You will walk through lush tropical vegetation, rainforest filled with wild orchids, bamboo groves and draping ferns. You will see scenic vista points overlooking the cascading Kahuna Falls and as you follow the paved footpath, you’ll discover towering Akaka Falls which plummets 442-feet into a stream-eroded gorge. Beautiful Akaka Falls (more than twice as tall as Niagara falls) is perhaps Hawaii Island’s most famous waterfall.
The rivers of Akaka falls are the native habitat for the O’opu (a type of fish) and the ‘opae’kala’ole (a type of shrimp) that are endemic (biologically unique) to Hawaii (that spawns in stream above the waterfall, but matures in the sea). Like many native plants and animals that evolved here in the islands, these two organisms have developed unique characteristics unlike animals anywhere else in the world. They are both capable of climbing this waterfall (442 feet) by use of a specially adapted suction cup on their bellies. This suction disk on their bellies allows them to cling to the wet rocks behind and adjacent to the waterfall. Using this disk, they climb back up to the stream when it is time to spawn.
The Big Island is the largest and the southeastern-most of the Hawaiian islands, a chain of volcanic islands in the North Pacific Ocean. With an area of 4,028 square miles (10,430 km2), it is larger than all of the other islands in the archipelago combined and is the largest island in the United States.
Tags:
Akaka Falls
Kahuna Falls
tropical
tropical vegetation
rainforest
orchids
bamboo
ferns
Oopu alamoo
Fish
Shrimp
Big Island
Hawai
UHD 4K
High definition video may help you see all of this better. This video is shot using a Gopro in the highest 4K setting (if you have 4K TV, you may select this youtube Setting/Quality).
Other Hawaii 4K videos can be found here:
Unforgettable Swim With Spinner Dolphins http://youtu.be/903obA7RSKg
Amazing Giant Mantas Glide & Somersault
http://youtu.be/g5pO7vUaT5U
detail of Water Pounding From A 100-foot Waterfall
http://youtu.be/bzCFEZMvi8Y
Kauai Wailua River Kayak-Mud Hike-Secret Falls-UHD 4K
http://youtu.be/_hNJFYEEz3Q
Kauai Wailua River Kayak-Mud Hike-Secret Falls-UHD 4K
http://youtu.be/_hNJFYEEz3Q
Sea Cave With Open Ceiling at Na Pali Coast, Kauai, Hawai UHD 4K
http://youtu.be/Y_UGBdGIE6w
Boat Tour Along Na Pali Coast, Kauai, Hawai-UHD 4K
http://youtu.be/5ai4KDY7Bos
Driving/walking Around In Kauai Island, Hawai-UHD 4K
http://youtu.be/cslTD1JtcGM