MMN

Can anyone compare the Hana drive with driving the Ring of Kerry in Ireland. I'm wondering if it's similar at all. We've driven the Ring of Kerry & thought it was beautiful.... but lots and lots of beautiful... not enough action. Would Hana drive be the same?

Sarah

not done the ring of kerry but been several times to Ireland. Let me be the first to tell you it is a different ball of wax altogether. Road to Hana is winding in the heat this can be a problem but you also go with a tape rental and stop off for minnie hikes along the way. When you get to the end of the road to Hana you can explore Hana or you can continue on and see completely different landscape. Reminds me of what I expect the American west to look like, very dry and plenty of gorge type vistas. We even saw a few owls on our trip. Of course leading up to Hana it is lush studded with bamboo and tropical flower patches, waterfalls and breathtaking veiws of hilly countryside against the ocean.

I love Ireland but the landscape is just much more beautiful in Hawaii. I have done the road to Hana 3 times the second and third times I got sick but will attempt a fourth run this summer if that says anything to you about it's beauty. Just rent the tape so you know where to stop along the way.

Not sure what you mean by action this is how I see the trip.

steve

Scenery is different, but it is otherwise the same

Leilani

I don't know about the Ring of Kerry, but the Hana drive is notorious for both its beauty and its curves. (Is that what you mean by action?)

Crazy Shirts Hawaii now sells a T-shirt that says on the front: "Road to Hana Survivor."

Trixie

They're similar in that you'll encounter a lot of tourists on the road to Hana as we found on the Ring of Kerry. Fortunately, the road to Hana can't handle the slew of tour buses like the Ring of Kerry. I loved our trip to Hana. We used a Hawaii guidebook (Fodors) that went thru the drive mile by mile, suggested places to stop, walk thru a trail, explore, swim, see a waterfall, etc. We wore our bathing suits under our clothes and made a day of it, stopping at roadside stands for sandwiches, fruit, etc. Didn't get carsick on the way there--we stopped too many times--but on the way back, felt queasy. My recommendation, even though the rental car makes you sign something that you won't go past a certain point on the road to Hana (around Lindbergh's grave I think), keep going. It's not that rough, we had a basic car, not even a four wheel drive. On a subsequent trip, we drove around the other way and I wished we'd done so the first time. I was a very fun day/adventure. I thought much more so than Kerry (I though Dingle was superior than Kerry anyway). Keep in mind about the road to Hana--it's the journey, not the destination!