John Harvey Photo

Road To Hana

Go to Slide Show Smaller Images One of my favorite parts of Maui


My sister cautioned that the Road to Hana can be difficult to drive and if there is heavy weather high in the mountains, dangerous.  I did research about what to see along the route and there was enough that I couldn't figure out how to pack it into a day.  I came up with a mixed plan - first do a half day and drive the first half of the road to Hana to see if we can put up with it.  If we can tolerate the twisting road, do a follow up full day drive all the way to Hana to see more of the attractions.

Our first stop was Coconut Glens to see the twin falls.  This pay parking, but it's real parking.  It's a short walk to a trail and there are two falls with pools.  We picked the higher one (a bit longer walk) because we wanted less of a crowd.  Being our first attraction we spent a lot of time swimming in the pool.


Upper Pool With Banyan Wall


Helen Waiting For Us To Finish Swimming
This was our first time breaking out the waterproof cameras and the first time the kids have gone for a swim in natural water since last summer.  The water isn't as warm as the ocean, but it's plenty warm compared to swimming in Canadian freshwater.  Bring good water shoes - I left my "canyon" shoes in Vancouver and walked in barefoot and some of the rocks are sharp or jam up.

Pool At Base Of WaterfallClaira Watching Nara Swim

Kids Getting Ready To Jump
This waterfall exists because of a section of hard rock that looks like columnar basalt.  I suspect that this section of rock was slower to cool down and was consequently harder that the rest of the rock around it.  This small cliff changed the course of the river to make the deep pool we were swimming in.  The hard rock also lead to steps to make it easy to get out of the water and jump in.





Popsicle With Sugar Cane Stick
In Vancouver, we would probably spend the whole day at such a nice pool.  In Hawaii, we had other things to do.   We got out of the pool, back to the trail and then stopped by the farm stand to get a treat. 


Maui Garden of Eden

Peacock In Tree Above PathPeacock Tail On Ground
Our next destination was the Maui Garden of Eden.  In Vancouver we visit the Van Dusen Gardens every year so I thought this garden would be a good place to visit.


Red To Orange HibiscusPink To Purple Hibiscus

Purple Fern SpiralTropical Flower With Ocean Behind


After the Garden of Eden, we turned back and drove to Paia for a later lunch.

Claira With Chocolate Ice CreamShave Ice In Paia

Gecko On SurfboardSurfboard Wall From SideRainbow Surfboard Wall

Second Day Trip

 
  Lava Rock Coastline

Waiʻānapanapa State Park

Path To Black Sand Beach
If you had to pick a single attraction on the Road to Hana that is a "must see", it is Waiʻānapanapa State Park.   It is noteworthy for it's black sand beach and Lava Tube but also for how busy it would get.  They have put in a reservation systems and we had a ticket for a visit from 10:30 until 12:30.  We arrived a few minutes after the window opened and walked down to the beach.


The rock formations here are quite interesting.  The area is all lava rock, but there are layers.  The top layer is soft and crubles, but the layer below is harder.  The leads to small islands and caves just off the coast.

Kids Taking Photos Of BayBlack Noddy On Small IslandBlack Sand Beach Bay


Family On BeachKids On Black Sand Beach


Right off the beach is a small lava tube.

Skylights In Lava TubeNara In Lava Tube
 
Claira On CoastCrumbling Rock Over Columnar Basalt


On the road back from the park, we spotted some farm stands.  I found a parking spot and took a look. 

Flower Leis At FarmstandBest Fruit Stand EverSour Sop On Banana Leaf
 


Hana Food Trucks
We drove a few miles further to Hana to get lunch.  Our plan was to stop at the Thai food truck, but the truck was closed that day.  We were already parked (the other choice was huli-huli chicken at the Koki Beach Park) so we all got something different at different trucks - Claira got a hot dog, Nara got Taco's, I got a veggie sandwich and Helen found a fish dish.  The drink hut was by far the busiest and good good reasons - there drinks were top notch.


Grilled Veggie Sandwich And FriesClaira With Smoothy


Hana Lava Tube

Entrance To Cave
When we were planning this trip, Nara identified the Hana Lava Tube as here highest priority attraction.   The parking lot isn't huge so I could imagine getting in on busy days could actually be pretty hard.  They recommend 45 minutes to walk to the end of the tunnel and back.  They have a nice map and gave us good flashlights and we headed into the tunnel.


The best light is always going to be sunlight.  The light falling off from the entrance is fantastic.

Entrance StairsClaira Back At Entrance

We headed down the tunnel and I continued taking photos.  There are lots of great signs describing how the tunnel was formed and details about the tunnel.  I had my tripod so most of these photos are long exposures using the flashlights for light.

Kids At Stop PointKids Walking Down Stairs
 
Mid Cave Skylight
About half way down is a skylight.  I really like the light from skylights because they can fill in volumes.  We didn't have a lot of time to take photos in the cave, but I'm sure I could have spent much more time down here making images.


After the cave, we drove the southern road back to the central island.

