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Have you ever done a road trip while on vacation, without it being for the sole purpose of getting to your destination? A trip down Maui’s famous Road to Hana is unique in that the road trip is all about the drive and the stops along the way, rather than the end point. If you feel doubtful about such a trip, the below Road to Hana pictures will surely convince you to give it a chance.
Picture driving twisty, narrow roads with miles of ocean to one side and lush rain forest on the other. The scenery ranges from scary drops from the road down into the Pacific Ocean, to the most delicate waterfalls cascading over rocks. The beaches along the way are far from tame, with big swells and strong currents. In the background, the shadow of a volcano looms, reminding you that we are always at the mercy of Mother Nature.
Drama aside, a drive down the Road to Hana should be a care free day of enjoying the ride, wandering scenic paths, climbing rocks and exploring. I never considered myself to be an outdoorsy person, but this trip even taught me that I could love being in nature. Do yourself a favor and sacrifice a beach day just this once, and you will not be sorry.
25 Road to Hana Pictures to Fuel Your Wanderlust
You may be wondering what exactly you are getting yourself into here. While the Road to Hana pictures below paint a gorgeous picture of what’s to come, there are some other logistical things to keep in mind that may surprise you.
Road to Hana: Not Your Average Road Trip
A drive down the Road to Hana consists of 52 miles, 59 bridges, and 620 curves. Many of these bridges are single lane, and curves are of the hairpin variety. Heed the 25 mph speed limit, and take your time.
For the one-lane bridges, follow the etiquette of allowing the car who gets there first the right of way. Some annoying people will not follow this, but be the bigger person and let them pass. It’s hard for road rage to linger in the peaceful surroundings of the Road to Hana anyhow.
Although the Road to Hana is 52 miles long, the tights curves turn this into a two to three hour drive without stops. Plan on this adventure taking you a full day to complete, and set out early to maximize daylight.
Road to Hana Mile Markers
The Hana Highway technically starts in the town of Kahului, near the airport. Oddly, though, the Road to Hana mile markers restart about sixteen miles in.
This is important to keep in mind, as your stops along the way will largely be identified by mile markers. While the signage is not known to always be completely accurate, we had no trouble using the mile markers as our guide when looking for each place.
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Managing Your Time on the Road to Hana
Most people plan to do the Road to Hana in one day. In fact, this is all you need to simply hit the highlights, eat lunch, and maybe do a small hike or two. However, very good time management will still be necessary to make sure you fit everything in. As mentioned before, the drive in itself takes five-ish hours round trip with no stops, and you want to make sure to drive back in daylight.
When you start your drive down the road to Hana, you may be eager and excited to start checking out the first stops you see. For example, the surfing town of Pa’ia is one of the first places you run into, and it’s known for cute little cafes and eateries.
Tempting as it is, I recommend skipping over Pa’ia on the way to Hana. While you could try to stop here for breakfast, it will eat up valuable time that you’ll want later. You can always visit Pa’ia for dinner at Mama’s Fish House on the drive back.
Visit these early places, such as Twin Falls above, sparingly. Let this small waterfall warm you up for the bigger ones later, but don’t linger too long. There is so much more to take in, and you also want to stay ahead of the large tour groups for as long as you can.
Is the Road to Hana Dangerous?
The Road to Hana is obviously beautiful… but is it dangerous? Clearly, there are some wild aspects to it, such as the dramatic ocean swells and steep cliffs. However, I’ll be the first to tell you that I was never very concerned when planning this drive, and I can be a pretty anxious person.
That said, as I was doing research for this trip, I couldn’t help but notice deaths on the Road to Hana as being a common related Google search topic. I mean, the island even makes T-shirts saying “I survived the road to Hana”. This seemed strange to me, as taking in beautiful surroundings didn’t seem like something you’d have to “survive”.
Curiosity got me, though, and with a quick search I did find stories about a few people who died on the Road to Hana. However, the vast majority of these cases were completely avoidable incidents.
If you use basic caution, and follow the speed limit and signage, which is all in place to keep you safe, you should be fine. The driving may be a tad more stressful than you’re used to, but there is nothing to be afraid of if you take these minor precautions.
