Mānawaiopuna Falls drops 122 metres into the lush Hanapepe Valley in the interior of Kauaʻi, and is accessible exclusively by helicopter — the surrounding land is private ranch property with no road or trail access. Several helicopter tour operators from Lihue include a landing at the base of the falls in their tours, allowing visitors to stand directly beneath it for about 15 minutes.
The falls are famous as the "Jurassic Falls" from the 1993 film, but the valley they sit in is spectacular in its own right — a deep green bowl with sheer walls, free from any development. Helicopter landings are weather-dependent, and the valley clouds over frequently; operators will often divert or reschedule if conditions prevent a safe landing.
For visitors who want to see the falls without the helicopter price, many boat tours along the south shore pass near the coastline below the Hanapepe Valley and offer views inland toward where the falls are, though the falls themselves are not visible from sea level.