The Road to Hana
add photosBe sure to fill your gas tank and pack some food prior to the 4-hour journey. Paia is the last "big" town at the beginning of Route 360. Calculating in the prices of gas on the islands and the costs of food it's better to do a tour!
20 Reviews for The Road to Hana
85
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'11, '12
1 family found this helpful
"Excellent, but not for young families"
I really did enjoy this little road trip! There is so much to see that you simply won't find in a brochure....Seven Sacred Pools, hidden waterfalls, beautiful hiking trails, tucked-away beaches...but it definitely isn't for younger ones. The roads are frighteningly narrow and a bit perilous. The trip is LONG...all day if you stop to see stuff...and you are in the middle of nowhere. There's not a lot to do if you're under 13. Otherwise, it's a great adventure with lots of fun discoveries. Pack a lunch/snacks, your swimsuit & towels and do the self-guided tour. You can get a map in any ABC shop on the island or online. Your car rental agreement probably has a clause stating that you will NOT take the road to Hana, but if you have a small car with 4-wheel drive (we had a Jeep) then you'll be fine.
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1 family found this helpful
"A day of your life you can't get back"
If you are looking for scenic ocean views, this is not for you. If you are looking for lush rain forests, you're better off going to the island of Kauai. If you are prone to being car sick, and don't like vomiting all over other people's lap, don't bother. If you DO enjoy a senseless full day's driving, turning left and right every 10-20 feet, enjoy getting a headache and throwing up on other people's lap, and then after getting to the end, paying $15 for a $5 burger, this is the place for you.
If you truly want a beautiful rain forest, like the scenes you see from the movies, you should go to the island of Kauai instead. Take the dolphin tour to the Napali coast, where you can see hundreds of dolphins and see the beautiful scene where they filmed King Kong. The cost of living is also not ridiculously high in Kauai too.
0 families found this helpful
"Visiting The Seven Sacred Pools"
Hana is a great place to go when you are visiting Maui. Why? Well, if you want to experience what Hawaii is all about it's where you want to go. It's not called Heavenly Hana for no reason. It is truly beautiful with the rainforest, amazing coastlines and friendly people who wave to you along the way. We have camped, stayed at the hotel, done day trips with friends and hiked all over the place. Our friends say the best day they had on Maui is when we took them on a tour with Valley Isle Excursions. We all hung out, joked and laughed all day long. We didn't have to worry about a thing. That's the best way to go cause the road is windy and the girls get sick easily. NOT having them to harp on you all day to slow down, watch out, be careful, don't follow, don't look at the scenery while you drive is definitely worth it. Very relaxing. The best is hitting seven pools park where we hiked into the bamboo forest and jumped off some waterfalls and lazed around at the side of some great pools. It was No Ka Oi.
0 families found this helpful
"The long and winding road"
A Beatles song comes to mind when describing this excursion: The Long and Winding Road. It is the most treacherous road in all of Maui and NOT for inexperienced drivers, people afraid of heights or very young children. The views as with ALL of Maui are Breathtaking,Aweesome! But the Road to Maui offers views of Maui vegetation that reflect the Season: eg. Bamboo Forest, Rainforest. It keeps changing and that makes it fascinating. We took pics at every Waterfall. The Black Sand Beach was a truly unique experience as was the 7 pools where we all took dips. The end of the road is kind of disappointing after such a long ride, but still worth it. Hawaii is ALWAYS MAGNIFICENT, BUT THE ROAD TO HANA IS A "MUST" to complete your trip!!!
0 families found this helpful
"Beautiflul place to explore"
The road to Hana is a great trip to get off the beaten path of the resort areas and explore some of Maui's more remote area. It is a very winding, skinny road that may not be for the easily car sick folks, but there are many beautiful sites along the way such as bamboo forests, magnificent waterfalls, black sand beaches. Talk to some locals to find out the best secret places to visit.
1 family found this helpful
"Beautiful!"
We loved the Road to Hana when we were in Maui. The scenery is breathtaking but I agree with many others that this may not be for you if you have wiggly kids. There are lots of places that you can get out to stretch and you will want to so you can take amazing photos.
Biggest suggestion: Bring some cash with you! There are so many great little fruit stands along the way but they only take cash. Let me tell you, there is nothing like fresh pineapple or mango in Hawaii!
