Bamboo Forest, Haiku - Na'ili'ili-Haele

Maui is one of the most beautiful islands in the world. There are a wide variety of activities to do here, on land and sea, and your wallet will appreciate the activities you and your family can participate that don’t cost a dime!

One of these money-saving activities you can do is the Na’ili’ili-Haele trail, known as the Bamboo Forest. Located in Haiku on the North shore of Maui on Hany Hwy (by mile marker #6.7) the bamboo forest is exactly that: a huge forest of staggering bamboo trees! It is right off of the famous “Road to Hana” and you can enjoy the scenery for 5 minutes or 5 hours.

After a 10-15 minute walk on paths throughout the forest, you will eventually pop out at a water stream. You can hop some rocks across the water and will then come in contact the first waterfall and water pool big enough to take a quick dip.

Continuing on requires ropes and ladders and you will encounter another, larger waterfall. You can swim around or even hike up the rocks and jump about 20 feet into the pool! If you decide to continue further, be warned: you WILL get muddy!

But of course that’s part of the fun! After roughly another 20 minutes of walking through the water, rock hopping, and maneuvering through the mud, you end up at another stream that requires you to swim about a 100 meters and finally, you end up at the last waterfall, which is about 100 feet tall and the pool at the base of the waterfall is about 4-5 times the size of the previous ones.

Doing this hike truly immerses you into the raw, natural beauty of Maui and will give you memories that will last a lifetime!

Top Tips for Bamboo Forest

Here are a few helpful tips for those that would like to experience the bamboo forest!

1. Bring bottles of water! You’ll be in the sun and hiking, so be sure to stay hydrated.
2. Wear a bathing suit and clothing that you do not mind getting dirty! All of the mud will wash out of course, unless you want to bring some concrete memories with you when you go home…
3. Wear flip-flops or running shoes you don’t mind getting wet and muddy.
4. Bring a camera! You will be seeing waterfalls and trees that are unique to the Hawaiian Islands, be sure to capture the moments.
5. Have fun! No matter how outdoorsy of person you may be (or may not be), you will guaranteed leave the Bamboo Forest with not only amazing stories to tell back home but also with a deeper connection to Hawaii and its beloved land.