Back Road to Hana 🌴 Reverse Road to Hana loop and driving the Road to Hana backwards 🌴 Maui Hawaii travel blog

ALOHA!

Welcome to possibly the most famous drive in Hawaii!

It’s a drive on the Hawaiian island of Maui to the town of Hana!

It’s the Road to Hana!

A big part of the drive is the “journey”!

There is a lot to see and do in East Maui on the way to Hana along the Hana Highway, including waterfalls, beaches, hikes, and FOOD!

The most popular way to drive the Road to Hana is as a one day drive.

It’s possible to drive it as an out-and-back, or you can drive the Road to Hana as a loop.

IMPORTANT: As of May 2023, part of the back road to Hana is closed. More information below.

Drive the Road to Hana as a loop or not?

Most people will drive the Road to Hana as an out-and-back, starting the day by driving past the town of Paia, and then drive to the town of Hana or the Kipahulu district of Haleakala National Park.

Then once they’ve reached their intended destination, they will turn around and drive back the way they came.

This is the “safe” route.

But, there are also a number of tourists who opt to drive the Road to Hana as a loop, instead of driving the Road to Hana as an out-and-back.

Driving the Road to Hana as a loop will take you past the “backside” of the Haleakala volcano.

This is also called the back road to Hana.

👆 Map of the driving route for the back road to Hana: Kula to Kipahulu to Hana. Explore the Road to Hana map on google maps.

One of the main reasons most people do it as an out and back is because depending on what kind of driver you are, it can be considered a scary drive.

Some consider it a “dangerous” drive.

In some stretches of the back road to Hana there are one lane roads near the edge of a cliff.

👆 Where is this spot exactly on the Hana Highway?! I created a Road to Hana map in google maps with some pictures of the back road to Hana. Look for the back road to Hana (red icons) on the map, and click around for pictures with location! See the Road to Hana map!

It’s also said that car rental companies won’t cover you if something happens to your car along this back stretch of the Road to Hana.

Driving the back road to Hana isn’t a decision that should be taken lightly, and it would be a good idea to thoroughly read about it before doing it.

But there are also many first-time visitors to Maui who do this drive.

I didn’t drive the Road to Hana loop myself.

Personally I was afraid of driving on a one lane road and encountering a car coming towards me… and then driving in reverse right off the cliff. 😜 (I saw a traffic jam like such when I was walking the back road of West Maui! It required cars backing up on the one-lane road.)

But I did do the Road to Hana loop as a part of a free group tour at the Maui hostel I was staying at.

Later, when I was staying at the Kipahulu campground in Haleakala National Park, I walked part of the back Road to Hana. I walked from the Kipahulu campground to the Kaupo General Store… and back!

So the parts below that list the back road to Hana stops will be based on that.

Otherwise, for the “main” part of the Hana Highway, I also spent 1 week on the Road to Hana to be able to take in the sights at a more leisurely pace.

Back road to Hana map

👆 Explore the Road to Hana map on google maps. For pictures of the back road to Hana on the map, you can click to see only the section of the back road to Hana.

Is the Road to Hana closed?

As of May 10, 2023, part of the Road to Hana is closed.

The part of the Road to Hana that is closed is part of the back road to Hana.

This means that as of mid-May 2023, you cannot do the whole Road to Hana loop.

According to Maui County on May 10:

County of Maui closing Hana Highway at Alelele Point near Kipahulu due to safety issues.

Due to safety issues in the wake of recent rockfall, the County of Maui will close Hana Highway from Alelele Bridge to Lelekea Bridge near Kipahulu in East Maui beginning May 10.

Motorists will not be able to travel between Hana and Kaupo areas during the closure, which may extend up to a month.

County crews will be working to stabilize cliffside conditions including removing loose rocks.

An engineering assessment today deemed the cliffside unsafe.

Message boards will be placed in Kanaio and in Hana to alert motorists about the road closure.

In recent days, rockfall has obstructed the road, creating hazardous conditions.

Last week, a vehicle was damaged in the area from rocks and cliffside mud.

