I love this highway a lot in my time in Maui. It is called the Hana Highway. I was a tourist there and I played one of the guided tours while driving this highway. The guided tour was on point with where I was on the highway. It played melodies and instructed turns and upcoming paths. Driving this highway was pretty difficult because there were narrow turns and everything was just narrow. Any slight mishap can land you down the ocean. The breathtaking part about this highway were the trees! I love the trees so damn much that I had all windows rolling down. There were mango and eucalyptus trees everywhere. I smelled mangoes and eucalyptus the whole time. The eucalyptus trees were a good refresher and awakening call! They also purified my car and got rid of any food odors from meals I had in the car! Thankfully they acted as a perfume and air freshener! The whole car ended up smelling like eucalyptus! Luckily these eucalyptus trees were everywhere in Maui! The whole ocean was all around the highway! The ocean water skep sparkling from the sun! The highway was very flat and not much hills. There were some parts of the highway that felt like I was driving on the ocean. There were people surfing. There were some points on the highway that allow you to go into the ocean and just take a swim or dive. I did stop in the middle of the highway to snorkel. There were so many colorful fish as you go down and deeper into the ocean. Very beautiful fish. The beach was also save because I left my belongings on the branches of a nearby tree and nobody stole it even though there were people chilling on the beach. read more

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Day 1 we had our reservations for Wainapnapa SP and Haleakalā for the pipiwai trail. We drove from Kihei, leaving around 7am and did not have much traffic. We stopped at Aunt Sandy's banana bread in the morning and a food truck for lunch. We spent the night in Hana. Day 2 we did the various stops at botanical gardens, waterfalls, beaches. It was a great time. read more

The road to Hana is a very narrow and windy adventure. You will come across lots of lookouts, a hidden lava cave, a few snack shacks, hikes, and several waterfalls all right along the highway. If you want to go all the way to the town, you'll be spending the majority of the day getting there and back. But if you just want to get a hike in and see all the waterfalls, it'll take half the day. Also there are no street lights, and it can start raining, so if you want to make it back before sundown, get out there early. Most of the road is through a tight & curvy mountain highway with lots of one car bridges. You'll be going between 10-20 mph for miles and miles. You may even see an accident like we did. There is a reason why they coined the phrase "I survived the Road To Hana." I have taken a tour out here, and driven it myself in rental cars, and I recommend both. Although if you're a hesitant driver, or if you get car sick, it might not be the road to take. It's an amazing experience though, and I will always make it out here when visiting the island of Maui. read more

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Hana Highway is great for spending an entire day becoming acquainted with the sights and sceneries around the eastern section of the island of Maui. I used 1 whole day for my journey with the focal point of my itinerary being visiting and spending time exploring the Kipahulu (Coastal) District of Haleakala National Park. Hana Highway begins when departing from the town of Kahului. It's known through Google Maps as Highway 36 which eventually blends into Highway 360. This covers the northern area of Hana Highway and will take you about 55 miles to reach Kipahulu. Hana Highway is well known for its windy, twisty and sharp-edged road along the scenic Maui coastline. You will be driving slowly at times and have to yield to other cars when going over one-lane bridges. The 55-mile drive will take at least 2 hours to complete. And then another 2 hours to return back to Kahului. But, overall, that's why I recommend giving yourself an entire day worth of sightseeing and exploring. As the saying goes..."hang loose"! Ultimately, what I did was make one giant loop around Maui which covered about 110 miles. Along the way...there were plenty of opportunities to stop for roadside lookouts and waterfalls. Also, on the island of Maui...cell phone reception works just fine so at any point in time if you feel like you need a little guidance...you can always plug destinations into Google Maps and be fine. I would like to mention that if.... Just say you start out Hana Highway going north to south from (Highway) H36 - H360 for the 55 miles to arrive in Kipahulu... If you then decide to complete the loop from Kipahulu H360 - H31 - H37 going back east to west to north...this part of the other 55 miles had a bunch of sections that were gravel road with steep hills where you really have to careful about going slowly and be mindful of your surroundings. Technically, this part of the drive may no longer be considered the "official" Hana Highway, but for me...it sort of provided a different element for getting a better perspective into the entire circle venturing around Maui, rather than turning around in Kipahulu and retracing your original tracks. Lol, this may sound complicated...but if you use Google Maps...you'll better understand how to make the most efficient daytrip when exploring the island. I'd like to relay some road stop highlights and areas around Hana Highway that I felt were worthwhile moments to enjoy... Btw, these stops are in order from Kahului going south on H37 around the bottom portion of Maui with the most important/primary aspect being getting to spend a decent portion of the day in the Kipahulu District of Haleakala and eventually trekking upward with more attractions situated on the H360 section of Hana Highway... - The first 55 miles going towards the Kipahulu District - there's not much to see in terms of landmarks. Just be aware of livestock on the road plus with the gravel driving area near Kipahulu. - Kipahulu (Coastal) District of Haleakala NP. 1. Pipiwai Trail (2 miles each way) to stunning Waimoku Falls. 2. Kuloa Point Trail (0.5-mile loop) for incredible coastline views and an overlook of the Pools of Ohe'o. - Wailua Falls (3 miles from the Kipahulu District) - beautiful roadside waterfall. You can swim at the base of the falls. - Pua'a Ka'a State Wayside (19 miles north of Wailua Falls) - another picturesque waterfall setting. You can swim in the waters and they offer restrooms here. - Upper Waikani Falls (3 miles north of Pua'a Ka'a State Wayside) - trio of waterfalls among lush vegetation and good for swimming. - Halfway to Hana - (2 miles north of Upper Waikani Falls) - cool pit stop featuring a small concession stand. - Ke'anae Arboretum - (1 mile north of Upper Waikani Falls) - simple walking path among exotic flora and giant banana trees. - Aunt Sandy's Banana Bread - (1/2 mile north of Ke'anae Arboretum) - good for a midday snack. - Angelas & Walters Secret Aha Point (330 feet from Aunt Sandy's) - observation deck with wonderful coastal views. - Keanae Lookout - (right next door to Angelas & Walters Aha Point). - Kaumahina State Wayside Park - (5 miles north of Kaenae Lookout) - simple forested rest stop with decent sights overlooking Maui. - Twin Falls Maui Waterfall - (10 miles north of Kaumahina SP) - rainforest hike to charming Twin Falls. - Hookipa Beach Lookout - (9.5 miles west of Twin Falls) - terrific spot to view surfing. - Returning back to the town of Kahului is another 9.5 miles west. Finally, using 1 full day driving adventurous Hana Highway was an overall fun experience. I really appreciated the tropical island setting of Maui. Plus, it was a great contrast in landscape styles to the Summit District of Haleakala National Park where you're immersed among a primitive volcanic landscape. In the end, Maui offers both rain forest and volcanic areas, making it one of the best destinations for spending quality time in Hawaii. read more

