(This is NOT like the Hana Highway normal route around the north side, which is paved all the way.) . They all flow directly into each other, but they have their own mile markers, which are crucial navigation points on this beautiful rainforest drive. From there its about a two hour drive (with no stops) due east to the town of Hana. WYOMING Alelele Falls is a short hike that takes 15-20 minutes to reach. As you can see, the. The first is one we dont advise. It has an arid quality. These falls are some of the best waterfalls that Maui has to offer. Ewa Beach, Oahu Robert Linsdell/Flickr The National Drug Intelligence Center mentions the high use of methamphetamine in Ewa Beach as well, and according to AreaVibes, you have a 1 in 27 chance of being a crime victim. 22 Best Road to Hana stops Twin & Caveman Falls Huelo Lookout Road to Hana Rainbow eucalyptus trees Waikamoi Ridge Trail Ka Haku smoke shack Garden of Eden arboretum Haipua'ena Falls Honoman Bay lookout Ke'anae Arboretum Aunty Sandy's Wailua Valley State Wayside Park Upper Waikani Falls Upper Hanawi Falls Pi'ilanihale Heiau Road to Hana lava tubes Want flexible cancellation terms? In ancient times most of the Hawaiians lived in this area opposed to current day West Maui or South Maui. To compare this road to other highways of death such as the North Yungas Road in Bolivia or the Brazils Road of death is ridiculous. Break up the drive with a great hike Kaumana Trail. Maybe at one point that was true, but I dont really think it is anymore. On an island full of beautiful scenery, the Road to Hana is among Maui's most gorgeous attractions. Makena Beach Intiaz Rahim/Flickr Take your valuables with you or at the very least keep them out of sight. You really should be more fearful driving to the airport or shipping in Walmart, are you going to buy an I Survived Wallmart Kahului?. It becomes a dirt road for long stretches and even though we left for the day at 7AM, after a few stops and not really rushing we ended up in a situation where we were driving the most treacherous parts after dark (we almost hit a cow at one point, as herds will just wonder over the road in certain parts). A thirty something adventure seeking, gin loving, sun chasing, temple searching, bikini wearing, outdoor enthusiast who is based on Maui and writes about Hawaii and her adventures abroad. Its worth a stop if you have time. It was the perfect solution. Dont miss it! We are planning a trip to Hana on Aug 7. And we have some questions that we're hoping you lovely folk can help answer: So if you have no problem with the highway spouting off you dont see the big issue isnt particularly helpful to those that do fear it! So if you REALLY know its just going to be too much and even the thought of it is keeping you up at night, Its time to let the pros do the driving. Besides the black sand beach at Waianapanapa State Park, this really is the crown jewel of the Road to Hana. GRAND CANYON AZ EVERGLADES FL An out and back drive if you will. 5. NORTH DAKOTA If you are still undecided about whether or not you want to drive the Road to Hana on your own, there are Road to Hana tours. WHAT TO WEAR HIKING, 2023 Flashpacking America | US outdoor travel blog, Road to Hana tour reviews on getyourguide, swim shirts with UV protection like these, Why a personal swim buoy is an essential for snorkeling and swimming in the ocean. My favorite travel hack is cashing in points to score free flights to Hawaii. 1. It is such a unique and wonderful Road through some of the most spectacular scenery in the world. About the Road to Hana. There's no stress involved when a knowledgeable driver points out and stops at the most beautiful spots. Other people revel in that sort of environment. Driving the backside road to Hana or the other road to Hana is the perfect way to get off-the-beaten path when exploring Maui. Click here to search for Maui vacation rentals for your trip. There is little cell reception, you driving around an active(ish) volcano into the wilds of an already pretty remote island chain. (I think the back road may be closed to traffic anyway) That part of the road (going on from Hana towards Kula) is the part that is prone to washouts, etc. Paia is a small, laid back town on the Northshore of Maui. Theyll give you the very best prices, you dont have to reserve with a credit card or pay until you show up, you can cancel and re-book anytime if you find a better rate, and they usually have a special that adds additional drivers for no fee. other than a slight hindrance to your rate of progress there is nothing to worry about. As always, I would never recommend a product or service that I didn't truely believe in. Does this add a lot to the drive, having the top down? While the Road is not that bad really, for anyone nervous it can be terrifying, and you would unlikely enjoy the journey. It won't take you 5 hours to get to Hana either. Yes, if you drive straight from Paia to Hana, you might see less people at the spots near Hana, but by the time you start working your way back to Paia those spots are still going to crowded. So many people dont really plan their trip to Hana and end up starting out late in the day and just stopping wherever they see cars so those stops along the north shore are still going to have visitors all day long. There are many adventures to have in Hana so I always recommend staying a night or two in Hana to be able to experience all that Hana has to offer. Safer and more dangerous parts of Road to Hana Jul 16, 2022, 5:27 PM Save Hi, We are planning a trip to Hana on Aug 7. Below you'll find detailed information about the road to Hana, local tips, video, photos, & the latest updates. 