Road to Hana

[linerode]

This has probably been asked a million times somewhere here, but I didn't see it. We will be taking Pride of America into Maui with two days at Maui 8a-6p and wondered if the road to hana drive is safe to try in the one day drive? It's on my 'bucket list' but don't want to risk missing getting back on the ship. Any suggestions?

[smrtypnts]

This has probably been asked a million times somewhere here, but I didn't see it. We will be taking Pride of America into Maui with two days at Maui 8a-6p and wondered if the road to hana drive is safe to try in the one day drive? It's on my 'bucket list' but don't want to risk missing getting back on the ship. Any suggestions?

If you don't want to risk missing the ship, drive it the first day....that's what I plan to do. Second day I plan to go to the crater for sunrise.:D

[bronxite]

If you don't want to risk missing the ship, drive it the first day....that's what I plan to do. Second day I plan to go to the crater for sunrise.:D

 

 

Planning on going next March 20th and doing the same thing; let me know if it is really worth getting up at 3:00 am and what tour group are you going with.

[UME6869]

Yes, do it on first day, and as you already know, be careful, some people don't make it back from that drive. We did it a few years ago and loved it but do pay attention to the road. Also don't forget to check your insurance policy because if it doesn't cover rental cars, the ones you rent in Hawaii will not cover the vehicle if it is drove on the road to Hana.

[smrtypnts]

Planning on going next March 20th and doing the same thing; let me know if it is really worth getting up at 3:00 am and what tour group are you going with.

Since I am not going to 2 years:eek: you'll have to let ME know how it is!!

I was/am planning on doing on my own--i think.

[smrtypnts]

Yes, do it on first day, and as you already know, be careful, some people don't make it back from that drive. We did it a few years ago and loved it but do pay attention to the road. Also don't forget to check your insurance policy because if it doesn't cover rental cars, the ones you rent in Hawaii will not cover the vehicle if it is drove on the road to Hana.

very interesting and good to know. Thank you!!

[CC Help Michell]

Planning on going next March 20th and doing the same thing; let me know if it is really worth getting up at 3:00 am and what tour group are you going with.

 

We thought sunrise at Haleakala was unforgettable, but we had good weather (albeit chilly). Weather can make a big difference here. We had cloud cover over the ocean, and missed a "perfect" red ball sunrise, but still thought it was astonishingly beautiful. Here's a photo -- the black shape in the foreground is the FAR side of Haleakala crater, and the clouds are over the ocean.

 

 

 

We left the ship at 2:30 AM for this -- my SO wanted to do the bike ride down (they were still doing that from the summit in '07, whereas now it's from outside the national park) and I told him we could bike if I could have sunrise. :) Neither of us have regretted it in any way!

[CC Help Michell]

Yes, do it on first day, and as you already know, be careful, some people don't make it back from that drive. We did it a few years ago and loved it but do pay attention to the road. Also don't forget to check your insurance policy because if it doesn't cover rental cars, the ones you rent in Hawaii will not cover the vehicle if it is drove on the road to Hana.

 

I'm not aware of any rental car company which doesn't permit you to take the road "TO" Hana. It's the road after Hana (or actually after Lindbergh's Grave) which frequently is excluded from coverage.

[W5KAP]

This has probably been asked a million times somewhere here, but I didn't see it. We will be taking Pride of America into Maui with two days at Maui 8a-6p and wondered if the road to hana drive is safe to try in the one day drive? It's on my 'bucket list' but don't want to risk missing getting back on the ship. Any suggestions?

 

It can be done in on day but it will be a very full day. We just did the Hana highway last April. I must tell you though that as the driver, you won't see much. If you think the switchbacks on Haleakala are bad you ain't seen nuthin yet as they say. It is a beautiful drive but one I would not make again especially if the weather is bad and it can be on the windward side of Maui. Are you going to be tendered in Lahian or Kahalui. If at Kahalui you are well on your way. If at Lahaina, you have a 30 minute drive just to get to the start. Be advised there is a great deal of traffic on this road and many, many one car bridges. One other thing of interest. If you are a fan of history, Lindbergh's grave in on the far outskirts of Hana. Keep going on the road (such as it is at this point) and stop at the Haleakala state park entrance outside of Hana and ask for directions. It is easy to miss as it is not well marked.

 

I hope you enjoy Hawaii!!!

 

 

Cheers, Kenn

[smrtypnts]

MichellP--That is one of the most beautiful pictures I have ever seen in my life!!! If I had any doubt about going before that pic, you clinched my decision!!