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Starting our trek on the Hana highway. 48 miles of road along the highways to Hana. Here we go for this 2.5 hour stretch of road. It's a 2 lane road. Taking the Hana highway to Wai'anapanapa state park. Paia is the first down along the highway. Several parks and beach stop offs along the highway. read more

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Must do thing in Maui to experience real tropical views. It's like country side of island with dangerous roads as it's very narrow but plenty of stops with great views , trekking and waterfalls. You will see flora and fauna which you would never see anywhere. It's literally a drive in tropical forest. read more

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This is one of the most touristy things to do in Maui, but you have to do it. My advice: start early to beat the crowds. There are a lot of great things to see here. The road can be windy and narrow but it's manageable. My must see stops: Hookipa Beach, Twin Falls, Rainbow Eucalyptus Trees (mile marker 7), Waianapanapa State Park, Kaihalulu Red Sand Beach, Pipiwai Trail/Waimoku Falls (past the end of the Road to Hana). There are so many waterfalls to see just along the road. If you can avoid the crowds, you'll really enjoy this. I'd also recommend staying in Hana and spending extra time at the black and red sand beaches which are so peaceful. read more

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The road to Hana: a must do when you're in Maui. Pack your patience (and any car sickness aids) for this windy adventure. We left Paia around 8am so we wouldn't get stuck behind any tour buses as later in the morning the narrow roads can get congested. We purchased the Shaka Guide Hana Audio tour for our 9 and 11 year old and it made the trip 100% better with great music, historical facts and areas of interest not listed on the highway (like the free lava tube you can hike through on the side of the road). There are small shops along the highway (Halfway to Hana has great smoothies), banana bread and of course, Coconut Glen's which you should absolutely stop for. There are opportunities for you to pull off to the side (note the NO PARKING areas) and take short, cool dips in waterfalls. My 9 year old absolutely LOVED jumping off the waterfall at Puaa Ka'a Falls. We stayed the night in Hana (most food places close there by 5pm so plan accordingly) and enjoyed the black sand beach there to continue on to the National Park. read more

A beautiful highway, but you might get dizzy to the point of throwing up. Yes, not joke. You will feel like you're in another world while driving, and it's truly amazing. Again, you will feel out of this world. A must drive if you're going to Maui. read more

The 59-mile highway runs around the eastern side of Maui. You can visit black sand beaches, waterfalls and will cross 59 bridges 46 of which are one lane only, that said a lot of the road to Hana could be considered one lane. There are some seriously tight roadway areas and blind turns on this drive, and that in part makes this quite the adventurous road trip. There are approximately 236 switch backs (617 curves) on the trip, one way. People that get motion sickness might want to hang out and do a beach day ;) but they will miss the incredible scenery, beaches, rain Forrest and waterfalls. Some must stop areas include 'Ohe'o Gulch (Seven Sacred Pools), the Pipiwai Trail, and Waimoku Falls at Haleakala National Park, Hana Lava Tube, and the Ho'okipa lookout where Maui's big time surfers ride the waves. Be sure to try Banana bread at Aunt Sandy's, drink a fresh cold coconut (ask to have it cut up so you can enjoy the coconut meat on your drive), definitely try some apple bananas, and the excellent gold pineapples. Prepare properly with a full tank of gas, water to drink and cash for some of the smaller fruit and food stands along the way, swim suits and hiking gear. Enjoy the journey not the destination should be the focus of this road trip, one of the top road trips in the country. Not to be missed if you visit Maui. read more

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Back in the day, the car rental companies used to demand that I sign all sorts of agreements that I wouldn't take the car on Hana Highway when visiting Maui. However, all of Hana is paved now and it makes for a fantastic trip around the East side of Maui. (Do note that once you pass Hana Highway and get onto 31, there are several sections that are not paved and they can get really rocky.) I saw one review that said Hana Highway provides for "eye-gasmic" views and I would totally agree with that description. You'll see so many waterfalls, towering trees, ocean views, and mountain splendor. At every twist and turn (and there are so many of them) you'll be amazed at what around you. Many of the views don't even seem like they could be real. The trip is well worth a few hours of your time. Just be careful of cars and pedestrians along the way, especially at the narrow one-lane bridges. read more

