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    Waipi'o Valley

    4.6 (84 reviews)

    Waipi'o Valley Photos

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    Halei J.

    Waipio Valley is without a doubt the most beautiful place I've ever been to. There is an amazing view at the top at the lookout. You can get some great pics here even when it is cloudy or overcast. The first time I came here was in 2014. i remember it wasn't busy at all, I think I saw a total of 10 people here and I was there for a couple of hours. The last time I was here in 2019 it was pretty crowded, a lot more tourist for sure. It's just under a mile to get down to the beach, you can either walk, which is what I always do or you can go by a 4wd. It's quite steep at an average of 25% grade and some parts are 40%. It's gonna be a little rough on your knees. You will also need runners for sure and hiking boots would probably be better or those water shoes (dunno what they are called) It does get muddy and sketchy at some parts. I remember coming back up one time and a couple going down asked me how far to the beach. I told them about a mile. She was wearing a sun dress and flip flops, he was in shorts and runners. When I got back to the lookout I was just chilling and catching my breath and just sweating profusely. A few minutes later I saw that couple come back up....if you're not in decent shape or have the proper attire it's gonna be a problem. If you drive, you better be a good driver. The path is quite narrow and one way with some sharp corners. The vehicle coming up has the right of way. I also remember a local telling me that if you rent a car and get stuck or something no tow truck on the island will help you (legal reasons I'm guessing) I think some rental companies if not all specifically state you are not allowed to drive down Waipio Valley. I think now there are tours that will take you there but I'm not sure. I think there are locals there also who will drive you down for some sort of fee. I remember when I was coming up one time a local asked me if I needed a lift. There is a small parking lot up top by the lookout and street parking. So once you get down the trail, if you go left there are waterfalls and taro farms and beautiful landscapes. I also saw some wild horses running around which was pretty cool. Also be aware that people also live there and it is private and some is sacred land. So be respectful and don't trespass or litter or do stupid shit. If you turn right you'll be headed for the beach. Once you get there, you will see beautiful, soft black sand. Depending how the currents are that day you may or may not be able to go in the water. The last time I was there the water was so warm and calm. This is true paradise. Heaven on earth. This place is truly stunning, words and pictures can't really do it justice. Can't wait be be back........

    Emil P.

    Did today white road hike aka water slide hike and it was amazing experience, I will never forget this it and would definitely recommend to everyone. P.s. bring flashlight with you for tunnels and watch out for cops.

    Water falls after the rain
    Kelly L.

    One of my favorite hike in all islands... it is rough and tough hike... not so much the distance or height... the elevation and inclination is their killer... 2700 feet elevation and 20 degree inclination, sharing road with local and tour bus... although there are not a whole lot of traffic (thank goodness!) Starting at the lookout, you can start hike down the road on the left side of the look out. The road has many potholes, land slide especially after heavy rain past few days, gravels,etc. So be careful! The beach is beautiful and very secluded. It is featured in Water World movie and Indiana Jones. There are portable bathrooms in the beach but no other services like lifeguard, phone, etc. You can camp on the beach but will need permission. Hiking back up is no joke. It is very steep and requires good company, good shoes and a lot of water. Tips: - go early if you are planning to hike down. We did not hike back to the water falls since the river was rough after heavy rain. - bring at least 2 L of water per person. You will need it on the way back up. - sugary snacks... it helps with the hike back up. - good traction shoes - good company which helps to get you going! - bring sun block, insect repellant, hat! - the view at the beach is worthy! - if you can't rough it, you can reserve the shuttle though their website Waipio valley shuttle for $59 per person round trip. - before leaving, get some gelato at the Waipio Artworks gallery... you're deserved it!

    Danny H.

    Best hike on Big Island, hands down. If you want to be legit about it, you can hike down into the valley, up the neighboring trail, then camp at the site on that side of the mountain. You'd have to bring all your gear on your back- which shouldn't be much considering it's not cold here (but can get windy at night). Make sure you have water shoes for the river crossing- not like the guys we saw who tried a barefoot crossing and ended up getting major cuts on their shins- not fun! Pro-tip, if you forgot water shoes, they go for less than $10 at the nearest walmart. Pro-tip 2: bring snacks for you and extra snacks for some of the wild horses!

