I had the opportunity to rappel Kulaniapia Falls with the good folks at Kulaniapia Adventures in early August. I had no previous experience with rappelling and the safety orientation, level of information provided, and overall knowledge of the guides Lauren and Jeremy was outstanding. They made me feel at ease and well-prepared despite my lack of experience. We started with briefing about what we should expect, an introduction to repelling on the "bunny hill" and then we were off to the main event: rappelling the 120' Kulaniapia Falls. It's a very short walk from the bunny hill to the river and the literal jumping off area. The views of the plunge pool and downriver are stunning and, as the last person in the group, I had plenty of time to take it all in. The rappel itself goes by fairly quickly so be sure to take your time, enjoy the scenery, and try dunking your head in the cascading water.
A few tips:
1) Bring your phone or camera, the vistas are beautiful. Kulaniapia Adventures provides waterproof Otter Boxes and backpacks for your use.
2) Bring water. It was partly sunny the day I went and it was hot.
3) Wear clothes that you don't mind getting wet, dirty and scraped up.
4) Consider going last in your group, you'll have the most time to enjoy the views.
5) Take your time during the rappel and enjoy the scenery.