Hana Highway - Road to Hana
Hana Highway - Road to Hana
4.5
About
This scenic road is an iconic drive that connects Kaluhui to Hana in east Maui. The 64-mile highway features narrow winding roads and over 50 bridges, taking you past gorgeous beaches, rugged coastlines, lush forests, waterfalls, pools, and hiking trails. It takes at least three hours to complete the Hana Highway, but you can make it a full-day trip, depending on how many stops you make. You can even spend the night at Waianapanapa State Park, where you can stay in a cabin or camp close to the shore.
Don't miss all the best sights by joining a Road to Hana tour, which will have all transport sorted. – Tripadvisor
Suggested duration
More than 3 hours
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Restaurants
39 within 5 kms
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- fdc1951Modesto, California3 contributionsBeautiful TripThis trip has some of the most spectacular scenery. Around every corner there’s another waterfall, beautiful creek or amazing view. We thought it was a great way to spend our time as adults, but would think twice about taking kids because they could easily get bored. That said, the trip takes a couple of hours each way. The road is barely two lanes wide with a 15 mph speed limit much of the way. Many areas have short sections with one lane only and are signed to yield to oncoming traffic. Hana itself wasn’t much of a destination but did have some restaurants and other services.Visited December 2022Written 6 December 2022
- ErinMilwaukee, Wisconsin25 contributionsGreat views and a flat tireThis was so cool! We used Shaka Guide and started to road in reverse. It was great until we got a flat tire— if you are taking this route, make sure you have a spare tire! We were lucky that our rental had a spare and were able to get back to the airport. I think it’s pretty expensive for a tow (close to $1,000 if you are near Hana) — make sure you ah e a spare, are comfortable getting it on, and comfortable driving a rental with a donut back through very winding roads.Visited December 2022Travelled as a coupleWritten 10 December 2022
- altheonlyLahaina, Hawaii208 contributionsThe Road to Hana is a road through paradise.First time visitors to Maui need to do the Road to Hana. You're either going to love it or hate it. It takes 3.5 hours to drive 52 miles from Kahului to Hana and that's just one way. The highway/drive is very windy, narrow, and passes over 59 bridges, of which 46 are only one lane wide. There are approximately 620 curves along route. I suggest spending the night in Hana at the national park or at an airB&B. (Reservations are recommended.) No reason to rush back to your accommodations. Get a CD or download a self guided tour. You will hear the spots to stop and discover. Pack a lunch and plenty of water. Don't waste your time at the Twin Falls or Mama's Restaurant. There's plenty to see, experience and enjoy down the road. For a memorable adventure without having to make the drive, take a tour. It's a relaxing drive without the anxiety to driving. Take advantage of the roar-side vendors for gifts and tasty food. The Road to Hana is a wonderful way to experience Hawaii as you dreamed it would be. You can thank me later.Visited December 2022Written 15 December 2022
- SanRcruz62 contributionsAdventure awaitsI feel like the road to Hana is a must do experience. But undeniably it is difficult especially if you have issues with motion sickness. And somewhat scary along those roads. We tried to go without stopping all the way to the end. so we could make it quicker and then stop on our way back but I knew that if we didn’t stop at certain places we might not get a chance on the way back. We did stop at twin Falls we saw the eucalyptus trees. We stopped at a place and are some food along the way. There were three beautiful beaches in a row close to the end. I wish we would’ve had more time I close beaches. They were beautiful. We attempted to do the Pipiwai trail in Haleakala national park. But we did not make it to the end. It was very muddy and a lot of uphill. I would recommend spring yourself with bug spray. But it’s definitely an adventure.Visited December 2022Travelled with familyWritten 15 December 2022
- Tauseef KDubuque, Iowa10 contributionsMaui family vacationAn awesome drive that challenges your attention and focus with its sharp bends and frequent narrow bridges. There are breathtaking views and some amazing stops on the way starting with twin falls and ending at pipiwai trail head. Must start early or you’ll miss Aunty Sandy’s banana bread and huli huli chicken in Hana as they sell out by early afternoon. I must warn you, however, of some rudeness on the road. They appear to be locals in pickup trucks(Tacoma being the most common) hurling obscenities and sometimes throwing trash on the tourists’s vehicles. Watch out for them and stay calm. Unfortunately, this is not limited to road to Hana.Visited December 2022Travelled with familyWritten 23 December 2022