0 families found this helpful
"Really Windy!"
Hope you don't get car sick! This road is no joke! I've been there twice. The other truck drivers coming down the road are fast and don't give you a lot of room if your driving your self. The scenery is beautiful and the experience is a must.
Once you are there the 7 pools are breath taking! There are a lot of people but if your willing to go to the top the fewer the people you encounter. I recommend finding a place to stay once your out there so you don't have to come back the say day (3 hours out, 3 hours back!).
The second time we went we got all the way out there and it was CLOSED! No signs... No warnings about not driving out there because they were closed! We were so upset! So make sure they are open if there has been any rain or flash flood warnings! Lesson learned!
1 family found this helpful
"If you have half a day and older kids..."
The Road to Hana is one of the most memorable, but also a tad frustrating, excursions on Maui. It's a two-lane, narrow, twisty road that traverses through some of the most beautiful Maui scenery. It will take you about four hours to go down and back. Because of this (and the lack of places to stop on the way)...it's best for older kids. Get gas before you take off too. There is one gas station in Hana and it's very pricey.
0 families found this helpful
"amazing views"
We took this trip with an 11 month old in tow. There are plenty of places to get out and stretch your legs. The hiking is demanding, I don't think very young children would be able to safely do it. The views on this trip are amazing. Don't let anybody scare you from taking the Road to Hana because of it's length.
1 family found this helpful
"Beautiful Scenery, But Long"
We took the Road to Hana. The scenery was beautiful but it took several hours to complete. I wouldnt recommend it to those with little restless kids, although you can stop and do hikes along the way. It is a windy road so if you are squemish becareful. It was beautful with waterfalls just off the road or a short distance from it. There is a lava tube you can explore but it was a little pricey. The views were breath taking. And the little hikes we went on were fabulous.
1 family found this helpful
"Long, winding road"
The road to Hana was very pretty, and very scenic. Plenty of great photo ops. There were also several small waterfall hikes along the way. Once in Hana there was not much to do, just a few houses and a cafe or two. The road was very windy and long, which I don't think would be super fun for the kids. So all in all the road was not very fun. It was beyond Hana that I found to be fun. The place they call he seven sacred pools was very fun to swim in and to hike. We also hike to the tallest waterfall in Maui, which in that same area. It was a great hike that I would probably do again. If you can get on the few small back roads near Hana you will find some awesome deserted beaches as well. I would love to go back to the falls and beaches, but I'm not quite sure the travel is worth it.
0 families found this helpful
"If you like driving . . ."
I think most people are surprised that I am not a fan of the Hana road. Yes it is beautiful. Yes it can be a nice day-long activity (and it really is an all-day activity). You may need to base your decision on the following questions: will I ever be returning to Maui and need to cross it off my list? How well does my toddler enjoy 6 hours of driving in the car?
0 families found this helpful
"Hard on the motion sick!"
The road to Hana is really neat and a must do on the list of Maui. But I wouldn't recommend taking kids who get motion sickness, or don't like long car rides. Wait until your next trip when they are older.
If you do go, it is worth picking up a little tourist guide so that you know where to stop along the way.
0 families found this helpful
"Hana better than the road there"
I think a helicopter ride to Hana would be the better way. Hana is magnificent, unspoiled and beautiful. The Hotel Hana Maui a laid back gem. I would love to go back!! However, people survive the road to Hana not due to the danger, but to the car sickness. The constant turns are nauseating, only exacerbated by a significant other that does not get motion sickness stopping every 10 minutes to take a picture of the view. The best parts of the ride are the beginning to watch the windsurfers and the end to stay at the beautiful Hana Maui!!!
0 families found this helpful
"Rambling Road"
The "road to Hana" is not a must do for everyone. I have done it many times with and without my children. Little kids are not going to enjoy, nor appreciate the beauty of the jungle on this slow going journey and on twisty roads.
However, if this is on your list of things to do while on Maui, my recommendation would be to stay at the Hotel Hana Maui (http://hotelhanamaui.com/) for the night. It is an oasis after such a long trek. The beautiful cottages and suites provide a respite from the endless "are we there yet?". It will also give you a chance to explore the seven sacred pools and surroundings without feeling rushed. If you book ahead of time, you can often find an internet special.
