ALOHA!
So you are thinking about driving the Road to Hana on your own!
Yes, you can most definitely drive the Road to Hana by yourself!
It can be a perfect part of your Maui itinerary with a car!
Some of the best Road to Hana stops are the Kipahulu District of Haleakala National Park, Waianapanapa State Park, and the Keanae Peninsula.
You can do all of these things on your own.
And actually, driving the Hana Highway on your own just may be the best way to do the Road to Hana!
Hana has also been called “one of the last unspoiled Hawaiian frontiers.”
And to really get to see the unspoiled side of Hawaii, you want to do the Road to Hana on your own so you can experience the lush East Maui in your own way!
And although it’s not for everyone, the most unspoiled part of the Road to Hana is actually the less-traveled back road to Hana.
The “destination” of the Road to Hana is a town named Hana.
You are driving to Hana.
And so, it’s called the road TO Hana!
But on the day that you drive the Hana coast, you may also consider going past Hana town, as there are a few noteworthy things to do beyond Hana too… and you can even drive the Road to Hana as a loop.
You’ll want to look into it before driving the Road to Hana loop though!
These activities past Hana town will still be considered Road to Hana activities since people typically do them as a part of their Road to Hana trip!
Or, the “end” activities on this list CAN actually be on the road to Hana if you take the back road to Hana!
So most people drive the Road to Hana as a day trip, as an out-and-back drive.
But you can also be different from the most other people and spend extra time (days) on the Road to Hana to do more things so you don’t need to feel as rushed and/or so you don’t need to make it into a jam-packed day!
There are (very) few accommodation options in Hana, but you can stay in Hana at the Hyatt Hana.
If budget is more your style and you don’t mind bringing your own everything, then Hana is also where you will find the best Maui state park camping cabins! I believe there is a 2 night minimum. Cabins do get booked up. If your trip is soon, you can check for availability on the official Hawaii state park camping reservations website.
No matter how you choose to drive it, there is a lot to see along the way… and there are things to do in Hana too!
Here are some of the quick lists if you’re looking for specific types of things to do on the Road to Hana on your own:
- Road to Hana waterfalls
- Road to Hana beaches
- Road to Hana food
- Road to Hana hikes
- Road to Hana bathrooms
- Things to do in Hana
- Things to do in Waianapanapa State Park
- Things to do in Haleakala National Park near Hana
- Road to Hana map (google maps)
- Road to Hana stops in order
What should you skip on the Road to Hana?
With so many Road to Hana stops, you can’t possibly do it all in one day.
One option is to skip some of the early Road to Hana stops and do it on another day.
Another way to prepare for the Road to Hana is to find one thing you want to do in each of the different types of Road to Hana activities and skip the rest.
The different types of Road to Hana activities can include waterfalls, beaches, food, lava fields, the state park, and the national park.
There is some overlap. For example, in the national park you can see waterfalls and in the state park you can see old lava flows and a famous beach.
So you can go to the national park to see Road to Hana waterfalls, and you can go to the state park to see East Maui lava fields and a Road to Hana beach.
Now all you need to do is figure out where you want to go for food on the Road to Hana and you’ve got a well-rounded Road to Hana trip with must-see Road to Hana stops!
Wow, is planning a Road to Hana drive really that easy?! 😆
No, it really is not, because there are so many Road to Hana stops to choose from. 🤪
See tons of the Road to Hana stops!
🌴
How long does Road to Hana take with no stops?
Driving directly from Paia to Hana is a 2 hour drive, one way.
Driving in the normal direction directly from Paia to Kipahulu is a 2.5 hour drive, one way.
And then you can expect traffic on the slow-going winding roads on the Road to Hana along the Hana Highway, so your drive time to Hana or to Kipahulu might actually be longer than that.
This means that an out-and-back drive of the Road to Hana with no stops will take at least 5 hours of driving time.
And then of course, this does not include the drive time of where you are actually starting your Road to Hana drive from.
You will probably have an extra 1-2 hours of round trip driving time added to that.
Driving from South Maui and Wailea to Hana is around a 2.5 hour drive. (map)
Driving from West Maui and Kaanapali to Hana is around a 3 hour drive. (map)
Driving from South Maui and Wailea to Kipahulu is around a 3 hour drive. (map)
Driving from West Maui and Kaanapali to Kipahulu is around a 3.5 hour drive. (map)
Is the Road to Hana safe to drive?
Well, I am a pretty low-risk driver and in general I did not find the main part of the Road to Hana to be particularly unsafe to drive.
There was that one time where I encountered a truck on a more narrow and winding part of the Hana Highway that made my heart skip a beat, but in general, I did not think it was unsafe.
The “main part” here means the drive that most people do, which are the Road to Hana stops that don’t include the back road to Hana.
That said, of course DO take care while you are driving the Road to Hana!
I would say the most “dangerous” part of the Road to Hana is the back road to Hana, since this is where you will find one-lane roads with no shoulders and a cliff that drops off right alongside the road.
I did not want to drive that part, and I walked part of the back road to Hana to see what it was like.
After walking it, I did not have any regrets in deciding not to drive the back road to Hana!
But there are plenty of people who even think the back Road to Hana isn’t really a big deal.
So, it just depends on the kind of driver you are!
Also to note, the Hawaii tourism people do encourage you to do a Road to Hana tour because of the potential dangers of the Road to Hana.
Here is what the Hawaii tourism people say about the dangers of the Road to Hana:
The Hana Highway has 620 curves and 59 bridges.
The road leads you through flourishing rainforests, flowing waterfalls, plunging pools and dramatic seascapes.
Please keep in mind that you’ll encounter challenging turns and narrow bridges along the way, so it’s important to exercise caution and take your time.
Joining a tour will eliminate stress for the driver and passengers, allowing for a more enjoyable experience and guides provide valuable insights about the surrounding area and its cultural history.
If you are still undecided about whether or not you want to drive the Road to Hana on your own, there are Road to Hana tours.
What days to avoid driving the Road to Hana
Among the worst days to do the Road to Hana is when there is a cruise ship docked in Maui at the Kahului cruise port!
With the Road to Hana being one of the most famous things that Maui is known for, there are a lot of cruise ship passengers who get off the ship, rent a car, and then do the Road to Hana.
This can mean tons of extra cars on the road that will be adding to traffic. If there’s no cruise ship, that many extra cars won’t be on the road!
This means that the best days to do the Road to Hana are during the week on a day that there is no big cruise ship at Kahului cruise port!
So, if you have flexibility in when you can do the Road to Hana, check the Kahului cruise port schedule (scroll down, select “schedule,” then month), and avoid doing the Road to Hana on days there’s a big cruise ship arriving. aka days you see Pride of America, Norwegian, Carnival, or Disney.
There is also another cruise port on Maui, the Lahaina cruise port, but this may see less people renting a car to do the Road to Hana since it’s more inconvenient to rent from here.
But if you want to be safe because why not since you have flexibility, then you can also look at the Lahaina cruise port schedule. The big ships will be Princess, Celebrity, and anything with “of the seas” (Royal Caribbean) or “dam” (Holland America) at the end of their name.
And if you are on one of these cruise ships, then also see things to do in Lahaina cruise port and Hilo cruise port! I have also read a suggestion that if you are renting a car from the Kahului cruise port, just pay for an uber to your car rental place instead of waiting for the free shuttle with everyone else. This way you can make it to the rental car company before everyone to beat the crowds and you can be out of there quickly! Makes sense to me!
HAPPY DRIVING THE ROAD TO HANA ON YOUR OWN!
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