A GORP Content Partner
Adapted from
Scenic Driving
Hawaii
by Richard McMahon
Driving Maui
The Hana Highway and the West Maui Circle
Maui is the second largest of the Hawaiian Islands and the second most visited after Oahu. Maui's topography provides some of the best scenic driving in Hawaii. The massive slopes of Haleakala on East Maui offer thousands of acres of rain forest, countless waterfalls, and sweeping pasture lands. Its summit reveals a world of cinder cones and lava—high above the timberline, yet easily accessible by car. West Maui's deeply incised valleys form a dramatic backdrop for some of the most beautiful beaches anywhere in the world. Just a short distance from these popular watering spots, the coast turns wild, precipitous, and deserted, while remaining accessible to drivers. Much of Maui's great beauty can be seen from its dramatic highways and roads.
Area: 729 square miles
Population: 101,000
Airports: Main: Kahului. Secondary: Kaanapali, Hana.
Rental car offices: Kahului Airport, Kaanapali (limited), Hana (limited).
The Hana Highway
This 110-mile coastal drive is one of the most diverse in the Hawaiian Islands. It circles the base of Haleakala, Maui's huge, dormant volcano, passing lush rain forests, waterfalls, streams, and pools. It then visits the town of Hana and the Kipahulu section of Haleakala National Park (Oheo Pools), traverses the island's dry and virtually deserted south shore, and finally ends in Maui's upland ranch country. Although the trip can be made in one day, to get the most out of the experience, an overnight stop should be made in Hana.Special Attractions: Paia town, Hookipa Beach Park, Waikamoi Ridge Nature Trail, Keanae Arboretum, Keanae Valley Lookout, Puaakaa State Wayside, Waianapanapa State Park and Caves, Hana, Oheo Pools, Charles A. Lindbergh's Grave, Kaupo Gap, Tedeschi Winery, hiking, backpacking, camping, swimming, snorkeling, scuba, surfing, sailboarding, boating, kayaking, fishing, beachcombing.
Location: Eastern portion of the island of Maui.
Drive Route Numbers: Hawaii Highways 36, 360 (Hana Highway), 31 (Piilani Highway), 37 (Kula Highway).
Camping: Four campgrounds are located along the route: Kanaha Beach County Park, H. A. Baldwin Beach County Park, Waianapanapa State Park, and the Kipahulu Section of Haleakala National Park (Oheo Pools). Permits are required for the first three, but not for Kipahulu.
Services: Kahului: all services (major hotels, restaurants, shopping centers, auto service and repair, etc.). Paia: restaurants, gas, and limited shopping. Hana: accommodations, gas, and limited shopping. A beach snack bar and a small restaurant are open for lunch only. The restaurant at the Hana Maui Hotel serves three meals daily. Pukalani: restaurants, gas, and limited shopping. There are no services available along the route.
Nearby Attractions: Twin Falls, Keanae, Nahiku, Piilanihale Heiau, Kahanu Gardens, "Blue Pool," Red Sand Beach.
The Drive
In its first 52 miles, on the Hana Highway, the drive rounds over 600 curves, crosses 56 bridges, and passes several waterfalls, all the while displaying spectacular coastal and mountain views. Driving east on HI 36 from Kahului, the route passes the airport and the entrance to Kanaha Beach County Park, which has a campground. The drive crosses waving fields of sugar cane, and then follows the coast. H. A. Baldwin County Beach Park offers another campground.Six miles from Kahului, Paia, a former plantation town, has boutiqued itself with pastel-colored shops and false-front buildings, successfully attracting tourist eyes and tourist pocketbooks. Three miles farther, Hookipa Beach Park lures sailboarders from all over the world. If the winds are up, it is worth stopping to watch the world's best sailboarders in action. At the intersection of HI 365, HI 36 becomes HI 360, the official Hana Highway. Mile-posting signs start over at this point.
At the Hoolawa Bridge (2-mile marker), a mile-long foot trail leads to Twin Falls, a pretty spot with a small pool. The trail begins at a stile over a fence on the right side of the road, near a "No Trespassing" sign that everyone ignores. Farther down the road, between mileposts 9 and 10, is another possible diversion, the Waikamoi Ridge Trail Nature Walk, a mile-long loop trail through a rain forest. It begins on the right side of the highway. At mile marker 11, the drive reaches Puohokamoa Falls, which tumbles into a small pool easily seen from the road. Kaumahina State Wayside, a rest stop, has drinking water, restrooms, and picnic tables. A lookout on the eastern side of the wayside provides a fine view of the Keanae Peninsula. After Kaumahina, HI 360 hugs the mountain—steep walls of rock rising on one side, sheer sea cliffs dropping off on the other as it descends to Honomanu Bay—only to rise precariously again after crossing Honomanu Stream. Careful driving is required here; portions of the road are very narrow, especially on the curves, and many sections are one-way.