10) Lastly, is it wiser to hire a local driver to pick us up and drop us off at each location? We do not think so. If I could sign up twice, I would ; ). Driving a car is dangerous. Peru is a destination for nature lovers, hist, Hiking in and out of Haleakala Crater on Maui is o, Sunset state of mind . This is great to know thanks. RtH has too much traffic and has been widened and or paved in most scary sections. My post captions are full of travel tips and I have a ton of story highlights and videos with great info. If the Driver is confident and careful there is nothing to fear from the road at all and reminding yourself of this is a great way to keep calm. One of the leading causes of accidental deaths anywhere in the world is Road Traffic Accidents. If you aren't planning on stopping at any of the waterfalls, trails, scenic viewpoints, etc., the drive straight from Lahaina to Hana will take a good 2.75-4 hours, depending on time of day. You'll battle the traffic with other day trippers, missing some of the drive's highlights due to time constraints and eventually running out of . Once you leave the National Park, theres not really a ton of places I recommend to stop. Im just going to describe it as accurately as possible and relay my personal experiences so that you can make a decision that youre comfortable with. **Paia Historic Town. Okay, so lets get on with the questions, Theres a lot of hype about how bad the backside of the Road to Hana is. Or someone from the rural US where roads amble on for hundreds of miles with barely a bend would find the almost endless snaking of the road completely daunting. As an Amazon Associate I earn from qualifying purchases that gives me a small commission at no extra cost to you if you decided to make a purchase. Try to leave Paia by 6 a.m. or 7 a.m. and plan on being back in Paia before dark. This park contains one of. If you get above 30 mph you are doing well! And to finish with my most solid argumentif a big tour bus can drive the backroad to Hana, so can you ; ). the answer is an unequivocal YES! Check your rental agreement and insurance this activity may breach your contract as this area of Maui is usually forbidden by rental car companies. There are 620 bends, many of them extremely sharp or hairpin turns, over the course of that 64 miles. Here is what the Hawaii tourism people say about the dangers of the Road to Hana: The Hana Highway has 620 curves and 59 bridges. Plus, there are 59 bridges, the majority of which are only wide enough for 1 car at a time. (Highlighted above is the most dangerous stretch of the Kahekili Highway - 4.5 miles of what amounts to barely more than a golf cart-sized lane etched into the side of a cliff) So the idea started in the old capital of the Kingdom of Hawaii, Lahaina, otherwise known as a cozy little tourist town along the western shore of Maui. This part of Maui is known as Upcountry. Does the inside lane/outside lane play more into the safety of it than the road conditions themselves? Quite a few people continue on past Hana to the Kipahulu District of Haleakala National Park where you'll find the Oheo Gulch (aka Seven Sacred Pools) and the Pipiwai Trailhead. Hopefully, we can help allay some of these fears? Right: Driving the back road to Hana is where you will find roads that can be dangerous or scary! This snake-like road is 52 miles (84 km) long and runs from Kahului to Hana. The tarmac is smooth and well maintained. 6) I am not a daredevil but I'm a careful driver who has never been in an accident in 32 yrs of driving due to being defensive and aware on the road. Most people will drive the Road to Hana as an out-and-back, starting the day by driving past the town of Paia, and then drive to the town of Hana or the Kipahulu district of Haleakala National Park. If you have serious doubts over whether or not the road is for you, or you are pretty convinced this type of driving is not your style then you have three options. According to Tripadvisor travellers, these are the best ways to experience Hana Highway - Road to Hana: Road to Hana Day Trip (From C$293.76) Small Group Road to Hana Adventure Tour with Pickup (From C$293.76) Small-Group Road to Hana Luxury Tour (From C$472.71) Famous Road to Hana Mercedes van with Waterfalls, Black Sand Beach & Lunch (From C . **Mama's Fish House. The road is very comfortable for one car to drive on, the problem comes when you pass another car. Take the moral high ground and just drive in a way that ensures YOUR safety! Since you are voiding your contract the rental agency will not come to help. Bring ones you don't mind getting muddy. Most of the photos courtesy of Natalie Brown Photography. So on to the practicalities of the road itself. For about 20 miles (32 km) between Wailuku and Kapalua, you need to navigate rocks on one side and steep cliffs on the other. This three-part waterfall is often called the Three Bear Falls for the Papa Bear-, Mamma Bear-, and Baby Bear-size cascades of water. **Baldwin Beach Park. Hairpin bends slice through thickly-forested mountain slopes, and there are no. The Pipiwai Trailis a moderate hike that is 4 miles out and back. Fewer tourists lodge here than in other Maui locales, and in the morning it is quiet and peaceful. We know for most people the Hana Highway is fine. The first being Alelele Falls which you can find on google maps here. Starting your journey to Hana on this side is a great way toexperience this side of, Day 256 of traveling the world full time! SNORKELING SHIRTS If you need road assistance it's cash costing $800-1200 if and when a tow truck comes. Their reasoning is that the popular sites closer to Hana would be less crowded by getting there earlier and then I guess they think that the crowds at the stops closer to Paia will have moved on towards Hana so by the time they retrace their steps theyll have all the popular spots to themselves. 