1 family found this helpful
"Road to Hana w/ kids! Feb. 2010"
We just got back from our adventure to Hana. I really wanted the kids to be able to see the beautiful scenery so we packed them in the car and on we went! I would like to first is, I found road to Hana very safe and absolutely a delight! NOT Scary nor dangerous at all! I would strongly suggest to take snacks and a packed lunch and some plastic bags. My kids did amazing on the drive up there however they did get car sick and threw up =( Other than that they enjoyed it, they are the ages of 6 yrs.old and a 2 yr. old. We got to see all the beautiful waterfalls, greenery, plants and trees are amazing. My biggest tips are don't drive all the way up, once you seen the Waterfall which has 3 waterfalls together side by side you basically seen it all. Once yo get to Hana it's just another city nothing much to see. We did the extra drive to the Seven Pools, now that my friends is pretty scary, and Please Please Make sure to call ahead of time to the Park and check if the waterfalls have Water! We drove the extra 35min down a windy dangerous road and once we got there the Park Attendant notified us that the waterfalls were dried up due to lack of Rain! It took us about 2 1/2 hours to arrive to Hana,to get to the main waterfall it took us about 1 1/2 leaving from Maui. I would strongly suggest to make the trip but really really recommend turning back after the 3 Waterfalls that run side by side. Oh and no need to purchase the $20 CD the narrator is extremely annoying and impossible to follow once you've lost your place
2 families found this helpful
"Are we there yet?"
How do I articulate the road to Hana? Are we there yet? Is about the only question and answer that comes to mind.
The road and the drive are beautiful. The stopping points along the way are gorgeous and if visiting in season, your view of the humpbacks along the Maui shore is spectacular. With that being said, this is not a fun activity for little kids.
This is a great activity for a couple or maybe a family with older kids. But for little kids - no thank you. Although the drive is just under 60 miles, it will take you at least have a day to get to Hana and then some more for the return. The stop off points are usually narrow shoulders along the way that go into the mountain a bit. Nothing like stopping on the side of a busy road and letting the kids out. The frequent stops are difficult with the kids, for a couple, getting in and out of the car isn't really a big deal. Three or four times in and out of the car, and the kids will be screaming because they don't want to get back into the carseat again (or they are screaming because they don't want to get out). So why does it take so long to drive so little? Aside from the frequent stops, the traffic is horrendous. Nothing like lining up behind 50 cars to enjoy nature. The heavy traffic along this scenic drive has also led to a litter problem - it is awful when the kids become more interested with the trash they can find / see. One last issue with the road to Hana - bathrooms. While there are reststops along the way and several do have bathrooms, the turtle pace and the traffic congestion makes it impossible to get to a bathroom when the kids need one. Consequently, the question about whether to let your kids pee on trees or not is really not a question - it becomes a choice, let them pee on the trees or let them pee in the car / carseat.
The phrase "I survived the road to Hana", in my opinion, has nothing to do with the actual safety or condition of the drive, it has to do with the mental stability of the parents after completing it and how many times the question are we there yet can be answered in one day.
1 family found this helpful
"a long and beautiful drive"
If your kids don't LOVE car rides, definitely split this one up over two days. You will want to stop the car frequently to wander the rainforests and waterfalls. If you make it as far as Oheo Gulch/the Seven Sacred Pools, it's is at least 4 hours one way. It's absolutely worth it, you will feel like you entered a mini paradise. Just pace yourself with the little ones.
As a side note, if you are at all able to squeeze into a jeep wrangler and take of the top, it is the absolute best way to experience the stunning scenery beneath the rainforest canopy.
2 families found this helpful
"Fun with the Family"
Just as a sunrise on Haleakala is a must-do for any Maui vacation, so too is the Road to Hana. A stay on Maui simply would not be complete without taking your family over the 54 miles and fifty-plus one-lane bridges that lead to one of the most beautiful spots on Earth.
This is the tropical Hawaii that everyone imagines. The road leads through rain forests where waterfalls plummet down craggy cliffs into isolated pools framed by fragrant tropical flowers. At periodic turnoffs you can dip your toe in these little pools or jump completely in and let the waterfalls tumble over you, as a sort of hydro-gravity powered massage!
