Hawaii. Maui. Road to hana

[Nextholiday?]

Hello

 

I am quite interested in this :)

 

For anyone that has done ths, do you find it too long of a day with too much time on the bus

 

I understand the roads are narrow and by big drops. Did you ever feel "uncomfortable"

 

Also wondering which tour company you used

 

Thank you

[DeltaOne]

I am quite interested in this :) For anyone that has done ths, do you find it too long of a day with too much time on the bus. I understand the roads are narrow and by big drops. Did you ever feel "uncomfortable" Also wondering which tour company you used. Thank you

 

We did the road to Hana in January 2014 in a rental car. Or, more accurately, part of the road to Hana. Three of us in a mini van. Back seat passenger, due to the many turns and such, started to turn a bit green. Had to stop and back-track. We made it almost to the part where the road turns to gravel -- so maybe 2/3rd's of the way? We turned around where the food and souvenir stores are located.

 

I suspect a full trip would be six to eight hours. The road is amazing! You'll have great ocean and mountain views one moment, then be surrounded by thick trees and jungle-like growth where you can't see beyond the road. Tight turns -- think less than 5 MPH! Many parts of the road are narrow -- one lane only. It's quite an adventure.

 

Want to have more fun? Venture to Lahaina and take the road north, up and around the island. Great ocean and mountain views combined with tight turns and sheer cliff drop-offs. At one location we were on a narrow one-lane road with a 1000-foot drop off on one side and tall mountain hill on the other side. My wife was terrified!

[PMOzcruisers]

We did it last December but in a rental car. Probably my favourite day in Hawaii. My husband drove, and while the road is narrow and windy, he didn't have any issues and we are used to driving on the other side of the road in Australia. It was a full day, we left around 8.30am and got back around 6pm, but there is so much to see.

 

Whether by rental car or on a tour I would highly recommend it :)

[meatball_nyc]

We did it in a rental car (honeymoon trip) and it seemed to rain every 20 minutes. We had a picnic basket lunch with us which was enjoyable eaten on a beach halfway through.

Nice scenery but not an easy drive.

 

~Robin

[mcmomny]

I booked a trip online in a 12 passenger van, great trip, great guide who told us lots of history of the road and Hawaii.

 

Was about 8 full hours all the way around, we stopped for a picnic lunch which was provided by the tour company.

 

We made lots of scenic stops for pictures, even walked down to see the seven falls and went to the National Park.

 

On the way back on the other side we stopped at a winery and lavender farm.

 

Very enjoyable day!

[mom23krzkidz]

We did it back in 2004... In a rental and on the day when they had a race of some kind with runners in costumes followed by floats:) it was crowded and slow moving, but we had a local guide book and stopped on side of the road dozens of times to climb down ledges, over fences and up hillsides, ignoring no trespass signs when indicated in the book, to get to some of the most beautiful waterfalls/ water holes I've ever seen. We had a blast and it took 10+ hours. I would never just drive it...swim/hike it!

[coldferret]

We did the road to Hanna in 2012 through Valley Isle Excursions. Nice van, included lunch and plenty of stops. We rented cars in the other ports but didn't want to have a stressful drive with one person unable to look at the scenery for this one. At the time there was a very rough patch which rental cars were not supposed to drive.

[mking8288]

Six of us did this ourselves in a rental minivan back in 2009, very easy as you really don't need GPS - highly unlikely to get lost ... For DIY driving: just watch out for the edges of the road, go slow & yield the rights of way, some passages are one lane for passing - follow the posted signs. When in doubt, clearly motion & left the traffic coming at you in the other opposite direction to go first/proceed, and, if you are going slow & there's a long line of cars behind you, pull off to the right at designated cutoffs for such purposes when it's safe & then you can tail them and follow.

 

Here's one of the few short videos taken by DW as the front seat navigator & a/v tech since I was focused 100% on driving - it should give you a good feel for the road & what it's like to be driving on that for anywhere from 8 to 10 hours in daylight - if you only plan this for 6 to 8 hours, it's not enough ... you are rushing it or not fair to yourself by planning too little time to enjoy & appreciate one of Maui's most scenic beauty, you can be stopping literally every 10 to 20 minutes for more photos & videos, if only there's enough scenic overlook & parking spots all along the route - some of them are on the opposite side on the way "back" to the ship.

 

https://onedrive.live.com/redir?resid=625154F59067D2B1!1275&authkey=!AMWJzIQYt6uKc-g&ithint=video%2cwmv

 

RTH or Road To Hana is about 65 miles long and the posted speed limit is basically 15 mph, yes - 15 mph and in some of the more "challenging" stretches of the narrow two lanes road (one in each direction, barely ... it's basically like driving in Bermuda, as an easy reference) - it rise & fall with turns & bends to the left and to the right.