The driver was uninjured, but the incident triggered an assessment of safety conditions.

Where is Alelele Bridge and Lelekea Bridge?

The Alelele Bridge and Lelekea Bridge are on the back road to Hana.

So this means that you can still drive the Road to Hana in the direction of Paia to Hana, and the road closure will not affect you.

Can you still go to the Kipahulu District of Haleakala National Park?

The Kipahulu District of Haleakala National Park is where you will find the famous bamboo forest on the Pipiwai Trail and the famous Oheo Gulch waterfalls on the Kuloa Point Trail.  

The reports are confusing, because they say you can’t travel between Hana and Kaupo.

Kipahulu is between Hana and Kaupo.

When driving in the direction of Paia to Hana, Alelele Bridge and Lelekea Bridge are past Kipahulu.

So it seems that perhaps Hana is used as a general “major town” landmark.

I would also expect that the National Park Service would update their alerts to let you know if any part of the national park is inaccessible.

So check the Haleakala National Park alerts and conditions before you go.

The listed phone number for Haleakala National Park is 808-572-4400, so for the most updated information it could be good to call before you go. (Keep in mind the Hawaii time zone!)

More below about driving the Road to Hana backwards… if you will be doing it later when it opens!

🌴

The stops: Driving the Road to Hana loop in reverse

Now, you will absolutely not have time to do ALL of these Road to Hana stops listed below if you are only giving yourself one day to drive the Road to Hana… but these are your options!

And, not only is it possible to drive the Road to Hana as a loop, it is also possible to drive the Road to Hana “backwards.”

Driving the Road to Hana backwards means starting your Road to Hana drive in the opposite direction compared to what the normal direction is. (The normal direction is starting off with Paia as the unofficial Road to Hana starting point.)

This list will be for you if you have already made the decision to drive the Road to Hana loop in reverse.

Just because you’ve decided to drive the Road to Hana loop doesn’t mean that you need to drive it in reverse.

You can still drive it in the same direction as the regular Road to Hana day trippers. It’s just that instead of turning around at some point, you will just keep driving straight!

But this list will be in the order of driving it in reverse.

If you will be driving it in the normal direction, you can read the list below from the bottom up!

Or, you can see this list of Road to Hana stops in order, although you’ll still want to see the list below for the back road to Hana stops.

Also if you’re looking for something specific:

• Road to Hana waterfalls
• Road to Hana beaches
• Road to Hana food
• Road to Hana hikes
• Things to do in Hana
• Road to Hana bathrooms

The unofficial start of the Road to Hana if you’re driving it backwards is Kula

So for reference on a map, if you are doing the reverse Road to Hana loop, you can think of the town of Kula as your unofficial start of the Road to Hana.

Explore the map.

Driving the Road to Hana backwards means that the ocean will be on your RIGHT side as you are driving.

And, while there are back road to Hana stops listed below, much of driving the back road to Hana is the beautiful views you will see as you are driving!

Much of it is literally a drive alongside the ocean with spectacular views all around you!

1. Piilani Highway

Well this isn’t any particular one stop, but you will end up on the Piilani Highway naturally as you are headed for Hana.

Once you get past Kula, at some point the road will turn into the Piilani Highway.

The Piilani Highway then connects to the Hana Highway… and the Hana Highway leads to Hana!

While you are on the Piilani Highway, you may see COWS roaming the fields in Hawaii!

2. Huialoha Church

The Huialoha Church is a cute Hawaiian church located on a small peninsula for a quiet experience on the back road to Hana.

I believe this is located on private grounds, but it seems that you are welcome to enjoy the beauty here.

So it will continue to be this way for others to enjoy, be sure to do as the signs say! (Basically be respectful and leave everything the way you found it.)

The road to the church (and peninsula) is chained, but you can remove it to drive down. Just be sure to put the chain back.

Alternatively, you can park at the gated off area and walk down instead.

This is where you can also see the Mokulau islets that look like small rocky islands in the ocean.

