Rainbow Falls, Hilo, Hawaii

Not only are there waterfalls all over the Big Island, Rainbow Falls is literally walking distance from where we are staying in Hilo. The Rainbow Falls drops from the Wailuku River into a large turquoise colored pool below, and the surrounding area is blanketed by lush, dense, tropical foliage, beautiful wild ginger and monstera (a giant fern). Known in the Hawaiian language as Waiānuenue (literally "rainbow water"), the falls flow over a natural lava cave, the mythological home to an ancient Hawaiian goddess named Hina. If you are lucky, on a sunny morning around 10:00 a.m. rainbows can be seen in the mist thrown up by the waterfall. We've been twice now trying to arrive at the perfect time to actually catch the famous rainbow, but so far, no luck. No matter, it's a beautiful sight to behold with or without the rainbow.