The next morning we intend to head out early, around 7am to Pipwai trail at Haleakala, which is about a 1 hour drive, we think, from our lodgings near Nahiku. The Pools at O'heo. If you're leaving from Kaanapali and planning on a one-hour stop en route, yes, 5 hours to Hana. The main thing that makes people fear the road is reputation! Yes this is going to be a long day but I promise its worth it! Google maps said 2 hours but I guess this is what happens when a bot gives you directions? At this historic store you can purchase snacks and use a restroom if you are a customer. Your support really helps me keep this blog running! The second English expressway on our list, this scenic road was recognized by the United Kingdom's Road Safety Foundation as one of country's most dangerous roads in 2010. **Baldwin Beach Park. 7) I hear it's a far worse drive when it rains - are roads likely to be washed out in early August? Really just understanding that the Road is actually perfectly serviceable and 99% of the fear is in your mind can help overcome that fear. (The other is the crater at the top of Haleakala .) ALL OF THIS BEING SAIDif this makes you nervous, if youre not an easy driver, if youre not used to trail driving or driving outside of a city, if you have an overwhelming fear of heights or significant anxiety, or if you question the safety for ANY reason, its always best not to go! HAWAII EVERYDAY ESSENTIALS I carry AAA independently (plus my auto insurance and credit card cover this) so I always decline all extra insurance. The Road to Hana is one of the most popular things to do in Maui. Snorkeling at Molokini is one of the best things to do in Kihei. What about a convertible? Road to Hana. paia town. We've been researching the attractions on the Hana Highway since 2002 when the highway first made a major and incredibly positive impression on us. Just three of the many many reasons to love the Road to Hana. If you need road assistance it's cash costing $800-1200 if and when a tow truck comes. The scenic Road to Hana on Maui is the undisputed top attraction on the island. This means you are taking all the risk when driving the reverse road to Hana. It is also known for having a lot of one-lane bridges that only allow cars to drive through in one direction at a time. Everything You Need to Know About Dining in San Diego. Getting Around Maui without a Car Guide to Mauis Public transportation, What Food to Eat in Hawaii? This is the "safe" route. Driving the Road to Hana means that you will be driving the Hana Highway. Anytime you start toward Hana after lunch you will start meet cars headed toward you and that will slow you down on the 59 one way bridges. I thank you in advance. And if you just want more details (more! Hana Highway: 617 turns and 46 one-lane bridges in Hawaii Located on the eastern side of Maui, the second-largest of the Hawaiian Islands, Hana Highway is one of the most scenic drives in the world. The Road to Hana is a 64 mile stretch of road that starts in Kahului and ends at Kpahulu. The Road to Hana is by its very nature one of the most dangerous things you will do on your Maui Vacation! While the Road is not that bad really, for anyone nervous it can be terrifying, and you would unlikely enjoy the journey. But in general, I did not think the Road to Hana was dangerous or scary. Yes, it would not be fun to break down on the backside of the road to Hana or have a flat tire, but guess what? But it comes with risks and possibly some stress. A lot of locals go off the road in there even and die. Most people will drive the Road to Hana as an out-and-back, starting the day by driving past the town of Paia, and then drive to the town of Hana or the Kipahulu district of Haleakala National Park. Whether on your own or on a tour, you will see the gorgeous scenery of the rainforest, including . If you have ANY questions about planning your trip to Hawaii, you can join my free Facebook group here. There are quite a few places to stop to eat now, and quite a few restrooms now, What to Eat at Universal Studios, Hollywood, Chicago, Illinois Visitors Guide Basics. The problem is we all confront fears in a different way. (Highlighted above is the most dangerous stretch of the Kahekili Highway - 4.5 miles of what amounts to barely more than a golf cart-sized lane etched into the side of a cliff) So the idea started in the old capital of the Kingdom of Hawaii, Lahaina, otherwise known as a cozy little tourist town along the western shore of Maui. Well over 50 in total and most of the single lane for both directions. The Road to Hana travels along