:Rainbow Falls (Hawaii)

{{short description|Waterfall in Hawaii County, Hawaii, United States}}

{{Use mdy dates|date=August 2023}}

{{Infobox waterfall

| name = Rainbow Falls
(Waiānuenue Falls)

| photo = Rainbow Falls Exhibiting Prism Effect.jpg

| photo_caption = Rainbow Falls exhibiting its eponymous rainbow prism

| location = Hilo, Hawaii, United States

| coords = {{coord|19|43|9|N|155|6|34|W|display=inline,title|type:landmark_region:US-HI}}

| watercourse = Wailuku River

| type = Plunge

| height =

| height_longest = {{convert|80|ft|m|2|abbr=on}}

| number_drops = 1

| average_flow =

| world_rank =

}}

Rainbow (Waiānuenue) Falls is a waterfall located in Hilo, Hawaii. It is {{convert|80|ft|m|abbr=on}} tall and almost {{convert|100|ft|m|abbr=on}} in diameter. The falls are part of the Hawai'i State Parks. There is no fee to see the falls.

At Rainbow (Waiānuenue) Falls, the Wailuku River rushes into a large pool below. The gorge is blanketed by lush, dense nonnative tropical rainforest and the turquoise-colored pool is bordered by beautiful, although nonnative, wild ginger. Monstera is also in abundance. The falls are accessible via Wailuku River State Park, Waiānuenue Avenue, coordinates {{coord|19|43|9|N|155|6|34|W|display=inline|type:landmark_region:US-HI}}, and are best seen from the park's viewing platform.

Known in the Hawaiian language as Waiānuenue (literally "rainbow water"),{{Hawaiian Dictionaries |Waianuenue |dic=pp |accessdate= November 11, 2010 }} the falls flows over a natural lava cave, the mythological home to Hina, an ancient Hawaiian goddess.{{Hawaiian Dictionaries |Waianuenue |HASH01621c4eb09525e92e27b487 |dic=hpn |accessdate= November 11, 2010 }}

Rainbow Falls derives its name from the fact that, on sunny mornings around 10{{nbsp}}am, rainbows can be seen in the mist thrown up by the waterfall.