 
Grassy Fields Of South Maui Feral Goats Above BeachSt Joseph Church
 
 

Resort | Kealia Pond | Haleakala | Road to Hana | Snorkeling | Surfing
 
 
 
 


Path To Black Sand Beach
Altitude: 31m (101 feet)
Location: Go To...
Claira With Chocolate Ice Cream
Person: Claira
Altitude: 19m (62 feet)
Location: Go To...
Tags: Hawaii, ice cream
Sour Sop On Banana Leaf
Altitude: 64m (209 feet)
Location: Go To...
Tags: fruit, Hawaii
Kids Taking Photos Of Bay
Altitude: 36m (118 feet)
Location: Go To...
Kids At Stop Point
Grassy Fields Of South Maui
Altitude: 55m (180 feet)
Location: Go To...
Best Fruit Stand Ever
Altitude: 60m (196 feet)
Location: Go To...
Tags: citrus, fruit, Hawaii, stand
Grilled Veggie Sandwich And Fries
Altitude: 60m (196 feet)
Location: Go To...
Claira Watching Nara Swim
Person: Claira, Nara
Altitude: 186m (610 feet)
Location: Go To...
Tags: Hawaii, swimming, waterfall
Pool At Base Of Waterfall
Kids Getting Ready To Jump
Person: Claira, Nara
Peacock Tail On Ground
Altitude: 232m (761 feet)
Location: Go To...
Tags: peafowl
Black Noddy On Small Island
Species: Anous minutus (Black Noddy)
Altitude: 28m (91 feet)
Location: Go To...
Kids On Black Sand Beach
Altitude: 19m (62 feet)
Location: Go To...
Rainbow Surfboard Wall
Altitude: 45m (147 feet)
Location: Go To...
Skylights In Lava Tube
Altitude: 8m (26 feet)
Location: Go To...
Tags: Hawaii, lava tube, Skylight
Helen Waiting For Us To Finish Swimming
Person: Helen
Lava Rock Coastline
Altitude: 22m (72 feet)
Location: Go To...
Tags: beach, Hawaii, rock
Family On Beach
Person: Claira, Helen, John, Nara
Altitude: 19m (62 feet)
Location: Go To...
Tags: beach, Hawaii
Surfboard Wall From Side
Altitude: 42m (137 feet)
Location: Go To...
Flower Leis At Farmstand
Altitude: 59m (193 feet)
Location: Go To...
Tags: Hawaii, stand
Peacock In Tree Above Path
Altitude: 211m (692 feet)
Location: Go To...
Tags: peafowl
Shave Ice In Paia
Person: Nara
Altitude: 10m (32 feet)
Location: Go To...
Tags: Hawaii, shave ice
Gecko On Surfboard
Altitude: 42m (137 feet)
Location: Go To...
Entrance Stairs
Tags: cave, lava tube, stairs
Kids Walking Down Stairs
Tags: cave, Hawaii, lava tube, stairs
Claira With Smoothy
Person: Claira
Altitude: 59m (193 feet)
Location: Go To...
Nara In Lava Tube
Altitude: 11m (36 feet)
Location: Go To...
Tags: cave, Hawaii, lava tube
Claira Back At Entrance
Purple Fern Spiral
Altitude: 237m (777 feet)
Location: Go To...
St Joseph Church
Altitude: 122m (400 feet)
Location: Go To...
Tags: Hawaii, place of worship
Pink To Purple Hibiscus
Altitude: 241m (790 feet)
Location: Go To...
Claira On Coast
Altitude: 3m (9 feet)
Location: Go To...
Red To Orange Hibiscus
Altitude: 237m (777 feet)
Location: Go To...
Hana Food Trucks
Altitude: 51m (167 feet)
Location: Go To...
Tags: food truck, Hawaii
Crumbling Rock Over Columnar Basalt
Altitude: 3m (9 feet)
Location: Go To...
Popsicle With Sugar Cane Stick
Altitude: 168m (551 feet)
Location: Go To...
Tags: Hawaii, popsicle
Mid Cave Skylight
Tags: cave, Hawaii, lava tube, Skylight
Upper Pool With Banyan Wall
Altitude: 186m (610 feet)
Location: Go To...
Tags: Hawaii, waterfall
Tropical Flower With Ocean Behind
Altitude: 223m (731 feet)
Location: Go To...
Black Sand Beach Bay
Altitude: 27m (88 feet)
Location: Go To...
Entrance To Cave
Person: Claira, Helen, Nara
Tags: cave, Hawaii, lava tube
Feral Goats Above Beach
Altitude: 76m (249 feet)
Location: Go To...
Tags: Hawaii(18), lava tube(6), cave(5), waterfall(3), swimming(2), peafowl(2)
People: Claira(6), Nara(6), Helen(3), John(1)
From: John Harvey Photo > Blogs for 2023 to 2005 > Maui > Road To Hana
From: John Harvey Photo > Trips out of the Country > Maui > Road To Hana

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Last Modified Saturday, January 28th, 2023 at 23:06:12 Edit
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