One of the most touted about things to do in Maui is the Road to Hana, a scenic winding drive that spans from Kahului, in Central Maui, to the town of Hana in East Maui. But is it truly worth it and what could you comfortably cover within a day?
In this post, I will share details of my day trip, where we stopped along the way and how long each stop took. I will also add my very subjective opinion on whether each stop was worth it.
We rented a vehicle for our Maui trip and so undertook the Road to Hana expedition on our own. If you are not renting your own vehicle, there are tour groups that you can engage to take you there.
So, if you are planning your Road to Hana expedition and looking for some pointers, read on...
Beginning the Day
We started our journey from the town of Makawao, where we were staying. After pumping petrol to ensure we have sufficient fuel for the whole trip (important due to limited petrol stations!) and getting breakfast to go, we were off..
Suggestion:
- Bring loads of snacks so you can eat away during the long drive
As we were far from early birds, our journey only began at 8 a.m. If you start your journey earlier and are staying near the center of Maui, you could definitely cover more than we did.
But do account for slow progressions when driving along the Road to Hana. For safety reasons, you will have to travel at low speeds due to the many hairpin turns and one-lane bridges.
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| Starting Point (Makawao) and Stops We Made for Road to Hana |
The Journey
I should iterate here that driving along the Road to Hana may not be a completely smooth journey. You will be travelling along Hana highway, a 64-mile long road, which is also used by locals to traverse between Kahului, Hana Town or beyond.
Challenges driving along the Road to Hana
- Hundreds of curves and hair pin turns (approx 600+) so speed limit tends to be at 25 mph or lesser
- Lots of one-lane bridges
- Road blockages due to reasons like fallen branches or temporary road works. Expect delays of up to 30 minutes or even more during peak periods. In such cases, you will
- Car break-ins, which we did not face but have heard of it happening. Make sure you don't leave valuables in the car especially where it might be visible
Stops We Made
1. Aunty Sandy's Banana Bread
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| Banana Bread from Aunty Sandy's |
Address: 210 Keene Rd, Haiku, HI 96708, United States (Near Mile Marker: 16)
Time reached: ~ 9 a.m.
Time spent here: < 30 minutes
Our first stop on the Road to Hana was to get a snack that we had heard rave reviews about. You might also have heard of Aunty Sandy's banana bread while researching on Road to Hana. I thought the banana bread was quite good and since the stop was not out-of-the-way, it was a worthwhile stop.
Aunty Sandy's is a natural stop to Ke'anae Point (next point) which we had planned to visit. We were lucky there wasn't too much of a queue so we could really just grab the banana bread and go.
Worth making a stop?
Yes, if you are interested to grab banana bread for the road!
2. Ke'anae Point
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| Ke'anae Point |
Mile Marker: 16
Time reached: ~ 9 a.m.
Time spent here: ~ 30 minutes
Driving a little beyond Aunty Sandy's Banana Bread is Ke'anae Point. This is a low commitment stop that's definitely worth making especially if you have intention of getting the banana bread.
You don't need to pay for entry or spend too much time here. And yet, expect to take some great pictures of the spectacular coastal view with powerful waves.
At Ke'anae Point is also where you can take a quick toilet break to relieve yourself after hours in the car.
Worth making a stop?
Yes, for great photo op!
3. Pipiwai Trail
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| Bamboo Forest within Pipiwai Trail |
Mile Marker: 42
Time reached: ~ 12 p.m.
Time spent here: 1.5 - 2 hours
Getting to Pipiwai Trail actually requires that you travel a little past the town of Hana. Our plan was to drive to our furthest destination first then backtrack to an attraction at the midway point (see stop 5 below). Doing this, we had hoped to avoid the peak periods of both attractions as people tend to reach this attraction later in the day and the midway point earlier in the day.
Pipiwai Trail is part of the Haleakala National Park and that means you will have to pay entry and parking fee to enter. You could buy the pass onsite upon arrival. Do read my post on attractions that require passes for more details.
Makahiku Falls
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| Makahiku Falls from the Overlook (Photo Credit: National Park Service, US) |
You can get to the Makahiku Falls overlook by hiking 0.5 miles through the Pipiwai Trailhead. This is a 200 foot tall waterfall that will take you about 0.5 hours to reach. Do note that the path is unpaved, rocky and could get muddy during wet seasons.
