The Road To Hana

Legends about The Road to Hana long preceded our actual arrival on Maui. Whenever we mentioned our plans to stay here to the already initiated, eyebrows would arch, heads would nod, and inevitably, in low and reverential tones, we would be asked: "Are you going to drive The Road to Hana?" So of course, we had to see what all the excitement was about! Also referred to as Dramamine Road, the Hana Highway is a 55-mile journey into the unspoiled heart of the Island, terminating in the peaceful town of Hana along Maui's rugged eastern coastline. It is hard to think of this area as unspoiled, though, with the hundreds of tourists, including yours truly, snaking along the 620 curves, some of them of the hairpin variety, and crossing the 59 bridges, most of which are one-laners. The drive can take anywhere from 2 to 4 hours to complete, one way, due to the nature of the road itself, and the many opportunities to pull off the road to experience incredible island views, flourishing rainforests, and flowing waterfalls. The road traces a centuries-old path which is now a well-paved highway, and despite its twists and turns, it isn't as scary as it might seem. The speed limit is s-l-o-w, both by necessity and by the posted signs, ranging from 10 to 25 mph in most places, and there are guardrails the entire length of the road…not that you ever want to test them out, if you know what I mean. We made a few stops along the drive to hike on a nature trail, experience a waterfall up close, and just to get out and stretch our legs. We made it to Hana in 3 hours where we had lunch and explored the area before driving two more hours to get back home. Here are some pictures of our journey.