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Bottom Line: Beautiful scenery but if you're not up for a windy road consider another way to see this stunning coastline. I didn't do the Hana Highway on my first trip to Maui and I've regretted it ever since. So many years later when I returned to Maui I made it my priority. Yes, there is some amazing scenery and a various road side stands to break up the monotony but a certain level of driving skill is required, or at least preferred of you are going to drive to Hana. If you're thinking about going to Hana, here are my tips: 1. Some things can't be rushed. This is one of them. Go when you have plenty of time. The trip from Paia to Hana is 2.5 hours, easily, without stops. 2. Pack snacks and drinks for the car ride. If you're planning to get snacks along the way, check Yelp to make sure that the roadside stand that looks enticing is not going to disappointment you. Also, be aware that bathroom breaks may be an hour apart. Look for State Park Waysides for potties. 3. Take along a bar of soap or hand sanitizer. There is something gross about the bathrooms not having soap or paper towels and then eating banana bread and fruit with your hands. 4. Driving Hana requires a focused driver who is looking ahead a few curves, being mindful of traffic behind them and cognizant about space on both sides is the car when passing incoming traffic. Yield signs are no joke so please do yield when signs indicate to do so. Use lower gears when going downhill to reduce chain reaction braking and unnecessarily burning out breaks. 5. Grab the air-sick bag off of the airplane. Your passengers might need it. If not, use it for a water resistant hand puppet. 6. Enjoy the trip and choose wisely when selecting your driver. read more

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Travelling to Maui for the very first time, I read numerous articles, and saw numerous youtube videos on the, "must-do's," when you are there. I noticed the Road to Hana was on most, if not all, of the lists. Whether it was the top 10, top 5, or top 3, reviewers and visitors alike agreed that the Road to Hana was something to not be missed. I decided to book a tour to see this road with Valley Isle Excursions. My tour bus driver, Yvonne, was an absolute gem. After reading about all the twists and turns of the road, and about all their single lane areas, I decided driving was not for me, and I was glad I booked a tour instead. This was really an amazing sight to see. There were so many little bridges and single lanes to cross. Rather then stressing about the drive, I just sat back and enjoyed taking pictures of Maui's rainforest. I loved seeing all the waterfalls, and caves, and of course the Black Sand Beach. I stopped for some local banana bread, and Huli Huli chicken, (as recommended by Gordon Ramsey). I also purchased these macadamia brittle bags, (like peanut brittle, but made with macadamia nuts instead of peanuts), and that was absolutley to die for. The whole experience was amazing. Seeing how the locals lived, so laid back, and just selling food/items that they make was so surreal to me. Coming from the hustle and bustle of LA, I loved to see the more relaxing laid back pace of Hana. read more