Waimoku Falls
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| Waimoku Falls at the end of Pipiwai Trail |
The Pipiwai Trail ends at the Waimoku Falls, stretching on for about 2 miles. Expect to spend around 2 hours to complete the 4 miles round trip if you are interested to pay the 400-foot Waimoku Falls a visit. Along the trail, you will also encounter a section of bamboo forest, which gives you great photo opportunities. The hike is considered moderately difficult.
Worth making a stop?
Not worth it if you are not interested in hiking. Getting to the falls will require some hiking. If you only do the shorter hike to Makahiku Falls, do note that it is merely an overlook. You will be at a considerable distance from it.
4. 'O'heo Gulch
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| Waterfall at O'heo Gulch |
Mile Marker: 42
Time reached: ~ 2 p.m.
Time spent here: 1 hour
Just a short walk away from the Pipiwai Trail is O'heo Gulch, also commonly referred to as the Seven Sacred Pools. There is a short, relatively easy trail, Kuloa Point Trail, that takes you to a stunning view of the coast. You will also get great view of several smaller waterfalls!
Worth making a stop?
Yes, relatively low commitment hike that takes you to great views for great photo op!
5. Wai'anapanapa Black Sand Beach
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| Black Sand Beach |
Mile Marker: 32
Time reached: ~ 3 p.m.
Time spent here: 2 hours
We actually went past the Wai'anapanapa Black Sand Beach to first cover the Pipiwai Trail and O'heo Gulch before circling back to Wai'anapanapa State Park. This is my recommendation if you wish to avoid the peak period for both attractions.
Do note that you will need reservations to visit the Wai'anapanapa Black Sand Beach. For more details, refer to attractions that require passes. Booking occur in slots of 3 hours for the non-peak timing of 7 a.m. and 3 p.m. For peak hours during 10 a.m. - 3 p.m. slots are available in 2.5 hours duration.
If you book the 3 - 6 p.m. slot, do note that the staff will start getting people to leave the park from 5 p.m. This could mean the last hour of your slot is wasted. To us, we felt 2 hours was sufficient time to spend there.
The waters at the beach could be a little too rough for swimming but the beach is too beautiful to pass. Lounging on the shores and even hiking along the coast was worth making the trip. I would say two hours is a good time to spend at this state park.
Worth making a stop?
Yes, for great photo op!
Other Worthwhile Stops
If you feel you might have time to add more stops to your trip, these are a few other options you could explore.
Ke'anae Arboretum / Garden of Eden Arboretum
Mile Marker: 16
If colourful trees are your thing, you should definitely drop by Ke'anae Arboretum, where there is a grove of rainbow eucalyptus trees. This attraction is a state-owned botanical garden and entry is free.
Twin Falls
Mile Marker: 2
A 1-mile, relatively easy hike brings you to the twin falls, where you could have a swim in. Do note that non-Hawaii residence will have to pay a fee of USD 10 to enter and park.
Wailua Falls
Mile Marker: 45
This 80-foot waterfall is one of the most iconic waterfalls in Maui. It is also an easy enough stop near the roadside with only a short walk in.
Return trip
For our return trip, we drove back the same way we had come from to head towards Kahului. If like us, you are renting a car, take note that most rental car agreements will void your insurance if you proceed beyond Hana Town via the back road. This is because the back road is know unpaved, rough and potentially dangerous.
Even though we did drive past Hana Town to the Pipiwai Trail, the roads were quite manageable till Pipiwai. Beyond that, we did not venture and instead returned the same way we had driven from.
Final thoughts on Road to Hana
So, was it worth it?
Personally, I feel it might not be worth spending the day travelling along the Road to Hana, especially if you are not comfortable sitting in a vehicle for long. Also consider that the vehicle would have to go through numerous winding lanes. If I were to go back to Maui, I would rather do other things like beach hopping and snorkelling.
To me, the beaches of Hawaii are beautiful and Maui is no exception. Being in the waters up close to turtles is just a magical experience (be careful to not be too intrusive and keep a respectable distance).
We spent a great chunk of our time in Maui snorkelling and yet, still wished we had made more time for it. For great snorkelling spots in Hawaii, do read my post on Great Beaches for Snorkelling in Kauai, Maui and Oahu.
** Hope this post has given you a better idea of how to plan your Road to Hana trip or even whether you should embark on it.
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