About three years ago, I learnt about these turquoise waterfalls and pools hidden in the Grand Canyon. It was instantly added to my bucket list. Yuliya and her boyfriend, Adam were instantly interested once I showed them photos of this oasis. As we were in the midst of renovations, they initiated planning and fortunately told us when to book permits.

Getting a permit was as hard as getting tickets to popular festival! Permits were available for the entire year on Feb 1 at 8am (MST) and we were waiting at 7:59am, hitting the refresh button. At 8:00am, dates didn’t show up but changing browsers and clearing cookies did the trick. Dates were flying off the calendar and it was hard to coordinate with Yuliya and Adam who were planning to stay a day less than us. But other people’s reservations were re-released back into the system due to glitches… Fortunately it all worked out and we snagged two reservations for the same weekend in May!

Day 0 – Friday May 11, 2018

We landed in Las Vegas around 7pm, picked up supplies from Walmart and grabbed a quick burger in town. We then drove 4 hours directly to the trailhead, which was pretty dangerous due to the animals on the road. We would drive down a pitch dark road and suddenly see mysterious shadows from afar… As we got closer, our headlights reveal a herd of cows blocking our way.

Day 1 – Saturday May 12, 2018

We arrived at the Hualapai trailhead at 12am and organized our backpacks for the hike. We slept in our car but it was hard to get comfortable even with the backseats down in our Jeep rental. I only had about 2 hours of sleep before we started the hike down at 5:30am. The sun was rising over the canyon and it was beautiful.

The hike down was easier than I expected even with a 25lbs bag… It was a busy trail but the landscape was beautiful and drastically different from Washington.

We arrived at the ranger office around 10:00am in the local village, Supai and had a basic breakfast at their local cafeteria. Past the village was the final 2 miles and it was tough in the soft sand terrain and the increasing heat… Finally, we saw Navajo Falls, the first set of water falls in the area. We decided to forgo spending time here and coming back later once we drop off our bags and pick a campsite. We turned the corner and finally saw the infamous Havasu Falls. It was breathtaking. We set up camp next to Yuliya and Adam and quickly passed out for a nap before going for a dip in Havasu Falls.

That evening, Chi and I went to peek at Mooney Falls, the tallest waterfall in that area. We also saw the thrilling chains and ladders down to the base.

Day 2 – Sunday May 13, 2018

We woke up early to start another day of hiking. I was ambitious to hike an extra 16 miles to the confluence, where the Havasu creek meets the Colorado River. It was also there, where you see the canyon walls narrow in. However, we woke up too late and got distracted with Mooney Falls and Beaver Falls en route.

We followed a guided group and ended up at the top of Beaver Falls —about 3 miles from the campground. The secret was to turn left after the palm tree and arch tunnel instead of going right and up the tall ladder. Beaver falls was uniquely beautiful compared to the other falls because it was staggered small cascades.

We didn’t go through falls since we’d have to rock climb and swim in. Instead we went around and because I was still hoping to get to the confluence (or at least partially there), we continued on and figured our way across rivers by spotting cairns (little rock arrangements).

Time was running out and Chi hurt his toe, so we decided to turn back. The landscape was just starting change with canyon walls closing in. Now I really want to go back and make it to the confluence.

We spared some time to hang out at the bottom of Beaver Falls. We dipped in the pools and just tried to take it all in.

We hiked back and took photos at the bottom of Mooney Falls. Then we joined the line of people climbing out. It’s pretty dangerous to climb up if your legs are weak from hiking.

Day 3 – Monday May 14, 2018

This was our relaxing day with no agenda. We slept in and then hiked to Navajo Falls, the first series of waterfalls when you first hike it. Chi and I spend a few hours exploring these pools and it was very relaxing since we weren’t crunched for time and it was pretty quiet.

We hiked back to Havasu falls to spend the afternoon. We found a picnic spot under the falls and cooked instant noodles and mini sausages. We hung out by the pools, lounged on my pool float and just soaked in the atmosphere. Chi enjoyed this smooth natural lounge chair in the rocks.

