Rainbow Falls
Rainbow Falls, or Waiānuenue, is a waterfall located in Hilo, Hawaii.
A waterfall inside Hilo
You can stay in Hilo
Rainbow Falls is inside Hilo, which has 31 places to stay, so you won’t need a base farther out. Where to stay ↓
Best months: Jan, Feb, Mar, Apr, May, Jun, Jul, Aug, Sep, Oct, Nov and Dec
January, February, March, April, May, June, July, August, September, October, November and December are the mild months, with highs of 78–83°. When to go ↓
An airport 4 miles away
Hilo (ITO) has airline service, about 4 miles from Rainbow Falls.
Written from NOAA 1991–2020 normals, Overture places to stay, Census town figures and Wikipedia.
Weather, month by month
Typical highs and lows in Hilo. Green months are the mild ones.
Rainbow Falls
Rainbow Falls, or Waiānuenue, is a waterfall located in Hilo, Hawaii. It is 80 ft (24 m) tall and almost 100 ft (30 m) in diameter. The falls are part of the Hawai'i State Parks.
At Rainbow Falls, the Wailuku River rushes into a large pool below. The gorge is blanketed by lush, dense nonnative tropical rainforest and the turquoise-colored pool is bordered by beautiful, although nonnative, wild ginger. Monstera is also in abundance. The falls are accessible via Wailuku River State Park, Waiānuenue Avenue, coordinates 19°43′9″N 155°6′34″W, and are best seen from the park's viewing platform.
- Type
- Waterfall
- Wikipedia readers
- 7.3K a year
Where to stay near Rainbow Falls
The closest towns with hotels, motels or campgrounds are Hilo (31) and Honomu (6).
Compare 8 towns
| Town | From Rainbow Falls | Drive | Places to stay | People | Typical home |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Hilo | in town | — | 31 11 hotels · 15 inns & B&Bs · 3 lodges & cabins · 2 hostels | 50,404 | $483K |
| Honomu | 10 mi north | 15 min | 6 2 hotels · 4 inns & B&Bs | 376 | $428K |
| Volcano | 19 mi southwest | 30 min | 16 1 hotel · 7 inns & B&Bs · 7 lodges & cabins · 1 hostel | 746 | $575K |
| Wainaku | 2 mi northeast | 5 min | 2 1 hotel · 1 inn or B&B | 967 | $536K |
| Paukaa | 3 mi north | 5 min | 2 1 inn or B&B · 1 lodge or cabins | 450 | $667K |
| Hawaiian Paradise Park | 13 mi southeast | 20 min | 5 2 hotels · 3 inns & B&Bs | 13,203 | $457K |
| Mauna Loa Estates | 21 mi south | 30 min | 13 2 hotels · 7 inns & B&Bs · 4 lodges & cabins | 901 | $357K |
| Papaikou | 5 mi north | 10 min | 1 1 inn or B&B | 1,332 | $434K |
Getting there
Nearest airports with airline service
Also near Rainbow Falls
Other well-known places within 57 miles. Numbered ones are on the map above.
Big draw124 mi MountainMauna Kea
Big draw224 mi MountainKīlauea
Big draw36 mi MountainMauna Loa
322 mi National ParkHawai'i Volcanoes National Park1.9M visitors a year
56 mi MountainKama‘ehuakanaloa Seamount
410 mi State parkAkaka Falls State Park
49 mi MountainHualālai
515 mi CaveKazumura CavePhoto credits
Mauna Kea: Unknown, CC BY-SA 3.0 · Kīlauea: Hawaii Land Cover Analysis project, NOAA Coastal Services Center, Public domain · Mauna Loa: Gordon Joly, CC BY-SA 3.0 · Hawai'i Volcanoes National Park: Jos-uit-boston at Dutch Wikipedia, CC BY-SA 3.0 · Kama‘ehuakanaloa Seamount: John Smith and Brooks Bays, Public domain · Akaka Falls State Park: Robert Linsdell from St. Andrews, Canada, CC BY 2.0 · Hualālai: Photograph by J. Kauahikaua., Public domain · Kazumura Cave: Dave Bunnell / Under Earth Images, CC BY-SA 4.0
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Visiting Rainbow Falls
Is Rainbow Falls in Hilo?
Yes. It’s inside Hilo, HI.
When is the best time to visit Rainbow Falls?
January, February, March, April, May, June, July, August, September, October, November and December, with highs of 78–83°.
What is the closest airport to Rainbow Falls?
Hilo (ITO), about 4 miles away. The nearest big hub is Ellison Onizuka Kona International Airport at Keāhole (KOA), about 61 miles.
Where should I stay near Rainbow Falls?
Hilo (in town, 31 places to stay), Honomu (10 mi, 6 places to stay) and Volcano (19 mi, 16 places to stay).
Tips from people in Hilo
No tips yet. Ask, or answer, in Hilo’s Town Square.
Sources: National Park Service · ski areas © OpenSkiMap / OpenStreetMap contributors · Wikidata · Wikipedia readership · NOAA climate normals · U.S. Census.