Waipi'o Valley

Forming a deep natural amphitheater, washed by the sea and waterfalls, the Big Island’s Waipi'o Valley is a natural wonderland of flowering rainforest and hiking trails. Cliffs thousands of feet high line the famously steep valley, and waterfalls course their way down to the valley floor.
The curved black-sand beach here is reached by a steep route entering the valley, and lookouts give stupendous views from above. It’s a magical place, where battles were fought by Kamehameha the Great, and the site of temples and royal burial caves.

Practical Info

The stunning Waipi'o Valley is on the Big Island’s northern Hamakua Coast. The roads here are notoriously steep, and should only be accessed by four-wheel drive, horseback or organized tour.