3 days and 2 nights on the Road to Hana

Travel the Road to Hana at your own pace and discover the most beautiful and inaccessible corners of Maui should be on your must-do list when organizing your trip to Hawaii's most romantic island.

How to organize your Road to Hana tour?

When to go

The time of year is not important. If you go to Maui, you have to see with your own eyes the most inaccessible side of the island.

If you take the typical Road to Hana route, you will start at dawn, drive from Paia to Hana for about 3 hours in heavy traffic (everyone is doing the same thing you are doing), make several mandatory stops along the way, and return at dusk with traffic jams much like the ones you encountered on the way out.

I suggest an anti-agglomeration alternative that works:

• Head for Hana after lunch, around 12:00-14:00 noon. You will notice that traffic is much smoother at that time.
• Make only short stops, nothing that requires trekking. You want to reach your destination with some light.
• Overnight stay in Hana or surroundings.
• The next day, get up early and visit the nearby area when there are still few tourists: Pipiway Trail, O'hoe Gulch, Black Sand Beach Park, Hamoa Beach, Kahanu Garden, the lava tubes, etc...
• Return to your accommodation.
• On the third day, gradually undo the Road to Hana from early in the day. Take advantage of this time to stop at other places along the route that you didn't have time to see on the way out. There will be people there, but almost no traffic in your lane.

Where to stay

The price of hotels in and around Hana is quite high, due to low supply and high demand. So, if you want to sleep in a hotel, I recommend you to book well in advance.

In case your budget is smaller (as in our case), take a look at Airbnb offers.

We booked the apartment Relaxing Oceanfront getaway in Hana for 267€/2 nights.

These are two rustic semi-detached houses facing the sea, which are rented separately. Each of them has a bedroom, complete bathroom (washing machine included), kitchen/living room with everything you need and, most important, a lanai or terrace to enjoy sunsets and breakfasts to the sound of the waves.

Don't expect any kind of luxury, just an authentic, autochthonous place, isolated from the crowds. It is likely that you will find some kind of insect (this was not my case, although I have read several reviews commenting on it). This is not strange, as the lodge is immersed in nature. Actually, it is one of its charms.

That said, if you can't handle the bugs, you'll have to look for other options.

There is little or no communication with the owners, but don't worry. You will find your name on the apartment door, keys on the front desk and lots of practical information inside the apartment.

You won't need any additions, you have just arrived in a natural paradise.

Want something even more economical? There are several campgrounds, such as the ones next to Black Sand Beach and Kipahulu Valley.

Where to eat

We bought food for 3 days at the organic supermarket Maná Foods in Paia. And the best thing is that they have freshly prepared hot dishes. For 12$/person, it gave us lunch and dinner on the first day: grilled vegetables, rice, tofu curry, chicken, noodles, pods... All delicious.

The rest of the basket was fruit, bread, cheese, tomatoes, avocado, spinach leaves, energy bars and nuts. Everything we needed for the trekking route we had planned the next day.

If you forget something, in Hana you will find a grocery store, the Hasegawa General Store, with some basic products.

We also tried the food from the truck-restaurant Ae's thai kitchen. For 14$ we ate between two of us a pad thai that tasted like glory (the quantity was more than enough).

What to see

Along the road leading from Paia to Hana, and beyond, you will find natural tunnels, trees with endless roots, waterfalls, panoramic views and curves... lots of curves.

Here are the best known points of interest in order of appearance, although there are many other places where you will want to stop and enjoy the scenery:

• Ho'okipa Beach Park -Mile 9 (previous road).
• Twin Falls - Mile 2 (trekking).
• Waikamoi Ridge Trail - Mile 9.5 (trekking).
• Garden Of Eden Arboretum - Mile 10 ($15).
• Kaumahina State Wayside Park - Mile 12 (views).
• Honomanu Bay - Mile 14 (not recommended to go down, 4×4 mandatory).
• Ke'anae Arboretum - Mile 16.7 (rainbow eucalyptus, free admission).
• Halfway to Hana Stand - Mile 17 (food stand).
• Wailua Valley State Wayside - Mile 18 (views).
• Upper Waikani Falls - Mile 19 (trekking).
• Pua'a Kaa State Wayside Park - Mile 22 (waterfalls, trekking).
• Hanawai Falls - Mile 24 (next to the road).
• Nahiku MarketPlace - Mile 29 (food stalls)
• Hana Lava Tubes - Mile 31 ($12, lava tubes trekking).
• Kahanu Garden - Mile 31(Pi'ilanihale Heiau, Hawaii's oldest temple).
• Wai'anapanapa State Park & Black Sand Beach - Mile 32 (free).
• Hana - Mile 34.
• Red Sand Beach - Mile 34 (dangerous to get to).
• Koki Beach - Mile 51 (very experienced surfers only).
• Hamoa Beach - Mile 50 (suitable for swimming).
• Wailua falls - Mile 45 (road).
• Seven Sacred Pools / Ohe'o Gulch - Mile 42 ($10, Haleakala National Park).
• Pipiwai Trail & Waimoku Falls - Mile 42 ($10, Haleakala National Park).
• Palapala Ho'omau Church - Mile 41 (church).

I've marked in bold the places we visited during our two-day Road to Hana route. Want to know if we got it right? Here goes.

Our selection

Although we spent 3 days and 2 nights on the Road to Hana, we did not see all the points of interest I just named.

Could it have given us time? It is possible. However, you already know that I prefer to enjoy more of less, or what is the same, the slow-traveling.

Ho'okipa Beach Park

This beautiful beach is famous among surfers. If you park in the upper area, you will have panoramic views of the coast.

Although, in my opinion, the greatest treasure of this place is thedozens of green turtles that come to its shore to rest on the sand .

Go down to the beach and go to the right corner (facing the sea).

Be careful where you step, go slowly. At first glance, they may look like volcanic rocks. Take a closer look. You will realize that, in reality, the coastline is taken over by green turtles taking a nap.

You just have to pay attention to the signs, but, just in case, I remind you here:

Do not get too close to them or do anything to disturb them. Whether they return to shore or survive when they return to the sea depends on their rest on the shore. Besides, Hawaii's law is on their side. So, if you want to see them up close, please use the zoom on your camera. 

A real wonder for lovers of these animals. As it could not be otherwise, we stopped twice at this beach, once on the way there and once on the way back.

Kaumahina State Wayside Park

Although the views of the coast offered by this viewpoint are very beautiful, if you are in a hurry or have a full schedule, I don't think it is one of the must-see places on the Road to Hana .

Hanawai Falls / Wailua Falls / ...

Each of the waterfalls you will find along the way is special:

Several waterfalls, volcanic bed, two rivers that converge, pools that invite you to dive...

In short, you will be tempted to stand up every 2 x 3.

Just try not to slow down traffic when you do. There is a shortage of parking along the shoulder and, to top it off, the road often becomes a one-lane bridge when it passes over these rivers.

Ke'anae Arboretum

We did not manage to visit this free botanical garden on the way there, as the entrance gate is very camouflaged in the vegetation. Also, the parking area is tiny and on the opposite side of the road.

On the way back, with more calm, we found the access (marked on the map at the bottom of this page) and managed to see, among many other specimens, the famousrainbow eucalyptus.

A couple of tips: be careful when crossing the road from the parking lot and be sure to carry mosquito repellent with you.

Waianapanapa Black Sand Beach

This is one of the must-see locations of the Road to Hana.

A deep blue sea crashing against a black coast made of volcanic rocks and vegetation putting the finishing touch to the color of this picture. 

Not a single ugly photo came out. It didn't matter if he moved the camera, got the lens wet with the foam from the waves or twisted his face in the selfie... I've never seen such a photogenic backdrop. So, save your excuses.

If you travel the Road to Hana, you have to stop at Wai'anapanapa Black Sand Beach, absolutely.

When we went there, access to the beach was closed due to heavy seas. However, it was possible to walk through the park and get a perspective of the coast.

In the parking lot we saw several mongooses scurrying among garbage, running away from tourists in a brazen manner and fighting among themselves.

And when you put in one place:

Animals in the wild + beautiful location + several days.

