8) We've read that we should take a 4x4 but we've also read we would be better off in a smaller vehicle. Important Note* The first one and a half hour stretch of the back road to Hana is usually forbidden by rental car companies and is stated in the rental car agreements. You want to go back the way you came, most likely, rather than going around the back way. That is such a shame for you both, but it is understandable, and probably the right decision. Super dangerous. Eventually, the Hana Highway turns into the Piilani Highway. **Kaulahao Beach aka Kuau Beach Park. This means you are taking all the risk when driving the reverse road to Hana. Its 11 miles past Hana town and takes a little over half an hour to reach with no stops. Want to read more? PICTURED ROCKS MI For most of the drive, a very narrow road winds through lush, green forests. Yes. **Paia Historic Town. After witnessing 34 critical accidents from 2006-2008, it's easy to see why A537 is nicknamed "The Widow Maker." If you leave Paia by 8AM (and hey earlier is even better), I promise you that youll be ahead of 90% of the people planning to drive to Hana that day. SLEEPING BEAR DUNES MI Distraction is a great way to keep the fear at bay. I'll add, no, the late afternoon shouldn't be an especially dangerous time to drive the road (but it will take longer than 2 hours from the start of the RTH, let alone Kaanapali); you absolutely don't need a 4X4 (I prefer smaller (ta && ta.queueForLoad ? Really just understanding that the Road is actually perfectly serviceable and 99% of the fear is in your mind can help overcome that fear. As you can see, the. The Numbers really do not match the roads reputation. Maybe at one point that was true, but I dont really think it is anymore. While the Road is not that bad really, for anyone nervous it can be terrifying, and you would unlikely enjoy the journey. That said, of course DO take care while you are driving the Road to Hana! After the viewpoint the road gets narrow to a point that only one car fits. If theyre open ; ) Ill note here that the National Park does NOT have water or snacks for sale so since the Kaupo Store is undependable, make sure you have everything you need once you leave Hana. This is also the scary part of the Road to Hana. Hana, the quaint little backwater town has just the one road leading in or our and this is the drive of a lifetime! 1. If you pay for your monthly expenses on the card and are responsible about paying it off every month, the points add up really fast. WYOMING If you only have one day, theres still a lot to see, so snap a picture and be on your way. Take the moral high ground and just drive in a way that ensures YOUR safety! The problem is we all confront fears in a different way. Next youll see a rainbow colored sign, thats the Kaupo store. The second English expressway on our list, this scenic road was recognized by the United Kingdom's Road Safety Foundation as one of country's most dangerous roads in 2010. My friend and I visited Maui in 2019 and neither of us was brave enough for the drive. Its worth a stop if you have time. Next on the left side of the road perched on a hill, youll see a little shop with several potted plants and such. Driving a car is dangerous. 8. When the drop off is only 5-10 feet below, its nowhere near as intense feeling as when its several hundred feet along the north shore (even though its two lanes). More! We intend to hike for 4 hours or so, and be back on the road at 11 or 11:30am, head to Koki Beach for some food truck food, and continue on to Wai'anapanapa for the black sand beach for a few hours, and be back on the road by 3pm to head back to OGG airport (with no stops) for 5pm to catch our 7pm flight. Hana Highway, also known as the Road to Hana, runs for more than 64 miles along state Highways 360 and 36, connecting Hana in east Maui with Kahului. NEW YORK About 40 minutes into your drive youll spot the Kihikinui wind turbines. Pretty much everybody and their dog knows about driving the Road to Hana on Maui. 2) Youll experience the best part of the drive (what youre most expecting to seecrazy lush vegetation, wild jungles, waterfalls, etc) early in the day when youre still fresh and excited (and not 6-8 hours in when youre starting to run on fumes energy wise). Break up the drive with a great hike Kaumana Trail. Along the way youll see various farm animals, views of Kahoolawe and Molokini the horse shoe shaped atoll. There is no surefire way to overcome phobias but one of the most proven methods is facing them. The popular way is to start the Road to Hana is by passing through the town of Paia. Starting your journey to Hana on this side is a great way toexperience this side ofHaleakala volcano. Well over 50 in total and most of the single lane for both directions. The back road to Hana starts in Kula town about 15 minutes past Makawao, one of Mauis most charming towns. They have a small shop with local,handmade Hive to Home and Bees to Body products. The road is very comfortable