MAUI'S EPIC ROAD TO HANA: EVERYTHING YOU NEED TO KNOW BEFORE YOU GO

One of the top things to do in Maui is to drive the famous Road to Hana. Hana Highway, also called the Road to Hana, is a scenic highway that stretches approximately 52 miles along the northeastern coast of Maui. It is famous for its breathtaking natural beauty, including lush rainforests, cascading waterfalls, dramatic coastline, and panoramic ocean views. The Road to Hana has 600 curves, 52 bridges, and more than 18 waterfalls. Let’s explore everything you need to know about Maui’s epic Road to Hana before you go!

This post contains affiliate links that, at no cost to you, I earn commission from. Than you for supporting my blog!

Preparing For The Road To Hana

Guide Along Audio Driving Tour

I highly recommend downloading the Maui audio driving tour from the Guide Along app. (Formerly GyPSy Guide). This audio tour is also a GPS. It will tell you where to go, as well as give you interesting background information. The guide also gives you tips on parking and side trips. We used Guide Along in both Maui and Kauai and then again for our trip to Glacier National Park in Montana.

What to Wear & Bring

Swimsuit

Wear your swimsuit under your clothes. There are several beaches and waterfalls along the Road to Hana that you can swim in.

Water Shoes

You will need water sandals or water shoes for the rocky black sand beach, as well as for swimming in the waterfalls.

Lightweight Turkish Towel

Pack a lightweight Turkish towel like Bay Laurel or Sand Cloud in your backpack for the Road to Hana. These lightweight towels are easy to pack and dry quickly. Perfect to use for the Road to Hana!

Collapsible Travel Cooler

Pack your collapsible travel cooler with drinks and lunches, as well as snacks for the car ride.

Phone Chargers

Be sure to have a few phone cords to charge your phones in the car. This is especially important if you are using your phone for the audio driving tour.

Reef Safe Sunscreen

Hawaii only allows the use of reef-safe sunscreen. We love Sun Bum-it is reef safe, works well and smells fabulous!

Haleakala National Park Entrance Pass

If you visit Haleakala National Park earlier in your trip for the sunrise or sunset, that entrance pass is good for 3 days. Be sure to plan your Road to Hana trip and Haleakala sunrise within 3 days of each other. You can use the same entrance pass for Pipiwa Trail and O’Heo Gulch Seven Sacred Pools along the Road to Hana. Click here for more information on the Haleakala Sunrise.

Click here for my full Hawaii packing guide.

How Long Is the Road To Hana Drive?

Driving Route #1- Paia to Hana Out and Back

Even though it is only 52 miles, it takes about 3 hours to drive the Road to Hana from Paia to O’heo Gulch, which is just past the town of Hana. This is due to not only the many curves and bridges, but also the stops you will make along the road. Once you reach O’heo Gulch and the Seven Sacred Pools, most people turn around and drive back the same way they came, making it over a 6 hour drive out and back to Paia. If you are staying in West or South Maui, you will have to drive a few more hours past that to get back to your resort.

Driving Route #2- Road to Hana Loop

It is possible to continue driving on the backside of the Road to Hana back to Central Maui, but the road is very remote, rough along stretches and not paved in some parts. Most car rental companies discourage or ban you altogether from driving the backside.

Some car rental companies allow you to drive the backside of Hana Highway but with the caveat that if you get a flat tire or have car issues that the damage is at your expense and they will not come tow you. Most people drive the Road to Hana to O’heo (just past Hana) and then turn around and drive back out the same way they came in instead of driving past O’heo where “the backside” of the road begins.

Avoiding Crowds

Since the Road to Hana is one of the top things to do in Maui, there will be a lot of other visitors traveling the road. Most people will start in Paia and visit all the stops along the way until they get to Hana or O’heo Gulch. To avoid crowds, drive from Paia straight to O’heo Gulch without stopping. Do the Pipiwa Trail and Seven Sacred Pools at O’heo Gulch first, then hit the stops on the return drive. Most of the traffic will still be going towards Hana and you will hit the stops in reverse of most people, making them much less crowded.

Mandatory Vehicle Reservations

One of the most beautiful places along the Road to Hana is Waianapanapa State Park. (Pronounced Why-uh-noppa-noppa) Waianapanapa is home to Maui’s only black sand beach. Mandatory vehicle reservations must be obtained in advance for Waianapanapa State Park at gostateparks.hawaii.gov. These tickets are PER PERSON not per vehicle. The reservations cost $10 per person and are good for a 3 hour time slot. It is possible to purchase more than one time slot. You can enter the park anytime within the window of your time slot(s) but you have to leave by the time your time slot is over.

Tickets go on sale 30 days in advance at midnight HST (Hawaiian Standard Time) These tickets sell out immediately so be sure to create an account before the release day. Log on a few minutes before they are released and start refreshing your screen until you see the tickets appear.

Note: vehicle reservations are not required to drive the Road to Hana. They are only required to visit Waianapanapa State Park.

The Best Stops Along The Road to Hana

These are the must-see stops along the Road to Hana. MM is an abbreviation for Mile Marker. I have marked the stops that you absolutely do not want to miss with asterisks. **

Ho’okipa Beach State Park

Ho’okipa Beach State Park will be your first stop. This beach is right before the official Road to Hana (Highway 360) begins.

If you want to see turtles, Ho’okipa Beach State Park is the place to go! On any given day there are at least a dozen sea turtles lounging on the beach. It is worth stopping at this beach just to see the turtles.

This is a must-do stop on the Road to Hana trip.

Twin Falls (MM 2)

The first official stop on the Road to Hana is Twin Falls. This waterfall, while beautiful, does not compare to others that you will see later in your drive. The parking lot only fits 55 cars and there is a $10 parking fee. Twin Falls can get extremely crowded, and on a day that you are short on time, this stop could cost you a lot of it. If the parking lot is full when you arrive, don’t wait around for a parking spot. You can always try again on the return trip.