[hillside]

MichellP - Thanks so much for your posts. I read your trip review from July 07 and looked at the pics you posted. My DH and I are planning a trip for March, 2010. I printed your report and will add to my files. Great suggestions! Our plan is to come in a few days early, do the cruise, and spend some time afterwards as well, hopefully on Maui and Kauai. I also look at this as a trip of a lifetime and am going to do a lot of planning.

[CC Help Michell]

MichellP--That is one of the most beautiful pictures I have ever seen in my life!!! If I had any doubt about going before that pic, you clinched my decision!!

 

Glad you enjoyed Mother Nature's show -- hope it's equally good when you visit! :)

[CC Help Michell]

MichellP - Thanks so much for your posts. I read your trip review from July 07 and looked at the pics you posted. My DH and I are planning a trip for March, 2010. I printed your report and will add to my files. Great suggestions! Our plan is to come in a few days early, do the cruise, and spend some time afterwards as well, hopefully on Maui and Kauai. I also look at this as a trip of a lifetime and am going to do a lot of planning.

 

Oh you found a great place for planning when you found this board. It's full of helpful people with great information on planning your trip and excursions. Have fun! :)

[daWoods]

Yes, do it on first day, and as you already know, be careful, some people don't make it back from that drive. We did it a few years ago and loved it but do pay attention to the road. Also don't forget to check your insurance policy because if it doesn't cover rental cars, the ones you rent in Hawaii will not cover the vehicle if it is drove on the road to Hana.[/quote]

That's not true. Some rental companies have a problem if you go past Oheo Gulch, on the back side of Haleakala, but none I know of restrict using the road to Hana. The road is actually quite good, although very narrow in spots. Speed limit is usually no more than 20 mph, but you seldom get up to that.

[sanjim]

There are alot of people that seem to think the Road to Hanna is dangerous or bad. They really had me pretty scared to even try it. I live in Cleveland Ohio, and we have more dangerous roads here, I found out that the road is curvy has alot of one land bridges but it is not a bad drive, and there are plenty of stoping places for you to take in the views. Again I would not want to drive it at night, and I would not drive it without power stering. Do get a convertible and hope it dosent rain on you like it did on us. Do take the road on your first day because it might be tough to get back to the ship on time. When we went through the bridge was out just past Linbergs grave so you cant go all the way through.

[daWoods]

There are alot of people that seem to think the Road to Hanna is dangerous or bad. They really had me pretty scared to even try it. I live in Cleveland Ohio, and we have more dangerous roads here, I found out that the road is curvy has alot of one land bridges but it is not a bad drive, and there are plenty of stoping places for you to take in the views. Again I would not want to drive it at night, and I would not drive it without power stering. Do get a convertible and hope it dosent rain on you like it did on us. Do take the road on your first day because it might be tough to get back to the ship on time. When we went through the bridge was out just past Linbergs grave so you cant go all the way through.

 

Actually the bridge is now open and traffic can get around the mountain.

[mullett1]

Can you do the Road to Hana and the Crater on the same day?

[sceptic]

Yes, you can do sunrise at Haleakala and the road to Hana in the same day. But (as the driver of the car) it's exhausting - I remember taking a nap at Waipanapana on the grass around noon, because I'd already been up since about 3:00 AM. (This was a land vacation, not a cruise.)

 

The one advantage to this is that almost forces you to get an early start on the road to Hana. After seeing the sunrise and stopping at a few of the crater views, you head down the mountain and take Hwy 365 from Makakawao to join the Hana Highway beyond Paia. You'll get to that intersection by 8:00 AM, well ahead of the usual RTH traffic. At many of the popular waterfall stops you'll likely be one of just a few cars there.

 

But it is a LONG day. Would I do it again? Uh, nope. The RTH is deserving of full consciousness.

[The 4 of Us]

We just did the Road to Hana last week and did it on the second day. We got any early start (7am) and made it back to the ship in plenty of time. We only made it to Hana and did not make it to the Seven Sacred Pools. We left Hana around 1:30 pm and returned the car and was back on the ship by 4:30. We made a lot of stops along the way and did not feel too rushed. It was nice being able to leave early and miss any of the traffic on the road. By going on the first day you can not get an early start due to the ship arrival time.

 

We rented our car from Thrifty and driving the road to Hana is not excluded. They do exclude the part of the road after the Seven Sacred Pools.

[harleysmama]

We are thinking of doing the RTH is it really worth the drive or would we be better doing some of the other things that are available. Just can't make up my mind on what I want to do.