- dave2 contributionsA drive well worth your time!Definitely a challenging drive! We had amazing weather and used an App to guide us and suggest stops and must see places. Beautiful coastal views and waterfalls. I would highly recommend leaving early as we drove the last hour in the dark and was quite challenging. But I’d you take your time and allow locals and less patient drivers past, it’s a beautiful drive and well worth the time. Plus, I was amazed we only used 5 gallons of gas in our rented Malibu! Stop and get the banana bread and see the quaint church where Charles Lindbergh is buried. Just a few miles past Hano. It’s not well advertised and there are no signs. We followed the directions in our app or would have missed it.Visited January 2023Travelled as a coupleWritten 2 January 2023
- RAY.EHuntsville, Alabama21 contributionsA must if you want to know about the Hawaiian people.We had Salesi as our driver who did a great job. He provided a historical perspective of the Hawaiian people and showed us places we would have never found on our own. Along the drive. He taught us a few Hawaiian words and their meaning. If you take this tour, ask for Salesi to be your guide.Visited January 2023Travelled soloWritten 14 January 2023
- Luz C2 contributionsRoad to Hana adventureRoad to Hana- front and back is a bit long. The front end is beautiful and so well worth the ride. The back end road is bumpy and tiresome. Next time around I’ll be more careful to select only the front end.Visited January 2023Travelled with friendsWritten 20 January 2023
- TimMelbourneAust2 contributionsAmazing. Ignore the negative reviews.Reading all of the negative reviews on here, I started to have second thoughts about doing the Road to Hana. Well, I am glad I didn’t listen to all of the complaining, because we did this drive (from Paia to Hana, camped the night then returned) and it was incredible. If you are a halfway decent driver, you will be fine with this trip. I am from Australia so it was opposite side of the road for me, and it wasn’t a problem. Just remember that you need to pull over to let locals past (if they’re driving a Toyota Tacoma - they’re probably a local!). The only gripe is that there could be better signage from the many waterfalls, but if you do enough research you’ll find them! CheersVisited January 2023Travelled as a coupleWritten 20 January 2023
- Amanda R1 contributionRain, Rain, Go AwayWe were really excited for this drive, I am a nature photographer so waterfalls, flora, and fauna are my jam. Unfortunately, the weather was not in our favor: It POURED rain the whole way to Hana. We hoped it might clear a bit for our return trip but no, it rained even harder on the return drive. The waterfalls raged beyond their banks, the rain unrelenting, the surf was rough. I thought I was prepared for the weather with rain gear for myself and my equipment, but it wasn’t enough. I was soaked through. My camera got very wet (even with a rain sleeve). It was messy. I will put in a plug for Aunt Sally’s Banana Bread and for the food trucks in Hana — so tasty. But if you decide to go when the weather app predicts 100% rain, well, you just might want to reconsider. We were completely soaked after our first walkabout and as we drove further, it just got worse. And photos? Not very good because of the gray skies and raging water.Visited January 2023Travelled as a coupleWritten 27 January 2023
These reviews are the subjective opinion of Tripadvisor members and not of TripAdvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews.
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Miki H
11 contributions
Nov 2023 • Family
Be prepared for a long winding drive on a two lane narrow road. Avoid taking larger vehicles (Suburban, etc.) due to width of the road. If you want to spend time at the black sand beach, make sure that you make an online reservation at least 24 hours before you make the trip. Garden of Eden Arboretum is a great stop to see the local flora and fauna. Hana is a small town with nice food truck area, gallery that is going out of business, churches and some hiking. Beaches are the key to the key experience in Hanna. Due to the drought, the waterfalls were not as prevalent, which may have changed when the Kona Low weather system came in last week. Be on the lookout for a beach that is close to Haiku access point, that has green turtles. That experience was by far the highlight of our drive.
Written 3 December 2023
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Saffron
New Lenox, IL383 contributions
Oct 2023 • Family
We were expecting so much more. There were literally hundreds of switchbacks on our roundtrip drive. Not much to see either as the majority of the road was covered by dense foliage. We encountered a couple of near-miss accidents from people speeding coming from the opposite way and not staying in their lane. We would never take that trip again. There are so many more gorgeous drives in Maui than this one.
Written 24 November 2023
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Tommy P
Skovde, Sweden80 contributions
Nov 2023 • Couples
A winding and narrow road where stopping opportunities at waterfalls and other sights are limited.A winding and narrow road where stopping opportunities at waterfalls and other sights are limited
Written 22 November 2023
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
trackerem
Texas433 contributions
Oct 2023 • Family
Gorgeous drive! We took our kids several years prior & it has changed! The overlooks are very much grown up so not as daring to see down the cliffs. Beware of the locals! They don’t adhere to speed limits and ultimately drive on the wrong side of the road around the curves! Worth doing once! Hana was a fun stop also! Beautiful bay!