for one car to drive on, the problem comes when you pass another car. 5. Along this road, there are 620 curves (who counted all of those?) Itll avoid the uncomfortable situation of figuring out how youre going to squeeze past (or backing up) once youre on them. ), this will be on your mind all day ruining the trip. It is then easy to imagine that people from Urban Los Angeles, used to colossal Freeways (which put the fear of God into us!) Road to Hana. The Road to Hana has 617 turns & 59 bridges, many only 1 lane. You just have to keep your sight lines open and watch for cars coming in the other direction. The Road to Hana is a 64 mile stretch of road that starts in Kahului and ends at Kpahulu. So, you will want to look into driving the back road to Hana further to see if you feel comfortable with it! Another beautiful coastal church on the back way to Hana drive is Huialoha Church. Its 60ish miles of continuously bending tarmac slice right through some unbelievable scenery, with countless waterfalls, dense jungle foliage, and plunging seacliffs allowing sweeping vistas down the coast. Ewa Beach, Oahu Robert Linsdell/Flickr The National Drug Intelligence Center mentions the high use of methamphetamine in Ewa Beach as well, and according to AreaVibes, you have a 1 in 27 chance of being a crime victim. The only sketchy part is if you're driving along the cliffs edge backwards into Hana on the waters edge. This fear means many skip the highway and spend their time enjoying more sedate activities, like sitting by the pool. The trailhead is located after the bridge on your left. ta.queueForLoad : function(f, g){document.addEventListener('DOMContentLoaded', f);})(function(){ta.trackEventOnPage('postLinkInline', 'impression', 'postLinks-114353132', '');}, 'log_autolink_impression');Maui backs up, as it often does, it could well be longer. This three-part waterfall is often called the Three Bear Falls for the Papa Bear-, Mamma Bear-, and Baby Bear-size cascades of water. Strange, our hosts at our lodgings told us the southern road was faster back to the airport from Haleakala you say its longer for sure? Yikes. Stop at the Laulima fruit stand next. Need a specific number of bedrooms and bathrooms? Plus, if you sign up through my link, youll get 50,000 bonus points to use which depending on where youre flying from and when, that could be TWO FREE TICKETS TO HAWAII. ROAD TRIP AMERICA To compare this road to other highways of death such as the North Yungas Road in Bolivia or the Brazils Road of death is ridiculous. So you are trying to figure out whether you should do a Road to Hana tour or if you should do the Road to Hana on your own! If you need proof, the best stops on the Road to Hana, which include vibrant beaches, lush rain forests, and cascading waterfalls, attract about 400,000 visitors each year. Also known as State Highway 340, it also happens to be one of the most dangerous roads in Maui. If you have a solid plan for where you want to stop and you just keep moving along, youll stay in front of the crowds all day and youll have a great time. Quite a few people continue on past Hana to the Kipahulu District of Haleakala National Park where you'll find the Oheo Gulch (aka Seven Sacred Pools) and the Pipiwai Trailhead. This is great to know thanks. The Road to Hana is more than just a great drive through a beautiful area of Maui. You have the option of walking down to get much closer to the falls, but with the car situation not preferable, we chose not to. Its possible that some companies offer roadside assistance coverage that you can purchase additionally and maybe this portion of the road isnt included in that. The Keanae Peninsula is one of the most famous Road to Hana stops. This will leave you with a deeper understanding and connection to Hawaii. From there its about a two hour drive (with no stops) due east to the town of Hana. The Road often apps up in worlds most dangerous roads lists, along with other such shock journalism. If driving the reverse loop all the way around back to Kahului make a reservation in advance for Waianapanapa State Park. Just before mile marker 15 is the Maui-Grown Market and Deli (tel. Outside of this section, the road is more inland, wider, slightly less bendy, and on the whole pretty sedate. Try to leave Paia by 6 a.m. or 7 a.m. and plan on being back in Paia before dark. Hearing the driver explain they understand this bend is tight and blind so they are taking it slow and wide helps you understand they are not recklessly hooning around the blind bend! If you go, (just like anything you do), you do so at your own risk. Safer and more dangerous parts of Road to Hana Jul 16, 2022, 5:27 PM Save Hi, We are planning a trip to Hana on Aug 7. Why drive 1 hour to west side to trun around and come back to central (ta && ta.queueForLoad ? As you continue driving down the Piilani Highway youll come up on some old homes and a bunch of run down old cars. ARIZONA Its mostly paved, but there are some portions that are gravel or a roughly