See more about this back road to Hana stop: Huialoha Church

3. Alelele Bridge

Well, there is nothing in particular that’s spectacular about the Alelele Brige (maybe there’s history there, I’m not sure), but Alelele Bridge is more so a landmark that you can look for so you can make a stop here… if you’re interested in seeing a small blackish sand beach and waterfalls!

When you are driving the Road to Hana in reverse, stopping at Alelele Bridge will be your first chance at seeing waterfalls on the Road to Hana!

First, when driving in this direction, just before you get to the bridge is where you’ll see a small parking area. So it will be good if you’re paying attention to your google maps. While you likely won’t get data, GPS generally still works on the Road to Hana. Just be sure to download the free offline google maps before you go. Alelele Bridge is listed on google maps.

Directly in front of the bridge is where you’ll see the small black sand beach.

Then, off to the right of the bridge as you’re facing the mountains, you’ll see a trail.

That will lead you to Alelele Falls!

See more about this back road to Hana stop: Alelele Falls Trail

4. Kaapahu Bay

The name of this beach is not marked well on google maps, but it seems the name of it is Kaapahu Bay. This can be a quick stop, and you can walk across the rocky shoreline to take in the ocean views at sea level.

5. Palapala Hoomau Church

This is another cute Hawaiian church that you can stop by for a quiet experience along the coast.

The grave of Charles Lindbergh (famous for flying nonstop across the Atlantic Ocean alone) is also nearby.

END OF BACK ROAD TO HANA

There is no official spot that marks the start or end of the back road to Hana.

But from here on below, we are getting to the “end point” for people who are doing the Road to Hana in the regular direction. Haleakala National Park can mark the unofficial start/end of the back road to Hana. (The end of the back road to Hana if you are driving it backwards!)

This is the spot where most people will turn around when coming from Paia, if they did not already turn around sooner. This means that this is where you’ll start to see the regular Road to Hana day trippers.

6. Haleakala National Park, coastal Kipahulu district

The first “major” stop on the Road to Hana if you’re driving it backwards!

You may want to stop at Haleakala National Park if you want to see a bamboo forest and some waterfalls.

Haleakala National Park is where the famous bamboo forest of Maui is located.

You’ll take the Pipiwai Trail to get there. Then, after passing through the bamboo forest, you’ll keep going and you’ll see the magnificently tall Waimoku Falls.

Once you are finished with the bamboo forest hike, you can then take the Kuloa Point Trail which will take you to the famous Oheo pools and the shoreline of Haleakala.

Haleakala National Park does have an entry fee of around $30. This will give you a 3 day pass so you can use the same pass to visit the Haleakala summit on another day too. You can also use a Hawaii national park pass or US national park pass to get entry.

7. Wailua Falls

You don’t even need to get out of the car to see these magnificent waterfalls. You can see it directly from your car as you pass over the bridge!

Otherwise, if you want to stop and get out of the car to take pictures, this can be a quick stop. There’s a short trail of a minute or 2 that will get you to the pool of these waterfalls. People go swimming here.

See more about this Road to Hana stop: Wailua Falls

8. Waioka Pond (Venus Pool)

People swim in the ocean here by jumping off a rock (cliff). The trail to get to this swimming spot may or may not pass through private property.

There is limited free parking right near the start of this trail. Otherwise, on the other side of the bridge is paid parking for a fee of around $7.

You’ll walk around 5 minutes or so to get to the hidden pools.

9. Hamoa Beach

If you’re looking for a beach on the road to Hana to hang out at, this might be the beach you’re looking for! It’s said to be one of the best beaches on Maui.

There’s also a great lookout that overlooks Hamoa Beach nearby.

10. Koki Beach

If you’re looking for a “safe” alternative to the famous red sand beach (coming up on the list), then Koki Beach can be it.

Although this is listed as a “red beach” on google maps, the beach itself is not really red at all. But walk to the other end of the beach, and you’ll find a short red sand trail so you can see red sand!

11. Huli huli chicken

Right next to Koki Beach is a spot where you can eat Hawaii’s famous huli huli chicken. You can get Hawaiian-style bbq here.

