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Hana Highway Sights
Location: Southeast Maui
On Highway 31, over a half mile past mile marker 51 beyond Hana town, you’ll come to a road on the makai side of the highway named Haneo‘o Road. The hill to your left is actually an eroding cinder cone known as Ka Iwi o Pele (the bones of Pele).
Driving down Haneo‘o Road, the rugged cliffs give way to a beautiful coastal view. As you continue down towards the shore you’ll notice ‘Alau Island offshore. From this vantage point it looks like a rather small island with a few trees perched on top.
On Highway 31, over a half mile past mile marker 51 beyond Hana town, you’ll come to a road on the makai side of the highway named Haneo‘o Road. The hill to your left is actually an eroding cinder cone known as Ka Iwi o Pele (the bones of Pele).
Driving down Haneo‘o Road, the rugged cliffs give way to a beautiful coastal view. As you continue down towards the shore you’ll notice ‘Alau Island offshore. From this vantage point it looks like a rather small island with a few trees perched on top.
Location: Northeast Maui
Locally known as Helele‘ike‘oha Falls, many visitors refer to this location as 'Blue Pool' or 'Blue Angel Falls.' Before reaching Hana, ¼ mile beyond mile marker 31 on the Hana Highway, is 'Ula'ino Road on your left. At the end of the road, where parking is located for the falls, you’ll be bombarded with “Parking” signs followed by “No Trespassing” signs. What gives?
There's a lot of controversy around this spot because of Public Access Shoreline Hawaii, otherwise known as PASH. The beach is deemed by many to be public access, but getting to it is another story! The same is true of the falls themselves, located off the beach. This spot and the surrounding residents are the victims of too much publicity. A few thousand visitors a day now head down muddy Ula‘ino Road to view the falls and pool, and to do so, they must ALL cross private property. This has caused quite a few problems in the area. But who can blame the landowners for being upset? If you had a thousand people a day tromping through your backyard, it’d probably upset you too. In Hawaii we say places like this are "Kapu" or off-limits. Our opinion is that visitors should show some Aloha and skip this spot, better things are ahead.
Also, we should note that while many residents further up the road are charging for parking, they do NOT have permission from the landowners at the end of the road allowing visitors (including those that pay for parking) to access the falls. So save yourself the parking cost, the falls are still off-limits.
If you're wondering why you'd even come down Ula‘ino Road in the first place; well it might be to visit one of Hawaii's largest (and publicly accessible) Heiau's inside Kahanu Garden
Locally known as Helele‘ike‘oha Falls, many visitors refer to this location as 'Blue Pool' or 'Blue Angel Falls.' Before reaching Hana, ¼ mile beyond mile marker 31 on the Hana Highway, is 'Ula'ino Road on your left. At the end of the road, where parking is located for the falls, you’ll be bombarded with “Parking” signs followed by “No Trespassing” signs. What gives?
There's a lot of controversy around this spot because of Public Access Shoreline Hawaii, otherwise known as PASH. The beach is deemed by many to be public access, but getting to it is another story! The same is true of the falls themselves, located off the beach. This spot and the surrounding residents are the victims of too much publicity. A few thousand visitors a day now head down muddy Ula‘ino Road to view the falls and pool, and to do so, they must ALL cross private property. This has caused quite a few problems in the area. But who can blame the landowners for being upset? If you had a thousand people a day tromping through your backyard, it’d probably upset you too. In Hawaii we say places like this are "Kapu" or off-limits. Our opinion is that visitors should show some Aloha and skip this spot, better things are ahead.
Also, we should note that while many residents further up the road are charging for parking, they do NOT have permission from the landowners at the end of the road allowing visitors (including those that pay for parking) to access the falls. So save yourself the parking cost, the falls are still off-limits.
If you're wondering why you'd even come down Ula‘ino Road in the first place; well it might be to visit one of Hawaii's largest (and publicly accessible) Heiau's inside Kahanu Garden
Location: Southeast Maui
On Highway 31, over a half mile past mile marker 51 beyond Hana town, you’ll come to a road on the makai side of the highway named Haneo‘o Road. The hill to your left is actually an eroding cinder cone known as Ka Iwi o Pele (the bones of Pele). Driving down Haneo‘o Road, the rugged cliffs give way to a beautiful coastal view. As you continue down towards the shore you’ll notice ‘Alau Island offshore. From this vantage point it looks like a rather small island with a few trees perched on top. You'll pass by Koki Beach on your left, and it's worth a stop if you have the time. Heading farther down the road beyond Koki Beach you’ll discover one of the most beautiful beaches in all of Hawai‘i - the world famous Hamoa Beach.