Written 19 November 2023
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
smhr
Pickering, Canada277 contributions
Nov 2023 • Couples
If you are in Maui, you have to go on this. It is a very nice place. The road has many turns, so it is tiring because you have to keep your eyes on the road all the time. There are no signs on the road to tell you which trail/attraction is where. This is a big issue. To prep for it, we noted down the trails that we wanted to stop at. In all the guidebooks, the trails are based on the markers ie mile 1, mile 4, 7, etc. The problem is that even those markers are not always there. In other words, if you are looking to stop at a place at marker 8.7 Miles, you may not know when was the marker 8 because there may not be a sign for that. To address it, you may want to stop where most people are stopping ie follow the crowd, specially the tour vans
There are rainbow trees, lava tube along the way. There is also a red sand beach in Hana. There is a very nice Fish and chips place at marker 28.8 that I will recommend
One way drive to Hana took us 4 hours. Though we stopped at a few places. The road back from Hana took us 3 hours
I will suggest getting to marker 1 at around 8:30 am (or even earlier if you can). Make sure you know where you want to stop. As you cant rely on signage and mile markers, I suggest that you use your vehicle's trip odometer by setting it to 0 at mile marker 1
There are rainbow trees, lava tube along the way. There is also a red sand beach in Hana. There is a very nice Fish and chips place at marker 28.8 that I will recommend
One way drive to Hana took us 4 hours. Though we stopped at a few places. The road back from Hana took us 3 hours
I will suggest getting to marker 1 at around 8:30 am (or even earlier if you can). Make sure you know where you want to stop. As you cant rely on signage and mile markers, I suggest that you use your vehicle's trip odometer by setting it to 0 at mile marker 1
Written 18 November 2023
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
dnspnr
Brick, NJ100 contributions
Nov 2023 • Couples
Unless you are planning on making a lot of the stops and doing some hiking, there is not much of a view from the Road to Hana. Most of it is pretty well buried in the trees. There are many other places with better views and more convenient to get to, rather than spending half a day driving to Hana and back.
Written 15 November 2023
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Julia M
2 contributions
Nov 2023 • Couples
We traveled the whole road, starting in Kula, and the road itself and other drivers were totally fine. We were only sad we didn't download the Shaka Guide. We just had to guess at all the beautiful things we were passing. The fruit! BUY THE FRUIT! The fresh-squeezed lemon on papaya was the best thing I tasted in all of Maui. We spent a night there, and that made it so we didn't have to have such a long day, and we were able to go the beaches in Hana first thing in the morning. We went skydiving in Hana and that was AMAZING! Many of the waterfalls had signs from locals asking tourists not to get in the water, so that seemed unnecessary and unfriendly. A gorgeous drive and incredible views.
Written 10 November 2023
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Cheng vang
Minneapolis, MN4 contributions
Nov 2023 • Couples
The most dangerous drive in my life! I have Motion sickness the whole ride also the rain and slick road was so scary. The twist and turn and one way was so terrifying. me and my boyfriend arguing the whole ride 3hrs to hana and 3 hrs back. Didn’t get to take any pictures because most of the time my eyes is on the dangerous road. I will not recommend too dangerous. And not worth the drive for the banana bread!
Written 7 November 2023
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Becky V
Norcross, GA338 contributions
Oct 2023 • Couples
My husband and I drove the Road to Hana on our recent trip to Maui. What a treat!!! The views are so beautiful. We spent two nights in Hana and that made the trip that much more fun.
Written 26 October 2023
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Eloise Dupont
1 contribution
Dec 2022 • Family
The drive is an exhilarating rollercoaster through lush rainforests, with jaw-dropping waterfalls and breathtaking coastal views at every twist and turn. But it's not just about the destination; the journey itself is the star. You get to explore hidden gems, like the bamboo forest and the Seven Sacred Pools, and there are plenty of roadside stands offering delicious local treats. And yes, the "no signal" areas are real, but they're a blessing – they make you truly disconnect and soak in the natural beauty. The road may be winding, but it's absolutely worth every moment. The Road to Hana is a must-do for anyone visiting Maui, and it's an adventure that'll leave you with a deep appreciation for the island's raw, unspoiled beauty. 🏞️
Written 24 October 2023
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Honcho
Friendswood, TX4 contributions
Wanting to see if the Kealakapi road is passable in a mini van from Hwy 31 to 37? Thanks
Honcho
Friendswood, TX4 contributions
Wanting to see if the Kealakapi road is passable in a mini van from Hwy 31 to 37? Thanks
travelgal1994
Franklin, TN878 contributions
We plan to take this drive in January and have seen contradictory comments about the red sand beaches. Open or private property?? Once on this road… one can turn around and back track? And wondering about the gardens… I didn’t see any comments about these.
