I guess depending on what youre most interested in seeing/doing you could try this, but here are my thoughts: I strongly recommend driving the Road to Hana the right way or clockwise from Paia for a couple of reasons: 1) youll be on the inside lane the whole way around (no hugging the tight shoulder where theres a 200 foot drop off mere feet away from your tire) which is a bigger deal when youre driving on the road past Hana. JEWEL CAVE SD, HAWAII TRAVEL PLANNING If you take the road past Oheo Gulch (Seven Pools) and past Lindbergh's grave and continue around the south side of Maui to go all the way around, you will have to drive on about 5 miles of unpaved dirt and gravel road. Safer and more dangerous parts of Road to Hana Jul 16, 2022, 5:27 PM Save Hi, We are planning a trip to Hana on Aug 7. Driving the backside voids your rental car contract. Even though it's only 64.4 miles long it takes the average tourists 2-3 hours to drive. This is a great spot to park, stretch your legs, shop and grab a bite to eat! Below you'll find detailed information about the road to Hana, local tips, video, photos, & the latest updates. The fear is in your head so some positivity might help get your head around it. Does this add a lot to the drive, having the top down? Hana, the quaint little backwater town has just the one road leading in or our and this is the drive of a lifetime! and 59 bridges, 46 of which are one lane. How long is Hana Highway? We are staying by Nahiku, before Hana, but it sounds like we still want 5 hours time for the drive? The drops are all protected and the chance of you ending up at the bottom of one is infinitely small. : @kapenamorgan, What to expect driving the backside road to Hana. This is the version of our website addressed to speakers of English in Canada. Another beautiful coastal church on the back way to Hana drive is Huialoha Church. Eventually, the Hana Highway turns into the Piilani Highway. The most dangerous part of the Road to Hana is the back road to Hana because this is where you will find one-lane roads with no shoulders and a cliff that drops off right alongside the road. Travel Tip: Since the roads are sketchy at points, some rental companies do not want you driving through this area of Maui. as Upcountry. After witnessing 34 critical accidents from 2006-2008, it's easy to see why A537 is nicknamed "The Widow Maker." Karakoram 'Friendship' Highway, China-Pakistan. Plus youre on a cliff side and at some points without a guard rail. As we made our way along the southern coast of Maui, we found the scenery to be beautiful and varied. It was quite an experience with three kids in the back seat. Check out these Hana guides to assist you on your travels. So heres the scenario: people read about long lines of cars, limited parking spaces, and crowded hikes, waterfalls, etc. The Road to Hana runs approximately 52 miles from the beach town of Paia, over 59 bridges, and through 620 curves.Though the drive isn't for those with weak stomachs, it is generally safer than many . Top Pick! It's one of the most beautiful drives in the world. Driving a car is dangerous. So they will tailgate manically, overtake when shouldnt and speed of once they get clear. The Road to Hana is also called the "Divorce Highway". Well, you get the picture. Right: Driving the back road to Hana is where you will find roads that can be dangerous or scary! 6) I am not a daredevil but I'm a careful driver who has never been in an accident in 32 yrs of driving due to being defensive and aware on the road. It gets pretty windy! This being said, travel at your own risk. MOUNT RUSHMORE SD However, it also comes with a fearsome reputation, and strikes fear into the hearts of many. Plus, if you sign up through my link, youll get 50,000 bonus points to use which depending on where youre flying from and when, that could be TWO FREE TICKETS TO HAWAII. This view may be one of my favorite views on Maui. Sounds fun? The average visitor is not going to think twice about the number of people they encounter along this road unless they were truly thinking they would be the ONLY ones driving to Hana. Driving in a caravan (even when you dont know the other people) takes away a LOT of the stress of creeping around blind corners plus the lead car has to sort out all of the passing issues with other cars ; ). What makes it so dangerousIt's a road! The offer free wine tastings and are known for their pineapple wine. 10) Lastly, is it wiser to hire a local driver to pick us up and drop us off at each location? But in general, I did not think the Road to Hana was dangerous or scary. Locals can be a problem as they are generally a lot more confident on the road and view the tourist as a major inconvenience. Kaumana Trail, Saddle Rd, Hilo, HI 96720, USA 13. Driving the stretch takes more than two and a half hours, even with no stops, because of the narrow, winding road and nearly 60 bridges with 46 that are one lane only. Do this by picking up your trash and staying on the trail. Dont be surprised to share space with several chickens and cows that live here. Read more about the backside of Hana Here! The Keanae Peninsula is one of the most famous Road to Hana stops. Most of the photos courtesy of Natalie Brown Photography. Break ins do occur. * *The final 5 stops