 

Before leaving "town" after getting off the ship - especially, doing this on your own, plan for having cold/cool drinking water or beverages, provisions for a picnic lunch & afternoon snacks, and, for bathroom stops along - as there is no "rest" area - eat a big breakfast & then get ready to leave early from the ship.

 

Along the way, you can be stopping off at the state beaches just before leaving town, open to the public to stare at the Pacific waves smashing agianst the rocks on the north shore of Maui, before transitioning into "rural" Maui & before you know it, you are on the long stretch to Hana, plan on getting there in 3 to 4 hours. There are road side stops & stands run by locals, selling freshly chopped pineapple (and they will ziplock bag it for you) and cold bottled water/soda - some of them are next to their homes and will have "public" restrooms - while others don't.

 

There are no "big" or even "medium" sized tour buses along this road, mostly vans & some custom "coaches" with very limited passenger capacities, as large vehicles are difficult to navigate - thus, both private tours & NCL/ship-tours are expensive. We researched the options ahead & decided to do it ourselves - it's best done with 2 drivers taking turns, fully rested the night before & be alert and follow all best driving practices - there's not even a gas stations in between (imagine needing a tow truck or spare tire changed) and cellular coverage is poor to none than. Some rented 4x4 or Jeeps, and, convertibles - it's really not necessary & a fancy Mustang or sports car won't get you there & back any faster.

https://onedrive.live.com/redir?resid=625154F59067D2B1!1276&authkey=!AIIbhn0T86O88K0&v=3&ithint=photo%2cJPG

https://onedrive.live.com/redir?resid=625154F59067D2B1!1281&authkey=!AF0tgPDW6cIWEoY&v=3&ithint=photo%2cJPG

https://onedrive.live.com/redir?resid=625154F59067D2B1!1277&authkey=!AJGDlTxYd3mLmII&v=3&ithint=photo%2cJPG

https://onedrive.live.com/redir?resid=625154F59067D2B1!1280&authkey=!APnLsvZGL0vPgzU&v=3&ithint=photo%2cJPG

https://onedrive.live.com/redir?resid=625154F59067D2B1!1279&authkey=!AFNo8l0ye1KWfek&v=3&ithint=photo%2cJPG

[CRUZIN TOM]

If you are on an overnight on Maui. It's a great trip. You can do the complete loop. Don't worry about the dirt road at the end of the road. You will find that it is nicer than some of the paved roads. Give yourself at least 6 hours for the entire trip. Go early if you can. The locals will pass you. If you are going in a small bus with others you may end up getting dizzy with all of the turns. Plan for a little rain. It is the wet side of the island. Might last 10 minutes or an hour. You never know. Stop in Hana at the local grocery store. Great picture opportunities. Purchase the road to Hana CD. It is very helpful for your travel and explains a lot of what you will and are seeing thru out your drive.

[chet the jet]

We did the road to Hanna in 2012 through Valley Isle Excursions. Nice van, included lunch and plenty of stops. We rented cars in the other ports but didn't want to have a stressful drive with one person unable to look at the scenery for this one. At the time there was a very rough patch which rental cars were not supposed to drive.

 

We did the same with Valley Isle Excursions and was the best. Would do it again. Some of the pics can be seen here.

Page 19 to 23.

[MandyMommyof2]

We have done the Road to Hana twice! Our first time, we did the usual "half trip" because everybody says that the rental car companies will not cover any damages if you do the complete road. Our return trip with our daughters, this past September, we drove the entire length. This was definetly the highlight of our trip! We live in mountainous areas so driving on the ofter one lane roads didn't phase is a bit. I do see how those who aren't use to could get a little scared at some places. :eek: I suggest getting you one of the Road to Hana cd's or even even a good travel book that highlights the "must see" spots and mile markers. I love the Hawaii Revealed editions. Make sure to fill up your gas tank prior to leaving the city of Paia. Also as some have said, you can even pack a picnic lunch. we did this. Also make sure to have some $1's or $5's and stop at the family owned fruit/flower shops. They have them located at the ends of their driveways and work on the honor system. Also just a reminder if you are gonna stop to hike at some of the stops, make sure to wear a good tennis shoe or hiking shoe. The terrain can be wet and muddy, as it done rain quite frequently on this side of the island. :) I could go on and on about the Road to Hana or Hawaii as a whole. We love it there!!

[Baseball fan]

Loved the road to Hana. We drove the entire loop as the rental car contract said it was ok on "graded" roads. I had to drive as I get car sick....could never had done it any other way. I would do it again! Very long day but so much fun.

[Dakota Traveler]

We did the road to Hana on our last trip. Used Roberts and we had a great time - one of the best tours we have taken in Hawaii. It was a full day with lunch in Hana furnished by Roberts - sandwich with sides at a spot along the beach. Great driver/tour guide which made the trip even more enjoyable.

 

DT

[puddles99]

We also did the Road to Hana with Valley Isle. My husband slept much of the drive [emoji6] which seemed to make the entire thing quite bearable (and less memorable) for him. LOL. I'm not going to lie, it was a LONG day. However, it was a once in a lifetime experience and I'm so glad we did it. You can see some of the pics from that day (and the rest of our adventure) in my review which is linked in my signature.