After parking in the lot at the beach, proceed down the stairs to the shoreline. The surrounding grounds are nearly as captivating as the beach itself. Hamoa is about 1,000 feet long and about 100 feet wide with sea cliffs surrounding it. Lush vegetation cradles the beach in stunning beauty.
Off shore there is decent snorkeling and scuba diving, good swimming, and just as in ancient times, excellent body surfing too (mostly in the winter). If you can wrestle a kayak down to the beach, launching is relatively easy when the surf is down. Hamoa is unprotected by fringing reefs, so big surf hits the beach unimpeded in the winter months. The beach is surrounded by private property owned by the Hotel Hana Maui. Most of the facilities are for the guests of the resort, but the Hotel Hana Maui is gracious enough to allow the use of some of the facilities. There are rest rooms, showers, and picnic tables available.
On Highway 31, over a half mile past mile marker 51 beyond Hana town, you’ll come to a road on the makai side of the highway named Haneo‘o Road. The hill to your left is actually an eroding cinder cone known as Ka Iwi o Pele (the bones of Pele). Driving down Haneo‘o Road, the rugged cliffs give way to a beautiful coastal view. As you continue down towards the shore you’ll notice ‘Alau Island offshore. From this vantage point it looks like a rather small island with a few trees perched on top. You'll pass by Koki Beach on your left, and it's worth a stop if you have the time. Heading farther down the road beyond Koki Beach you’ll discover one of the most beautiful beaches in all of Hawai‘i - the world famous Hamoa Beach.
After parking in the lot at the beach, proceed down the stairs to the shoreline. The surrounding grounds are nearly as captivating as the beach itself. Hamoa is about 1,000 feet long and about 100 feet wide with sea cliffs surrounding it. Lush vegetation cradles the beach in stunning beauty.
Off shore there is decent snorkeling and scuba diving, good swimming, and just as in ancient times, excellent body surfing too (mostly in the winter). If you can wrestle a kayak down to the beach, launching is relatively easy when the surf is down. Hamoa is unprotected by fringing reefs, so big surf hits the beach unimpeded in the winter months. The beach is surrounded by private property owned by the Hotel Hana Maui. Most of the facilities are for the guests of the resort, but the Hotel Hana Maui is gracious enough to allow the use of some of the facilities. There are rest rooms, showers, and picnic tables available.
Location: Northeast Maui
Mauka a half-mile beyond mile marker 19 on the Hana Highway you’ll find beautiful Upper Waikani (Three-Bears Falls). This is one of the most visited waterfalls in the area. At first glance it appears as though your only view will be from the roadside, but further investigation yields a short trail to the falls. At the Hana end of the bridge you will see a way to climb under the structure; some folks say to climb under on the mauka side, but we found it easier on the makai side. After climbing under the bridge, follow the short jungle-like path towards the falls and then rock-skip a few feet up to the best vantage point. This is a really great way to view the falls up close and personal.
Mauka a half-mile beyond mile marker 19 on the Hana Highway you’ll find beautiful Upper Waikani (Three-Bears Falls). This is one of the most visited waterfalls in the area. At first glance it appears as though your only view will be from the roadside, but further investigation yields a short trail to the falls. At the Hana end of the bridge you will see a way to climb under the structure; some folks say to climb under on the mauka side, but we found it easier on the makai side. After climbing under the bridge, follow the short jungle-like path towards the falls and then rock-skip a few feet up to the best vantage point. This is a really great way to view the falls up close and personal.
Location: Northeast Maui
After 52 miles of winding traverse through the Hana Highway, you’ve made it to Hana Town!
Hana is a 4,500 acre area previously owned by the Unna Brothers who, in the 1800’s, raised sugar cane. In 1935, the area was bought by Paul Fagan who began raising cattle in the area. Today the Hana area is owned by a group of local and mainland investors.
