Opaekaʻa Falls on Kauaʻi sits along the sacred Wailua River, an area once reserved for Hawaiian royalty (aliʻi). Its name means “rolling shrimp,” recalling the days when freshwater shrimp were so abundant they could be seen tumbling over the rocks. The surrounding Wailua Valley was a powerful spiritual and political center, home to ancient heiau (temples) and royal compounds. Today, the falls remain a place of beauty and mana, echoing the deep history and traditions of Native Hawaiians. 🌿💦 . .