Do you know what happens?

Indeed, we visited it a couple of times! And it is no wonder.

Hana

Apart from strolling along Hana beach, we didn't see much else of this small town:

• We have ruled out going as far as Red Sand Beachbecause of dangerous access.
• We walked to the grocery store to buy some beers.
• We enjoyed the lanai overlooking our Airbnb during sunset.

Koki Beach

After hiking the Pipiway Trail, our intention was to take a swim at Hamoa Beach, which is suitable for swimming.

But, at about 2 pm, parking near it had become mission impossible, and we had been warned that they were fining cars that were parked incorrectly. So we let ourselves be carried away by the road and arrived at Koki Beach, a beach only suitable for experienced surfers.

To our surprise, here we found all the parking we could wish for and discovered a solitary coastline, bordered by a beautiful veined wall of earth and reddish rocks.

A haven of peace where the only thing you could hear was the constant roar of the waves on the shore.

Pipiwai Trail and the 7 Sacred Pools of O'hoe Gulch

Another must-see recommendation on the Road to Hana? Here it is.

Both are encompassed in the Kipahulu Valley, which is part of the Haleakala National Park. Haleakala National Park.

If you want to know more details, I tell you everything in detail in the entry I dedicated entirely to the Pipiwai trail and the 7 sacred pools of O'hoe Gulch.

Video

Would you like to take a walk of less than 4 minutes on the Road to Hana? Here is a summary/appetizer, enjoy!

Precautions

• Make sure you have a full tank of gas. You will find a gas station in Paia and another one in Hana (both with a higher price than the rest of the island).
• Drive slowly, enjoying the scenery and moving aside to make way for trucks or vehicles larger than you.
• In narrow, one-lane areas, let the driver pass who has arrived before you and wave when you are given way. Do not honk your horn, it is rude in Hawaii.
• Do not park in areas where you see broken glass on the ground. This is a very clear clue of what can happen to the windows of your car.
• Avoid entering private property, even if it looks like a simple forest. Just pay attention to the signs.

Budget

In 3 days/2 nights on the Road to Hana, our expenses were:

• Airbnb accommodation: 267€ (66.75€/person/night).
• Entrance to the Pipiway/O'hoe Gulch: $20.
• Food: €137 (supermarkets + prepared food).
• Car rental (3 days): 97,5€ (32,2€/day).
• Gasoline: 30€ (approximate).

In total, we spent about 550€, 138€ per person per night.

The Maui Guide in PDF format

Would you like to download aPDFwith all the information contained in this blog about what to see in Maui and, even better, how to do it?

54 pages that will help you plan your personalized itinerary and enjoy Maui at your own pace. 

Interested? Then click here and get the guide for only €1.95.

Useful Links

• Hotels in Hana.
• International flight deals to Hawaii: Trabber, eDreams, andMomondo.
• 5% discount when you purchase your travel insurance at IATI from here.

On your way to Maui? Then this is also of interest to you:

• The full description of our experience on the O'hoe Gulch and Pipiway Trail.
• The summit of Haleakala and how not to see the sunrise on it.
• The best snorkeling beaches in southern Maui.
• Chasing humpback whales off the coast of Maui.
• 7 day tour of Maui.
• Guide to organizing a trip to Maui on your own.

Want to see another island in Hawaii? My recommendation, take a look at Kauai:

• 9 days on the road in Kauai, step by step.
• A practical guide to organizing a trip to Kauai on your own.
• Waimea Canyon, the Grand Canyon of the Pacific.
• Kalalau Trail, Kauai's most challenging hike.
• Awaawapuhi Trail, the Napali Coast at your feet.
• Fly over Kauai in a helicopter... without doors!
• Kauai's most beautiful beaches: what would you like to do today?
• Discover the Napali Coast on a luxury boat.
• Queen's Bath, forbidden beauty in the Garden of Eden.
• Mahaulepu Trail, hiking, temples, and pristine beaches on Kauai.

And if you're still not sure which island to visit in Hawaii, this article is just what you need.

If you need more tips on how to organize your own Road to Hana route, leave me a comment below. I will be happy to answer your questions.

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