This spot was featured on Gordon Ramsay’s food and travel show Uncharted.

There’s an outdoor seating area where you can eat with ocean views. You can see some red sand here.

Huli huli chicken shack: See more about this Road to Hana food stop.

12. Braddah Hutts BBQ grill food truck

A stop for food at a food truck in Hana.

Fish tacos are a thing on Maui, and you can try the fish tacos here!

Food here might be $10-20.

Braddah Hutts food truck: See more about this Road to Hana food stop.

13. General store

One of the conveniences of making it to Hana is… a convenience store! 😜

There are general stores in Hana town. There is the Hasegawa general store and Hana Ranch store.

You can find basic items here. If you like to have a physical map, you can buy a great detailed map of Maui’s points of interest here.

You will also find a gas station in town. But, it’s best to be fully fueled up before you go, as gas can be more expensive in Hana!

14. Kaihalulu Beach

This beach is the famous red sand beach of Maui. The trail to get to the beach may or may not pass through private property.

Some people also call this trail a bit dangerous. As with many hiking trails in Hawaii, there’s loose gravel which can be easy to slip on. And at times the trail is narrow with a steep cliff on one side.

So be sure to look into it to decide if the red sand beach hike is for you.

Kaihalulu red sand beach hike: See more about this Road to Hana stop.

15. Waianapanapa State Park

This is where you will find THE famous black sand beach of Maui.

There’s the black sand beach overlook where you can see the black sand beach from above, then you can take the stairs down to the black sand beach where you can walk across it.

Also while you are at the black sand beach, right after you get to the bottom of the stairs that takes you to the black sand beach, look directly to the right as you’re facing the ocean. You’ll find a small cave opening here for a sort of lava tube where you can watch the waves crash into.

And then, you can start off on the Waianapanapa Coastal Trail to walk across old lava flows with ocean views!

IMPORTANT!!! This is NEW as of March 2021. You must now make a reservation in order to visit Waianapanapa State Park, which means you must have a reservation in order to visit the black sand beach! There is a fee for this.

See more about this Road to Hana stop: Waianapanapa State Park

17. Hana Farms

This is a restaurant stop for fresh locally sourced food where you can have food.

If you like spicy food, try the fish tacos here!

You can expect to pay $15-20 for one meal. Credit cards are accepted here.

During the week, they close at 3pm, on the weekends they close at 8pm. Confirm the hours.

See more about this Road to Hana food stop: Hana Farms

16. Hana lava tube

One of the things that makes the Hana lava tube stop worth it is the educational value. It’s a self-guided tour through a cave formed by lava flows and there are informational signs along the way. If you are interested in learning about Maui’s volcanic landscape, then you are sure to find this interesting!

There is an entry fee to the Hana lava tube, and the cost is around $12 and flashlights are provided.

See more about this Road to Hana stop: Hana lava tube

17. Nahiku viewpoint

This is a little side trip on the Hana Highway in the sense that you drive down a road off the highway to get there.

First you’ll drive around 10 minutes down the narrow Nahiku Road. You can park in front of a cute Hawaiian church and then walk around 10 minutes the rest of the way there.

See more about this Road to Hana stop: Nahiku Viewpoint

18. Makapipi Falls

Waterfalls that you can see from above!

See more about this Road to Hana stop: Makapipi Falls

19. Hanawi Falls

More waterfalls on the Road to Hana! You can see these from the bridge as you’re driving by, or you can get out of the car and take a short trail to get a little closer to them too.

See more about this Road to Hana stop: Hanawi Falls

20. Puaa Kaa Falls

You can make this a bathroom stop or another waterfalls stop. (Or both!) This is a Hawaii state park site.

See more about this Road to Hana stop: Puaa Kaa Falls

21. Wailuaiki Falls

I’m not sure of the name of these falls as I did not see it on google maps, but it seems that this might be Wailuaiki Falls.

This is just after mile marker 21 when you’re driving the Road to Hana in reverse.

You could see the upper level of the waterfalls without getting out of the car, and if you get out of the car, then you can see the lower level waterfalls too.

