Road to Hana and Haleakala Crater: same day?

[R&D'sNona]

Hi all. DH and I will be on POA in March 2010 with overnight in Maui from Sun to Mon. We are planning to do either sunset or sunrise + stargazing at the Haleakala crater and also the RTH. We are renting a car for 2 days. Obviously, the crater must be at sunset on Day 1 (with stargazing to follow) or sunrise on Day 2 (getting there an hour early for stargazing before). Getting up early is not our biggest talent, and to make it up there by sunrise on Day 2 it means getting up at 3AM. We also love to hike and stop for scenery so we don't want to short change the experience of the RTH.

 

In the ongoing CC poll, sunrise has the advantage over sunset 4 to 1, last time I looked. In this regard, I found a neat web page: http://www.govisithawaii.com/2008/10/07/haleakala-sunrise-versus-sunset/

The reviewer also favors sunrise, and gives his reasons. There is also a link on that page with a beautiful narrated video.

 

Questions:

1. Can we do RTH on Day 1 with stop-offs for hiking and still make it up to the crater by sunset on the way back?

2. We're planning to keep the car overnight. Is there any parking near the port of Kahalui, so when we get up at 3 am we can get to our car in less than a 10 minute walk? If not, do the airport shuttles to Thrifty run that early in the AM?

3. Has anyone driven down from the crater at night? How treacherous is that?

4, For anyone who has done both sunrise and sunset, which has the best colors?

 

Thanks in advance, we'd appreciate any suggestions.

[Giantfan13]

I can only answer one of your questions as we didn't do the Crater at either sunrise or sunset. We did a mid afternoon trip, so I;m sorry about that.

 

But as to doing both in one day, if you asked my opinion, I would say NO. The RTH is an all day thing in itself. You said you like to hike and such, and there is plenty of opportunity on the RTH to stop, hike, stretch and just enjoy. It is hard enough to drive the Road, why waste a beautiful experience, bu always looking at you watch, wondering if you ahve time for this and that. I would recommend the RTH on day one, get back to the ship, eat dinner, dance a bit, get to bed early and do the sunrise the very next AM.

 

It's just my own humble opinion, but too many people try and do too much, and never take the time to really enjoy what they are doing. Do what you can, but enjoy it and when you get home you will remember where you were, and what you did, not have it be a jumble in your mind. Hawaii is just so beautiful you cannot possibly do everything.

Anyway, that's my lecture for the day. Whatever you do, you will ahve a great time.

[Shawn loves to cruise]

Hi all. DH and I will be on POA in March 2010 with overnight in Maui from Sun to Mon. We are planning to do either sunset or sunrise + stargazing at the Haleakala crater and also the RTH. We are renting a car for 2 days. Obviously' date=' the crater must be at sunset on Day 1 (with stargazing to follow) or sunrise on Day 2 (getting there an hour early for stargazing before). Getting up early is not our biggest talent, and to make it up there by sunrise on Day 2 it means getting up at 3AM. We also love to hike and stop for scenery so we don't want to short change the experience of the RTH.

 

In the ongoing CC poll, sunrise has the advantage over sunset 4 to 1, last time I looked. In this regard, I found a neat web page: http://www.govisithawaii.com/2008/10/07/haleakala-sunrise-versus-sunset/

The reviewer also favors sunrise, and gives his reasons. There is also a link on that page with a beautiful narrated video.

 

Questions:

1. Can we do RTH on Day 1 with stop-offs for hiking and still make it up to the crater by sunset on the way back?

2. We're planning to keep the car overnight. Is there any parking near the port of Kahalui, so when we get up at 3 am we can get to our car in less than a 10 minute walk? If not, do the airport shuttles to Thrifty run that early in the AM?

3. Has anyone driven down from the crater at night? How treacherous is that?

4, For anyone who has done both sunrise and sunset, which has the best colors?

 

Thanks in advance, we'd appreciate any suggestions.[/quote']

 

Can only give you a bit of advise..do not try and do both. The road to Hana is long and you will not want to rush it. Do it all over two days.

As for going to Haleakala, remember that the elevation is high and sometimes you can't see anything in the morning due to fog. It is also cold, so do not be fooled in thinking you are in Hawaii and wont need a jacket. It is cold up there.

 

Hope I have helped,

Shawn

[Keith1010]

I would do this over two days rather than one. It is a long drive and would be a long day the way you have it planned.

 

Keith

[pspercy]

Doing both in a day would be a mad rush.