the edge of many sheer cliffs. The road is very comfortable for one car to drive on, the problem comes when you pass another car. Located at the extreme southeast of the island of Maui, the city of Hana is like another island. would find such a tight narrow twisty track nightmarish. The tarmac is smooth and well maintained. Every time we come we think we will skip it this time, but instead find some reason to make the pilgrimage. Or someone from the rural US where roads amble on for hundreds of miles with barely a bend would find the almost endless snaking of the road completely daunting. Bug Spray - Mosquitos love Hana tourists. The Kipahulu district of Haleakala National Park is past Hana town and well worth the additional drive. Its mostly paved, but there are some portions that are gravel or a roughly graded cement. So if you REALLY know its just going to be too much and even the thought of it is keeping you up at night, Its time to let the pros do the driving. On a calm day you are able to swim inside the pools. Thanks for the great article, we read it AFTER our drive on the road to Hana today. Well, you get the picture. At last youve made it to Hana town. So you are trying to figure out whether you should do a Road to Hana tour or if you should do the Road to Hana on your own! Is the Road to Hana Worth it? This is also the scary part of the Road to Hana. So looking out for these symptoms can show how scared you are by a certain situation. If you ask them directly, theyll hem and haw (they give you the strong impression that its forbidden) but basically what it comes down to is they wont come and get you if you have a problem.. If you continue on in the loop, youll eventually come through Ulupalakua (where Maui Wine is) and Kula in upcountry Maui and can take the highway back down towards Paia and Kahului. The Road to Hana actually goes beyond the town of Hana, all the way to Haleakala National Park. Four wheel drive is 100% NOT necessary for driving the backside of Hana. Ahhh, the backwards Road to Hana. in most places, the road is wide enough for two tour buses to pass. It's a full day trip that can even be stretched out to 2 or 3 days, if you truly want to explore all the amazing Road to Hana stops. Yeah we are not overly phased by these things but some people really do. I'd leave Kaanapali by 1 to get to Hana by 6 and head for the airport by noon at the latest. There are twice as many awesome things to do on the road to Hana as there are on the back side to Hana so again that will also be an all day excursion hence why I recommend staying a few nights in Hana. Read about my favorite luxury resorts, boutique hotels, honeymoon resorts, family friendly resorts, and condos (many under $100/night!). While the frontside is super windy and youre in and out of jungles, the backside is flat, wide open, and you can see for MILES. Once you leave the National Park, theres not really a ton of places I recommend to stop. 10 Best USA Road Trips Drive These Before you DIE. Of course if you only want to drive the back side of the road to Hana because you want to reach Haleakala National Park Kipahulu District sooner, you can turn around after exploring the park and drive back the way you came. However, on the Kahekili Highway, the narrow roads closely hug the edges of their respective cliffs, resulting in topsy roads on some stretches. If theyre open ; ) Ill note here that the National Park does NOT have water or snacks for sale so since the Kaupo Store is undependable, make sure you have everything you need once you leave Hana. Fortunately we had no issues but it was a windy, rainy drive and Im glad we did it but dont think we would do it again. Sipping pineapple wine is an unusual thing to do in Maui and is one of the best things to do Upcountry Maui although I recommend that you spend a separate day exploring as there are many cool things to do Upcountry. I will say, the paved road is still pretty narrow and even though theres no drop off on either side, if you see a local (anyone really) coming to meet you, pull over as far as you can and stop where theres a good place because they will come BLAZING through. ta.queueForLoad : function(f, g){document.addEventListener('DOMContentLoaded', f);})(function(){ta.trackEventOnPage('postLinkInline', 'impression', 'postLinks-114353132', '');}, 'log_autolink_impression');Maui backs up, as it often does, it could well be longer. It is just not inside their comfort zone. : @kapenamorgan, What to expect driving the backside road to Hana. Everything we have said above is solely aimed at the section between Paia and