22. Upper Waikani Falls

These are waterfalls on the road to Hana that you can see as you’re driving across the bridge.

23. Wailua Valley State wayside

This can be a quick stop for a scenic overlook that requires climbing up a short set of stairs. (So you can get higher for better views!)

See more about this Road to Hana stop: Wailua Valley State Wayside

24. Keanae Peninsula

This is a great scenic lookout area. You can drive down to the end of Keanae Road directly off the Hana Highway.

You’ll come across the first lookout, and then you can keep driving further down where you’ll pass the famous banana bread stand. If you’re driving the Road to Hana in reverse, you may not get here in time to get banana bread. They might sell out of the banana bread by 3pm. But if you are going to work to get there in time, you’ll want to bring cash if you will only be buying one loaf.

Then drive further to the end of the Keanae Peninsula where you’ll find another lookout. You can see old lava flows along the coast. You’ll also find a cute Hawaiian church here.

See more about this Road to Hana stop: Keanae Peninsula

25. Honomanu Bay

This is a kind of hidden beach in the sense that it’s not located right off the main road. It requires a walk or drive on a kind of rough road to get to the beach once you turn off the Hana Highway.

Your destination will be what’s considered to be a black sand beach on Maui, although the black sand may not initially be obvious when you get there. But there’s a small patch of black sand off to the right of the bay as you’re facing the ocean.

You can park right off the Hana Highway and then walk 5-10 minutes, or you can drive straight down to the beach. It might be better if you have a jeep or 4wd, but normal cars do the drive all the way down too.

See more about this Road to Hana stop: Honomanu Bay

26. Waikamoi Falls

You can get a glimpse of Waikamoi Falls as you’re driving by on the bridge in front of the waterfalls. So you don’t even need to get out of the car to see them.

But to truly appreciate these waterfalls, you’ll want to make a stop here.

There’s a trail that leads to the base of the waterfalls.

And there’s also a trail that leads to the top of the waterfalls so you can see the waterfalls from the top, as well as the Waikamoi Stream that feeds the waterfalls.

27. Kaumahina State Wayside

This can be a bathroom break or a short stop at a small overlook.

28. Rainbow trees

This is something you can see as you’re driving by, and you don’t even need to get out of the car to see them.

Just be paying attention to google maps with your GPS (download offline maps before you start the drive) and you’ll know when you’re getting close.

To actually get out and stand right next to the rainbow trees may or may not be on private property of owners who don’t want you there.

29. Bamboo forest

This is not THE bamboo forest that people are usually talking about when they are talking about the Road to Hana bamboo forest. (That one is the one that’s in Haleakala National Park.)

But there’s a pretty massive roadside bamboo forest between the Rainbow Trees and Twin Falls (next on the list).

This may or may not be on private property of owners who don’t want you there, but you might see tons of cars parked on the side of the road in this area to know something worthy must be around.

There are many trail entries into the bamboo forest right off the Hana Highway if you want to just take a few steps in to see this magnificent bamboo forest.

30. Twin Falls

These waterfalls are on private property but the public is invited to view the waterfalls. There a lower falls and upper falls of Twin Falls.

If you are driving the Road to Hana loop backwards in one day, it may not be reasonable to go to Twin Falls. That’s because this closes at 4pm. Confirm the hours.

If you don’t make it to Twin Falls before it closes, it can be reasonable to make it a day trip to Twin Falls from wherever you are staying on Maui.

Although, if you would consider that, then actually I would say just be sure to stop by Alelele Falls on the back road to Hana as a worthy alternate to Twin Falls. The parking situation at Twin Falls has a possibility to be bad. Another alternate to Twin Falls on another day in Maui is Makamakaole Falls in the West Maui mountains.

Basically, if you’re driving the Road to Hana backwards and won’t be able to make it in time for Twin Falls, you’ve got other options!

For reference, Twin Falls is often the first “real” stop on the Road to Hana going in the normal direction. This means that you are getting closer to regular civilization!