Another worthwhile detour, about 3 miles from Kaumahina, is a road off HI 360 which descends to the small village of Keanae on the peninsula of the same name. Here, residents, many of Hawaiian ancestry, fish, grow taro, and live a partly self-sufficient lifestyle. The peninsula provides colorful seascapes and a fine view of Haleakala.
The Keanae Arboretum, at milepost 16, displays hundreds of tropical plants, shrubs, and trees. An entire section is devoted to palms and another to plants introduced by the original Hawaiian settlers. Also on the grounds are several functioning taro paddies. An upper section of the arboretum, reached by a rough trail, is devoted to native and introduced rain forest plants. There are no facilities on the grounds. Admission is free.
Returning to HI 360, the Wailua Wayside Overlook lies just under 0.5 mile from the Keanae turnoff. A short trail leads to a view of the Koolau Gap, a huge rent in the wall of Haleakala Crater, where ancient lavas once poured from the volcano to the sea. This massive spillway is now completely covered by vegetation. The nearby staircase leads to a sweeping view of the coast and Keanae Peninsula. Three miles farther, at Puaakaa State Wayside, there are two small pools connected by a waterfall. Rest rooms, drinking water, and picnic tables are available.
The drive now begins to gradually straighten, the side of the highway becomes less precipitous, and pasture land starts to intrude on the rain forest. Waianapanapa State Park, just past the Hana Airport turnoff, is a good place to stop for the night, offering a campground and low-cost state cabins. The town of Hana is only 2 miles farther down the road. The oceanside park features black sand and a lovely cove for swimming. Two large caves within the park are collapsed lava tubes, partly filled with fresh water; it is possible to swim in the upper one. A sign at the upper cave tells the story of a Hawaiian princess who used the cave to hide from her jealous husband who suspected her of having an affair with another man. The husband saw her reflection on the water and killed her. Ever since, the legend goes, the pool turns red at certain times of the year.
Also leading through the park is an alaloa, an ancient footpath connecting towns and villages in the coastal area. Alaloa existed on all of the islands, and are sometimes called the "King's Highway," in honor of the rulers of Hawaii who had them built for communication and the convenience of the King's tax gatherers. Maui is the only island on which alaloa completely circled the coastline. Today it remains the island with the only complete coastal road. The southern section of the trail leads all the way to Hana, crossing spectacular coastal scenery, where waves crash against rocky cliffs, sending spray showering over hikers walking the path.
In spite of the fact that many visitors to Maui seem to consider a trip to Hana much like a journey to Mecca, Hana is a fairly ordinary small Hawaiian town. It has a beach park on Hana Bay, a small museum, two churches, two stores, a luxury hotel, some other accommodations, and not much else. But for those with the time to do so, an overnight stay here is recommended to provide the leisure to stop at points of interest along the drive and to enjoy the surrounding area. The Hasegawa General Store, which had a song composed for it and is well known to old-time Hana travelers, is no more. It burned down several years ago. The new store is more modern, but not as picturesque or as interesting as the old one, which stocked everything from matches to machetes.
Hana Beach Park, with its brown sand beach, is attractively located on Hana Bay. Kaahumanu, the favorite wife of Kamehameha, was born in a nearby cave. A short trail at the end of the road leads to the cave. At the time of her birth, a war was raging between Maui and Hawaii, and her family was hiding in the cave. After Kamehameha's death Kaahumanu became regent during the reigns of Kamehameha's two sons, and for thirteen years was the most powerful figure in the kingdom. Initially opposed to Christianity, she eventually converted, providing a major impetus to its spread throughout the islands.
A side trip from Hana allows a visit to Piilanihale Heiau, the largest temple in the Hawaiian Islands. It is located on the grounds of Kahanu Gardens, about 4 miles north of town, on Ulaino Road. The gardens are only open on certain days and times, and there is an admission charge. Driving past the gardens to the end of Ulaino Road, and continuing on foot across the stream and then a few hundred yards along the coast, reveals Blue Pool, a fresh water pool fed by a wide waterfall trickling over a wide rock wall.
Another great place to visit while in Hana is Kaihalulu, better known as Red Sand Beach. Here, in a secluded cove, red cinders have washed from the hillside to form a unique beach. It is a dramatic setting. Waves pounding in from the open ocean are blocked by a natural breakwater, leaving a large inshore pool that is usually safe for swimming.
