The canyon near the town of Waimea in the interior of the island is one of the main attractions not only of Kauai, but of the entire Hawaiian Islands. Over 16 kilometres long, up to 1.5 kilometres wide and in some places up to 900 metres deep, the valley is also known as the "Grand Canyon of the Pacific".

Indeed, it resembles its more famous predecessor, the Grand Canyon of Arizona, although Waimea Canyon is much greener and much less touristy.

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Waimea Canyon's impressive size makes it a geologically unique place in Hawaii, and you won't find any even remotely similar on the archipelago. Take in views you'll never forget or trek directly into the depths of the canyon.

Views from Canyon Drive

Dozens, maybe hundreds of smaller or larger views can be seen from Route 550, also known as Waimea Canyon Drive. The relatively lightly traveled road leads from the town of Waimea to Koe'e State Park, which is the actual highest part of the Nā Pali coast.

The most famous Waimea Canyon Lookout, with its large parking lot and public restrooms, is located roughly in the middle of the canyon and offers impressive views in all directions.

In our opinion, however, the best views of Waimea Canyon are from the north end of the canyon, where it is enclosed by high cliffs:

Waipo'o Falls Lookout - look out over the steepest upper passages of the canyon and directly on the opposite wall you will see the magnificent flow of Waipo'o Falls
Pu'u Hinahina Lookout - the northernmost lookout at the very end of the canyon, where you get an unusual view of the entire canyon, with Waipo'o Falls visible to the left

Waimea Prospects

View of Waimea Drive

View of Waimea Canyon

Treks across the canyon

Experience adventure and solitude in an epic and impressive landscape and venture into the depths of the canyon on foot. Seeing the steep slopes from the view below will give you a completely different perspective than from the comfort of the parking lot above.

There are several hiking trails across Waimea Canyon, but they are some of the most challenging on the island. Because of the steep slopes, you can expect extreme elevation changes on often very narrow trails, which are also quite long because of the canyon's immense size.

Entrance fees and charges

Waimea Canyon State Park is a protected preserve and all visitors are required to pay a one-day fee of 5 usd.

It is paid at the machine in the parking lot at Waimea Canyon Lookout and payment is checked randomly by park rangers.

Accommodations in the area

Waimea Canyon is in a location completely away from civilization, so look for the nearest accommodation in the town of Waimea, 17 km away, where rates start at about 110 eur per night per person.