Hana Highway | An Adventure for the Soul

What to bring – and what not to bring

A sizable packed lunch is definitely advisable for the drive since it will take nearly a full day to complete. Bring a small backpack to carry things in, as you’ll be doing some walking to see some of the attractions. Don’t forget your camera(s), you’ll need it. Don’t bring anything that’s worth a lot of money if you plan to leave it in your car. While break-ins are more rare than they used to be, they do still happen on occasion, especially if any high-end goods are left visible in the car. This might include your phone, camera equipment, or any tablet or other electronic devices. While these electronics can be helpful when making the drive if you have an eBook, we’d advise you to try and keep those with you in that nifty backpack we suggested. You also won’t need a GPS – it would be pretty hard to get lost on this drive. Here are some other items to consider bringing with you:

• A cheap cooler with ice – this will keep your food and drinks cool.
• Water/Drinks – bring what you can, stock up with more at the general store in Hana town.
• Comfortable shoes – expect to do some walking or hiking like we mentioned. Don’t wear white shoes if you expect to keep them that way! Sandals are fine, as I’ve hiked in them for many miles, but they might not be right for everyone, so if you’ll be wearing sandals or slippahs (flip-flops), you may want to bring some tennis or hiking shoes.
• A collapsible hiking pole – good for some folks if making the Pipiwai Trail hike at the Oheo Gulch.
• Pocket ponchos – just in case one of those rain showers last longer than a few minutes.
• Bug Spray – bugs are hit and miss, but it’s worth being prepared in case the mosquitos are out and about.
• Cash – The Garden of Eden, in addition to the fruit and smoothie vendors, only take cash.
• Malama Pono – be a good steward of the Aina (land) and Kai (ocean) – respect for the land is very important on Maui.
• A watch – you’ll definitely want to keep track of time. Never try to drive the highway in the dark- trust us.

Get ahead of the crowds when you can

Yes… we know getting up early on your vacation isn’t ideal, but it’s worth being ahead of the crowds. If you can be at the junction of Hwy. 36 and Hwy. 360 (official start of the drive) by around 7 am, you’ll probably be ahead of the major crowds who arrive between 8-9:30 am. You can start earlier, but this can result in less-than-ideal photos since the sun isn’t high enough in the sky yet. Whatever you do, don’t get stuck in the lines of cars or this can greatly reduce the enjoyability of the drive. Staying ahead of the masses will be your best bet. So leave early.

Check about the conditions beyond the Oheo Gulch

If you plan to continue the drive beyond the Oheo Gulch, check with the rangers to see if it’s rained recently or if any other conditions might create problems for that drive. Rockslides used to close that portion of the highway frequently, but rock netting has now been put in place to aid with this problem. While almost every car rental company will “prohibit” that section of road in their self-provided guides, the drive is more than worth it and becomes the highlight of the trip to many visitors. It has broken pavement and is narrow in a few sections, but once you get past Kaupo gap, conditions improve dramatically and you’ll be amazed at the contrast in the scenery as opposed to how things looked on the Hana side. Be prepared for the wind, though, if you get out of the car; it can get quite strong when nearing Upcountry Maui.

Rotate drivers when possible

You’ll want to allow everyone to enjoy the drive, so be sure to rotate drivers if possible. This will give everyone the chance to fully enjoy the scenery. Most of the complaints we hear about the drive come from the drivers, who can’t focus on the scenery because they have to watch the road. So be sure to share driving time if you can.

Start back early

As noted above, you’ll want to keep good track of time. Also, make sure you either begin your return along the northeast drive (if you’re going back that way) or continue beyond the Oheo Gulch to Upcountry Maui, no later than 3 pm. This should give you about three hours to make the trip back to where driving conditions are less stressful. Driving the Hana Highway in the dark is certainly an, um, “experience”, but we don’t recommend it.

Hana Highway-Explore all Points of Interest

We’ve split all the Hana Highway (Road to Hana) sights and stops off into their own area here on our website. It helps separate the Hana Highway stops and sights from the rest of the attractions on Maui.

Hana Highway – Mile by Mile Guidebook

Road to Hana – 8th Edition: 2024 Update

We highly encourage all visitors to consider a guidebook when driving the highway. It’s the best way to determine which stops are for you and which aren’t. A lot of folks simply let the clumps of cars along the road be their guide. This is a big mistake. There are a lot of great places along the Hana Highway, but there are also several stops you’d be wasting your time visiting. That said, we invite you to let us be your guide.

Road to Hana Highway Code of Conduct

1. Visit State parks and County rest facilities.
2. Enjoy the various farms, botanical gardens and fruit stands along the way.
3. Avoid sites located on or beyond private properties, and areas that lack visitor welcoming signage.
4. Park in designated parking stalls. Vehicles protruding onto the highway are subject to being towed.
5. Do not enter streams on occasions of heavy rains and flash flooding conditions.
6. Please respect the ‘Aina (land): place trash in a proper receptacle, stay on the paths, respect the wildlife and plants, and practice safe procedures.

Where is the drive located?