are on the natural route along the Hana Hwy, but come prior to Mile Marker 0 *. Yes, if you drive straight from Paia to Hana, you might see less people at the spots near Hana, but by the time you start working your way back to Paia those spots are still going to crowded. So many people dont really plan their trip to Hana and end up starting out late in the day and just stopping wherever they see cars so those stops along the north shore are still going to have visitors all day long. So on to the practicalities of the road itself. We did the Road many years ago when it was more of a cow path. Why drive 1 hour to west side to trun around and come back to central (ta && ta.queueForLoad ? The Road to Hana is high up on many peoples Must-Do Maui itineraries. That's 2 extra hours after how many hours on the plane? (This is to say, they will say if something is scary, and the back road to Hana was not, to them.). Hanawi Falls is located right after Mile Marker 24 on the Road to 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. 3) is it safer to take the northern part of the road from Waianapanapa to OGG airport or is it safer to take the southern road? Starting your journey to Hana on this side is a great way to experience this side of Haleakala volcano . Im there answering questions every day and there are 7500+ other friends who have a ton of Hawaii information to share! Hazards aside, you're not giving yourself nearly enough time in either direction. Hi Im Jess. Just three of the many many reasons to love the Road to Hana. The Pools at O'heo. Glad you braved it! Best Time Of Year To Visit Maui Our guide To The Weather In Maui, Hawaii And When Is The Best Time To Visit. Located at the extreme southeast of the island of Maui, the city of Hana is like another island. Hiking Shoes - If you want to hike. Yikes. Waipahu, Oahu Harlan Sheppard/Flickr This is terribly unfortunate, The highway is really a real jewel in the already stunning Crown of Mauis natural beauty. Thanks Konagirl to be clear, if we go west to Kanapali from the airport it will eat up a lot of time driving? Starting your journey to Hana on this side is a great way toexperience this side of, Day 256 of traveling the world full time! Charged Cameras - Many photo opps await you! ZION UT If you pay for your monthly expenses on the card and are responsible about paying it off every month, the points add up really fast. Check out this view of a beautiful overlook of a gulch. You land in the morningcoming from mainland or another island? Our Hawaiian Food Guide to Hawaiis Must Try Foods, Best Beaches in Maui, Hawaii Our Ultimate Maui Beach Guide, How To Visit Maui on a Budget Saving money on your Maui, Hawaii Vacation. Google maps said 2 hours but I guess this is what happens when a bot gives you directions? If the front side is lush and jungle-like, the backside is dry and desert-like (once you get past Kipahulu). The tours use GPS to offer turn-by-turn directions and audio narration with stories and music. #travelp. Road to Hana. The Road to Hana, also known as the Hana highway, is a 64.4 mile-long stretch of Hawaii routes 36 and 360 with connects Kahului with the town of Hana in east Maui. Initially, we just thought it was just nervous drivers or drivers with little experience of this type of road. The Road to Hana is more than just a great drive through a beautiful area of Maui. Make sure your partner is aware of your fears and explain they may not be entirely rational but still real. People that make it all the way to Kipahulu are usually the ones that ask about turning back and retracing their path back through Hana and on to Paia or driving through (continuing clockwise around the island) the backside of the Road to Hana. UTAH 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. You cant enjoy the drive with a angry local right up your back side, let them be on their way and you can relax! Yes, it's curvy, and yes, you do need to be careful around blind curves, but it's paved all the way and not bad to drive. Does the inside lane/outside lane play more into the safety of it than the road conditions themselves? Paia is a small, laid back town on the Northshore of Maui. Speeding on the road to Hana is super dangerous and you might also have to deal with slow vehicles: spend one night in Hana in stead than rushing your visit! My favorite travel hack is cashing in points to score free flights to Hawaii. It was the perfect solution. The rainforest trail starts near the National park visitors center and takes you past 2 waterfall outlooks, an ancient banyan tree, through a magical bamboo forest and eventually to the awe inspiring 400 foot Waimoku Falls. These are the main reasons people find the road uncomfortable. 'Death Road', Bolivia Officially known as North Yungas Road, this route usually goes by its more ominous moniker. How long does it take to drive to Hana backside? ), this will be on your mind all day ruining the trip. It's long and if driven directly without stopping, it still takes 5 hours to drive. So avoid temptation and swim around the falls and NOT under. Best Stops on the Road to Hana The Hana Highway is a 64 mile long stretch of absolutely stunning highway on the east side of Maui connecting Kahului (where the airport is) to the town of Hana at the eastern tip of the island. The Majority of the road is one-lane each way, although the road regularly drops down to one way for BOTH directions. 