    Trail map & info.
    Jennifer H.

    Be warned-- this hike is a WORKOUT (i.e. you should be relatively fit cuz the road is EXTREMELY STEEP). It's about 30 minutes each way. Expect to spend longer if you choose to walk to the waterfall/beach. I recommend good shoes with excellent traction. Parts of the road can be slippery due to the incline. Please do NOT attempt to go down/up if there's rain. Safety first, guys. You'll be walking on the same road that cars/trucks drive on, so be cautious! There are turnout areas for cars to let each other by, but sometimes hikers will get crowded off the road if vehicles going up/down squeeze around one another. Bends can be tight, so sometimes the cars will come up really close to you. This can be dangerous since you might be forced to wait on a ledge that drops straight down (don't fall). Once you reach the bottom, you'll see a fork in the road. Go left to see the waterfall (+15 mins); go right to see the beach (+15-20 mins). You won't be able to get close up to the waterfall since most of the land there is private, residential property. People don't take fancy to trespassers. You'll be able to take pictures from the main road though. Bring a camera with good zoom. The black sand beach view is SUPERB. Lots of places to sit & take a water/snack/lunch break. Great place to play in the water as well. If you aren't keen on hiking, you can also drive down/up if you have a 4x4 vehicle. If you do attempt driving, you should be very confident in your mountain driving abilities. Cars driving up have right of way, so if you're going down you'll need to be comfortable backing up a steep incline. If you don't want to drive or hike, you can ask a kind soul if you can hitch a ride. Happy adventuring! :)

    Debbie H.

    Gorgeous black sand beach with waterfall. There's no way to get to waterfalls they are a bit further out from the shore line but beautiful to see. You can view it from the top too . You can only go down this steep road in a four by four, on a tour or hiking. They have a guard standing there to make sure other cars don't go down. My son had came down with a cold and I am so glad we rented the Jeep because there's no way with the way he was feeling that he could trek back up that. I saw lots of people going down that didn't look to be in the best shape to trek that mountain back up. Some people were stopping to catch a breathe on side of road. Take lots of water if you hike. It's a narrow road that cars share and must pull to the side to allow the ones coming back up to pass. Bring a lunch and enjoy the day here.

    Lisa H.

    Waipi'o Valley is beyond beautiful! So stunning and well worth the trip. The hiking trail is closed so all you can do is enjoy the view. Very limited parking but since it's a lookout, people don't spend too much time here. Enjoy 10-15 minutes here!!

    Waipio Valley Lookout
    Erin S.

    Waipio has nice views, but we thought Pololu Valley Lookout was better. The drive to Waipio was lovely though.

    Jake H.

    Waipi'o Valley is a stunning side of Hawaii that most don't get to on the big island because of the difficulty of the drive. You must have 4WD to get down to the valley as you are bumping down the muddy and rocky narrow road with the steepest gradient in the entire US. You can hike down it from the overlook at the top but it is quite strenuous. I felt badly for the people making the climb because they'd have to go back up too! The drive up was much more difficult than the drive down. But the views are incredible! I'd come back here again and again. Most rental companies won't let you drive here with their vehicles. Once at the beach, if you cross over the river leading to the ocean, you are rewarded with spectacular views and can hike up to see another view from the cliffs.

    Kalo Loi Patch
    Nanea L.

    By far my FAVORITE place to go when I'm down Kona side. Hella blessed because my uncle owns a farm down in the valley and he lets us use his trucks when we come! You have to have 4x4 to go down though, and I feel bad for anyone that feels the urge to see it that bad to hike down this bad boy. You guys a flippin' NUTS! But if you go you're definately NOT going to regret it. It's beautiful down here and definately gives you a glimpse of the Old Hawaii. Just follow the signs till you get there. Going down is crazy, I still remember the first time going up and down the road when I was a little girl. I thought I was gona pee myself. LOL The views are breath taking going in and when you're at the beach it's even better. If you're not an experienced swimmer and surfer, do not attempt to act bad ass and go in the water. LOL You will get ripped a new one. hahaha Black sand beach at the bottom, so beautiful and there's wild horses roaming around. Do not attempt to feed them because they will bite you. LOL They fixed the roads which is nice and they put 4 porta potty's by the beach. Live Pono and Respect the Aina when coming down here though. Or else Karma will get you! LOL I love this place I really have no words to describe it. Just an experience of a life time. ALOHA*

    Log on beach
    Kathy C.