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51 tips for driving the Hana highway Time Factor 1. Do not drive the road to Hana at night, as there are many blind curves and no street lights. 2. In the winter time, the sun rises at 7am and sets at 5pm 3. Get up early: 530am in Wailea -5 hours of driving, 3 hours of hiking, and 2 hours of sight seeing stops Preparations 4. Dress in light hiking pants, hiking shoes, and a long sleeve top to ward off mosquitos -mosquitoes love me! 5. Check the weather forecast for Hana, and try to go on a dry day -good luck as its usually raining in the winter What to Bring 6. Take camera for shots of the waterfalls and the beach scenery 7. Take mobile GPS unit to the plug in the car, or smart phone with GPS app 8. There is little or no cell phone coverage on the road to Hana. 9. Take rain coat and hat -entering a tropical forest with 350" of rain annually 10. Forget the swim suit and towels, as you won't have time, and must smell up the car, after hiking. 11. Pack a lunch, including drinks, in an ice chest, as the food stands on the road are not always open 12. Take tourist pamphlet map of region, and CD of the road to Hana. 13. Bring water, as the rest stops often do not have drinkable water The wheels: 14. You will drive 150+ miles on the car, so you may need to get gas 15. Drive to Costco in Kahului for cheapest gas, open from 6am to 8pm. 16. Fold back the driver side mirror, so as to not hit an approaching car mirror! The road 17. Once you see the sign that says 'next 30 miles narrow winding road' the speed limits drop 18. 20 mph on straight sections, 15mph on 2 lane curves, 10mph on one lane sections 19. One lane sections have signs saying 'single lane ahead: yield to approaching traffic' 20. Two lane road with 600+ curves and 56 one lane bridges, long sections of less than 2 lanes. The Locals 21. Locals drive 20+mph over the speed limit in pickup trucks, tailgating tourists, in a hurry 22. Use turnouts when local tailgating you in a big pickup. 23. Locals speed up when approaching the one lane bridges, playing a game of chicken The non locos 24. The tourist coaches pull over on the sections less than 2 lanes, when traffic approaching -you hit a stationary vehicle, you are at fault! 25. The person most prone to motion sickness should be driving, holding onto the steering wheel, with window open -just in case! Pictures 26. Many of the falls viewpoints have little or no parking on the road 27. However if you get there early in the morning, you may get a parking spot 28. The front passenger has the window down, and the camera ready to shoot 29. Take pictures of the waterfalls on the road to Hana, and pictures of the ocean on the road back. Your chariot 30. Honk the horn going around blind curves at 10mph 31. Turn on your car lights in the rain, during cloudy days, and in the late afternoons. 32. Vehicles traveling in the shadows against the dark cliffs can't be seen otherwise. 33. Allow for time to return the way you drove to Hana. You don't want to drive this twisty road at night! The sights on way to Hana: 34. Milepost 2: Trail head for hike to Twin Falls -skip, take too long to hike to a small falls 35 Milepost 11: View Puohokamoa Falls from the road 36. Milepost 12: Kaumahina State Wayside Park, parking on inland side of road, with restrooms. no waterfalls 37. Milepost 22: Pua'aka'a State Wayside Park -parking on both sides of road, with restrooms, view of Falls from inland parking lot. 38. Milepost 30: Wai'anapanapa State Park -parking on ocean side, restrooms, picnic tables. 39. This park has the black sands beach and spectacular ocean views -I usually view on the way back. Past Hana 40. 5 miles after Hana is the start of a long stretch of one and a half lane, often with stone barriers on both sides. 41. Wailua Falls on the right of a one lane bridge, with limited parking beyond the falls on the ocean side 42. 10 miles after Hana: enter Haleakala National Park with a $10 fee, good for 3 days, including the volcano side. 43. Restrooms and gift shop at Haleakala National Park, with parking for 160+ vehicles 44. Hike the 4 mile round trip Pipiwai trail through a bamboo forest to the 400 foot Waimoka falls 45. Hike Seven Sacred Pools (Ohe'o gulch), where the lava flow from Haleakala Volcano meets the Pacific Ocean 46. Many people swim in Seven Sacred Pools after hiking the Pipiwai trail On the forbidden south route: 47. Car rentals will not insure you on the southern route past Seven Sacred Pools 48. The first 5 miles are a one lane road, deeply potholed, blind curves, with no guardrails on the ocean side 49. Meet a bus on the one way road -the bus can't back up, so you have to back up -on the ocean side! One wrong move and its Hasta La Vista Baby! 50. After the 5 mile stretch, the road becomes 2 lanes, with desert like cowboy terrain. 51. Grazing cattle or wild boar may wander on the road -if you hit them your car will take a hit, and your wallet will take a bigger hit! read more

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YIKES! 53 miles of yikes! My friends had warned me I'd be car sick (fortunately, I wasn't), but no one warned me we'd feel like we were driving off a cliff for 10 hours in our tiny little mustang convertible. So there's your warning.... Despite the dangers this is an absolutely beautiful ride, which everyone must do once. I probably won't ever do it again, but I am glad I did it once. It was a very long day- we left the hotel at 7 am, didn't return until 5 pm, and my husband (the driver) was still shaking from the scary drive at 10 pm. Our helpful conceirge at the hotel gave us a guide to the Road to Hana so we could decide exactly where we wanted to stop. We made a total of 8-10 stops...some being more worthwhile than others. One stop that's a MUST is Wai'anapanapa State Park where we enjoyed the delicious picnic, packed for us by our hotel, overlooking the most beautiful view. Also if you survive making it to the end be sure to stop at the Seven Sacred Pools! Oh, you may want to bring sandals you can wear in the water there- the rocks were killing my feet (my husband didn't seem to have that problem though). And once you make it all the way past Hana you have another scary windy road back. Don't forget your CD's and ipod (like we did- whoops) cause it's a looonnnng ride that is a bit boring at times. Oh, and wear lots of sunblock if you're in a convertible unless you like that lobster look I was sporting by that night. read more

Hana Highway - seven sacred pools... - Landmarks & Historical Buildings Near Me - Paia, Hawaii

I've been on this road before, but after 6 hours of jet lag, annoying makeup artists and photographers in the same car as you, I fell asleep throughout this entire trip. THIS past visit, I was wide awake as hubby drove down the one lane road, stopping to yield at the one lane bridge, and watching natives speed past us as we go the speed limit. I'm not a fan of yielding to people who don't even slow down! Aside from the annoying one lanes and the annoying one lane bridge, I have to say, it's rather beautiful! We stopped many times to capture the views, to take in the waterfalls and to breathe the fresh air by the ocean. There is panoramic views of the ocean the entire drive. Driving back, hubby decided to take the dirt road instead and of course, I wanted to puke a few times. Not many scenic views but still beautiful! read more

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#ThankfulThursday goes out to the Hana Highway. Our lifeline to businesses and services on Maui's north shore. We're glad to have the National Guard watching out for our safety in these difficult times of COVID-19, stationed at Twin Falls. It sure is great to see the decrease in traffic since the visitors stopped coming. read more

-Along the Hana Highway we saw three cars that had been previously engulfed in flames , and another half dozen or so deserted cars , possibly the most I've ever seen in one day. (This one was actually off the highway.) read more