Hana is a quaint little town that offers Maui visitors a place to relax away from the mainstream lives they’ve almost all come to escape. Hana is certainly the place to go to get away from it all. In Hana you can grab a bite to eat at one of the three restaurants in town, you can go shopping in one of the small stores, and you can even talk story (chat) with some of the local folks. We always like to joke with them about the cars parked on the Hana Highway and the fact that they have been there for about two decades now. “Oh they’re part of the scenery of the highway now, just too expensive to tow them out,” they say with a smile. And in Hana town, a smile is about as genuine a smile as you’ll ever find.
After 52 miles of winding traverse through the Hana Highway, you’ve made it to Hana Town!
Hana is a 4,500 acre area previously owned by the Unna Brothers who, in the 1800’s, raised sugar cane. In 1935, the area was bought by Paul Fagan who began raising cattle in the area. Today the Hana area is owned by a group of local and mainland investors.
Hana is a quaint little town that offers Maui visitors a place to relax away from the mainstream lives they’ve almost all come to escape. Hana is certainly the place to go to get away from it all. In Hana you can grab a bite to eat at one of the three restaurants in town, you can go shopping in one of the small stores, and you can even talk story (chat) with some of the local folks. We always like to joke with them about the cars parked on the Hana Highway and the fact that they have been there for about two decades now. “Oh they’re part of the scenery of the highway now, just too expensive to tow them out,” they say with a smile. And in Hana town, a smile is about as genuine a smile as you’ll ever find.
Location: Northeast Maui
This 3 mile trail follows the coastline from just north of Hana Bay to beyond Waianapanapa State Park. The trail begins in Kainalimu Bay and follows the jagged lava coastline along the Hawaiian "King's Highway." This trail is still visible in places where smooth stepping stones were set into the rough lava and cinders.
The coastline is ruggedly scenic with black lava jutting into the deep blue ocean. Looking inland one will get a sweeping view of Hana Forest Reserve with its densely vegetated cinder cones. About 2.0 miles down the coast lies Wai'anapanapa State Park. Here there are 12 cabins for rental, picnic tables, showers, and restroom facilities.
This 3 mile trail follows the coastline from just north of Hana Bay to beyond Waianapanapa State Park. The trail begins in Kainalimu Bay and follows the jagged lava coastline along the Hawaiian "King's Highway." This trail is still visible in places where smooth stepping stones were set into the rough lava and cinders.
The coastline is ruggedly scenic with black lava jutting into the deep blue ocean. Looking inland one will get a sweeping view of Hana Forest Reserve with its densely vegetated cinder cones. About 2.0 miles down the coast lies Wai'anapanapa State Park. Here there are 12 cabins for rental, picnic tables, showers, and restroom facilities.
Location: Southeast Maui
About 1/3 of a mile past Mile Marker 39 on the Pi'ilani Highway there is going to be a white bridge with Alelele written on the side of it. Here you will notice several trails moving inland towards Alelele Falls. Technically, this area is also inside of Haleakala National Park, but most people spend their time at the overcrowded 'Ohe'o Gulch area and never visit this part of the park. Alelele Stream is easy to find, and it is about a 10-minute walk along the trail (and streambed) to get to this falls. There is a pullout on the makai side of the road that leads to a landing where you can park the car. You may have to rock skip a bit and/or cross the stream, but keep heading towards the valley wall where the waterfall is.
This waterfall is very beautiful, and hardly anybody knows it is here. As is typical with many falls on Maui, in the summertime it may not be flowing. If the weather has been especially dry, you can probably assume as much for the falls and just may want to skip this spot.
About 1/3 of a mile past Mile Marker 39 on the Pi'ilani Highway there is going to be a white bridge with Alelele written on the side of it. Here you will notice several trails moving inland towards Alelele Falls. Technically, this area is also inside of Haleakala National Park, but most people spend their time at the overcrowded 'Ohe'o Gulch area and never visit this part of the park. Alelele Stream is easy to find, and it is about a 10-minute walk along the trail (and streambed) to get to this falls. There is a pullout on the makai side of the road that leads to a landing where you can park the car. You may have to rock skip a bit and/or cross the stream, but keep heading towards the valley wall where the waterfall is.
This waterfall is very beautiful, and hardly anybody knows it is here. As is typical with many falls on Maui, in the summertime it may not be flowing. If the weather has been especially dry, you can probably assume as much for the falls and just may want to skip this spot.