Kipahula, beyond that, the road changes immeasurably! If you are a resident of another country or region, please select the appropriate version of Tripadvisor for your country or region in the drop-down menu. Work as a team and play to your strengths. Their reasoning is that the popular sites closer to Hana would be less crowded by getting there earlier and then I guess they think that the crowds at the stops closer to Paia will have moved on towards Hana so by the time they retrace their steps theyll have all the popular spots to themselves. Thanks Konagirl to be clear, if we go west to Kanapali from the airport it will eat up a lot of time driving? The trailhead is located after the bridge on your left. Hopefully, we can help allay some of these fears? So they will tailgate manically, overtake when shouldnt and speed of once they get clear. Click here to search for Maui vacation rentals for your trip. Google has no clue what the drive times are on Maui and Hawaii in general. But still, people fear the road and take the I survived the Road To Hana T-Shirts Seriously. I personally dont like to be on the road after dark at all, but once I make it to Kula (really even Ulupalakau), its fine driving back in the dark. GULF ISLANDS FL Besides that, I just dont think youre going to make that much of a difference on the crowd levels at each stop by doing it in reverse. The Road to Hana is an absolutely stunning road trip to take on any Maui vacation, and is 100% a must-do. Plus if you are staying in a popular area like Kaanapali on West Maui it is another 45 60 minuets getting to the starting point and back to your hotel. The biggest mistake most people make when visiting Hana is trying to do it all in one day. (I think the back road may be closed to traffic anyway) That part of the road (going on from Hana towards Kula) is the part that is prone to washouts, etc. It was quite an experience with three kids in the back seat. Maui Tourism Guide Our Guide to Travel and Tourism on Maui Hawaii, Maui, Hawaii Attractions All the Best Things to do in Maui, Hawaii, Best Place to Stay on Maui, Hawaii Our Guide on Where to Stay in Maui, Hawaii. One of the leading causes of accidental deaths anywhere in the world is Road Traffic Accidents. 'Death Road', Bolivia Officially known as North Yungas Road, this route usually goes by its more ominous moniker. We will land in the morning, rent a car, check out the western part of the island, and head to Hana in the afternoon. And we have some questions that we're hoping you lovely folk can help answer: HAWAII VOLCANOES HI Really the worst thing about it is the Hire Car prohibitions meaning you are uninsured and beyond the reach of the Hire Car Recovery truck (meaning you will have to pay for recovery yourself $$$). You have the option of walking down to get much closer to the falls, but with the car situation not preferable, we chose not to. Guoliang Tunnel ( China) My post captions are full of travel tips and I have a ton of story highlights and videos with great info. The Single file traffic is easily regulated with simple give way systems and you just wait your turn at the give says one each side of the bridge until it is your turn to cross. (try our Is the Road to Hana Worth it or Hana Highway Guide for more detailed descriptions). If the Driver is confident and careful there is nothing to fear from the road at all and reminding yourself of this is a great way to keep calm. But, if you do keep driving, you will end up on what is known as the back road to Hana! I know it may sound tempting but swimming under the falls is dangerous as rocks get unlodged and fall from the top of falls which can knock you in the head. The drive time from Kula town to Kahului is about 4 hours, but with all the fun things to do and see this is a whole day excursion lets say 10-12 hours. Once you leave the National Park, its less than an hour and a half drive to Kula (back to civilization). 9. (This is to say, they will say if something is scary, and the back road to Hana was not, to them.). Theyll give you the very best prices, you dont have to reserve with a credit card or pay until you show up, you can cancel and re-book anytime if you find a better rate, and they usually have a special that adds additional drivers for no fee. And to finish with my most solid argumentif a big tour bus can drive the backroad to Hana, so can you ; ). Along Maui's rugged eastern coastline is the peaceful town of Hna, considered one of the last unspoiled Hawaiian frontiers. What makes it so dangerousIt's a road!
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