. Was so happy shuttles not running since we saved $110. The black sand beach is beautiful. We happened to have food pack and had a picnic lunch at the tables available read more

Waipi'o Valley - Waipi'o valley - Beaches Near Me

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Wow, take water and good shoes...want to really suffer, take 3 kids down on foot under 8 ( we saw you) that'll make the return trip up the steepest road in the United States, maybe the world a memory to never forget, along with a vasectomy...Go early, its only 1.2m to the Beach, don't look back at the road when you're going down...the pain in your shins will soon be forgotten by the pain in your calves! read more

You can walk down and back, you can risk driving down and back, or you can take a tour. I found the tour to be better than anything I could have hoped for on my own. Having someone take the time to share the history and details of the valley made it not only a beautiful place to visit but also an interesting one. Safer and with more respect for residents too. Heed the warnings. Heavy rains on Nov 28th, caused flooding. Hiker lost her life next day. read more

Gorgeous hike down into a deep valley lush with scenery and a totally awesome black sand beach. The hike can be pretty tough on the average adult but well worth it. read more

Waipi'o Valley - Black sand beach at the bottom of Waipio Valley. Worth the hike. - Beaches Near Me

If you like watching daredevils, it's beyond satisfying! Overloaded rented Jeeps operated by people whose only experience 4-wheeling is that 5% grade coming out of Target in West Des Moines - priceless! Otherwise, you'll burn off a weeks worth of vacation dining and maybe then some. Not for the faint of heart and especially if in any way you're out of shape. read more

Be sure to drive down the steep hill to the beach. You could walk but will probably regret it a few steps in. The beach is clean and provides plenty of places to swim depending on your level. read more

We took the shuttle tour leaving from the Waipi'o Arts store. Douglas was our driver and guide. He was knowledgeable and very entertaining. We had a great time. We saw wild horses, a waterfall, black sand beach and lots of rivers. Had stops to take pictures. Really a great tour and GREAT guide! Highly recommend. read more

This place is amazing. For the fit people of the world hiking down the hill and back up again only takes 30-40minutes each way. Once down there we waded across the river and followed the path to the far beach. We had the whole thing to ourselves, romantic and beautifully scenic. One negative: Don't plan on using the porter-potty. It was absolutely disgusting and full of feces to the seat in all three. read more

The valley from the lookout is truly amazing. I can't explain its awesomeness, you will just need to see it for yourself. The hike down is about 900 feet in elevation in less than a mile. This means that going back up is going to suck... and it did. I had to stop a few times to catch my breath, but that's really OK becasue you just get to look out at a beautiful ocean and a green valley. Once you make it to the bottom, you can go right or left. I recommend trying both ways! Right goes to a black sand beach, which has a nice breeze. Left lets you see the giant 1000+ foot waterfall. Since it is on private property, you can't get too close. But, if you go further down the road, there is a part where a river goes over the road. You can sit in the middle of this river on a rock and it looks like a tropical jungle. Probably one of my favorite off the beaten path places to relax. read more

Beautiful overlook!! You can only venture into the valley if you have 4-wheel drive or if you walk. This is one of the steepest roads in America. We walked since we didn't have 4-wheel drive. We went to find the waterfall but I don't recommend doing this. The locals are extremely unpleasant and see it as 'there' waterfall. If you try to find it avoid people in the valley. To get to the waterfall I think you have to walk continuously up the first stream you come to that crosses the road. We didn't end up making it there. The walk down was ok but the walk up is horrible. The beach down there isn't great for swimming and is prettier from a distance. The beach has porta potties by it. Also the horses aren't wild as everyone keeps saying. I met the local who is breeding them. The ones wondering alone are because they are sick and owner doesn't want to keep them...not magical as people make it sound. read more

Hike is steep but a great workout. Turn left on the way down and you'll feel like your in the amazon with a view of a slender waterfall. Black sand beach is worth the pain in your knees. Amazing views at every turn. Guava everywhere. read more

This really is as good as it gets! Amazing valley. It did feel like Eden. Reminded me of Jurassic Park. If you have a 4x4 to get down I guess it's easier, but hiking down you get to fully enjoy and absorbed every detaile as you descend into the valley. It was amazing; the views coming down into the valley, the 'tunnel' through the rainforest canopy to get to the beach, the wild horses to greet you at the bottom (really, I'm not kidding), then the most amazing beach that you get almost all to yourself. The sand is black, soft and fine. The water is an amazing saphire blue, the cliffs risie up and envelop you. The hike up is when you pay the piper for this, but it is well worth it. Bring lots of water and go slow if you have to, but definitely go! read more