The road begins just after Paia, as Route 36 leads into Route 360, the daunting yet beckoning Hana Highway. Actually, the road is more impressive, interesting, and scenic than the town itself. There reportedly are more than 600 hairpin turns in this curvaceous coastline, but the views are so captivating it’s hard to keep count. The going is definitely slow, but the scenery is spectacular, and you wouldn’t dream of speeding by. From Kahului it takes about four hours to get to the town of Hana and four hours to get back. So either start early or plan to spend the night. You can do it all in one day, but it’s a bit much, and you may be navigating the curves in the dark on the way home.
The Road to Hana has earned an undeserved bad reputation. Throughout Maui, you’ll see tank tops, T-shirts, sweatshirts, golf hats, and water bottles all imprinted with the famous slogan: I SURVIVED THE ROAD TO HANA. What began as a joke has become a misleading deceit. There’s really nothing to “survive” about the road. It’s a safe, well-maintained route that is never scary, just long and winding. It does rain often, however (the lush rain forests got that way for a reason), so the road can get a bit slippery. And make sure you bring plenty of mosquito repellent—the little pests are quite fierce in this damp area.
It’s impossible to list every stopping place and name every waterfall on the way, but what follows are some highlights. After Hookipa, you’ll pass the minuscule towns of Huelo and Kailua. The entrance to the Waikomoi Ridge Trail and Nature Walk isn’t very well marked, but it’s definitely worth a stop. Look for a bunch of picnic tables in a clearing above the road and a metal gate. You can pull over and park here. The short trail travels into a bamboo grove. If you remain quiet, you can hear Mother Nature singing as the wind whistles among these tall, hollow trees.
Just past Waikomoi, you’ll see Puahokamoa and Haipuaena Falls, two consecutive waterfalls streaming down the mountain. You can park a bit beyond the falls at Kaumahina State Wayside Park. You’ll see Puahokamoa first, and a short trek from the road leads to its pool base at the bottom of a large cliff. If you walk upstream for a few minutes, you’ll find Haipuaena Falls and another pool.
The first “town” on the road is Keanae, a small agricultural community and a good place to rest your engine and stretch your legs. The scenic vistas from here are delightful, with native rain forests growing in wild contrast with neatly sculpted taro farms. Stop for a picnic at Puaa Kaa State Wayside Park. There are grills here for a do-it-yourself barbecue. Various trails lead from here to small waterfalls and idyllic pools, but don’t let kids wander off. The earth is damp, and it’s easy to slip and slide into potentially hazardous rocks.
The next town is Nahiku, identifiable by its small church, serving the local congregation here since 1867. If you happen to be driving this road during the summer, look for a pod of dolphins swimming offshore. Locals say that the graceful animals perform spontaneous shows of acrobatics, like a real-life version of Sea Life Park on Oahu.
Once you’ve reached the town of Hana, you’ll be amazed at the sense of “civilization” you feel, even at this isolated spot. After such a long drive through wild, lush greenery, you’ll be happy to see some buildings, homes, and stores. But don’t expect too much; Hana epitomizes life in a small town, where residents all know each other and life moves very slowly. Both the local attitudes and the lush scenery create an atmosphere that’s captivating and alluring. Famed aviator Charles Lindbergh became so entranced with Hana, his last wish was to be buried here. His gravesite is near the Hoomau Stone Church.
In Hana be sure to visit Hasegawa General Store. Even if you don’t need any supplies, this local institution is surely something to see. It stocks everything from clothing to fishing lures to camera equipment—it’s truly an all-in-one spot.
The town of Hana is so small it’s impossible to miss the Hana Airport. Yes, you can skip that beautiful drive and fly here directly from Kahului. Pacific Wings (873–0877; www.pacificwings.com) offers two flights daily.
1 family found this helpful
"Take this trip!"
Ok, so I already reviewed the Seven Sacred Pools, which is the last destination on the road to Hana. But there are many other stops and turns you can make. I remember there was one not far from our beginning journey that had a watering hole and little water fall with a rope swing that you could jump into. Ifyou have real little ones, you'd have to carry them to alot of these hideaways or hold their hands. We picnicked at a beautiful garden about halfway through the trip.
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