Travel Reference
In-Depth Information
home to fauna such as the endangered Hawaiian moorhen; look for a black bird with a red
face cruising in the ponds. The 150-acre Arboretum and Botanical Garden contains more than
5,000 species of tropical plants. Walk through the gardens (take the paved paths or dirt trails)
and wind up at 45-foot-high Waimea Falls—bring your bathing suit and you can dive into the
cold, murky water. The public is invited to hike the trails and spend a day in this quiet oasis.
There are several free cultural activities such as lei making, kappa demonstrations, hula les-
sons, Hawaiian games and crafts, music, and story telling.
Waimea Valley hides the secluded Waimea Falls.
Leeward Oahu Hikes
KAENA POINT
★
At the very western tip of Oahu lie the dry, barren lands of Kaena Point State Park: 853
acres consisting of a remote, wild coastline of jagged sea cliffs, deep gulches, sand dunes, en-
dangered plant life, and a wind- and surf-battered coastline. Kaena means “red-hot” or “glow-
ing” in Hawaiian; the name refers to the brilliant sunsets visible from the point.