TahoegpSA
San Antonio, TX412 contributions
There are many options for turnarounds along the Road to Hana. Not as true of the Road Beyond Hana. Some beaches require reservations; others do not. Best Bet is the Gypsy Guide or similar; however, be sure to check for local updates based on state and island regulations.
trooney86
Saint Paul, MN99 contributions
We are doing this trip tomorrow. Anyone know if the road is washed out or if the whole loop can be done right now (March 25,2021).
Emmmkk
Deer Park, TX14 contributions
I know this is 5 days old but none of the rental car companies cover the back road part that is required to do the entire loop. If you get stuck it’s very expensive to have a tow truck come out. Honestly, halfway to Hana was plenty for us. The drive is very strenuous.
Ashlyn F
New York City, NY3 contributions
Are roadside restaurants open along the road? I plan on traveling in February 2021. Thanks!
Jeffrey Myers
Johns Island, SC1 contribution
What is the best rental car type (compact, full, SUV) and company for the drive from Lahaina (arriving by cruise ship, Holland America) to Hana and back?
Sidney C
6 contributions
Don’t think you need anything special. The road is not that bad.
There are a few parts where you have one lane and some bad asphalt, but that is it. You may just need to go slower.
Maybe if it is raining for days you may have bad conditions.

Lorhop
New York City, NY91 contributions
Is it worth it or even safe to do if you're travelling alone and cannot hike due to a foot impairment?
ajknight
chittenango72 contributions
I hope i am not too late. I would say yes if you Can you get out of the car. most everything we did was take pics. we didn't hike except at 7 sacred pools . I am brave and outgoing . If that is how you are then go. If you get nervous I would say try something else
What’s the Hana shot?
Mom45
Hampton, VA196 contributions
It’s a little bottle of a mixture of ginger, pineapple, B vitamins, lemon and cayenne that helps with motion sickness. It’s widely available on Maui. I ordered some off of Amazon when I got home and it is officially marketed as “Hana Tonic Nausea Relief Shot”.
january
3 contributions
This is what I wanted to know. I can handle narrow and winding and one lane but not edge of a cliff. Is the whole road like this or just a few spots? I am terrified of roads with straight drop offs. That being said everyone talks about this road, how you can't miss traveling it....do you think if we went with a tourist company I would feel safer ( having someone else drive, someone who does it every day)
szobell
Bountiful, UT385 contributions
The roads are not bad at all. In the few places where there is a drop off, there is a guardrail keep you in safety. The only thing that gets sketchy are the blind corners. If you are patient and follow the speed limit, even those are not bad at all. Later in the day (after 4) the locals are driving the road. They know it well and cruise along rapidly.
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Frequently Asked Questions about Hana Highway - Road to Hana
- According to Tripadvisor travellers, these are the best ways to experience Hana Highway - Road to Hana:
- Road to Hana - Most Recommended Tour on Maui (From ₹ 18,329.45)
- Small Group Road to Hana Adventure Tour with Pickup (From ₹ 18,329.45)
- Small-Group Road to Hana Luxury Tour (From ₹ 29,495.08)
- Famous Road to Hana Mercedes van with Waterfalls, Black Sand Beach & Lunch (From ₹ 19,162.64)
- Road to Hana Tour with Lunch and Pickup (From ₹ 22,912.01)
- Hotels near Hana Highway - Road to Hana:
- (0.16 km) Paia Bay Suites
- (0.13 km) 3 Bedroom Home - in Paia Town - Walk to it All
- (0.17 km) Quaint Paia Beach House with Ocean Views! Cold AC! Walk to town/beach!
- (0.18 km) Palm Cottage
- (0.19 km) Luna House in the Heart of Paia, Maui
- Restaurants near Hana Highway - Road to Hana:
- (0.29 km) Mana Foods
- (0.20 km) Thai Spice
- (0.30 km) Paia Bay Coffee Bar
- (0.30 km) Cafe des Amis
- (0.28 km) Ululani's Hawaiian Shave Ice