During dinner, we changed scenery and ate our last freeze-dried meal on top of Mooney Falls. What a magical place.

Day 4 – Tuesday May 15, 2018

We woke up at 2:30AM to pack up and hike out by 4:00AM. It was pitch black but we wanted an early start before the heat starts. When we reached Supai village around 5:30AM, the sun started to rise. Step by step, we hiked through the peaceful canyons. Most of the hike out was relatively flat and easy but I knew the switchbacks, the toughest part was approaching. By the last 2 hours, my body started feeling exhausted.

Around 8:00am, we made it to the unshaded stretch and it was getting hot. We were chasing the shade that creeped away from us. Once Chi and I reached the shade, we sat on a rock, taking a break but within a few minutes, the shade moved and we had to keep climbing. We were thankful we started so early because most of the switchbacks were in the shade.

We finally made it out by 9:00am and we just sat in the car eating potato chips, drinking Gatorade and taking our boots off. We drove off and stopped in Kingman, AZ for quick bite at Floyd and Company Real Pit BBQ. We then headed towards Hoover Dam for a quick peek before our final destination, Las Vegas.

We took a long shower and nap in our hotel, The Cromwell before starting our “Buffet of buffets” pass —24-hour unlimited access to various buffets. It was just what we needed after 4-days in the wild.

Day 5 – Wednesday May 16, 2018

We relaxed in Vegas for a day with a minimal itinerary. We planned to hit up the Caesars pool, catch a last-minute show and eat more buffets. Funny enough, we ended up attending our first timeshare presentation for free ‘Blue Man Group’ tickets. It was a tempting offer… and they almost had us spending $20K on a vacation commitment. Nonetheless, it was an interesting experience.

Day 6 – Thursday May 17, 2018

We had an amazing breakfast sandwich from Eggslut, a popular spot in LA but now opened in the Cosmopolitan. I splurged on the ‘Gaucho’, a wagyu steak with egg, red onions and dressed arugula in a warm brioche bun. Each ingredient paired so well and it was memorable. Chi had the ‘Fairfax’, scrambled eggs, chives, cheddar cheese, caramelized onions and sriracha mayo in a warm brioche bun. Also a fantastic choice! Lastly, we got the ‘slut’ —basically egg in a cup that you dip bread it. Yes, these were the best things I ate on this trip.

We drove towards LA and shopped a bit in Pasadena. We then headed to Koreatown for KBBQ at Quarters. Chi loved it but I thought it was just good. We spent the night at Wi Korean Spa.

Day 7 – Friday May 18, 2018

We stopped at California Donuts… a popular donut window with many options. Donuts were unique and pretty good but not the best I’ve had.

We went to Universal Studios theme park. The new ‘The Wizarding World of Harry Potter’ was fun but Butter beer is what won my heart. As a Simpson fan, I also loved the new expanded Springfield themed area.

That evening, we had noodles at Hoy-Ka, not as amazing as I remembered the first time but still good. We visited my grandma, picked up my cousin and headed to Santa Clarita, where my extended family lived.

Day 8 – Saturday May 19, 2018

We drove to Griffin Park, Hollywood and Little Tokyo so Chi could see all the tourist sites. We stumbled upon these great Japanese paper art exhibit. It was a great surprise.

Overall, it was just great to hang out and catch up with my cousins. We also had a wonderful family dinner with my aunts and uncles.

Day 9 – Sunday May 20, 2018

We left my Uncle’s place and headed towards Santa Monica. It’s still a lively fun area… just as I remembered it.

We moved onto Venice beach and it was my first time visiting. First, we parked on ’Abbot Kinney Blvd’ and to our surprise, this was a very hip street filled with cute boutique shops and cafes. I loved it. We walked to the Venice canals, which was quite interesting to see before walking along Venice beach boardwalk and heading back to our car.

It was the perfect trip to get away from wedding planning and home renovations.We’re already talking about going back to Havasu Falls or our next hike in that region. Like always, I love visiting my cousins in LA and I can’t wait to see them next. We’ll be back next year!