There's a special place in my heart for Hawaii. I've been to these islands more than ten times, and never tire of them. I've made multiple visits to each of the four major Islands: Kauai, The Big Island, Oahu and Maui. The order I listed them is how I rank them from most to least favorite. Why is Maui my least favorite of the islands? Because they all simply can't be my favorite.
Easily my favorite experience on Maui is taking a day-long road trip along the coast to the remote town of Hana. Honestly, there is nothing in Hana Town that warrants a visit, unless you are staying overnight, after a long day of exploring the sights along the way. But this trip isn't about the destination. It's all about the journey. When you tell people you went to Maui, they probably won't ask if you went to Hana. But they will ask you if you took "the road to Hana".
The drive to Hana is a long and winding one, with many rewards along the way. These come in the forms of lush tropical vegetation, beautiful waterfalls, sweeping ocean views and many hidden gems. Hana Highway starts on Highway 36, which takes you through several small towns before Highway 360 begins (where the mile-markers start over after marker 16). From this point, it's 34 miles to Hana.
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| This map shows the roads mentioned in this story. |
Few of the sights along Hana Highway are "roadside". Many require parking and walking (or hiking) to get to them. In some cases, you may have to "break the rules" to get to certain spots. Take the "Blue Pool" for example. Getting here requires turning off of the road and driving through a neighborhood until you reach a small parking lot. After you park, you will have to walk about a quarter-mile to get to the destination. This isn't your typical tourist attraction. No signs, welcome centers, restrooms, etc. are found here. But you may encounter some unwelcoming locals who have lost the Aloha Spirit.
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| Photo of the Blue Pool from TripAdvisor |
All will be forgotten when you reach the pool, and its beautiful waterfall. Go ahead. Jump in, and swim to the other side. There's nothing like the feeling of a natural waterfall as it cascades down. Be advised, that this is nature, and rocks can tumble over the falls. Always be aware of your surroundings, and assess conditions before entering the water and venturing to base of the falls. Climbing to the top requires experience and extra caution. Staying at the bottom was plenty for us.
Back on the road, you will find plenty of other sights. Many will require a map, or guidebook. I recommend "Maui Revealed: The Ultimate Guidebook". This is part of a series of guidebooks about the islands. Also known as "the blue book", these are mandatory for pre-trip research. You should also keep them with you throughout your vacation. Each "blue book" shares information on some of the "lesser known" sights on all of the major Hawaiian Islands..
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The "blue book" is my preferred guidebook
for all of the islands in Hawaii. |
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| The Road to Hana has many twists and turns. |
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Parking and walking or hiking to your destination may be required.
Getting there can be part of the fun. |
The Garden of Eden is an arboretum and botanical garden that you can choose to drive, or walk through. There is an admission fee to enter, but we felt it was well worth it. I highly recommend you park and explore the gardens on foot. You won't regret it. While services are somewhat limited, they do have restrooms and picnic areas.
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| A trail through a bamboo forest at the Garden of Eden |
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Get up-close to some beautiful tropical plants and flowers when you explore
the Garden of Eden on foot. |
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| You never know when you will encounter a waterfall. |
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| Hiking through a bamboo forest. |
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| Here's one of several overlooks at the Garden of Eden. |
If I point out all of the sights on the road
to Hana, this entry will never end. There are several sights after Hana that justify continuing your journey beyond the town, and all the way around the southeastern portion of the island. For many years parts of this drive were a bit treacherous, with unpaved roads, and limited to zero services.
On our first trip to Maui (2005), we traveled all the way around, and encountered miles of gravel road with giant potholes. The drive was a bit scary, especially since we were running low on fuel, and couldn't find a gas station anywhere. Much of that is no longer the case, as the entire road is now paved, and a few services can even be found. Most tourists will turn-around in Hana and take the winding portion of Hwy 360 back to Central Maui. This will give you the added advantage of no traffic as you continue your journey.
The continuation of Highway 360 takes you along the southern coast of Maui, and around the above-water base of Mt. Haleakala. Views here can be amazing. You may also feel like you're on another planet, as the lush greenery gives way to a desert in the middle of the ocean, and a somewhat deserted environment. The view up-mountain is desolate, while panning the opposite direction will give way to some breathtaking ocean views.
We stopped at Haukini Bay to see what appeared to be a black-sand beach from the road above. When we parked in front of a natural berm, you could only hear the waves, and a constant thunderous sound I had never experienced before. I walked over the hill of regular sand to find the "black sand" that I saw from above was actually an entire beach of large, black rocks The noise I heard was the sound of thousands of rock being moved by the crashing waves. It was a sight and sound I will never forget.
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| (1 of 3) The eastern edge of Haukini Bay with blue sky |
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| (2 of 3) from the same, looking out beyond the shore. |
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| (3 of 3) Same spot, same time, looking west. What a difference. |
Continuing westward, Highway 360 briefly becomes Hwy 31, before turning into Hwy 37. You will be treated to more sites along the way. Highway 37, climbs high into the up-country, where you will pass several small mountain towns, before starting your descent back down towards Central Maui. This grand-circle tour has taken us around the entire eastern part of the island.
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| A partial rainbow appears during an isolated rain shower. |
The Road to Hana is an adventure that is not to be missed. It will probably be the highlight of your visit to Maui. Relax and don't rush. Take it all in. Stop where you want and when you want to. Make the most of this adventure. You will love it.
JVPtravel Tips
Give It A Day: If you plan to take this drive, note that the earlier you start, the less traffic you will encounter along the Road to Hana. I recommend leaving your hotel or "home base" early enough to arrive at the beginning of Hwy 360 after sunrise. Have breakfast and grab lunch for a picnic along the way. Allow four to six hours to get to Hana, with stops along the way. Then plan on another two to three hours to travel the rest of the route. Unfortunately there is no way to connect to any of the leeward parts of the island from Highways 360, 31 or 37. You will have to return to Kahului to get back to any of those areas.
Go Your Own Way: Try to avoid stopping where all the other cars are. Especially early in the drive. Many people will stop at the first site of a waterfall. The better stuff lies ahead. Use the "Maui Revealed" guidebook to plan your adventure.