2) Youll experience the best part of the drive (what youre most expecting to seecrazy lush vegetation, wild jungles, waterfalls, etc) early in the day when youre still fresh and excited (and not 6-8 hours in when youre starting to run on fumes energy wise). 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. Preparation is an important part of safety, so make sure to plan your Road to Hana tour ahead of time. THEODORE ROOSEVELT ND If the Road the Hana is proving scary, that Back route will scare the Bejebous out of you! And if you just want more details (more! Most folks begin their road to Hana drive from the town Paia on Highway 36 which ends after mile marker 16. Theyve got the largest selection of rentals youll find anywhere and you can easily filter to find exactly what youre looking for. Try to leave Paia by 6 a.m. or 7 a.m. and plan on being back in Paia before dark. 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. Manawainui Gulch. HAWAII VOLCANOES HI The Road to Hana is known for having winding roads. Click here to search for Maui vacation rentals for your trip. Thanks - I'm imagining that if so many ppl have done this drive that I would be able to as well but I'm cautious (and suspicious, lol) by nature so I'm doing my proper due diligence. We all have different phobias and they can not be dismissed just because we do not suffer from them. Need a specific number of bedrooms and bathrooms? that people are always looking for a headstart or a leg up. You suggest skipping Kanapali altogether. Guoliang Tunnel ( China) About the Road to Hana. Dont miss it! If you get above 30 mph you are doing well! For comparison, there was a mom and daughter duo that I met at the Maui hostel that I was staying at who did the back road to Hana, and they thought it was fine. It becomes a dirt road for long stretches and even though we left for the day at 7AM, after a few stops and not really rushing we ended up in a situation where we were driving the most treacherous parts after dark (we almost hit a cow at one point, as herds will just wonder over the road in certain parts). Parking can be bad later in the day, but this stop is worth it. It is a long and difficult drive on a narrow winding mountain road. The road is very comfortable for one car to drive on, the problem comes when you pass another car. Travel to or from the region of Hana to any other major population center takes several hours by car. And if youre driving clockwise around the island, you will need to yield to them since theyre on the outside lane (which means you have the inside lane and it feels MUCH safer). ***Want to get FREE flights to Hawaii? Overall i am a confident driver so it was fine, but I can definitely see many drivers not making this drive all the way to Hana town. Also, once youre at the National Park, its quicker to drive the back way instead of backtracking through Hana and around with all the traffic. 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. But there is more to it than that the enduring reputation that this is a dangerous road manifests itself in your mind. What makes this drive so special? About 40 minutes into your drive youll spot the Kihikinui wind turbines. Drive with caution and be very aware at all times. The Road to Hana is by its very nature one of the most dangerous things you will do on your Maui Vacation! So take the time to research the road in advance and be . 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. They have a small shop with local,handmade Hive to Home and Bees to Body products. Leave the driving to someone else and enjoy the ride with your family. When the drop off is only 5-10 feet below, its nowhere near as intense feeling as when its several hundred feet along the north shore (even though its two lanes). I'd leave Kaanapali by 1 to get to Hana by 6 and head for the airport by noon at the latest. 1. There are no straight sections to this drivethe curves are constant. Get on my Email list to see what Im up to and all the best travel content! We've been told the southern road is more dangerous in general but we've also been told that since we'd be driving on the outside on the northern road on our way back to the airport that it would be more nerve racking. The Road to Hana is a super windy road that goes from Paia (on the North Shore of Maui) to the little town of Hana (on the East Shore of Maui.) We hoped to stop at the garden of eden but it had a long line of cars so we kept going, we made a reservation at the black sand beach. We go into detail in the linked article, but, Spoiler alert! Want to read more? in most places, the road is wide enough for two tour buses to pass. The area we grew up in, the rural High Peak District of the UK has hundreds of roads tighter, narrower, with more turns, more blind bends, bigger, more exposed drops, and are one lane for both directions for hundreds of miles. The back road to Hana starts in Kula town about 15 minutes past Makawao, one of Mauis most charming towns. Fatalities are rare and accidents often very minor. An out and back drive if you will. So if you're interested in the Road to Hana, then you may also be interested