When does it get dark?

[karakopet]

Renting a car in Maui. Want to do the road to Hana drive then around the south and back up. Boat does not leave until 9pm. Want to know when it gets dark there.

[cd-tk]

at night

[spleen93]

at night

 

... which while technically correct, isn't all that helpful. Somebody else just posted this link, but you can use the following link to get sunrise/sunset data for anywhere in the US at different times of the year.

 

http://aa.usno.navy.mil/data/docs/RS_OneYear.html

 

Spleen

[Suebee]

You didnt say what time of year youre here, but you will note that the sunrise/sunset times do not vary as much as they do on the mainland. We also do not do Daylight savings time. But the days are certainly much shorter in the winter like everywhere.

 

Right now we have about 11 hours of daylight....6:45ish am until 5:45ish pm.

[karakopet]

yes at night. We are cruising on the WIND in Feb. 2006 10 day cruise. So is it safe driving the south of Maui in the dark time?

[spleen93]

I'd probably try to get back before night. It's awfully dark out there to be driving without streetlights and without guardrails in some places.

 

Spleen

[zqvol]

Are you planning on making a circle? If so you may be in for a rude awakening unkess they have redone the road between Hana and Wialea.

 

It will get dark earlier than you expect.

[beachchick]

Are you planning on making a circle? If so you may be in for a rude awakening unkess they have redone the road between Hana and Wialea.

 

It will get dark earlier than you expect.

 

The road "between Hana and Wailea"?

 

Are you referring to the road after the "rough" section that takes you back to Kahului (what people call the circle route)? If so, that road does not go to Wailea. The road to Hana from Kahului is 360 (36? I can't remember). Then you have the unpaved rough road. After that you are on 31 (Pi'ilani Hwy). After a while, 31 becomes 37 (Kula Hwy) that takes you through upcountry and back to Kahului.

 

Or are you referring specifically to the unpaved/rough road past Oheo Gulch that takes you around the south side and back onto paved road? Although it seems as if it is leading to Wailea, it isn't.

 

Or are you referring to how some maps show the past-Hana (circle route) part of 31 connecting to the south-west 31 that goes from Ma'alalea Harbor to Wailea? If so, that route is inaccessible for route planning. Although the connecting road does exist, it is gated, locked, and private. Only a few lucky individuals have the gate key (or at least that's what we've been told). Tourists cannot use it to go from around Hana, through the unpaved section, and then into Wailea and north along the coast. (That is, tourists can't use the private road unless they have a key; I doubt many would.) For everyone else, "you can't get there from here" applies. You must go around and up 37 into Kahului before going across island to Ma'a'laea and the northwest and southwest.

 

Just an FYI.:)

 

beachchick

[zqvol]

The road "between Hana and Wailea"?

 

Are you referring to the road after the "rough" section that takes you back to Kahului (what people call the circle route)? If so, that road does not go to Wailea. The road to Hana from Kahului is 360 (36? I can't remember). Then you have the unpaved rough road. After that you are on 31 (Pi'ilani Hwy). After a while, 31 becomes 37 (Kula Hwy) that takes you through upcountry and back to Kahului.

 

Or are you referring specifically to the unpaved/rough road past Oheo Gulch that takes you around the south side and back onto paved road? Although it seems as if it is leading to Wailea, it isn't.

 

Or are you referring to how some maps show the past-Hana (circle route) part of 31 connecting to the south-west 31 that goes from Ma'alalea Harbor to Wailea? If so, that route is inaccessible for route planning. Although the connecting road does exist, it is gated, locked, and private. Only a few lucky individuals have the gate key (or at least that's what we've been told). Tourists cannot use it to go from around Hana, through the unpaved section, and then into Wailea and north along the coast. (That is, tourists can't use the private road unless they have a key; I doubt many would.) For everyone else, "you can't get there from here" applies. You must go around and up 37 into Kahului before going across island to Ma'a'laea and the northwest and southwest.

 

Just an FYI.:)

 

beachchick

Thanks for the correction Beachchick, you know what I meant , I just didn't know how to say it correctly. But that was exactly what I meant and I got the impression that that was what the OP meant too.

[beachchick]

I figured as much, but there have been so many posters (and I'm sure other tourists) who think they can drive from Kahului to Hana and then go past Hana and Oheo Gulch and cross OVER to Wailea directly because some maps show that private road. Plus, after the unpaved section you are on 31; it would seem logical to think that 31 from Hana is part of (and therefore connected to) the 31 from Wailea north to Ma'alaea. I wanted to make sure that there would be no confusion for first time visitors.

 

beachchick

[pwillmo]

Boy am I confused?!?!?!?!

We will be there in Feb and want to take a day to go to Hana.. I was told it was best to leave early and come back late... So, from what you have said

you have to go the same way back as you got there!?!?!

Any help would be great!!??

Paula

[sceptic]

pwillmo, the best advice for all is start early. After that, whatever you do is up to you. I don't know where you're starting from, but if you can be past Kahului by 7:30 you'll have a much easier time of it.

 

This is a great example of "the journey is the destination." It's the drive itself, with the myriad stops along the way and the basic beauty of the road itself, that is point. Hana itself, if it was any other town without its reputation, would still be a cute place to stop for a while but it simply isn't the point of the drive.

 

The big question comes - when do you turn around? I've known folks who've gone halfway or so to Hana ... maybe a little more... then decide to turn around and retrace their steps to Paia for lunch at Mama's or stop and watch the windsurfers, and had a blast. Others (myself included, at least most of the time) will be in Hana well before noon even though I stopped a half dozen times or more along the way, stock up for a picnic, head to Oheo Gulch for swimming and hiking, then return to Kahului via the southern route. One thing to stress - no matter which way you return from Oheo and no matter where you're eventually going (Kahului or Lahaina) you MUST go through the intersection of the road to Paia/Hana and the road upcountry. If time is the consideration, what counts is how long it takes to get from where you end up to this point. At Hana, it's a toss-up in the PM, perhaps a BIT shorter just to retrace your steps. At Oheo, it's faster to go the southern route (assuming no landslides or horrid weather!)

 

There is no "best choice" for how to spend your day on this road - beyond starting early!

[beachchick]

Boy am I confused?!?!?!?!

We will be there in Feb and want to take a day to go to Hana.. I was told it was best to leave early and come back late... So, from what you have said

you have to go the same way back as you got there!?!?!

Any help would be great!!??

Paula

 

No worries. You don't have to go back the way you came after you get to Hana (or Oheo Gulch). You can drive around the south end of the island and make a big "circle" from Kahului through Hana and back around to Kahului.

 

Here are the caveats: There is a section of road past Oheo Gulch that is unpaved. It can be treacherous during/after rain and storms. It is not a good idea to drive it after dark. Many rental car companies prohibit driving this part of the road, so if you run into problems you are on your own and have voided the rental contract. (This doesn't happen often, but you need to be aware of it.)

 

Once you pass the unpaved part of the road, you MUST drive back to Kahului; you CANNOT get directly to Wailea (and up the southwest/west coast) from the road past Hana. If you look at a map, you will see how the "circle" around the south part of the island goes back up through upcountry (Kula, etc.) and into Kahului. If you are tendered in Lahaina, you have to do this and then drive across island to Ma'alaea harbor and up because there is no public and accessible direct route from the south end of the island.

 

That's what we are referring to about the road around from Hana. You can do it. Start early and do not drive around the south end of the island after dark. And if you are tendered in Lahaina, keep in mind the time it will take to circle up to Kahului, drive across the island, and then back up the coast to Lahaina.

 

beachchick