The Road to Hana is a scenic drive in Maui. It’s renowned for its breathtaking natural beauty, lush tropical landscapes, and numerous stops offering stunning waterfalls, scenic viewpoints, and cultural sights. The drive starts in the town of Paia and goes all the way to the town of Hana – a little over 50 miles away. Depending on how many stops you want to make, the drive can take all day (or even two days).

things to know before you DRIVE THE ROAD TO HANA

Get an early start!
The Road to Hana is a super narrow two-way street that is so small it could be a one-way street. It is also very windy, full of twists and turns and blind corners, as well as some one-way bridges that require drivers to stop and wait for traffic to pass. Traffic gets bad, especially on the weekends, but even during the week. The earlier you start, the better shot you have at avoiding the worst of the congestion. 

Download Guide Along Guide to Road to Hana
We were so glad we downloaded this app. It’s basically a GPS-guided tour with commentary about key points of interest along the Road to Hana. The narrator has such a soothing voice. It was also nice to learn more about the areas and history of Hawaii as we drove by. It kept the drive even more interesting. Wifi is limited to make sure to download this app before you go.

Download offline maps
Wifi is limited, so make sure to download offline maps before you go

There are two ways to leave the Road to Hana:

Drive back the way you came
Most visitors drive back using the same route that took them to Hana. If you drive back this way, you can revisit any stops you may have missed on the way out or revisit your favorite attractions. Keep in mind that on the drive back, you’ll face similar crowds and the same winding road.

Drive the “back road” home
Some visitors decide to return via the “back road” from Hana, which offers a different perspective and allows you to see more of the island. This route is significantly less traveled and offers scenic views of the backside of Haleakala Volcano. A good portion of this road is unpaved or in mediocre condition with lots of bumps and potholes. Many car rental companies will not assist you if you get stuck here, so make sure your car is capable of completing the drive and that your rental agreement doesn’t have any restrictions.

how long SHOULD YOU SPEND ON THE ROAD TO HANA

I’d allocate at least a full day to driving this scenic road. There are a lot of stops including scenic viewpoints, hikes, and beaches. We spent two full days on the Road to Hana and thought that was the perfect amount of time to enjoy it at a relaxed pace, but you could easily spend one day here instead.

Twin Falls

Mile Marker 2
The first stop of your drive is a popular one featuring two waterfalls surrounded by lush tropical vegetation. You’ll need to take a short hike (about 10 – 15 minutes) to reach the falls. You can also enjoy swimming in the pools beneath the falls if it’s hot out.

Huelo Lookout and Fruit Stand

Mile Marker 4.5
At Huelo Lookout, you’ll find a scenic lookout point, as well as a yellow fruit stand where you can purchase fresh tropical fruits, like mango, as well as fresh squeezed sugar cane juice.

Rainbow Eucalyptus

Mile Marker 7
Seeing a Rainbow Eucalyptus tree was high on my bucket list after seeing pictures online. As the trees shed their bark and regrow new bark, different colors are revealed giving the trees a colorful, rainbow-like quality.

Garden of Eden

Mile Marker 10.5
The Garden of Eden is a nice botanical garden with a variety of native Hawaiian plants and flowers. If you’re short on time, I’d recommend skipping this stop since it does cost money and you can see a lot of the native plants here for free all over Maui.

Hamoa Beach

Mile Marker 10.5
Hamoa Beach is a great stop if you like to surf or watch surfers.

Keane Peninsula

off of Mile Marker 17
To access the Keane Peninsula, you’ll have to take a brief detour off of the Road to Hana, but it is absolutely worth it. The peninsula is known for two things – it’s scene coast and banana bread (more on that below)

Aunt Sandy’s
Food on Keane
Aunt Sandy’s has the best banana bread on Maui! You must make this detour and stop here to get some! Don’t forget the lilikoi butter. A couple things to keep in mind in here:

– Aunt Sandy’s tends to run out of banana bread early in the afternoon
– The credit card minimum is $10, but a loaf of banana bread is just under $9 so either bring cash or plan on buying more than one loaf

Halfway to Hana – Food + Sign

Mile Marker 17.3
This is the halfway point on the Road to Hana. Here you can get snacks and drinks and take photos with the “Halfway to Hana” sign.

3 Bears Upper Waikana Falls

Mile Marker 19
I loved this series of 3 waterfalls known as the “3 Bears”. We admired the view from the road.

Nahiku Road

Diversion from Hana
This area is a little quieter than the Road to Hana and has a little market with some food stalls, called Nahiku Marketplace. Depending on the season, some of the stalls may not be open, but you should be able to get a snack and a drink – and maybe a souvenir. Despite being a cool stop, if you’re short on time, I’d skip this detour.

Waiʻānapanapa State Park

Mile Marker 32.2
Waiʻānapanapa State Park is a black sand beach where you can hike on the rocky coastline and try to find the sea caves and lava tubes. There are also some ancient Hawaiian sites at this park. For non-Hawaii residents there’s a $5 fee per person to enter the park and a $10 fee to park your car.

Kaihalulu Red Sand Beach

In Hana Town
The red sand beach was one of our favorite stops on the Road to Hana. To get to the beach, you’ll need to walk a short but steep trail for about 10 minutes. We did it in flip flops, but it would be easier if you have sneakers.

Pipiwai Trail Hike including the Bamboo Forest

Mile Marker 42
The Pipiwai trail is an awesome 3.4 mile out and back hike near the end of the Road to Hana. You’ll make your way to the beautiful Waimoku Falls, with some exceptional stops along the way. As you make your way into the hike, you’ll pass through a magnificent bamboo forest, some smaller waterfalls, and huge trees. Then you’ll reach the majestic waterfall.

The hike took us about two hours. It can be a bit muddy and buggy if it recently rained so don’t forget your bug spray and hiking shoes for this one.

There is a fee here! It’s $30 per vehicle. We did see some cars parked right outside of the entrance booth, likely to avoid the fee, but I believe there is also a fee to enter on foot.

Oheo Gulch (7 Sacred Pools)

Mile Marker 42
Right near the beginning of the Pipiwai trail, you’ll see the Oheo Gulch, a series of tiered natural pools and falls, also known as the “7 Sacred Pools”.

Wailua Falls

Mile Marker 45
Wailua Falls is a stunning waterfall that you can see right from the road.

Venus Pools (Waioka Pond)

Near Mile Marker 48
The Venus Pools are pretty cool! They’re natural tide pools right on the coastline where you can swim or wade.

Hana Lava Tubes

Detour: 2 miles from town of Hana
One of our favorite stops was touring the Hana Lava Tubes. Equipped with a flashlight, you descend a staircase and enter the tubes. You can walk for about a third of a mile.

Paia Fish Market

Paia Fish Market has some of the best fish tacos in Maui. We came here multiple times during our time in Maui. If you leave the Road to Hana the same way you came you’ll pass by here on your way out.

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