Hana Highway - Landmarks & Historical Buildings Near Me - Paia, Hawaii

As a one-and-done experience, Hana Hwy is worth the trip. I won't go into all the sites that everyone has already written extensively about (especially the Black Sand Beach which alone would have been worth the trip). Instead I'll focus on more practical matters. You do not need a 4WD - I rented the smallest vehicle that Alamo had available because I was not originally planning on doing the Road to Hana. The drive, while bumpy in some places, was doable and the size of the car made it possible to skirt the larger Mustangs and Renegades that seem so bountiful on the road. Plus, I ended up using up less than a half tank of gas. Start early - I started at 8 AM and that was leaving from Pa'ia, stopped and took pictures at each of the "must see" with my longest stop being the Black Sand Beach (2 hours) and stopping at four different smoothie stands and eateries (the absolute best being Island Style Tacos) made it to the Sacred Falls and returned by 5:30 PM to Pa'ia. Make sure to take bug spray even when at the beach but definitely for the hikes and your swimming suit and water shoes. Several of the falls allow for swimming or at least a dip. Overall, the experience was good. I wouldn't likely repeat it though. I've been blessed to live in several places with more beautiful or majestic falls but the beaches and vistas are worth seeing. read more

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What an adventure! Went to Maui with my wife a few years back for our honeymoon and I can still vividly remember the awesome spots we found driving along this winding stretch of road. Some spots you absolutely cannot miss: 1) Twin Falls--stop for some local fruit from the fruit stand and venture down the trail towards the famous pair of waterfalls! Be warned you will get wet if you plan on visiting both falls (usually involves wading through parts of the stream) so plan accordingly! The swim at the last fall is as invigorating as it is freezing! :D 2) Black Sand Beach--you see it in all the ads, you cannot miss it. For an added adventure, follow the trails around the bends to other tinier secret beaches and caves! 3) Red Sand Beach--down the road a bit from Black Sand Beach. Park by the school across from the baseball field and walk down to the beach along the trail. Hopefully you won't get cut short like we did with a massive downpour! 4) Eat at Flatbread in Paia for dinner. You'll thank me later. Why else was this an adventure? As mentioned earlier, at the end of the paved road by Red Sand Beach we were met with a torrential downpour of Biblical proportions (flash floods, trees de-rooting and falling onto the road in front of us as we drove, you know, no big deal :P). Thankfully we got out okay, but definitely know your rental car's capabilities and check the weather forecast ahead of time. We lucked out in getting out of the skinny part of the road right before a landslide closed it for days. Assuming you drive during pleasant weather/sunny skies, you should have a blast! Enjoy! Oh, and don't forget to grab a fresh guava from the trees growing on the side of the road! read more

1. Very long road, srsly takes forever 2. Khrongbin 3. Good banana bread, but goodness is cancelled out by #1 4. Rainforest rainier than expected 5. Lost count of hairpin turns after 100th 6. Very long road is bumpy 7. Black sand beaches? Dark gray, at best 8. Really disappointed in the lack of dinosaurs, was told this was Jurassic Park East, no dinosaurs = no fun. 9. Specialness of waterfalls is cancelled out by how many waterfalls there are, waterfalls everywhere. 10. Amazingness of views cancelled out by #1. If you have a lot of time in Maui, drive the road to Hana, otherwise... enjoy the rest of the amazing island. read more

Hana Highway - Landmarks & Historical Buildings Near Me - Paia, Hawaii

This was the thing that I wanted to do when visiting Maui and it lived up to the hype. First off, get a smaller vehicle if you can. A lot of tourists, get a big jeep type vehicle, but the roads are not that "off roady" meaning, not crazy terrain, but the roads are TIGHT and narrow, so you're better off getting a smaller vehicle. There were a bunch of people in big trucks and I would feel more freaked out driving a bigger vehicle. We had a standard sized sedan and it made it through the forests fine. So beyond picking the right vehicle, give yourself A LOT of time. Start early, make sure you fill up your vehicle with gas, bring drinks and snacks and enjoy the journey. It is a crazy drive up, down, around, and through some of the most winding roads. I recommend taking the drive going clockwise to the east side of the island. And take the full circle. The north side is more winding, while the 2nd half more southern part of the circle is less winding and easier to drive at the end of the trip vs turning around and making the same drive. Plus there are a lot of things to see if you make the whole circle. read more

Anyone that has been to Maui, will tell you to go Hana or even when you are the locals they will say the same. Road to Hana should be the number one on the list. If you decide to go then leave early in the morning like other yelp reviewers have mentioned. Its one road and people tend to drive slowly for those who don't know how to drive.. You will see beautiful breathtaking waterfalls, valleys, and ocean. You will be driving along the coast. You can stop to do hikes but the journey to Hana is the best. You'll find several stands that sells food, banana bread. Take the anti-nausea medicine prior to going if you know long trips or curvy road makes you sick. The Hāna Highway is a 64.4-mile long stretch of Hawaii Routes 36 and 360 which connects Kahului with the town of Hāna in east Maui. On the east after Kalepa Bridge, the highway continues to Kīpahulu as Hawaii Route 31. Although Hāna is only about 52 miles from Kahului, it takes about 2.5 hours to drive when no stops are made as the highway is very winding and narrow and passes over 59 bridges, 46 of which are only one lane wide. There are approximately 620 curves along Route 360 from just east of Kahului to Hāna, virtually all of it through lush, tropical rainforest. Many of the concrete and steel bridges date back to 1910 and all but one are still in use. That one bridge, badly damaged by erosion, has been replaced by a portable steel ACROW bridge erected by the United States Army Corps of Engineers. Please don't go on this route if it's raining, not worth risking your life. Mahalo. read more