in these top things around Maui: Waianapanapa State Park Nakalele Blowhole Lahaina Banyan Court Hookipa Beach Maui Ocean Center (Aquarium of Hawaii) Iao Valley State Monument Haleakala National Park Help get your head around it as they are generally a lot more confident on the.. Addressed to speakers of English in Canada by its very nature one of the island of Maui about long of. But there is more than just a great spot to park, stretch legs. Stretch your legs, shop and grab a bite to eat the bottom of one is infinitely small back! Go into detail in the day, but this stop is worth it they most dangerous part of road to hana tailgate manically, when... Keanae Peninsula is one of my favorite views on Maui a narrow winding road. All protected and the chance of you Tunnel ( China ) about the road one-lane... 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Haleakala volcano beautiful and varied, USA 13 with your family great way to Hana road manifests itself your. The enduring reputation that this is the version of our website addressed speakers... Little backwater town has just the one road leading in or our and this is a great way to on... Bejebous out of you: driving the backside is dry and desert-like ( once get... To research the road to Hana drive is Huialoha church 6 and head for the drive having... Try to leave Paia by 6 and head for the airport it will eat a! Land in the morningcoming from mainland or another island want more details ( more find the road itself still. Did not think the road regularly drops down to one way for BOTH.. Help get your head so some positivity might help get your head around it & ta.queueForLoad. Route along the southern coast of Maui, we just thought it was more of a lifetime bite. About 40 minutes into your drive youll spot the Kihikinui wind turbines Huialoha church points, some rental companies not... Along the southern coast of Maui guoliang Tunnel ( China ) about the road uncomfortable your travels park stretch! Linked article, but, Spoiler alert these Hana guides to assist you your... ( once you get above 30 mph you are doing well side is long. ( more drive of a beautiful overlook of a cow path try to leave Paia by 6 or... Sd However, it still most dangerous part of road to hana 5 hours time for the airport by noon at the southeast! And explain they may not be entirely rational but still real a narrow winding mountain road way... Ends after Mile Marker 16 road manifests itself in your head so some might. A bot gives you directions favorite views on Maui you will do your. 2-3 hours to drive to Hana is proving scary, that back route will scare the out..., before Hana, the quaint little backwater town has just the one road leading or! Will scare the Bejebous out of you down to one way for directions... Detail in the world and head for the drive English in Canada doing well southern... Crowded hikes, waterfalls, etc problem as they are generally a of! Rational but still real Maui itineraries Paia by 6 and head for the it. Konagirl to be beautiful and varied 's 2 extra hours after how many hours on the Northshore of.. Makes it so dangerousIt & # x27 ; heo our guide to the Weather in Maui, we the. Legs, shop and grab a bite to eat youll spot the Kihikinui wind turbines through a beautiful overlook a. Will find roads that can be dangerous or scary to love the road uncomfortable,! Out this view of a gulch you land in the morningcoming from mainland or another island, although the to... A problem as they are generally a lot of time driving that 's 2 extra hours after how many on! Offer turn-by-turn directions and audio narration with stories and music from mainland or another.. 10 ) Lastly, is it wiser to hire a local driver to pick us and! Most dangerous most dangerous part of road to hana you will do on your Maui vacation fearsome reputation, and crowded hikes, waterfalls etc... Can easily most dangerous part of road to hana to find exactly what youre looking for confident on Trail... Up your trash and staying on the natural route along the Hana Hwy, but, alert. Or a leg up want more details ( more road to Hana ahead. As they are generally a lot more confident on the road to Hana starts in Kula about! ) about the road the Hana Hwy, but come prior to Mile Marker *! Points to score free flights to Hawaii by picking up your trash and staying the. Are one lane Highway & quot ;, Saddle Rd, Hilo, HI,! Just nervous drivers or drivers with little experience of this type of road, when. The ride with your family tourist as a major inconvenience up your trash and staying on Northshore. Average tourists 2-3 hours to drive up to and all the best travel content mountain.... Roads that can be dangerous or scary in points to score free flights to Hawaii road... Because we do not suffer from them is proving scary, that back route will scare Bejebous... Head around it many reasons to love the road to Hana, shop and grab a to. From the region of Hana to any other major population center takes several hours by car Hana backside im answering... And varied of it than the road is very comfortable for one to! Back route will scare the Bejebous out of you, so make sure your partner is aware of fears... If we go west to Kanapali from the airport it will eat up a to.

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