[DearOldDad]

We've done RTH both ways w/ me driving and on a tour bus. I would not drive it again. I was having to pay too much attention to the road and to my fellow drivers (tourists and the locals as well.) The tour bus was a small 20 passenger bus. The driver was a local. He knew when and where to stop sometimes in the middle of one of those 1 lane bridges if the traffic was right. The views are spectacular. Several of the bridges have waterfalls underneath them or just below or above them. We took the tour the first time so we knew where we wanted to stop when we drove it ourselves. Don't miss the drive down onto the Ke'anne Peninsula with its black sand beaches and the fresh homemade banana bread from the small snack shack next to the church and baseball/playing fields. If you get there in the morning it is still warm from the oven! Buy 3 of the small loaves. one for yourself one for mama and one for later back on the ship if it makes it that far! Both times we went the bridge/roadway had not been repaired from the 2005 earthquake damage so we turned around at the church where Charles Lindburg is buried. The church is better marked than the gravesite. There was a large sign on the road there that tells you the road is one lane and unpaved from there on.

[UME6869]

Sorry if I was wrong on the insurance covering the road to Hana. We did it a couple years ago andd for some reason my memory was telling me that they did not cover you if you went on the road to Hana. If it is actually the road past a certain point, than I stand corrected.

[Giantfan13]

We are thinking of doing the RTH is it really worth the drive or would we be better doing some of the other things that are available. Just can't make up my mind on what I want to do.

 

 

That depends

 

If you want a leisurely day, just sitting on the beach, thinking, "I'm really in hawaii" over and over, or do you want a hair raising drive, that will offer you spectacular views, and other assorted goodies along the way, you have to decide. As was said many times, the RTH is fun for just about everyone except the one who is driving.

But on our RTH adventure, my wife, riding shotgun, got car sick, so during THAT time, it wasn't much fun for anyone. That said, we are glad we did it, and some of the stops are just spectacular.

 

A couple of pics at Waipanapana Park

http://community.webshots.com/inlinePhoto?photoId=2932953440056896458&src=c&referPage=http%3a%2f%2ffamily.webshots.com%2fphoto%2f2932953440056896458XSzPtn

http://community.webshots.com/inlinePhoto?photoId=2728533810056896458&src=c&referPage=http%3a%2f%2ffamily.webshots.com%2fphoto%2f2728533810056896458qhAgDi

http://community.webshots.com/inlinePhoto?photoId=2167471970056896458&src=c&referPage=http%3a%2f%2ffamily.webshots.com%2fphoto%2f2167471970056896458tmSGKG

[CC Help Michell]

We've done RTH both ways w/ me driving and on a tour bus. I would not drive it again. I was having to pay too much attention to the road and to my fellow drivers (tourists and the locals as well.) The tour bus was a small 20 passenger bus. The driver was a local. He knew when and where to stop sometimes in the middle of one of those 1 lane bridges if the traffic was right. The views are spectacular. Several of the bridges have waterfalls underneath them or just below or above them. We took the tour the first time so we knew where we wanted to stop when we drove it ourselves. Don't miss the drive down onto the Ke'anne Peninsula with its black sand beaches and the fresh homemade banana bread from the small snack shack next to the church and baseball/playing fields. If you get there in the morning it is still warm from the oven! Buy 3 of the small loaves. one for yourself one for mama and one for later back on the ship if it makes it that far! Both times we went the bridge/roadway had not been repaired from the 2005 earthquake damage so we turned around at the church where Charles Lindburg is buried. The church is better marked than the gravesite. There was a large sign on the road there that tells you the road is one lane and unpaved from there on.

 

That's a very helpful post! :) I'd read several like it when we opted for a small tour bus instead of driving ourselves -- I know my SO and his driving style -- I didn't want the 10th anniversary we were celebrating to be our last! :D

 

Ke'anae Peninsula -- absolutely spectacular, including the banana bread!

 

Sea views at the Peninsula:

 

 

 

 

And the amazing banana bread stand (I also highly recommend the fresh coconut!)

 

 

 

PS, the sign says "fresh baked" and they aren't kidding -- it was too hot to eat until we got to Hana itself!

 

This is also where we found the cleanest and best-stocked restrooms during the Road to Hana, as a side note.

[jdm39056]

We also did it on the second day and had no problem getting back in time.

We went to the black sand beach and turned around. We had not heard any good reviews of the town of Hana. We got a early start and had a convertible. We shared the driving so each had time to look around. We did not find it dangerous. Just take your time and watch for others on the one lane bridges.

Here is a video of our drive.