The scenic drive is located on the northeast coastline of Maui. Officially, the road is named the Hana Highway and on maps will be listed as Hwy. 36 and Hwy. 360. Many people, ourselves included, consider the Hana Highway to continue beyond Hana to the Oheo Gulch, or even beyond that to Upcountry Maui via Hwy. 31.

Where are the best places to stop along the way?

Unless you spend a night in Hana town, visiting every attraction along the drive is impossible. It could take two or three days to see everything, so we always advise most visitors to stick to the highlights.  You can waste A LOT of time on the Hana Highway if you aren’t careful, so knowing which places to stop at in advance is very helpful and efficient.

What is the best time to start?

Start early; really early! We’ve dedicated an entire article to the topic of When to Start the Road to Hana? If you start later in the morning, expect a lot of traffic and a less pleasant experience on the highway due to congestion.

How long is the Road to Hana?

Honestly, the answer to this question depends on how far you drive along the Hana and Pi’ilani Highway, and it also depends on where you start counting. Generally, you hear the answer to this question regarding how far it is to Hana town from the beginning of the junction with Highway 36/360, in which case the Road to Hana is approximately 34 miles long. If you include the distance from Kahului, where Highway 36 begins (technically the ‘true start’ of the Hana Highway), the drive is roughly 52 miles long. If you’re starting from a location on the West Coast of Maui, like Ka’anapali, the total distance to Hana is roughly 76 miles long. But don’t let these distance estimates fool you; driving the famously curvy highway will feel a lot longer. It consists of undeveloped road, has nearly 60 one-lane bridges, and has approximately 617 curves (some are pretty tight). If you’re driving beyond Hana town, which is highly likely, and your destination is the Oheo Gulch, the total distance of the Road to Hana, from Kahului to the Kipahulu area where the Oheo Gulch is located is approximately 61 miles. If you’re not continuing around the ‘back road,’ your total driving distance will be twice that amount since you’ll have to drive back the way you came.

Is the drive to Hana (and beyond) safe?

It’s very safe for drivers who can keep their eyes on the road; trust us, they’ll be tempted to look around. The highway is fully paved and even though it has many curves and one-lane bridges, the drive is very safe. For more information about driving the highway.

How many waterfalls are there on the drive?

That depends, but there are a lot of them. It depends because if it’s rained recently then waterfalls burst forth from almost every curve on the highway. But if it has been dry, some falls may dry up and not be flowing. EMI, a company that diverts stream water for the hungry cane fields in central Maui, also can cause certain falls to cease flowing – again, usually when it’s dry. In our opinion, the best waterfalls are actually beyond Hana town, with Wailua Falls being the crown jewel. If you’re up for a little hiking, however, you can even get a good view of 400 ft. Waimoku Falls at the end of the Pipiwai Trail. The latter is located inside Haleakala National Park at the Oheo Gulch (also known as the Seven Sacred Pools). For more information on all the major falls along the drive, see our Road to Hana Waterfalls entry.

eBook/Guidebook, CD, GPS unit, or smartphone app – who should I trust to guide me?

A Not to toot our own horn- well OK, maybe a little bit- but we have written an exclusive Hana Highway – Mile by Mile Guidebook that details the drive’s major attractions, and we think it’s a great resource to visitors. We started writing the book years ago, and after dozens of adventures along the highway, I think it’s fair to say we’ve done our homework and research. We’ve guided thousands of visitors along the drive, and we’ve had an incredible amount of positive feedback from our recommendations and rating system in the book. Alternatively, if you’re looking for an audio CD, then we feel the R2H CD is the best buy, as of this writing. We wouldn’t advise visitors to use any smartphone apps requiring a cellular signal for the drive, as a cell phone signal is hard to come by on the trip. Additionally, some GPS tours can be problematic in our opinion, so we’re not especially a fan of those either – sorry GPS folks, just being honest.

Also, a quick word of caution about some guidebooks: many will tell you about places that are on private property or that can be dangerous to visit. If it sounds like the book is revealing anything too exclusive, it probably is – so avoid those locations. Our guidebook states explicitly which places are on private property and which should be considered kapu or off-limits.

Is the drive really worth it?

Unless you don’t like scenic drives with beautiful sights, waterfalls, and lush green surroundings – yes, the drive is worth it. Still, some people don’t care much for the drive, and that prompted us to write an article about that topic: Is the Hana Highway Really Worth it? If you have any reservations about the drive, that article should clear up several essential factors for you and help you decide if the drive is right for you and your family.

How to Drive the Road to Hana, One of the World’s Most Scenic Drives

Of all the great road trips in the U.S., Hawaii’s coastal Road to Hana is among the most scenic. 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. If, like most tourists on this drive, you do pause at multiple roadside attractions on your way, it’s likely to take you up to nine hours to complete the out-and-back journey. We don’t recommend trying to hit every single stop — you’d have to spend days on the road — but you can opt to stay for a night or two in Hana for some rest, relaxation, and good eats, before you make your way back toward Kahului.

Another practical consideration to keep in mind: This road is notoriously narrow and winding, with more than 600 curves and several dozen one-lane bridges. If that sounds intimidating, you can book a van tour instead, and leave the driving to someone else.