graded cement. Is safety as big a concern as some say or is it mostly just up to how nervous or confident a driver is? While the road is coastal, large parts of the highway scarcely even offer a sea view and the perilous section that most people fear is only around 10 miles between Mile Marker 9 and Mile Marker 19.5. BADLANDS SD Fortunately we had no issues but it was a windy, rainy drive and Im glad we did it but dont think we would do it again. Sounds fun? There are quite a few places to stop to eat now, and quite a few restrooms now, What to Eat at Universal Studios, Hollywood, Chicago, Illinois Visitors Guide Basics. Now lets get to the exciting part the best stops along the backside road to Hana! HALEAKALA HI Road to Hana Tips, Tricks and Advice How to Survive the Hana Highway! The backside road is VERY different from the front road and definitely worth experiencing. 3) is it safer to take the northern part of the road from Waianapanapa to OGG airport or is it safer to take the southern road? Nahiku Marketplace. Speeding on the road to Hana is super dangerous and you might also have to deal with slow vehicles: spend one night in Hana in stead than rushing your visit! Remember if you push on you have to come back this way (or the scarier, riskier back route! The back road to Hana conditions are as followed. This is a great spot to park, stretch your legs, shop and grab a bite to eat! The Road to Hana (aka the Hana Highway) does not dead-end, so instead of turning around, it is possible to keep driving. The Road to Hana is not undiscovered anymore and there are just people everywhere. If you get above 30 mph you are doing well! for the most part, it is wide enough for two small buses to pass each other with no issue. By taking a Tour the pressure and risk are on someone else and you can take comfort in the fact this person does it daily and as they are still around, and not on the bottom of a sea cliff, they must be doing something right. You'll battle the traffic with other day trippers, missing some of the drive's highlights due to time constraints and eventually running out of . 808/572-1693), a good stop for drinks or snacks for the ride. Driving the Road to Hana means that you will be driving the Hana Highway. Okay, so lets get on with the questions, Theres a lot of hype about how bad the backside of the Road to Hana is. These falls are some of the best waterfalls that Maui has to offer. Here they sell fresh fruits, smoothies and coffees all grown locally on their farm. Just three of the many many reasons to love the Road to Hana. If you are in charge of the directions and finding the stops, that is one less thing to distract the driver and gives you something to do. 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. 5) Is there any general safety advice you guys would give? There's a great souvenir shop here, and also a wide selection of food varying from island style tacos to kalua pork to classic hotdogs or mac 'n cheese! Well, you get the picture. The most dangerous part of the Road to Hana is the back road to Hana because this is where you will find one-lane roads with no shoulders and a cliff that drops off right alongside the road. Anytime you start toward Hana after lunch you will start meet cars headed toward you and that will slow you down on the 59 one way bridges. I guess depending on what youre most interested in seeing/doing you could try this, but here are my thoughts: I strongly recommend driving the Road to Hana the right way or clockwise from Paia for a couple of reasons: 1) youll be on the inside lane the whole way around (no hugging the tight shoulder where theres a 200 foot drop off mere feet away from your tire) which is a bigger deal when youre driving on the road past Hana. ta.queueForLoad : function(f, g){document.addEventListener('DOMContentLoaded', f);})(function(){ta.trackEventOnPage('postLinkInline', 'impression', 'postLinks-114353051', '');}, 'log_autolink_impression');rental car companies. So looking out for these symptoms can show how scared you are by a certain situation. On a calm day you are able to swim inside the pools. ANSWER. Road To Hana (Maui) - Toughest Section DrMKC 739 subscribers 56K views 7 years ago This is the dashcam video of the toughest 30 minutes on the famous Road to Hana in Maui. This park contains one of. We did have some locals honking at other cars, we made it a habit to just pull over and let others by which made it a better experience. That would allow you to pass through the most lush parts of the highway in the morning. Driving a car is dangerous. Is 3pm too late in the day to head out from Kanapali to Hana? There are plenty of shoulders to pull over, take in Mauis beauty and also take a few pictures. There are literally signs posted telling you to honk as you go around the blind corners. Im there answering questions every day and there are 7500+ other friends who have a ton of Hawaii information to share! Manawainui Gulch. 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