To find Kaihalulu, head toward Hana Bay. Just before reaching the bay, turn right at the last crossroad, pass the school and park near the end of the road before the hotel cottages. Cross the open grassy field on the left, walking diagonally toward the ocean. At the corner of the hotel fence, a trail leads steeply downhill and then turns left, following the shoreline to the beach. Due to its seclusion, nudists sometimes frequent this beach.
Departing from Hana, the drive proceeds south on HI 31 (Piilani Highway), passing through small, rural settlements and beautiful coastal scenery. The road soon becomes narrow and winding, but despite its condition it is heavily traveled. Many celebrities own homes and estates along this route, but they are not visible from the road. About 6 miles from Hana, the drive crosses a bridge where Wailua Falls drops into a gorge below. Traffic often jams up here as people stop to take photographs.
Ten miles from Hana, the route enters the Kipahulu Section of Haleakala National Park, with its famous Oheo Pools. Many of them are dramatically visible on both sides of the bridge where the drive enters the park. At the parking lot (on the left after crossing the bridge), a path leads to the lower pools. Swimming is safe in the pools except during periods of heavy rain or very high water; ocean swimming in this area is dangerous.
For many years, this area was known as Seven Sacred Pools, although the pools were never sacred and there are a good deal more than seven of them. It is a catchy phrase, apparently invented to attract tourists to the Hana area, and is rightfully fading from use. A campground is located here, and although rest rooms are available, there is no drinking water. No permit or fee is required.
Almost all of the upper part of Kipahulu Valley is a scientific reserve, closed to the public. However, across from the parking lot, a trail leads uphill to Makahiku Falls Overlook and Waimoku Falls, a 4-mile round-trip hike to a lovely bridal veil falls. On the way, the trail passes through a tall bamboo forest so thick that it blots out the sky.
From the Oheo Pools the drive continues to Palapala Hoomau Church, just over a mile from the pools. Charles A. Lindbergh, the man who made the first non-stop, solo, transatlantic flight, is buried here. A longtime resident of Kipahulu, the famed "Lone Eagle" personally selected this isolated spot as his last resting place. The route for the next 6 miles to Kaupo is narrow and winding, requiring slow, careful driving. Traffic is sparse, but meeting another vehicle on this section usually requires that someone back up. The coastal scenery is wild and dramatic.
Four miles from the Oheo Pools the pavement ends, and a rough gravel road takes over for the next 4.5 miles. At the small settlement of Kaupo, a store is the only structure on the highway. The store keeps erratic hours and will probably be closed. Upslope from the road looms the Kaupo Gap, a giant crack in the wall of Haleakala Crater that in ancient times spilled huge lava flows all the way to the sea. Leaving Kaupo, the road remains very narrow for another 2 miles.
When the pavement begins again, the road widens and remains so. After about 16 miles on the paved road, the drive reaches the southwest tip of Maui, at an elevation of 2,000 feet. Here, a sweeping view of the ocean and four islands unfolds—Molokai to the north, Lanai and Kahoolawe to the west, and the crescent-shaped islet of Molokini, below, just offshore. Directly below the highway, lies La Perouse Bay and the lava fields from the last eruption on Maui, which took place around 1790. The bay was named for a French explorer, who was the first foreigner to come ashore on Maui. After his ships left the island, they visited Australia, then disappeared, and he was never heard from again.
The drive now turns north and enters the fertile farm and ranchlands of Kula. The cool climate here is ideal for nurturing certain flowers and vegetables, such as protea, lettuce, cabbage, and the famous Maui onions. At Ulupalakua Ranch, HI 31 becomes HI 37, which it will remain for the 23 miles back to Kahului. The tasting room of the Tedeschi Winery, located in a former jail, allows you to sample and buy its red and white wines, champagne, and pineapple wine. This is one of only two wineries in the islands; the other is located in the town of Volcano, on the island of Hawaii.
The route now becomes a delightful 15-mile drive through upcountry Maui, passing through small towns and lush pastures, while providing marvelous panoramic views of land and sea all the way to the West Maui mountains. The drive ends with the return to Kahului.
Go to West Maui Circle and Iao Needle Drive
Click here to order this book
and other FalconGuides online.
Go To: GORP Scenic Driving | GORP Hawaii Resources
Haleakala National ParkGo To GORP - Great Outdoor Recreation Pages:
Attractions | Activities | Locations | Books & Media | Travel
Gear | Eclectica | Features | Interactive
© Article and map copyright Falcon Publishing. All rights reserved. Locator map and HTML Coding Copyright by Greer Consulting Services, Inc.Photo Copyright Ann Cecil. All Rights Reserved.
