Hi everyone,

I just booked an overnight stay near Hamoa Beach for next month (thanks here_today_gone2Maui for the recommendation!).

Since we'll be driving the Road to Hana directly from the airport, we'll obviously have all of our luggage with us (luggage for a family of 4 in an SUV).

We will want to make a few stops both on the 1st day (Blue Pool, black sand beach, etc.) as well as on the 2nd day as we travel around the South side of the island (O'heo Gulch, Pipiwai Trail, etc.).

I've heard you have to keep your vehicle unlocked with no belongings inside to avoid having your car broken into. We obviously won't be able to do that. Any ideas on keeping our luggage safe? I don't think we'll want to have a designated "car sitter" at all stops... and I'm sure at a couple locations we'll be gone 1-2 hours. Suggestions?

Thanks!

If you are staying only 1 night in Hana, where are you spending the other nights? Would it be an option to take the bulk of your luggage to your other Maui hotel and check it? Then just take a duffle or overnight bags with what you need for 1 night? Just in case? Safer than sorry, so to speak?

Good idea, gracieb... but the idea was to do start the trip from the airport since that's near the start of Hana Road.

If we did check our bags in to the hotel where we'll stay for the remaining nights we'd incur the extra driving and maybe have to pay a night's stay... not sure if they'd hold bags for 24 hours or not... I can check (we're either staying at the Maui Marriott Ocean Club or the Wailea Marriott... have reservations at both places currently).

Any other ideas?

We checked out of the Hilton on the Big Island and headed to Kauia for an overnight (sounds strange but there was a reason). The Four Seasons very graciously held our bags for us. We just took one overnight bag and snorkel bags to the other island.

It's been a few years since I've done Maui, but the extra drive would be worth the risk of losing a entire family's luggage at the beginning of the trip.

Maybe someone else will have a better idea.

Either assign a car sitter or don't stop along the way unless you park on property where the owner stays and can watch your car.
Especially in SUV, all luggage is visible to others.

Are you staying at Tom and Cathy's? You will love it. You might want to either bring some groceries or grab some at the Ranch Market and bar-b-q there for dinner that night. I like to stop at Nagata's market in Pa`ia and pick up fresh--FRESH--`ahi and kula corn and pack it in a cooler and put it on the grill before hitting the hot tub in the garden.

Don't leave your car unlocked. This is just a bad idea. Seriously. If you leave a car unlocked it is much easier for anyone to gain access and steal the radio, the battery, vandalize or even steal the car.
Check with your rental company to verify that the car has a security system. The last two cars I rented had keyless entry remotes. If you have one, use it.

Smash and grabs most often occur at secluded places where there is not a lot of traffic.

At Nahiku Road there will be so much traffic that I don't think a break-in is a serious threat. Waianapanapa, again, many people, public parking lot, rangers--it is a state park and there is a constant flow of people in and out. At `Ohe`o Gulch you will be a parking near the ranger station. Pipiwai is at `Ohe`o.

Wow ... We have 2 nights in Hana planned next May. (We spending 6 nights at another resort on Maui, then driving to Hana for 2 nights, then to the airport and off to Kuaui.) So, I never really considered the luggage issue, which we would have with us of course. I thought we could just take our time getting to Hana exploring things along the way, then chill out for 2 days in Hana. How concerned should I be about luggage ... it would all be in the trunk of course. We were thinking of getting a convertible, but maybe that's not a good idea?

Reply to Cher,
My own 02 would be to rent a convertible to enjoy the sights and sounds and smells, preferably with a trunk large enough for all your luggage, pick up a CD/cassette audio tour guide for Road to Hana and sample the spots on your way to Hana with someone hanging by the car while the other checks out what is there as got2travel2 previously indicated.

I don't believe there is that much to do in Hana so any place you scout out to be of interest on your arrival day, would return to the next day without the luggage, such as the 7 sacred pools for example.

Thanks, thus far, everyone!

Yes, here_today... we're staying at Tom & Cathy's (Maka Kai). Any other special sites you can recommend in the area... other than Waioka pool and Hamoa Beach?

Cher - we were considering changing to a convertible for this island (thought it would help the kids not get carsick) but I don't think the trunk is big enough for 4 people's luggage. We were going to see how the trunk space worked out on another island where we have a convertible rented, but now with the luggage safety issue, I'm really thinking maybe we shouldn't.

I will call the rental company (Dollar at the airport) and see what type of locking mechanism we will have on the car (or if I can request a special type of locking). But it was the "smash and grabs" I was worried about.

Glad to know the places where we'll be stopping are areas where lots of cars will be. The only issue is we won't be on the road until ~2 p.m. or so... will there still be cars at those places at that (late, for that direction) hour?

Here is a tip on the luggage--you don't need even a fraction of what you think you need. You need one or two bathing suits, a couple of pair of shorts, couple of tshirts, slippers. Buy an aloha shirt and a dress for dinner, and a pareo to wrap around you when you get here. Forget all the cosmetics and toiletries--you really don't need them. You should be able to pack everything you'll need in a carryon. I have never regretted traveling light, but I always regret when I brign too much and have to lug it all around with me.

Another really good tip--always have your bathing with you. You never know when you might feel the urge to swim. When I go to Hana I wear my suit and pair of shorts or a pareo. Otherwise, we always keep a suit in the car.

I would suggest that you just drive straight to the cottage, making some minor stops along the way. The shadows get long on that side of the volcano early. You can walk over to Waioka before dinner that night. Save Wainapanapa and Nahiku Road for the morning, as they are just on the other side of town. You can leave your luggage with Tom and Cathy for the morning while you explore, then go back, get your stuff and head out to O`he`o that afternoon. You should be fine.