Wailua Falls drops 26 metres (or two distinct drops totalling that height, depending on the season) into a pool at the edge of the Wailua River plain, and is one of the most accessible and photographed waterfalls on Kauaʻi. Unlike the island's more remote falls, Wailua is visible directly from a roadside pullout on Maalo Road — you can be looking at it within 5 minutes of leaving the main highway. The viewing platform is usually crowded, but the falls are genuinely beautiful, especially in the morning light before the clouds build.
This waterfall appeared in the opening sequence of the television series Fantasy Island, which gave it considerable fame in the late 1970s. Ancient Hawaiian ali'i (chiefs) are said to have leaped from the top of the falls to prove their courage; a trail does reach the top, though swimming or jumping is not recommended.
The Wailua River that feeds the falls is Kauaʻi's only navigable river, and kayak and boat tours depart from its lower reaches near Wailua Town. The river leads to the Fern Grotto, a lava rock cave draped in maidenhair ferns that is a popular wedding venue.