Waterfall Chasing: Luakaha Falls

Yesterday I made a waterfall discovery. I was not the first, nor will I be the last, to seek out this waterfall on the edge of private property in Nu'uanu, but I felt quite accomplished after trudging through mud, climbing over downed trees, following a series of red ropes tied around tree branches, and listening for the sounds of gushing water along an otherwise unmarked mysterious rainforest trail.  My friend Marina and I went on a waterfall chasing adventure and we were successful!

The path leading up to the top of Luakaha Falls is filled with bamboo, spider webs, mud, and eerie wind blowing sounds.  I had a vague idea of there being a path leading to a small waterfall just past another popular hidden gem called Kaniakapupu Ruins.  I had never ventured further down the path and decided that yesterday, on a slightly overcast day with rain in the imminent forecast, was the day to hunt for the elusive (to me) waterfall.

It was humid walking through this forest.  I entered dry and exited with damp hair and a nice sheen of  sweat and moisture from the air covering my arms, neck, and face.  Pushing back large leaves, mistakenly placing my hands on squishy tree bark and on what I believe was a slug, and making my hands and fingernails dirty with mud were all worth it---as we neared the falls, we could hear the water flowing and within a short time of starting the trail we found ourselves at the top of Luakaha Falls.  There was a small stream with a small waterfall behind us and in front of us a sprawling beautiful private residence and the falls flowing over big moss covered river rock.

We took it all in, took some photos (some better than others...blurry due to mud on my hands) and crossed the stream to get different views/angles of the falls.  We wanted to get to the bottom of the falls but didn't really see a good/safe route to get there (but I know there is a way...next time!).  Instead we enjoyed the unique vantage point of being above the falls, a first for me.  I've always seen waterfalls from the bottom, so this experience of setting out to find a waterfall solely on knowing there was one in the area and using the sights and sounds of nature to get there, was all the more exciting.

We did need to be very careful and watch our steps extra carefully---it was extremely slick/slippery at the top.  But we survived!  It was a fun morning adventure and I found myself thinking how lucky the owners of this property were to have a full waterfall right on the edge of their backyard!  What a life. We didn't stay too long as not to cause a disturbance/problem for the owners.

If you have some time and are willing to use your senses to find this tucked away gem, a trip to the top of Luakaha Falls is a must.  You will feel rejuvenated and happy to make your own waterfall discovery.

"Water is the driving force of all nature." ---Leonardo da Vinci