I was a bit disappointed in the drive. We started out early and actually drove around the whole island. There are no signs for anything so you have to either go where the crowds go or read up on other peoples blogs. If you miss something it's hard to turn around unless of course you drive to Hana bay and then go back the same way you came. The only thing I really wanted to see was the black sand beach but when we got there it was reservations only and the next free time slot was 3pm (we got there at 10:30am). The drive can definitely make you carsick and can be a bit dangerous because there are lots of spots on the road which are only 1 lane. If you decide to make the full drive around the island there is a huge chunk of the journey where the road is not paved and it's rocky and bumpy and once you've made it that far there really is no turning around. However, a paved road finally does appear and then it's smoother sailing. One side of the island is green and full of life and the other side is dry and bleak and dead. It's really cool to see, but it's not that great. read more

I glad to say that I did it, but I'm not sure if I would do it again. The Hana Highway is one of the "must see" activities while on Maui. With this being said, I felt like we didn't adequately prepare for it. I allotted a whole day to drive the highway and see the sights, but after driving three hours to Hana from Kaanapali (and looking at another three hours to get back) all we wanted to do after arriving in Hana was get the heck out of there! It was at least another hour from there (of twisty road) to the much talked about, sacred pools. Next time I would plan to spend the whole day driving there, stay overnight somewhere (even though I didn't see any hotels) and then spend the whole day driving back. I think we missed a lot of the sights because we just wanted to get it done and over with! Hana Highway is likely the most twisted highway you will ever drive on, so if you're like me and get motion sickness easily, take some Dramamine before you go! I picked mine up at the Natural Foods Market in Paia and was glad I did! Take it as soon as your leave Paia, and by the time it kicks in you will be to the twisty parts of the road. No matter what time of day it is, prepare for the highway to be BUSY. I would have loved to see the sights at some of the turn outs, but the majority of them only had space for 2-3 cars to park and so they were all filled up. Still, even if you don't stop anywhere (like we did) the highway is still beautiful from what you can see from the car. Oh, and did I mention the SCARY? Sure, driving by itself already scares me, but the Hana Highway SCARED THE CRAP out of me. Driving up there was a 7 on the scary scale of 10 because people park IN THE ROAD and DON'T yield half the time, but we were going with traffic so it wasn't so bad. Going back, we were all by ourselves and going against traffic and it was a 10 out of 10 in the scary scale. There were many MANY times when I thought we were going to get into a traffic accident on the way back because of people taking up THE WHOLE ROAD and NOT yielding. I have never experienced anything like it and don't want to experience anything like it again. Mahalo! read more

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"The Road to Hana" - a very fitting review for my 300th! First off, there is nothing amazing in Hana. The road to Hana is a journey that should have some, but limited planning involved. The distance from mid island to Hana is about 45 miles give or take, and the road both gives and takes. It gives AMAZING waterfalls at almost every turn, 2000-ft drops at certain points along the road, 50+ single car bridges, endless hiking trail heads, fruit stands and shave ice along the way, numerous beaches, winding roads that rival San Fran's famous Lombard Street and timeless experiences where technology and stress fade away. It will take "all day" to get to Hana and back, so plan for this to be the day's activity. Plan for altitude up to 2000-ft and crazy winds off the Pacific. Pack accordingly for hikes back to waterfalls. Bring swim wear for the beach and waterfall pool dips. Highlights of our journey: ~ Twin Falls Trail at Mile Marker #2 ~ Twin Falls Fruit Stand at Mile Marker #2 ~ Food stands at Mile Marker #27 ~ Black Sand Beach and Wai'anapanapa State Park at Mile Marker #32 read more

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Does anyone in your group easily get carsick, motionsickness or is simply an annoying backseat driver? Leave those folks at the beach! Ban them from coming...they will ruin your experience! Enjoy! ;-) read more

Breathtaking and absolutely amazing drive. It's an all day thing and there are soooo many different hikes beaches and stops to make as you journey through. Literally one of the world's hidden gems. I say I left my heart in Hana because of how truly incredible it was. From bamboo forests, to waterfalls, to red sanded beaches, to black San beach, to sea turtles, private beaches,coconuts, bananas, best little hidden food places, the ranch the scenery, the breathtaking views. Hana is a place that everyone needs to take the time to visit and appreciate. The road is narrow often crumbles and when a storm passes through it hits Hana hard but ugh take the chance and go for it. read more

FIrst Get Maui Revealed! It was like the bible to us along the whole trip! From buying killer banana bread on honor system, hidden waterfalls along private property, secret water pools, playing frogger along the hwy, good eats and happy hana cows. The rental cars try to scare you to not drive the dirt roads on Hana - do it! It's not that bad! Some roads are One lane - used by both directions so get your driving skills adjusted and drive safe not stupid! Don't wear "cutesy" cloths. Wear tenny's or your teva's to get through some of the trails. I saw this one honeymoon couple and the chick was wearing a cute skirt and wedges! Pah'leeze!!! It's rain forest atmosphere in some parts. Rural and not paved. Bring sunscreen, water and makesure your batteries are charged! Take your time and enjoy! It was awesome! read more

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This is a stunning drive with lots of stops along the way. No restaurants along the way. During the day you can find food trucks parked along the road. Tips: leave early, plan your stopping points in advance, visit the red sand beach, bring snacks, be prepared to get stuck behind tourists. My drive wasn't all that bad bc I started 6:30am. I was able to stop along the way and get great pictures. One day is enough if you are the type of traveller who wants to spend an hour at each of the popular stopping points. For most people this is a two day journey. read more

