World Botanical Gardens

World Botanical Gardens is a large garden area on Mauna Kea's slope featuring hundreds of tropical plant species, forests, and a prominent waterfall. The grounds are accessed through maintained trails that wind through various plant zones and connect different landscape sections.

The Rainforest section opened in 1995 as the first part of this garden destination on Hawaii's Big Island. Since then, the grounds have been gradually expanded to grow the collection of tropical and Hawaiian plant species.

The gardens display plants native to Hawaii, creating a space where visitors encounter the diversity of Pacific plant life directly. Throughout the grounds, signs and guides explain how these species have shaped life on the island.

The grounds are accessible daily and can be explored on foot via trails suited for different fitness levels. Wearing comfortable shoes and bringing plenty of water is wise, especially during warmer times of day.

The area offers a zipline that crosses above the treetops, providing aerial views of waterfalls and plant collections. This activity gives a completely different perspective on the grounds than ground-based trails.

Location: Hawaii

GPS coordinates: 19.90381,-155.13664

Latest update: December 12, 2025 09:04