We only have eight days in Maui, is the drive to Hana worth it?

I was on Maui for 5 days over Thanksgiving. The drive to Hana was one of the highlights of our visit. I think the "worth it" question is best answered by asking what else would you like to do? How much time do you need for those other acitivites, etc? The drive involves leaving early in the morning (e.g. 7am - an hour which conflicts with what some pleople prefer to do on vacation - namely, sleep late) and spending about 12 hours or so total on the road (including breaks to follow short hikes, eat, etc.). The length of the drive is the same regardless of whether you turn back at Hana or continue around on the "forebidden" side (due to rough road). So, it is a trip that will use an entire day of your vacation.

A search for the topic "Hana" should bring up several older threads about this trip which may be helpful in making your decision.

Have fun regardless, and enjoy your trip.

I was on Maui for 5 days over Thanksgiving. The drive to Hana was one of the highlights of our visit. I think the "worth it" question is best answer by asking what else would you like to do? How much time do you need for those other acitivites, etc? The drive involves leaving early in the morning (e.g. 7am - an hour which conflicts with what some pleople prefer to do on vacation - namely, sleep late) and spending about 12 hours or so total on the road (including breaks to follow short hikes, eat, etc.). The length of the drive is the same regardless of whether you turn back at Hana or continue around on the "forebidden" side (due to rough road). So, it is a trip that will use an entire day of your vacation.

A search for the topic "Hana" should bring up several older threads about this trip which may be helpful in making your decision.

Have fun regardless, and enjoy your trip.

Jerry: search the archives...lots of opinions on this topic there. People are quite divided in general, few people lukewarm, it seems.
I'm on the "no" vote side, but only because I think the total drive time is too long, not because Hana's not a great destination. Kills a whole day in the car.

The drive to Hana is well worth it. Plan to leave early, then go even earlier. Take to time to go the extra distance to the 7 Falls(I do not remember the official name) The hike is fabulous!

The drive to Hana is not necessarily to get to Hana. There are some of the most beautiful scenic areas you'll ever see! Rent an audio tape(most rental cars have cassette player),it will tell you about everything along the way. If you are going to Maui from the east, you'll be tired early and up in the morning early. Plan to do Hana at the beginning of your stay before you're adjusted to the time change. We left at 5:30am, there's no traffic. On the way back there was a traffic jam headed to Hana. A lot of Maui is commercial. Don't miss out on the opportunity to see old Hawaii.

The seven falls that Shellie is talking about are the seven sacred pools(we were told they're not actually sacred). This area is very beautiful. You're not far from Charles Lindburgh's grave at this point. He's buried in a pretty spot on the edge of a cliff over looking the ocean.

The true name for the pools is Oheo Gulch. There are more than seven pools and none of them are considered sacred. Apparently some tourist bureau decided "Seven Sacred Pools" sounded more alliterative than Oheo Gulch.

It is a beautiful spot, that's for sure.

We were in Maui last September for 9 days. And the road to Hana was well worth using a day of it. You really feel like your in Hawaii and not in a tourist trap.

It is definitely worth the trip. We were on Maui 2 years ago. The weather was cold and rainy. In fact, there was a mud slide on the road. People had to get out of their vehicles to move the debris from the road. We didn't get to walk down to the seven pools, because of the rain. Even so, the ride to Hana was very much worth it, even in bad weather!!

Be prepared for a VERY long drive. It is beautiful but at times can be somewhat scarry. The roads are interesting to say the least. That is why it is not traveled durring the evening hours. If you are willing to give up a FULL day then you will probably want to consider it.

WE thought the Road to Hana was well worth the all day trip. Just to view the different natural beauties was fantastic. We did not however drive ourselves. WE took a mini-bus tour and let the tour guide drive. That way we all got to see the sights and did not end up in divorce driving the winding raod all day.

Yes, Yes, Yes, EXCEPT be careful if you are doing it with small children or teenagers who will get weary from a full day in the car.

The drive to Hana is awesome and there are so many places to stop along the way. We swam in a waterfall and hiked to a few other great areas. We stayed the night in Hana and then continued the rest of the way back to Keihi. The pools are neat but to get to the top is a bit of a hike. The lower pools were closed when we were there so we couldn't hike down. They say not to drive the road from Hana to Keihi but if the weather is good it isn't so bad and there are some great views on the way!

DON'T MISS IT!!!!!! - THERE ARE BEAUTIFUL WATERFALLS - ROADSIDE STANDS - AND MANY OTHER MEMORABLE SIGHTS - THE DRIVE IS LONG BUT PACK A LUNCH & A SIX PACK - ITS WORTH IT!!!!!!!!

Hi Jerry, When I was on Maui June '97, locals discouraged us from going...they said that due to extremely dry season, many of the waterfalls were not, um, falling.

If you have motion sickness I would not recommend the drive to Hana...I don't even have it bad and it was a miserable ride for me. There's not much to see at the end of the drive anyhow and it's a long ride.

Jerry,

The road to Hana is a "must do". My husband & I were there 2 years ago for our honeymoon and only in Maui for 5 days. Yes, it's a long drive but rent a convertible and you'll love it. Also, talk to your hotel or go to the local grocery store and pack a lunch. We stopped to eat at a park area that overlooked a black sand beach. In addition to the 7 Sacred Pools, this was one of the coolest things I'd ever seen.