If there is one experience from our trip to Maui which will forever stay with me, it is our 10 hour drive on the Road to Hana. While the distance itself is around 80 KM (50 Miles), it takes about 2.5 hours non-stop to get to Hana. Our trip however, had many stops along the way and what was suppose to take 5 hours ended up being a 12 hour trip back and forth. Next time I will surely find a place to stay on this side of the island for a few days to really allow for exploration and hikes. The highway is very narrow with many winds and passes over about 60 bridges many of which are only one lane wide.
We started off at Paia Town, Maui’s historical plantation town on the North Side which is cute and quaint and has many great local restaurants worth exploring. After passing Paia town, Highway 36 turns into Highway 360, this is where you have to set your odometer to zero. We definitely missed this marker and therefore missed many of the sites marked along the way. Some of the stops we did make were the Painted Bark Eucalyptus Trees, a series of beautiful dream-like trees marked with many different colors. Just a few steps away was a hidden opening to a bamboo trail which was definitely worth stopping for.
After what seemed like hours of driving (but not really) we took the road to Keanea Peninsula where there is a small local village, taro fields, a beautiful volcanic rock coastline and missionary church. It is here that a local Mauian had recommended we stop for some delicious banana bread at Aunty Sandy’s Banana Bread. Seems like we were not the only ones that knew about this secret as there was a line up for the bread. We ordered one and then went back to order two more loaves as it was so good. We hit the road once again and made our way to the famous black sand beach located at Wai’anapanapa State Park. A spot that is in itself worth a day or more to explore and take in the beauty. The area at Wai’anapanapa is filled with history, legend, and gorgeous views. The black sand/pebbles at Pa’iloa Beach is as picturesque as can be. The loop trail will take you down to the fresh water caves where some powerful legends live. Also, there are caves on the beach for exploring and camping for those that plan way ahead (you need a permit.)
After rushing through the scenic black sand beach we continued on the road to Hana to the final destination, the Seven Sacred Pools, or the Pools of Ohea’o. On the way we stopped for lunch on a local beach and had some amazing barbecued Huli Huli chicken with the waves of the ocean crashing just behind us. A definite memory that will not be forgotten. The park is big and during the time we went all the pools were quite empty and no swimmers were allowed. We quickly toured the area and decided to get back on the road. It was getting late and we wanted to avoid driving on the winding roads in the dark so we spent less than an hour at the park. Next time we will definitely make plans to stay on this side of the island for a few days to fully allow for exploration of Maui’s natural beauties.
