Driving the Road to Hana

Photo by Linda Judson Haberlach, copyright 2007.

Driving the Road to Hana:

We stopped at one of the turnoffs listed on the CD that had the very best banana bread (almost as good as mine!) and I'd do the drive again just to go to have more banana bread & a smoothie. There are a couple of places where you can swim in a waterfall pool. I'd recommend getting an early start (like 8 or 9am at the latest). You'll have more time and less traffic and the waterfall stops and such won't be so crowded.

Once you get to Hana, you can turn around and come back, or you can keep going to the Seven Sacred Pools (you can also swim there, it's pretty cool). The road from Hana to the pools is very windy and often one lane, much more windy than the Road from Pa'ia to Hana. It's a little bit of a hike from the parking area to the Pools, and it's rocky, so if you have Tevas or water shoes, I'd recommend wearing those that day.

If you did all the stops along the way on the way out there, then it's a pretty straight shot back. Most people say the drive is 2-3 hours to Hana, and with stops to swim in the waterfalls and such, it'll take 4. The drive back is only about 1-2 hours though, b/c you're not stopping. Expect the round-trip drive to take you all day. Mama's is one of the best restaurants on the island. It's at the beginning of the Road to Hana. It's expensive and truly excellent, the menu states the fish specials and names the fishermen and the boats on which the fish were caught. There is also a really nice beach there in front of it.

If you went to Haleakala, keep your entrance ticket, because it might come in handy during the drive on the Road to Hana. There is a back entrance to Haleakala National Park at the end of the Road to Hana, and if you have your ticket, and it is within the specified number of visiting days, then you'll get into the park for your original admission fee (free the second time within that time frame).