 

We've never done sunrise or sunset to Haleakala, preferring to just drive up there in the mornings tho' it's a good idea to arrive before noon, clouds are more likely to roll in in the afternoon. It's a fun drive, you even drive above the clouds after 8000ft or so.

 

Hana road is a twisty scenic drive that's difficult to hurry even if you wanted to.

 

Some of the van tours (example Ekahi Tours which we took a few years ago) go all the way around the back of Haleakala to Ulupalakua Ranch (Tedeschi Winery), some rental contracts forbid this and the road was closed for a while, don't know if it's reopened yet.

[rjm1cc]

i did the round trip RTH. It will take your hole day.

[Travelmanic]

Hi all. DH and I will be on POA in March 2010 with overnight in Maui from Sun to Mon. We are planning to do either sunset or sunrise + stargazing at the Haleakala crater and also the RTH. We are renting a car for 2 days. Obviously' date=' the crater must be at sunset on Day 1 (with stargazing to follow) or sunrise on Day 2 (getting there an hour early for stargazing before). Getting up early is not our biggest talent, and to make it up there by sunrise on Day 2 it means getting up at 3AM. We also love to hike and stop for scenery so we don't want to short change the experience of the RTH.

 

In the ongoing CC poll, sunrise has the advantage over sunset 4 to 1, last time I looked. In this regard, I found a neat web page: http://www.govisithawaii.com/2008/10/07/haleakala-sunrise-versus-sunset/

The reviewer also favors sunrise, and gives his reasons. There is also a link on that page with a beautiful narrated video.

 

Questions:

1. Can we do RTH on Day 1 with stop-offs for hiking and still make it up to the crater by sunset on the way back?

2. We're planning to keep the car overnight. Is there any parking near the port of Kahalui, so when we get up at 3 am we can get to our car in less than a 10 minute walk? If not, do the airport shuttles to Thrifty run that early in the AM?

3. Has anyone driven down from the crater at night? How treacherous is that?

4, For anyone who has done both sunrise and sunset, which has the best colors?

 

Thanks in advance, we'd appreciate any suggestions.[/quote']

 

We have done the RTH several times and it takes a day if you make any stops at all. As everyone else has said, enjoy the drive, stop to see the waterfalls,, walk to the beach, buy the banana bread. Don't be afraid to continue all the way around no matter what the maps may say. The road is driveable in a normal rental vehicle. You don't need four wheel drive. There are some great sights along the coast, Just take your time. We will be there in April POA and will probably do the drive with friends.

[RSF Cruiser]

We have driven down from Haleakala several times in the dark - was no different from any mountain road in the dark. If you are comfortable driving in the dark on a winding, well maintained, mountain road, you will not mind it. Never been to Haleakala for sunrise - only during the day and sunset - sunset was incredible. Be sure to go to the area near the top of the mountain.

 

As others have said, take the entire day to do the road to Hana - thre's way to much to see on foot to rush driving - it's the journey, not the destination. We did a circle drive - not an out and back and loved it.

[R&D'sNona]

Thank you EVERYONE for the helpful suggestions. We will go with the unanimous conclusion to do Haleakala on Day #2. I'm hoping the reverse jet lag will make it easier to get up early. The moon will be a small sliver when we're in Maui so we are hoping to get there early enough to catch a full sky of stars above the clouds before the sun rises. We live too close to NYC to see any stars at all. And thanks to Cruise Critic message boards, we are already warned about starting with a full tank of gas and some food.

 

Special note to Travelmanic: enjoy your cruise, maybe we will write a timely review of ours (March 20 POA) before you go. But I did read on some website that the RTH was washed out on the south end of the island and it is closed, so the circle route may not be possible for you.

 

I can't say enough good things about Cruise Critic. You guys are the best.

[tommui987]

What the others have recommended is absolutely correct!!!

 

The actual road to Hana is beautiful, narrow, twisty and anything above 25mph might be too dangerous - specially with cars coming in the opposite direction and blind corners.

 

As you are from NYC - you should be warned that the top of Haleakala is COLD. It can snow there (in fact, it snowed about ten days ago)and the temperature with wind chill factor can bring make life miserable. Even if it doesn't have wind, the temperatures range around the low 40s. The top often has high wind warnings. But when it is clear, you can see practically forever and the sunrise is absolutely beautiful. And the stars will positively amaze you!

 

I went to school in NYC and the first thing I noticed was the absence of stars!

 

P.S. I have lived in Hawaii for about seventy years!