I'd like to do the Hana road trip, but my wife really gets scared on narrow, cliff-hugging roads - especially with no guard rails. Is this the situation on the Hana road?

Steve...I'm with your wife! We went to Hana and a bit beyond and I'm sure that jeep still has claw marks on its roll bar from my fingernails. I was never so glad to get off a road in my entire life. Aside from cliff-hugging, and no guard rails, there were sections so narrow two vehicles couldn't pass each other. And sharp curves on top of all this. Never again. Roads in St. John and Alcapulco also gave me fits if you've experienced either of those, but they were a picnic in the park compared with the road to Hana!

My husband and I took the road to Hana and I was car sick most of the way....it wasn't a pleasant ride. Also there's really not much there when you get to the end of the road to be honest. The scenery was ok, but not worth being sick.

Steve,
It isn't too bad in most spots. There are indeed a few places along the road where it gets narrow and/or looks cliff-hugging but it is beautiful. I, like another poster, got a little car sick too.
The back road into Hana is really cool though. I enjoyed it so much more! It's landscape is like nothing i've ever seen...very volcanic, vast and barren. The complete opposite from the main road to hana. The back road is not at all cliff-hugging save for one small curve which was scary. There are a couple of pretty beaches along the way, an interesting general store and a lovely little chuch, in whose cemetary Charles Lindbergh is buried. The car rental agencies may tell you that you need a 4-wheel drive vehicle for the back road or may deter you from driving it at all, but we talked to islanders who said they travel this road to Hana all the time (in all kinds of vehicles) because there is no traffic. It is not as "rough" as some tourist books describe. We had absolutely no problem in a mid-size chevorlet. The back road to hana and the up-country scenery along the way, was actually one of the highlights of our trip.

IMO a trip to Maui without taking the road to hana would be a shame..one of the most scenic areas of all the islands..as far as scenery, the rest of maui is rather "plain"..But the road to Hana takes you into what I at least, always thought of when I thought 'tropical paradise" waterfalls, jungle, the "jurasic park" type of jungle..
As for the road...it is narrow, and you have to take turns going over the bridges, but as for 'cliff hanging" not much of that, and at least as far as hana they DO have guardrails..if you go past hana, there are some cliff hanging parts without the rails...we turned around at that point..but lots of people go all the way around without trouble, even if the rental people say its "off limits"...
Stop and pick up the tape tour before you start,,it is very helpful in pointing out neat areas...
If you go, it is a full day...so plan ahead..

Steve,
What's a trip to Maui without the road to Hana??? Granted, it's been almost 20 years since I took the road to Hana, but I remember it as the highlight of the trip to Maui. Back then, I don't recall many guard-rails at all, and tryin' to pass the garbage truck was a REAL challenge!

Actually, the road to Hana itself was very mild - it is the part after that that things got interesting! I would at least go to Hana. After that, you and your wife can make a decision.

While the road to Hana is beautiful, if your wife gets freaked out in a car hanging over a cliff, you should probably skip it. We did it on our honeymoon ... roads like these don't flip me into a complete panic, but it's certainly not something I really enjoy. I think it kind of ruined the beauty of it for me, and it definitely wasn't the most memorable part of the week we spent on Maui. There are plenty of other things to do.

I honestly don't know why the Road to Hana gets such a bad rap. It is SPECTACULAR. And no, it isn't a "cliff-hanger." (Try U.S. 1 north of San Francisco if you want to experience that.)

As for the people who say there isn't much to see, I just shake my head. What do they want? Las Vegas-style resorts with neon lights? It is pure natural beauty. And the seven pools are breathtaking. I have photos I took on that trip that still look otherworldly, and that comes from a guy who has traveled a bit and visited many, many islands.

I think it was the most enjoyable thing I did on Maui. Such a nice break from the crowded beach side of the island. DO IT!