[cb at sea]

Unless there is nothing else on Maui you want to see/do, I would skip this It's a fun way to kill a day, but there are many, many other things on Maui!

[Imalismom]

We are doing this in a month.... we have booked through Valley Isle Excursions - they were highly recommended many times over on cruise critic when I was researching companies.

[Txfeenix]

Unless there is nothing else on Maui you want to see/do, I would skip this It's a fun way to kill a day, but there are many, many other things on Maui!

 

I didn't want to be the only negative response so haven't commented til now. We did this excursion, not sure with what company but it was through NCL. I don't fault the company - they did their job wonderfully and the tour driver was very knowledgeable and passionate about everything along the way. We did this excursion because of all the reviews saying, "you have to do the road to Hana...it's amazing".

 

But what they don't say is that you're sitting in a small tour van with 7 other people driving around for 6-8 hrs listening to the tour driver tell you about flora & fauna and the history of the island. Yes, it's nice to stop at black beach for a short time, swim in the waterfall for 15 minutes and the lunch was nice. But if we had known it was mostly driving around listening, we would have chosen something else. (Like sunset on the crater!! :) ). I didn't go all the way to Hawaii to sit in a van all day! JMO

[GORDONCHICK]

This is something I would never do with a tour company! We've done it twice with a rental car - both times driving the entire loop. Get the driving CD because it gives lots of great info about stopping coming up. We swam in several spots, including the black "sand" beach and the 7 Sacred Pools. We always pack a lunch and snacks but stop for ice cream at the general store in Hana (Hasegawa). We were also able to stop at little shops along the way, and a fruit stand where we stocked up and got great snacks.

 

If you have an overnight for Maui, rent a car for one of your days and do this drive! Breath-taking views for sure!

[DaisyGoldberg]

We did it with Valley Isle -- loved it. It is definitely a long day. I think we were out an hour longer than the tour was even listed as being.

 

Most of it a good driver shouldn't have a problem with... but the driver will be watching the road (one hopes) and not seeing the scenery. There were also a couple of spots where our experienced driver had to back up at a blind turn because tourists coming the other way froze and couldn't back up to yield the right of way. I'd hate to be in a showdown like that without somebody who knew precisely what they were doing, because it was a sheer drop on one side and sheer rockface on a curve on the other.

 

The Valley Isle bus was so comfortable and there were so many stops that the length of the ride wasn't physically exhausting. I didn't find the last hour all that interesting in terms of scenery, compared with the beginning, so if you're self driving, don't feel like you're missing anything spectacular.

[JoSieSensi]

I have rent a car for 2 days next week while I will have the overnight in Maui on the POA.

 

I am a 35 yrs woman travelling alone.

Will I be safe to do the Hana road alone? Any comments or suggestion to do this road trip solo?

[Jackierabbit]

We went last October with Valley Isle Excursions and Tim was a very good tour guide. There were many stops along the way that were interesting and broke the time on the bus up. The seats are wide and comfortable. We swam at the sacred pools, black sand beach, ate a fine lunch, saw ocean views, waterfalls, desert, flora and fauna. We were very pleased with our excursion. I did a lot of research before booking this because we are more "do it your self ers" but I wanted to get the most out of our day. I read its called "divorce highway" because the road is narrow and markers are difficult to see. Turning around is difficult and missing exits is common so I could visualize the dialog in the car &$/-:;.($)). I made a great decision and we have wonderful pictures and memories to show for it!

[Travelling2Some]

We loved the road to Hana. We rented a convertible and took all the short hikes and detours mentioned in the Maui Revealed guide book. Fantastic! Our ship overnighted in Maui. We went all the way around (in spite of the ridiculous dire warnings of the rental car agency), which was wonderful and didn't get back to the ship until 10 PM that night. Our ship was overnighting in Maui, so no problem with the late return BUT if we had it to do over again we would have rented a place in Hana for the night and stayed even longer! Frankly, we think now that we should have jumped ship and stayed in Maui for a few days since it was our last port before returning to Honolulu the next morning.

[Silver Sweethearts]

Frankly, we think now that we should have jumped ship and stayed in Maui for a few days since it was our last port before returning to Honolulu the next morning.

 

Your list of cruises shows the POA in Hawaii, but we are curious since you say Maui was your last destination before Honolulu. The POA visits Maui first (Sunday and Monday), not last.

[huskerc]

Don't miss this. We did this in a rental convertible, following a popular downloadable app. It was great and really very easy to drive. Do not do a group tour/van.

[Travelling2Some]

Your list of cruises shows the POA in Hawaii, but we are curious since you say Maui was your last destination before Honolulu. The POA visits Maui first (Sunday and Monday), not last.

Now, yes. But 10 years ago Maui was the next to last port.