7) I hear it's a far worse drive when it rains - are roads likely to be washed out in early August? This view may be one of my favorite views on Maui. It is a paved road so you do not need a 4WD. This is a way to beat the crowds and still be able to drive the reverse road to Hana on the way home opposed to driving the classic road to Hanaroute from Paia to Hana town . Really the worst thing about it is the Hire Car prohibitions meaning you are uninsured and beyond the reach of the Hire Car Recovery truck (meaning you will have to pay for recovery yourself $$$). for the most part, it is wide enough for two small buses to pass each other with no issue. Read about my favorite luxury resorts, boutique hotels, honeymoon resorts, family friendly resorts, and condos (many under $100/night!). We intend to hike for 4 hours or so, and be back on the road at 11 or 11:30am, head to Koki Beach for some food truck food, and continue on to Wai'anapanapa for the black sand beach for a few hours, and be back on the road by 3pm to head back to OGG airport (with no stops) for 5pm to catch our 7pm flight. The Road to Hana is generally known for it's 52 miles of winding turns, liable to cause nausea and dizziness among even the most experienced road trip enthusiast, as well as it's 59 Lara Croft-esque stone bridges nestled in the thick Hawaiian jungle. The road is tricky to drive and requires care, but this is very obvious to anyone driving the road and as long as sensible precautions are taken, such as, you know, slowing down for corners, more so for blind narrow bends and giving way at the one-way sections, obeying the speed limits and generally just not being a braindead moron, there really is nothing about the road to make it unsafe. The problem is we all confront fears in a different way. Glad you braved it! The Signs of fear are an elevated heart rate, sweaty palms, increased alertness, and a sense of dread and fear. Who thinks of these things? 808/572-1693), a good stop for drinks or snacks for the ride. (I think the back road may be closed to traffic anyway) That part of the road (going on from Hana towards Kula) is the part that is prone to washouts, etc. UTAH This is one of the most dangerous places in Hawaii. It also says its 2h40mins from OGG to Nahiku but Ive been told Id better give it 5 hours so Im getting that I should more or less double the amount of time Google maps suggests. Serious accidents involving tourists on the Highway are rare, compared to the rest of the islands where tourists accidental deaths are higher than average! This trip takes approximately 7.0 hours to complete and the Road to Hana is considered the 5th most dangerous road in the world. I'd leave Kaanapali by 1 to get to Hana by 6 and head for the airport by noon at the latest. Get your car inspected . (And maybe beyond!). Maybe well do Kanapali only and then head out east? At last youve made it to Hana town. You can help by pulling over to let people faster than you by, there is nothing to be gained by holding someone up, they will get increasingly angry, more erratic, and make your trip far more uncomfortable. Get on my Email list to see what Im up to and all the best travel content! So heres the scenario: people read about long lines of cars, limited parking spaces, and crowded hikes, waterfalls, etc. If you go, (just like anything you do), you do so at your own risk. Eventually, the Hana Highway turns into the Piilani Highway. Rating: In a nutshell: If you like the road less traveled, continuing on past Hana around Haleakala is an adventure worth taking. 2) Is this too late in the afternoon to see safely in early August? 9. If you couldnt look out and see the ocean, youd probably think you were in parts of Texas or another western state. ta.queueForLoad : function(f, g){document.addEventListener('DOMContentLoaded', f);})(function(){ta.trackEventOnPage('postLinkInline', 'impression', 'postLinks-114352867', '');}, 'log_autolink_impression');cars on the tight turns and one-lane sections); you're extremely unlikely to drive off the edge so long as you pay attention and don't speed; you don't want to take the southern (backside) road (it's at least as hazardous and a longer route to the airport). I guess depending on what youre most interested in seeing/doing you could try this, but here are my thoughts: I strongly recommend driving the Road to Hana the right way or clockwise from Paia for a couple of reasons: 1) youll be on the inside lane the whole way around (no hugging the tight shoulder where theres a 200 foot drop off mere feet away from your tire) which is a bigger deal when youre driving on the road past Hana. #travelp. I will say, the paved road is still pretty narrow and even though theres no drop off on either side, if you see a local (anyone really) coming to meet you, pull over as far as you can and stop where theres a good place because they will come BLAZING through. Please keep in mind that youll encounter challenging turns and narrow bridges along the way, so its important to exercise caution and take your time. Really just understanding that the Road is actually perfectly serviceable and 99% of the fear is in your mind can help overcome that fear. We respect your privacy. The back road to Hana conditions are as followed. The Road to Hana actually goes beyond the town of Hana, all the way to Haleakala National Park. My girlfriend. in most places, the road is wide enough for two tour buses to pass. Back on the Hana Highway, as you leave Maliko Gulch, around mile marker 11, you'll pass through the rural area of Haiku, where you'll see banana patches, cane grass blowing in the wind, and forests of guava trees, avocados, kukui trees, palms, and Christmas berry. It really is a unique experience, its totally different in the rain too, hopefully the waterfalls were in full flow they can dry up a little in the summer. It REALLY isnt a bad road. Its a cumulative thing that adding in the fairly stressful driving conditions can tip people over the edge to the point the drive is just no longer fun. 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