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Always take patience, this drive usually takes 4-5 hours one way if you stop and enjoy, and at a stopping point of black sand beach. But also be mindful to locals. When construction is occurring best to start road trip early. read more

The scenery is beautiful and there are a ton of different stops along the way. There are a lot of fruit stands along the way mostly for banana, coconut or pineapple. Some of the banana bread stands along the way are pretty good. There are some food trucks and restaurants too, I didn't go to any of them except for Coconut Glen's which is must-go to experience! Some tours can also be here like the ZipLine tour that I went on which was a military base/farm type of a setting. You will also find a lot of secluded beaches along the way mainly for their uniqueness like black sand beach which I believe is sand from a volcano. Therefore it is really hot to walk on. There are plenty of stops to take photos of the awesome scenery this area provides. A few warnings before attempting to drive this, go early in the morning or else you'll have to deal with crazy traffic, there are a lot of slow drivers (I mean really SLOW because they are cautious to not fall in a ditch), there is wildlife here so be sure to stop when something like a chicken crosses the road (you can then proceed with "why did the chicken cross the road" jokes), bring snacks and beverages (the food and drinks are expensive on the way to Hana), there may be construction blocking the road because Hawaii rains a lot causing mudslides or rocks to fall, lastly have fun! read more

Absolutely gorgeous. We stayed in Kaanapali for 8 nights and decided to take this drive as it is a Must do in every post regarding Maui. I will say I agree 100%. However, you need to enjoy driving. Looking at Leona S's post from yesterday, I am not sure how you can rate this trip at 2 starts because you don't like driving, but apparently enjoyed the stops? Point: If you don't like driving, don't drive the road to Hana. To start , we decided to take the route from west Maui around the north end past Kapalua to Lahaina to get to the beginning. I will say this was the most frightening part of the day. It is truly a one lane (local traffic only), dirt road adjacent to a very high cliff. Frequently have to back up to a pull off to allow others to pass. I'm not sure if I would take this route again, but very glad I experienced it. We arrived in Paia to find it a mad house. Stopped at Anthony's coffee house for some Joe for the road. Cute town, wish we could have spend more time there but we already got a late start on the day, and the first road took us longer than we expected. The Road to Hana (mile 0-34) was very pretty. Well paved the entire way and at no point felt unsafe. It was very windy living up to the 600+ hair pin turns. I can see where people become motion sick. Beautiful waterfalls and plenty of great photo spots. We did not stop in Hana (actually we must have blown right though Hana). The Sacred pools (Oheo Gulch) was very nice. We swam in the Lower pools and it was so refreshing after 4 hours in a car. Beautiful waterfall, scenery. We were hesitant to continue on past the pools but did anyway despite the warnings. In hindsight, I am really not sure why there are so many warnings. On the map there are labels for unpaved and roughly paved roads. And yes, there were unpaved and VERY rough paved roads. However, I found the drive past Hana significantly more pleasant, and WAY more breathtaking than the first 34 miles. Also no motion sickness. I did not feel unsafe at any point. There was one spot that if it had been raining a lot said it could be flooded, but it was bone dry the day we went (10/27/12). The entire trip from Kaanapali, around the north end of west Maui, past Hana and back to Kaanapali took us 9 hours. Yes it is a long day of driving, but it is completely worth it. Amazing drive. Priceless experience. Phenomenal photos. read more

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Breathtaking and scenic drive way away from the commercial part of Maui. No stores or commercial places for 55 miles. Paia to Hana. Route 360 on the map. Hee hee! There is only one road to Hana, so don't worry about getting the wrong road. Only 55 mi. Takes you 3.5 hours. Stop by Picnics in Paia and get your box lunch for the day. Also, you can pick up a tour tape that is really worth it, as it describes your trip and interesting points as you pass them. Lots of narrow hairpins curves, but really an adventure for the day. IMHO, no trip to Maui is complete unless you made the trek out to Hana and beyond. Once you leave Paia, you are in true Hawaii. Something like it must have looked like 200 years ago. Lush tropcial vegatation with marvelous plants, flowers, and trees. As you head out, the slopes of the volcano are to your right, the ocean below to your left. Many waterfalls are at the curves. Several stopping places. I highly recommend you stop at a local bookstore, and get a good guide, It wil tell you some neat stopping places. You then hike up the volcano a little bit, and presto, you come to a private pool and waterfall. It is so pretty and so serene, you might not want to continue. Really rewarding. Further down the road, you can pull off to the left for some side roads to the beach. The wave action on the black lava rocks is truly magnificent. The ocean turns multi-blue colors, and the waves crach with great force on the rocks. It is real magic. There is even one place the call "Black Sand Beach". You can probably figure that one out Nice to walk on. Back to the car. So, you keep driving, driving, driving (occasinal stops), and then come to Hana. Quaint little town and interesting to explore. Don't forget to stop in the Congregational Church (looks like out of a scene in the movie Hawaii). Check out the hymnals. They are all written in Hawaiian. The public beach there is nice for a picinic and ocean watching. Two very expensive hotels are located in the town and worh walking through the lobbies. Back to the car. You can keep going to other sites. The Seven Pools area are just a bit further, past Hana, and can kill your day there. Several hikes from that parking lot take you higher up the volcano, to very large falls and beautiful scenery. Past that is a small church where the grave of aviator pioneer Charles Lindbergh is located. After that the road narrows, and goes to gravel/dirt. Here is where big signs warn you that your rental car contract will be voided if you pass. I call it the dot-dot-dot road, because that what it looks like on all the maps. The road takes you back to the other side of the island for a roundtrip. I broke the contract and did it one time. Based on that experience of holes in the road, no guard railings on steep inclines, I'd only recomend you do this with a 4 wheel drive vehicle. The normal way home is the way you came. You will still see many things you missed. Ah the road to Hana. Paradise found! read more

