The Road to Hana is a beautiful, windy drive that weaves along the Maui coast to the town of Hana – and is one of the best things to do in Maui! There are so many things to do along the way that it is difficult to know which are the best stops on the Road to Hana drive.
There are dozens of pull offs along the way that overlook waterfalls and beaches. The drive is more about the journey than the final destination. It is a windy road that boasts 600 curves and 59 one-way bridges. But it is surprisingly well maintained and pretty easy to drive as long as you take your time. There are so many stops and not enough time to see them all in a day, so my biggest tip is the earlier you can start your day the better!
Unfortunately, we had to reschedule a tour for the morning of our drive, so we got a later start than we originally hoped. But Em had done some research and we used the GyPSy Guide app to help maximize our time and select the best stops on the Road to Hana drive in Maui.
Best Stops on the Road to Hana
Even with being selective with our stops, we still ran out of daylight and weren’t able to see everything we wanted. But here is our list of the best stops on the Road to Hana!
Wai’anapanapa State Park – Pa’iloa Black Sand Beach
This stop is known for its picturesque Black Sand Beach. It is beautiful, but also one of the most popular stops on the drive. So if you got a later start, I would suggest getting here quickly to make sure that you can find a parking space!
Kaihalulu Beach – Red Sand Beach
Also known as the “secret beach,” many people told us that this was their favorite spot on the drive. Unfortunately we missed the stop and ran out of time on our way back. We heard that it is a short, 10 minute hike to the beach and is quieter than many of the other popular stops along the drive.
Bamboo Forest Pipiwai Trail & Waimoku Falls Hike
Past the town of Hana is the Pipiwai Trail. This trail is in Haleakala National Park, so you have to pay the National Park fee. But if you have the NP pass or visited Haleakala National Park within the past 3 days then you do not have to pay again. The highlights of this trail are a picturesque bamboo forest, massive banyan tree, and the 400 ft Waimoku Falls. The trail to the falls is 2 miles one way. Unfortunately it got too dark before we were able to make it, but the bamboo forest was still awesome to see!
Seven Sacred Pools
The other popular attraction in Haleakala National Park it the Seven Sacred Pools hike. There are several cascading waterfalls and pools, making it a great place to swim and cool off at the end of the day.
Wailua Falls
Right off the side of the road is Wailua Falls (not to be confused with Wailua Falls in Kauai). It is 80 feet tall and one of the most popular falls of the drive. If you have time and there is enough parking, it is worth the walk down to the falls.
Wailua Valley State Wayside
We stopped at Wailua Valley State wayside and climbed the short steps for some great views of the ocean and valley!
Other Stops
Pua’a Ka’a State Wayside Park, Nahiku Marketplace, Twin Falls, Makapipi Falls, Hamoa Beach, and the Garden of Eden are just a few of the other popular stops along the drive.
I highly suggest using the GyPSy Guide app to narrate the drive and help choose which places you would like to stop. So many people were telling us about GyPSy Guide that we actually ended up using their apps for all of the islands we visited! They have apps for Maui, Big Island, Oahu, and Kauai – and what makes the apps so great is that you just start driving and you get narration as you go. You don’t have to follow a certain path – it is amazing how well it tracks your location and gives timely information and updates. The cost is well worth it to be able to do a DIY tour!
Hopefully this guide is helpful in planning your Road to Hana drive! If you are looking for more experiences in Maui, here’s our Maui travel guide with our recommendations for the best things to do in Maui! We also have guides to Oahu, Big Island, and Kauai if you plan to visit other islands during your visit to Hawaii.
