How hard is to drive the Road to Hana in Maui?

However, the Road to Hana is not dangerous in and of itself, and for seasoned drivers, the trip should be a breeze. The Road to Hana is about 65 miles long, but don't let this relatively short distance fool you. You'll want to budget your time for slow, careful driving and any stops that you might like to take.



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Driving along the Road to Hana requires careful attention. The roads can be crowded with drivers who don't always know where they're going, and unexpected traffic backups around curves can lead to sudden stops and accidents.

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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 best road trips are those where you can cruise around on the open road at your leisure, playing road trip songs or just enjoying the sounds of nature, stress-free. The Road to Hana is the opposite. It's crowded, fairly dangerous, and definitely stressful.

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This depends on what type of traveler you are and how much time you have. If you'd rather not drive, and you want a guide you can ask questions to, a Hana van tour is the best option. If you want a little more control over where you go, and you want to do your own research, driving is your best option.

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The safest and most pleasant way to travel on the Road to Hana is during daylight hours. Leaving around 7 am will leave you plenty of time for driving and a few interesting stops.

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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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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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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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Most of the stops on the Road to Hana are free (e.g., hikes and views) or low-cost (e.g., banana bread stops and black sand beach reservations). Overall, the Road to Hana is a good value for all you get to see and do in one day compared to loading a day of things to do on Maui with kids.

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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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From there, you'll arrive at the official Mile Marker Zero location for the route, and then it's 35 miles to the town of Hana. Once you reach Hana, you turn around and come back the way you came. Kahului-Hana-Kipahulu-Kula: The outbound journey remains the same, starting in Kahului and heading to Hana.

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The Road to Hana is known as one of the most beautiful drives in the world due to its lush forest, coastal views, and stunning beaches but it's not all rainbows and sunshine. It's extremely crowded, touristy, and can easily be an overrated attraction if you don't do it right.

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On the back road to Hana you'll drive along some dirt roads, over cliffs with rusty guardrails and along narrow coastal roads.

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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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Conclusion. If you have the time, I'd suggest driving both sections around Hana (clockwise approach and counterclockwise). You could either do it as a loop or make two trips to Hana and back along both directions. It's all about timing.

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It will be a long day and you might not get to see and experience everything (for example, you probably won't have time for long hikes). Plan for the Road to Hana to take the entire day and don't schedule anything that you have to rush back for in the evening.

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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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