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A local's review! Curvy, heart-pounding, sometimes dangerous but with KILLER views of greenery, waterfalls, ocean and pastures. If you're going to make this drive, I suggest going around the entire way. There is a good portion of the road on the east side of Haleakala that is unpaved but even a normal car can get through. The views are amazing on that side of Maui! ADVICE: - start out early and don't rush, make this a full day's trip - IF A CAR IS ON YOUR TAIL, MOVE TO THE SIDE AND LET THEM PASS - don't venture out to areas that are unmarked (many have fallen way down!) - the people are very friendly, just respect the culture and land - definitely do the hike to Waimoku Falls, its unbelievable! - honk your horn on blind curves read more

You will definitely need to plan a whole day to do this trip. It's worth it! The views are absolutely gorgeous. It isn't an easy drive by any means. Carsickness and Road to Hana do not go well together. That being said, after driving along it for a little bit, I did get used to it. As long as you're courteous and cautious, you will be fine. There are one lane bridges, and portions where two lanes become one, sometimes in the middle of a hairpin turn. Just be very aware and you should be fine! Another thing to remember is that there are locals that take this road. So they may drive a little faster... they have places to be! If there's someone on your tail, try to move to the side and let them pass. It's just common courtesy, really. Just enjoy the breathtaking views and stop along the way. It's a road trip worth taking. read more

The road to Hana was amazing and totally worth it. We decided to start at the top going clockwise and I'm glad we did so we were driving on the inner lane, those roads are narrow in some places. We decided to make the full loop. We were used to hiking and going on mountain roads. The only thing to be concerned a in a rental is a flat tire possibility but other than that id say it was OK. I think it would be much harder if there was more traffic though. Alot of areas I can't imagine how it can be a 2 way lane. We purchased a $6 app to lead our tour and it was perfect! I highly recommend getting the app. read more

If you are in Maui this is worth doing. We rented a Jeep Compass and it did fine on the road you don't need a 4x4. It's a very narrow and windy road. If you get car sick easily please take anti nausea medicine or avoid this trip. It's a long drive but worth it. You can't make all the stops on the list just pick a few spots to see. You want to make it off this road before sundown. It's hard to navigate this road at night. LET THE LOCALS PASS YOU! Pull over for the locals. We made this trip backwards. Started at 5am stopped at the Twin Falls stop first before anyone else was there. Then headed straight to Hana. We wanted to see the seven sacred pools, bamboo forest and Waimoku falls first. It is $20 to get into the park for these attractions. A little bummed the seven sacred pools were closed for swimming when we went but we did find a waterfall on our way back to swim in. The bamboo forest hike is 4 miles round trip and it takes you to Waimoku falls great for photo ops but no access to the waterfall. The seven sacred pools is only a half mile hike. It was wonderful experience, the bamboo forest was quite enchanting. Tons of photos opportunities here. I would recommend shoes not slippers. It's wet/muddy in some areas and you have to cross a stream. Next stop was Wailua falls mile marker #45 now we are making our way back. You must stop here if you can don a parking spot. Spots are limited but people ended up parking wherever which is dangerous it's a narrow road. There isn't a pathway down to the waterfall you basically just have to climb down the rocks. It's slippery so be careful we had our tennis shoes on. I don't recommend wearing flip flops. Once you get down you have to climb more rocks and basically sit on the rocks to get undressed. Everyone just had their bags and items on the rock. Then climb in slowly the rocks in the water are covered in moss super slippery. The water is cold but super refreshing after hiking at our prior stop. We had a water camera it was perfect for getting some great shots under the waterfall. Next on our tour was Wai'anapanapa State Park Black sand beach mile marker #32 keep an eye out for the sign or you'll miss the turn into the park. No charge to park here but good luck finding parking. Once you do you'll walk down the concrete stairway to the beach! Wear your flip flops it's a very rocky beach. If you go left you can hike a little pathway to the top of the rocks where you can get a beautiful view of the entire black sand beach. It was a nice stop, great photos but I wouldn't lay out here it's too rocky. They have restrooms and outdoors showers here. Then we ended our trip at Halfway to Hana got our banana bread and rested for a bit. It's the perfect midway point to stop and get some snacks. Overall it's a crazy road and drive but the views and scenery are worth it! Swimming under a waterfall, hiking through a bamboo forest, swimming in a black sand beach. Totally worth it! read more

Beautiful drive to haha . Be mindful for the restricted area at the bottom of haha. GPS took us to the restricted area which is unpaved road.Luckily we find out and make a u turn back to the haha highway. Huli Huli chicken is delicious. Banana bread is so good. It is so dark to at night. Don't recommend. read more

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The road to HANA is a must when visiting MAUI. The drive is an adventure and an experience by itself Lots of good scenery and photo ops along the way. read more