See more about this Road to Hana stop: Twin Falls

31. Hookipa Lookout

This lookout can offer you a spot to catch the grand ocean views that can see some good surfing waves.

There’s a parking lot at the lookout.

See more about this Road to Hana stop:

• Hookipa Lookout

32. Hookipa Beach

Hookipa Beach can be a worthy stop if you want a chance to see some marine life in Hawaii.

If you make it here before sunset, you may have just made it at the perfect time! Sunset can generally be a reliable time to see turtles at Hookipa Beach.

Hookipa Beach has its own parking area, but if you want to stop to see the lookout, it can be good to just park at the lookout and then walk down to the beach from there.

Coming down from the lookout, when you get down to near beach level, you’ll see a sort of turtle beach overlook.

If you want a chance to see seals on Maui, walk all the way down to the other end of the beach to see if the seals are visiting when you’re there!

If you don’t make it to Hookipa Beach (and lookout) before dark, once again it can be reasonable to make a trip to Hookipa Beach as part of a day trip on another day.

See more about these Road to Hana stops:

• Hookipa Beach turtles
• Hookipa Beach seals

33. Kuau Store

This is a country store that you can stop by for food. You can try the Hawaii specialty poke bowl here!

Country stores also tend to sell locally made products.

The Kuau Store seems to close at 7pm, so it’s possible that you’ll make it on time. (They open at 7am.) Confirm the hours.

34. PAIA!!!

Paia is the town that’s generally considered the unofficial start of the Road to Hana.

But when you are doing the Road to Hana in reverse, making it to Paia means…

You’ve made it to the END of the Road to Hana!!!

You can find a restaurant in Paia to celebrate the completion of your Road to Hana loop, like at the Paia Fish Market restaurant that has outdoor dining.

And, if you want a classic Maui picture in front of a bunch of surfboards lined up, there are some colorful surfboards in front of the Aloha Surf Hostel that’s located in Paia.

This is down a road that’s off of the Hana Highway, and it’s about a 5 minute drive to get to the surfboards.

If you’re looking for a backpacker hostel to stay on Maui, this is a social hostel that offers free group tours around the island ($10 tip appreciated), including the Road to Hana! This is where I did the Road to Hana loop tour.

And that’s a bit about driving the Road to Hana backwards!

More for your days on Maui:

• Driving to Haleakala summit
• Best of hiking in Haleakala
• Back road of West Maui
• Best of hiking in West Maui Mountains
• Best of West Maui
• Best of South Maui

HAPPY DRIVING THE ROAD TO HANA LOOP FROM KULA!

👇 Explore the Road to Hana map on google maps!


See the list:

• Road to Hana stops (for views!)
• Things to do on Maui (for views!)
• Things to do in Haleakala National Park
• Things to do on Lanai

There are affiliate links on this page. Among other partners, as an Amazon Associate, I may earn a commission from this.

Top things to pack for your Hawaii vacation!

The ultimate beach towel for travel?!

Turkish towels are considered to be more absorbent and lightweight than your average beach towel. Be sure to check out turkish towels like these!

The cheapo way to waterproof your phone

You can take underwater pictures with a simple waterproof phone case like this. Touch screen may not work well underwater - try the volume button to snap the pic instead!

Get your suitcase more organized!

Packing cubes can make it so you're spending less time on your vacation looking for things! They are basically a form of drawers in your suitcase. Take a look at these packing cubes.

Wear less sunscreen by wearing a UPF swim shirt!

Wearing a swim shirt means less skin that's exposed to the sun which means less sunscreen you need to apply! See about wearing swim shirts with UV protection like these when you're snorkeling.

More for your Maui packing list

• How a cheapo waterproof phone case works
• Why wear water shoes for the beach
• Why a personal swim buoy is an essential for snorkeling and swimming in the ocean
• Essentials to pack for Maui
• Best shoes for Maui

Watch the videos to see Maui in action!

Find more amazing things to do on Maui: Watch my Maui videos on youtube

If you see an activity you like, look in the description below the youtube video for the individual blog post about that specific activity!

ALOHA!