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Halfway to Hana – A Brief History
A drive down the Road to Hana will show you Maui’s beauty, as well as take you through some of the island’s history. The need for the road first arose during the 1800’s, when sugar mill plantations became a large production in Hana. At that time, there were no suitable roads for transporting workers and goods to and from the plantations.
From there, what started out as rough footpaths evolved into the road we know today. Much of this work was done by twenty-two prisoners from a prison camp on the Ke’anau Peninsula. The initial road was completed in 1926 and made of gravel. It would not be paved for another forty years.
The prisoners also assisted with building the many one lane bridges the Road to Hana is known for. Amazingly, only one of these original bridges has been replaced since they were first built.
Commuting In Paradise
If you can believe it, commuters to and from Hana still drive this route for work in modern day. Long drive, yes, but what incredible surroundings to sit back and enjoy your favorite podcast for two hours each way!
Commuters who take this road every day feel more comfortable whipping around the many twists and turns. Do not speed up to keep pace with the locals – let them pass if you feel that you are holding them up. Turning back from Hana before rush hour will also narrow your chances of encountering commuter traffic.
You should be on your way back home well before dark anyhow. The Road to Hana is not well lit at night, and can quickly become a very stressful and dangerous experience.
My Favorite Stop on the Road to Hana
Remember earlier when I told you to save time for later stops? This is why. I am about to blitz you with Road to Hana pictures that bring your bright blue Pacific Ocean dreams to life.
I am, of course, talking about the black sand beach at Wai’anapanapa State Park.
Picture high swells of gorgeous blue water rolling onto black volcanic rock. This beach is more pebbly than sandy, but the aesthetics are truly otherworldly and something to behold.
Some people choose to swim at this beach, which you may want to do if you have time (and brought a towel). We found plenty of joy simply looking at the water. This state park is also a great place to have a picnic lunch in beautiful surroundings.
Fun Fact
Wai’anapanapa means “glistening water” in Hawaiian. Can you see why?
I recommend lingering at Wai’anapanapa State Park for at least an hour. That’ll give you time for taking a small hike, and checking out its unique natural scenery, such as the stone arch below.
What Happens After You Pass Hana?
Hana is the namesake of this drive, but the town itself is not all that interesting. In fact, we drove right through it.
It is not recommended that you drive much further than Hana, and some people simply turn around when they reach the town. If you do continue driving past Hana for the full loop, make sure your rental car company allows it. The roads get much rougher, and can damage vehicles, so many rental companies do not allow you to drive this portion.
However, I don’t recommend turning back right at Hana, as just a few miles past the town there are a couple more sights worth seeing. In fact, just seven miles past Hana, you will run into Wailua Falls, which is the beautiful waterfall you see cascading below. This is one of the most beautiful spots to take pictures on the Road to Hana.
Finally, ten miles past Hana you will come to the “Kipahulu area” of Haleakala National Park. This is where you will see the seven sacred pools of the Ohe’o Gulch, and even go for a swim or do some hiking if you have time.
After this visit, you should turn around and start making your way back to Hana. Be sure to turn back at least two and a half hours before sunset, you so have good visibility on those twisty, turny roads.
How I Almost Missed the Road to Hana
On a brief personal note, I was actually sick for the entire week we were in Maui, thanks to catching a nasty cold just days earlier. We had already cancelled a sunrise biking excursion, since I wasn’t up to rising at 1:00 a.m. to drive across the island to a volcano. Thankfully, we saved the Road to Hana for our last day, giving me time to recover.
Looking back that was a risky move – I normally would prioritize a must-do much earlier than this. I mean, you never know what could come up – weather, food poisoning, what have you – that forces you to cancel your plans with no additional days left.
However, in this particular instance, it was perfect, as this was the first day I was actually feeling better. And if I could only pick one day to feel good enough to be active on this trip, it would be Road to Hana day!
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As these pictures show, a drive down the Road to Hana makes for a truly magical and magnificent day. Allow yourself to get lost among your tropical surroundings, and feel the awe of the gorgeous waterfalls and beaches. You’ll see such a range of gorgeous natural sights in one day that’ll be unlike anything you’ve ever seen before.
What is your favorite stop on the Road to Hana? Share below!
