Do you need 4 wheel drive for Road to Hana?

The road is unpaved but well-graded dirt for five miles, and at some points it is only one lane wide and has precipitous drop-offs, but at no point is 4WD essential. The only time you would need 4WD is during a torrential rainstorm—and in that situation, you should stay off the road altogether.



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The road is only two lanes wide, and it winds through the rainforest, with sharp turns and steep drop-offs. There are also many one-lane bridges along the route, which can be difficult to navigate. Another danger is the potential for landslides.

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The roads can get a little dicey, especially if you're starting from the Seven Sacred Pools. The highway can get extremely narrow, bumpy, and turn into a one-lane road. Not to mention the local goats that have free reign. These little guys can surprise you if you're not careful.

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The 64.4 mile Road to Hana starts officially in the town of Kahului. From there, it winds along the northeastern edge of Maui, where it concludes in the village of Hana. Cutting through high-speed urban areas and rural mountain passes, the Road to Hana offers stunning views.

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There are over 600 hairpin curves and 59 one-lane bridges to cross. With all of those, numerous blind-spots and the 25mph speed limit (or slower), those 52 miles will take about two and a half hours if you don't run into any distractions. However, this road is FILLED with one incredible distraction after another!

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Tip 2: Take nausea medicine. I have a friend who took medicine before going on the Road to Hana and her group still had to turn back because she got so sick. Getting motion sickness is pretty common along this fairly wind-y road so if you can prepare in advance, that will help immensely.

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Wear a pair of sneakers you don't mind getting wet along the hiking trails and also a pair of flip flops or sandals for the beach. A lot of Road to Hana is wet and misty, so leave those white tennis shoes at home! (Bonus: bring some plastic bags to wrap your wet/muddy shoes in).

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We highly recommend you start the tour early, by 8:00 a.m. If you're staying in Lahaina or Kaanapali in West Maui, the drive to the starting point for the Reverse Road to Hana is about an hour away. Don't forget to include that extra time while you're planning your day.

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It is a beautiful adventure if you're up for the drive. It's possible to do the Road to Hana in one day but it takes an early wakeup and some prep work to maximize your day of driving.

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Some call it the “Road to Hell” or the “Road to Divorce” because you will have to journey across 52 miles of winding road, hairpin turns and numerous one lane bridges to experience all of Hana. This treacherous drive causes couples to argue. Don't worry, it's not that bad. Just take your time and drive carefully.

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The road has over 600 turns and many stops. If you were to drive straight from Ka'anapali to Hana without any stops, you could make the journey in two hours and 40 minutes. With stops, expect that you'll spend six hours getting to Hana. You likely won't stop on your way back, so the return trip should take three hours.

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Experience tells me that a Tuesday, Wednesday or Thursday are probably best - mainly because there is LESS traffic to deal with. The Road to Hana is one of THE most popular drives on Maui, and while you cannot “escape” the traffic, the heaviest times are the beginnings and endings of the week, generally…

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As mentioned earlier, you'll need to retrace your steps for your return trip. The Road to Hana is technically a loop, however it's not recommended to check out “Maui's backside.” First, it won't save you that much time. Secondly, most car rental companies specifically discourage this.

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