Akaka Falls is one of the most famous waterfalls on the beautiful island of Hawaii which is also known as the Big Island and is located on the Hamakua Coast 11 miles north of Hilo close to the town of Honomu.

We visited the Big Island in May 2022 during our day in Hilo on our Disney Wonder cruise from Honolulu to Vancouver. We rented a car from Hilo International Airport and was able to visit both Hawaii Volcanoes National Park as well as Akaka Falls very easily during our short time in port. I have written this blog post and travel guide to include all up to date information as well as directions, travel tips and advice to help anyone who is planning to visit.

The driving time from Hilo to Akaka Falls is a very quick twenty five minutes and if you are staying in Kona on the opposite coast of the island, the drive should take about two hours. Akaka Falls is located at the very end of Highway 220 and is open every day from 8:00am until 5:00pm when the gates are locked.

Entrance to Akaka Falls State Park costs $5 per person (children aged 3 years and younger are free) and Hawaii residents with state ID can visit free of charge. One hour’s parking (which is more than enough time to visit the Falls) will cost $10 per vehicle and there are also parking spaces on the road leading to Akaka Falls if the parking lot is full. There is a ticket machine located in the car park and payment can be made by credit card only. You can also pay online however there is very limited mobile service in the area.

If you need to access mobile data whilst visiting Hawaii, you can purchase a travel E-Sim through Airalo. If you would like to use my referral code NIKKI8866 when signing up, you will receive £2.50 / US$3 off your first purchase.

At the edge of the parking lot is the start of the short and very easy Akaka Falls Loop Trail which is a fully paved 0.4 mile path offering close up views of Akaka Falls – there is a signpost at the trailhead and you can walk to Akaka Falls in either direction. The suggested longer Circle Route (by walking to the right in a counter clockwise direction) will take you to a lookout point to see Kahuna Falls before continuing the loop around and reaching Akaka Falls.

Even though it does not take long at all to walk the entire loop, if you are very short of time you can also turn left and walk the short distance directly to the Akaka Falls lookout.

However be aware that no matter which direction you walk on the trail, Akaka Falls State Park is not accessible as there are multiple sets of steps both up and down so it might not be suitable for anyone who has difficulty managing stairs.

The Akaka Falls Loop Trail is more of a leisurely walk instead of a hike (so suitable for everyone) and I would definitely recommend walking the full Circle Route – it is impossible to go wrong or get lost as there is only one path. There are a lot of steps along the entire trail but there are also handrails that you can use if needed.

After walking along the path for only a few minutes through the plants and vegetation of the tropical rainforest, you will reach a small overlook just off the trail where you can see the slightly hidden 300ft Kahuna Falls ahead of you in the distance.

After viewing Kahuna Falls, continue around the trail and past all of the banyan trees for another five minutes and you will soon hear the sound of the waterfall ahead of you before you descend another set of stairs towards the Akaka Falls lookout point where you can see the water plunging 442 feet into the Kolekole Stream below.

The view of Akaka Falls as you are walking down these steps is spectacular and is one of the main reasons why I recommend walking the longer Circle Route. The spray from the waterfall as well as the inevitable Hawaii rain could make the path slippery so make sure to wear sensible shoes when visiting so you do not slip over.

Even though we visited Akaka Falls in the afternoon it was very quiet when we were there however if travelling during a busy time, it would be advisable to visit Akaka Falls as early as possible in the day as the lookout point could easily get very crowded.

From the Akaka Falls lookout point, it takes less than five minutes to complete the loop and walk back to the car park past several more small waterfalls along the way. The entire Akaka Falls Loop Trail took just under thirty minutes for us to complete including lots of stopping for photos along the way – we spent at least ten minutes of that at the lookout point alone! There are also toilets located in the parking lot if needed once you arrive back after the walk.

Akaka Falls State Park is simply beautiful and should be part of your trip when visiting the Big Island in Hawaii.

Since this blog post was written back in 2022, some of the information may no longer be accurate or up to date. Be sure to do your own research and check official websites for the latest details before making any of your own travel plans.

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