The Hana Highway (colloquially referred to as The Road to Hana) is a 64.4-mile-long (103.6 km) stretch of Hawaii Routes 36 and 360 which connects Kahului to the town of Hana in east Maui.
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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.
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.
The 64-mile route on Maui connects the towns of Kahului and Hana. It only takes about three hours from point A to point B if you don't stop — but stop you must, as the sights along the way are part of the adventure.
Dense rainforests, waterfalls, lava tubes, colorful tropical flowers, pristine beaches, and epic waves await along the Road to Hana. It's also where you will find some of the tastiest homemade banana bread in the world.
All visitors now must have a reservation voucher in order to enter the extremely popular Wai?anapana State Park (Black Sand Beach), along the famous Road to Hana on Maui. There is a small fee per vehicle (includes all passengers) for a parking reservation (includes entry) for a 3 hour selected allotment.
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.
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.
Yes – as long as your rental car agreement allows it. After exploring Hana, you'll continue to the Oheo Gulch, also known as the Seven Sacred Pools, and take the intermittently unpaved southern route via Highway 31 to follow the coastline and enjoy a beautiful sunset.
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…
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.
Last Words: Reverse Road To HanaDriving in reverse has its advantages like avoiding crowds and congestion at the most popular stops and finding parking spots. The Road to Hana is an incredible experience from breathtaking waterfalls and black sand beaches to lush greenery and local culture.
It's a beautiful scenic drive with a huge amount to see. Unfortunately, most visitors only plan to spend one day on this adventure and end up being rushed and missing many of the sights. If you are lucky enough to have a bit of spare time in your Maui itinerary, I highly recommend making this a two-day excursion!
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.
Visit us between December and March to enjoy the low chance of rain and gorgeous outdoor attractions on the windward side of the island. We recommend checking out the car rentals and embarking on the iconic Road to Hana!
The half-day Road to Hana Tour is an amazing journey. See jungles, waterfalls, beaches, rivers, rainforests, mountains, ocean cliffs… and that's just part of it! We can make this tour whatever you want it to be!
It's best to be on the road, leaving your resort by at least 7:30 am. If you start late, the Road to Hana can be crowded with other drivers. That can mean that you might find yourself crawling along behind slower drivers at time.