Papalaua Falls
Waterfall in Hawaii
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Papalaua Falls is a waterfall on the northern shore of the Hawaiian island of Molokai, in the Papalaua Valley. Fed by the Kawai Nui stream,[1] it flows for 501 m (1,644 ft) and carves out a very steep fissure. It has five drops, and the middle of the falls has a 340 m (1,120 ft) drop that can be seen from the sea, making it popular with aerial or boat tours of the island.[2][3] While it flows all year round, it is especially powerful during the rainy season, from November to March.[4][5][6] The waterfall is commonly misidentified as the nearby Kahiwa Falls.[4] The area surrounding the waterfall still contains remnants of the terraces Native Hawaiians and Chinese used to grow taro.[7] Its name comes from the word pāpala-ua, meaning "rain fog".
| Papalaua Falls | |
|---|---|
An aerial view of the waterfall in 2012 | |
   | |
| Location | Molokai, Hawaii |
| Coordinates | 21.1643°N 156.8073°W |
| Total height | 1,250 ft (380 m) |
| Number of drops | 5 |