Mandy’s Recommendations on The Road to Hana

I have dear friends driving the Road to Hana this week and I prepared this quick blog for them. Maybe others will find it and it can help them too.

Take:

Hiking shoes and socks

Swimsuits and towels

Snacks

Water

Bug Spray

Cash

Cell phone charger

As you’re making your plans, see if you can get a reservation to visit the black sand beach at Waianapanapa State Park. If not, no worries. There’s plenty of beautiful things to see on the Road to Hana. 

Expect to lose cell service about 1/3 of the way into the Road to Hana. It will come and go, but you mostly won’t have it. Once you lose cell service, you may want to switch to airplane mode to save your battery.

There are mile markers, but they are hard to see. Put these stops into your GPS app. If you forgot snacks, you can stop off in Pai’ia and get some before going too deeply into the wild. 

Ho’okipa Beach Park – Go here first to see so many turtles sunning themselves on the beach. You can buy a young coconut from a vendor  who’ll cut a hole in it with a machete and add a straw. This hydration will do you well.

Kailua (around Mile 6) – You will drive a while before you get to the first “official” stop on the Road to Hana – the Rainbow Eucalyptus Trees. Get out sea see them. Venture beyond the trees you can see from the roadway. There are some very large gnarled ones just a short walk into the woods. The pathway will be obvious.

Waikamoi Stream (around Mile 9) – A lovely waterfall and stream

Ke’anae Park (between Mile 16 and 17) – This is not on the official Road to Hana, but you do NOT want to miss this place! Put Ke’anae Park into your GPS and as soon as you see the beautiful bright blue water, park and get out and walk around and take it in. This is my favorite stop on the Road to Hana and most people miss it because it’s not actually on the Road to Hana. This place is picnic-worthy.

Wailua Valley Lookout (around Mile 19) – Park and walk up to the lookout. If there’s been a recent rainfall, in the distance, you can see some very high waterfalls. Otherwise, you’ll get a beautiful bird’s eye view of the area – mountains one side, ocean on the other. 

Haiku-Wailuanui (around Mile 21) – You will cross a bridge with amazing waterfall views. Parking is almost impossible around here, so just try to get a photo to the right as you cross the bridge. There will be more to see, so don’t be sad that you can’t get out and walk to it.

Pua’a Kai State Wayside / Ko’olau Forest Reserve (around Mile 23) – Park here and get out and walk to the falls. You may even want to swim in the falls. Some people jump from the rocks into the base of the falls, but I don’t recommend it because (1) you could get hurt, and (2) waterfall pools in Hawaii are known for leptospirosis (a bacterial infection with flu-like symptoms that comes from the feces of rats upstream of the falls). Rat feces notwithstanding, this is a beautiful site worthy of a little picnic if you didn’t have one at Ke’anae Park.

Haiku – where the Mo-olino Stream crosses the Hana Hwy (around Mile 24) – There will be another set of waterfalls that you will probably drive past because there is nowhere to park safely and walk to them. Just have the passengers take a quick photo from the car and trust that you will see more. 

Coconut Glen’s Ice Cream in Ko’olau – This little ice cream truck is along the way here if you’re hungry for ice cream. But there will be many more opportunities for food – both sweet and substantial – along the Hana Hwy. Not far from here is a pizza stand and there are many food trucks in Hana.

Waianapanapa State Park / the Black Sand Beach – This park is not officially on the Road to Hana, but it’s a short drive off the Hana Hwy. The park is restricted to those lucky people who have been able to get reservations. IF you have been able to get reservations to the black sand beach at Waianapanapa State Park, it is worth spending an hour or so out here at your appointed time. The park closes at 6pm daily. The final time slot for reservations is 3pm-6pm. If you arrive after 30 minutes into your reservation period, you may be denied access and/or parking. A horn will sound around 5:30 and people start to clear the beach. Walk-Ins without a reservation are turned away – except for Hawaii residents. Click here for the link to request a reservation at Waianapanapa State Park. Non-Hawai residents must buy a parking pass as well as an entry ticket.

Hana – Wakiu — This place has a very large colorful ALOHA sign that’s great for a little phot shoot. You can also get some coffee, shave ice, espresso, milk shakes, and even a cacao pod to snack on.

Hana Proper – And then you’re in Hana proper. You’ll see that – just like in life – the journey has been better than the destination. There are beach parks and restaurants and food trucks and a General Store. But I recommend continuing on toward Haleakala National Park and hiking to the beautiful waterfalls.

Hana – Pu’uhaoa — There’s a beautiful tall waterfall here and some likely parking available so that you can get out and walk to it. 

Haleakala National Park – The Haleakala National Park is beyond Hana and as far as you should travel on the Hana Hwy in this direction. Your rental car is probably not even insured for the roads beyond the National Park entrance because they become treacherous very fast (one lane roadway on the side of a cliff). There are several important sites you’ll want to see when you get here, and they are detailed below (Kuloa Point, the banyan tree, Makahiku Falls, the bamboo forest, and Waimoku Falls). The entire hike is 3.7 miles round trip and completely worth it! Take water, bug spray and snacks.

1 – Walk to Kuala Point to the right and see the ocean and the two small waterfalls and pools that you likely saw from the bridge as you crossed over. 

2 – Pipiwai Trail — Walk back toward the way you came in and take the Pipiwai Trail to your left. Pass by the amazing banyan tree, the bamboo forest (list to the enchanting sounds of the bamboo), and stop at at the  Makahiku Falls – a 184ft waterfall. Makahiku means “water that recognizes no friend.” 

You will get to the banyan tree very early on this longer hike. This is my besties and me arriving at the banyan tree. There’s something really magical and peaceful about banyan trees.

3 – Continue the Pipiwai Trail to the Waimoku Falls. This is a massive 400ft waterfall. It can be dangerous beyond the signs and the park rangers patrol it strictly for violators. When you get to the Waimoku Falls, you’ll be glad you made the hike.

This is me hiking through the bamboo forrest. Expect to sweat. But it’s worth it.

Mitch with a PSA: Do not go past this sign.