Garden of Eden Arboretum (MM 10)

The Garden of Eden Arboretum spans around 26 acres and features a diverse array of tropical plants, including native Hawaiian species, exotic flowers and fruit trees. It costs $20 per adult and will take you about an hour. In my personal opinion, if you are doing the Road To Hana in only one day, the Garden of Eden Arboretum can be skipped. The Keanae Arboretum at MM 16 is free and give you up close views of the Rainbow Eucalyptus trees.

Ke’anae Peninsula Lookouts (MM 13)

Mile marker 13 provides stunning views of the Ke’anae Peninsula. Pull over along any of the lookouts to take in the beautiful views of the coastline and volcanic rocks. This is a must-do stop on the Road to Hana.

Aunty Sandy’s Famous Banana Bread (MM 17)

Be sure to stop at Aunty Sandy’s for the most delicious banana bread!

Halfway to Hana Fruit Stand (MM 17)

The Halfway To Hana Fruit Stand is a great place to stop for lunch or fresh produce. They serve burgers, sandwiches and more!

Wailua Valley State Wayside (MM 18)

This lookout is a quick stop, but a must-do stop! The Wailua Valley State Wayside lookout offers 360 degrees of breathtaking views.

From the pull off parking, climb the short set of stairs to get to the lookout. At the lookout you have a gorgeous view of the beach and taro fields. When you turn around, there is a breathtaking view of the Wailua Valley, complete with 3 dramatic waterfalls! This is a must-do stop on the Road to Hana.

Hana Lava Tube (MM 31)

Explore the Hana Lava Tube at mile marker 31! The Hana Lava Tube, also known as Ka’eleku Caverns, is one of the largest lava tubes in the Hawaiian islands. Self guided tours are available from 10:30am to 4:00pm. The entrance fee is $11.95 per person and includes a high powered flashlight to explore the cavern with. This stop will take you about 45 minutes.

Waianapanapa State Park- Black Sand Beach (MM 32)

Waianapanapa State Park is home to Maui’s black sand beach and is one of the absolute must-see stops along the Road to Hana. As mentioned above, reservations are required for Waianapanapa State Park. This is a must-do stop on the Road to Hana.

Hana Farms (MM 34)

Hana Farms is the best place to stop for food along the Road to Hana. There are restrooms, a cafe, a store where you can buy snacks and some pretty overlooks. There is also a Texaco gas station located at mile marker 34 which is the only one along the Road to Hana. If you need to refuel, you will need to stop here.

O’heo Gulch (Seven Sacred Pools) and the Pipiwa Trail (MM 42)

This is one of the must-do stops along the Road to Hana. Stop at O’heo Gulch to see the Seven Sacred Pools. O’heo Gulch is part of Haleakala National Park. You will need to pay an entrance fee of $30. This fee is good for 3 days and includes the summit of Haleakala, so plan to do those within 3 days of each other.

After seeing the pools, hike along the Pipiwa Trail which is just above the Seven Sacred Pools. The Pipiwa Trail is considered one of the best hiking trails in Maui. You will walk through bamboo forests to end at the stunning Waimoku Falls waterfall.

The Pipiwa Trail is 4 miles roundtrip and will take you about 2-3 hours to complete.

Hamoa Beach (Mile Marker 51)

Hamoa Beach is one of Maui’s most spectacular beaches. Located at mile marker 51 on the Road to Hana, this popular beach is also equipped with restroom facilities.

Koki Beach (Mile Marker 52)

Koki Beach has the backdrop of lush green mountains, making it one of the most popular beaches to visit along the Road to Hana.

Avoiding Crowds

Road to Hana in One Day Or Two?

For the Road to Hana, not only will you be driving 6 hours in one day, but if you are staying in West Maui or South Maui, you will have a few more hours to drive after that to get back to your resort. This makes for a very long day of driving, but trust me, it is absolutely worth it! You cannot come to Maui and not drive the Road to Hana!

There are so many different things to do and see along the Road to Hana, it is impossible to do them all in one day. The Road to Hana is not ideal to drive after dark, so you will want to time your trip so that you make it back to Paia by dark. This means you will have to pick and choose what stops you will make, you won’t have time to do them all in one day.

When we drove the Road to Hana with our 3 teens, we really wished that we had booked a hotel and stayed overnight in Hana. This would have allowed us to spend more time at each of the stops. We could’ve truly explored Wainanapa State Park, the Seven Sacred Pools of O’heo Gulch and spent time swimming at the beaches along the way. We felt like we really rushed through so many of the spectacular sights along the Road to Hana due to time constraints.

To be clear, most people do the Road to Hana in one long day. It is doable, but in order to truly take your time and enjoy the experience, breaking it into 2 days is ideal.

Road to Hana Tours

If you are not comfortable driving the Road to Hana yourself, or you are unable to secure vehicle reservations for Wainapanapa State Park, consider booking a tour. The tours are very popular and give you the best of the Road to Hana without having to drive it yourself. This also gives the driver the chance to enjoy the scenery and not have to worry about taking their eyes off of the road.

Check out these top-rated Road to Hana tours:
Small Group Road To Hana

Dynamic Tours Maui Small Group Road to Hana Adventure Group

Private VIP Guided Road to Hana Tour with Customized Itinerary

Small Group Road to Hana Tour by Mercedes Van

Road to Hana Adventure Tour

Valley Isle Road To Hana Tour

Tour 21A Road to Hana Rainforest and Waterfall Tour
Luxury Road to Hana Tour

Check out my Ultimate Maui 7 Day Itinerary for more must-do activities for your Maui vacation.