Should I do Road to Hana in two days?

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!



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Sundays and Thursdays are heavy travel days (arriving and leaving the island) so the road to Hana may be less crowded. Start early to get the most out of your day. This is one of the best things to do in Maui on a budget.

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It is IMPOSSIBLE to do everything and see all the sights in 1 day (trust us, we've tried.) The best way is to pick a few sights to see each day and stay overnight. Hana is about slowing down and enjoying nature.

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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.

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Road to Hana Starting Point. The Road to Hana starting point is Kahului on Route 36, Hana Highway. Beginning at Kahului Harbor, Hana Highway switches to Route 360 at Mile Marker Zero for the Road to Hana, 16 miles past Paia Town.

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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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Hana Driving Checklist
  1. Decide on a day-trip or staying overnight. Hana is best experienced over at least a few days. ...
  2. Rent a car. Again, we encourage visitors to do a tour over renting your own car for this journey. ...
  3. Get The R2H CD Guide. ...
  4. Do some research. ...
  5. Pack a bag. ...
  6. Leave early and grab a picnic lunch. ...
  7. Pay attention to time.


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On Day 2 of Road to Hana overnight itinerary, I recommend making the following stops:
  1. Breakfast at Hana Town.
  2. Pipiwai Bamboo Forest Trail (2 hours needed for the hike)
  3. Pools at Ohe'o.
  4. Wailua Falls.
  5. Hamoa Beach.
  6. Koki Beach.
  7. Lunch at Hana Town (or at Huli Huli Chicken at Koki Beach)


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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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Yes, you certainly can do it all in one day. I too suggest you drive straight to Oheo Gulch to start the trail. After hiking you can take whatever time you want or need to see the sites going back. You may even want to go a bit further than Oheo Gulch to see Charles Lindbergh's grave.

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Most all rental car companies on Maui will allow you to drive to Hana. Driving the backside of Haleakala, past Oheo Gulch is not recommended for the faint of heart. Access to the ROAD TO HANA is Limited (learn more): The best parts of driving to Hana are between Paia and Seven Sacred Pools.

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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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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.

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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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Can you go half way down the road to Hana, see a few waterfalls, skip the road side stands, turn around and come back? Yes, you can. Go to MM25, see the pool waterfall to the left of the bridge, and that's plenty. You'll see 4-5 waterfalls along the way, a few of them next to the road visible from a bridge.

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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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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!

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