    .We are on our way to hike the valley from Kona. Be sure to check the weather before going. This is our second attempt. We couldn't even see the valley the first time because it was covered with fog in a cold all day rain. It's a few hours later and we made it to Waipaio Valkey. I am so happy we tried again to come. The view is fantastic. Enjoy the pictures! Tips for those of you like us who decided to hike. Wear a bathing suit under your clothes. Bring plenty of food, sun screen and water. When you get to the valley on the bottom, there is a fork in the road. Go left first. It is level ground and you can see two other water falls. There are also some wild horses along the way. Unfortunately hikes to these falls are on private property and further down along the river, the path is closed due to fire ants. So, turn around and return, but this time go left at the fork. This will take you down to the beach. It is paradise! Enjoy your time there, but save your energy for the steep walk back to your car! Special note: The signs lie. In spots the grade is steeper than only 25 degrees.

    Lis M.

    Fri am 0830 Parked end of road There are bathrooms on R before hike down Hiked down to beach Hike down was challenging due to being so steep We just took our time The views are amazing We made a right at the fork and walked to the black sand beach We watched some surfers, had a snack There are outhouses Not the most beautiful beach but the valley itself on the way down was worth it If we had more time and energy, would've gone left to the trail and did more hiking The road up was extremely steep but actually easier than the way down You need to be in pretty descent cardiovascular health to do this hike IMO 2.9 miles from top of lookout to beach and back up, 77 flights - uber steep Would do again but go left next time at fork Would not drive - too steep, too narrow and walk way too lovely No service, no garbage cans

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    Review Highlights - Waipi'o Valley

    When you come to the fork in the road, go right which will take you to the crashing waves of the black sand beach.

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    Carlsmith Beach Park - Beautiful clear water

    Carlsmith Beach Park

    4.8(89 reviews)
    72.8 km

    This Beach park happened by accident when my niece was looking for a place for us to eat lunch in…read moreKona. This happened to be the closest picnic area that we could come to, thanks to a little tik- tok video she watched. If you're looking for a traditional beach with sand, this isn't the place. But what you'll get instead are the famous black lava rock formations Kona is known for that spill into several lagoons full of crystal clear water. As for eating, there are plenty of places to lay down a blanket in the grass, picnic and relax. The park has several trash cans for you to use as well and I did happily notice that the park was clean. I did not have to use the bathroom here so I can't comment on that. What impressed me the most was that they had built in stairs for you to walk into the ocean. In my entire life of traveling, I've never seen a beach park with built in stairwells to walk into the lagoons. This was a treat for me. If I have one big tip, it's to remember to have your water shoes because the rocks are sharp to walk on and can easily cut you if you're not careful. I also did read that they do have outdoor showers but I didn't see them when we were here. Lots of folks brought their own snorkeling gear because there were a lot of fish, not to mention at least 3 turtles that I saw swimming around. As I'm writing this review, I'm already missing Kona and the uniqueness of this island. If you plan on going to Kona, you must come and enjoy this place. It's truly special and I would recommend it to anyone.

    After coming across social media post, Carlsmith Beach Park was a must visit for me! I added it to…read morethe list of places for my uber driver/hubby to take me. We missed it the very first time, the hubby took me to the wrong beach & had to re-route. I remember it is hard to find via GPS if you miss the turn. We found parking after the beach and walked down. When I walked to Carlsmith Beach to finally check it out for the very first time, my heart just melted and just had that Wow, grateful, OMG moments and also feels like DeJaVu. I also asked my husband to pinch me, that I am not dreaming. It was so nice to just experience this live in real life, such tranquil atmosphere, crystal clear waters. I just love the color of the water, the ocean, so beautiful! Carlsmith Beach Park in Hilo is a hidden gem for sure! After we took our tons of photos, enjoyed the scenery which I really wanted to stay longer but we had a busy day ahead. For next time I visit, I would love to picnic & enjoy lunch under the coconut, palm trees and go swimming. Although I didn't sea turtles during my visits, hopefully next time.

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    Carlsmith Beach Park
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    Waipi'o Valley - beaches - Updated May 2026

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