For realsies super-steep walk down to the Valley of the Kings. The view at the lookout is one of the best things about this place, so if you are feeling bad-knee-ed, don't worry. We did hike down, which was lovely and full of amazing ferns, lichen, and road guardrail is essentially the Gecko highway. We encountered a herd of wild horses at the bottom, near the rusted car-wrecks. The black sand beach at the bottom is nice, but the surf is rough. If you want to hike the Kings Trail and such, prepare to get totally soaked forging the "stream". It's a rushing river with super slippery rocks, easily 4.5 feet. No one we saw ford it, made it through without falling and getting fully soaked, along with their packs. The hike up is a fitness workout. read more

We were able to see the Waipio valley with our rental car and it was beautiful! I wish we had done one of the horseback riding or ATV tours so that we could really see everything Waipio Valley has to offer. Maybe next time... But I did love the location and I recommend doing a horseback or ATV tour to anyone so that you can get the full effect. read more

Steep 1 mile descent 1000 ft up and back, worth it for black sand secluded beach, view and wild horses. Be forewarned hot hike up. Only 4 wheel drives allowed down. read more

Amazing valley..worth the trip - lush valley w/beautiful black sand beach to top it off.

There are three ways to get to the Waipi'o Valley: you hike, you pay $$ for a commercial tour (you have one hour free time in the valley) or you rent a four wheel drive and do not tell the rental company you are going to this valley. What I heard/read prior our trip: locals living in the valley arranged that the only four wheel company on the island does not allow you taking their truck down to the valley. And they went further: locals arranged and have an agreement with the businesses taking you on a tour to trespass their property (of course they get some of the $$ from the tour company). It stinks. We did not want to pay $$ for any tour so we decided to hike it. I read many reviews how difficult the hike was and all the locals were discouraging tourist from entering the valley saying that "many tourists are dropping dead on the way up from the valley". I have to laugh, what a funny discouragement! Well, we hiked it, spent only about half an hour in the valley, walked on the main road and on the beach. Disappointed. Nothing to see. There were five "wild" horses which were so tamed you could pet them, they followed us for a bit. And yep, there were many signs such "do not enter, private property, be aware of flying stones (this was a good one), if you enter, we will shoot you and if you survive we will shoot you again". Yep, locals do not want you there, but are happy to get your $$. Hiking up was not easy, but it was not difficult. We were not experienced hikers and were carrying heavy backpacks (the negative reviews freaked us so much, we packed LOTS of water for the hike) and had to stop at places to give way the four-wheel vehicles going down. Took us only 38 minutes to hike up. Without heavy backpacks you can hike it up in less than 25 minutes. And this was the dreadful, hard hike? Hahaha. Nope. We personally thought this valley was not worthy of our time. I highly recommend hiking to the Pololu Valley and beyond it - no crowded, spectacular and peaceful. Do not get discouraged by locals telling tales how hard the hike is, do not spend your $$ either on any tour. And do not trespass, you will be shot or the worse stoned to death lmao. read more

Goodness knows I needed the exercise. If there's one thing that is abundant in Hawaii, it's the food. Hawaiian know how to eat, and I can't seem to squeeze enough food into my 110 lb frame (this may now not be so accurate). Anyways, we didn't have a 4WD vehicle, so we knew we'd have to walk. It's very early Oct., so temp wasn't too high. High up on the path, there was a good breeze. I didn't find the walk down too slippery from the gravel, but my toes kept hitting the front of the sneakers, and that was annoying. Maybe some open toed sandals like teva, merrell, etc would be better. When you get to the bottom, you take a sharp right to head towards the beach or continue straight to go across the valley. The path to the beach was very muddy for us, and we had to be careful to avoid the horse poo. Also, b/c of the stagnant water, there were somepesky mosquitoes. I would suggest some protection if you're going to be around the area early in the morning or close to the evening. The hike up was not easy, but def doable. Just be aware of the cars both way. It's very rewarding once you do get to the top! read more