The best waterfalls in Honomu

A waterfall near Hilo—parking is $10, entry is $5. There’s a small loop trail with a tropical rainforest vibe, featuring a tall waterfall and lots of lush plants. There isn’t a ton to do around Hilo, so we still decided to come—since we were already here anyway.

One of our Big Island Airbnb stays was near Akaka Falls, and we happened to find a zipline company right next to it. Since we’d never tried it before, we booked it right away.

Experience: 10/10. I’m the kind of person whose legs shake even at the top of a top-rope climb, but the whole course was designed really well and super fun. Before the main zipline over the waterfall, there are six warm-up lines that gradually increase in height and length, starting from about 3 meters above the ground. The scenery changes along the way too—apple banana fields, ocean views, and valleys. My fear of heights slowly got desensitized without even realizing it.