When Fran first travelled the Road to Hana, it was severely rutted and pockmarked. Gaping holes were filled with enough freshly fallen rainwater to obscure their depth. Needless to say, the danger of a broken axle lurked around every bend. Fran spent so much time peering ahead for the next gap in the roadway that she missed much of the surrounding beauty. Thirty years later, despite Nature's relentless onslaught, the road is in excellent repair. Drivers can relax and savor the experience of travelling through a magnificent rain forest.
Here are some recommendations for enjoying The Drive:
- Start early and fill up in Pai'a
- Stop at Picnics in Pai'a for a takeout lunch to be enjoyed later
- Puohokamoa Falls at MM11 (three cascades for the price of one stop)
- Detour to the dramatic Ke'anae Peninsula (just beyond the Ke'anae Arboretum)
- Upper Waikani Falls and Three Bears Falls between MM19 & 20
- Hanawi Falls after MM24
- Detour to the idyllic hamlet of Nahiku between MM 26 & 27
- Detour to Blue Pool (below) and Pi'ilanihale Heiau via Ula'ino Road at MM31
- Picnic at Wai'anapanapa Black Sand Beach just past MM32
- Time permitting, the Seven pools at Ohe'o are 10 winding miles beyond Hana
When you finally reach Hana, you'll find that it is verdant and picturesque, but you'll also realize that the mystique of driving the Road to Hana is not about Hana itself. It's about the indelible memories you gathered along the way.
To cap a perfect day, on the homeward run stop for dinner at a Mama's Fish House in Pai'a. We once arrived, tired and muddy after a complete navigation of southern Maui (see Roads Less Travelled), only to enjoy the best meal of our entire trip! We've been "regulars" ever since.