Location: Northeast Maui
Just a few yards past mile marker 25 on the Hana Highway, around the bend from the previous stop, you should see a steep downhill turn off for Nahiku Road makai. The road is lush and surrounded by a jungle setting - even the trees have plants growing on them. With 300 inches of rain a year, no wonder Nahiku is a paradise for all things green. The road is lined with rubber trees, remnants from a plantation that went defunct nearly a hundred years ago. You’ll barely noticed passing Nahiku village except for the occasional house and a variety of abandoned vehicles, now property of the jungle around them.
At the end of the road (about 2.5 miles down) you’ll come to the gorgeous scenic bay at Opuhano Point. Looking to your left over Honolulunui Bay, the coastal views are some of the very best on the entire road to Hana, you can see all the way back to Wailua.
As you visually try to absorb all of the scenery, take a moment to listen too. Off to the right, near the small ledge where the waves pound the shore you’ll find thousands of pebbles being rolled back and forth in the surf. The harmonic sound of the rolling rocks is quite unique, mother nature’s own rock tumbler in action.
Update: Starting in late 2008, we have been hearing numerous reports about access being restricted to the Bay at the end of the road. You may encounter "Closed - Kapu" signs before the bridge or even further up the road. It is our suggestion that visitors now skip Nahiku Road as a stop along the Hana Highway. Nahiku Road isn't meant to cater to the masses, and its popularity amongst visitors has exploded in recent years. Like Helele‘ike‘oha Falls (Blue Pool) on 'Ula'ino Road, this spot has become a victim of too much publicity. We will be updating our 'Hana Highway - Mile by Mile' book to reflect this change.
Just a few yards past mile marker 25 on the Hana Highway, around the bend from the previous stop, you should see a steep downhill turn off for Nahiku Road makai. The road is lush and surrounded by a jungle setting - even the trees have plants growing on them. With 300 inches of rain a year, no wonder Nahiku is a paradise for all things green. The road is lined with rubber trees, remnants from a plantation that went defunct nearly a hundred years ago. You’ll barely noticed passing Nahiku village except for the occasional house and a variety of abandoned vehicles, now property of the jungle around them.
At the end of the road (about 2.5 miles down) you’ll come to the gorgeous scenic bay at Opuhano Point. Looking to your left over Honolulunui Bay, the coastal views are some of the very best on the entire road to Hana, you can see all the way back to Wailua.
As you visually try to absorb all of the scenery, take a moment to listen too. Off to the right, near the small ledge where the waves pound the shore you’ll find thousands of pebbles being rolled back and forth in the surf. The harmonic sound of the rolling rocks is quite unique, mother nature’s own rock tumbler in action.
Update: Starting in late 2008, we have been hearing numerous reports about access being restricted to the Bay at the end of the road. You may encounter "Closed - Kapu" signs before the bridge or even further up the road. It is our suggestion that visitors now skip Nahiku Road as a stop along the Hana Highway. Nahiku Road isn't meant to cater to the masses, and its popularity amongst visitors has exploded in recent years. Like Helele‘ike‘oha Falls (Blue Pool) on 'Ula'ino Road, this spot has become a victim of too much publicity. We will be updating our 'Hana Highway - Mile by Mile' book to reflect this change.
Location: Northeast Maui
Around half-mile beyond mile marker 16 on the Hana Highway you’ll see a sign on the mauka side of the road marking the entrance to Ke‘anae Arboretum. The arboretum is large with a paved parking lot makai after the sign. Because of the sloped curve in the road, be careful crossing the street from the parking area to the arboretum.
The Ke‘anae Arboretum lies alongside the Pi‘ina‘au Stream on leveled terraces built hundreds of years ago by Hawaiians for growing taro, a mainstay of their diet. A 0.6 mile paved walkway takes visitors through timber, fruit, and ornamental trees from tropical regions around the world, many of which are marked with name plates. Inside the arboretum you can find some 150 varieties of tropical plants (including taro). This is a great location to see some indigenous flowers and the painted bark eucalyptus trees.
Around half-mile beyond mile marker 16 on the Hana Highway you’ll see a sign on the mauka side of the road marking the entrance to Ke‘anae Arboretum. The arboretum is large with a paved parking lot makai after the sign. Because of the sloped curve in the road, be careful crossing the street from the parking area to the arboretum.
The Ke‘anae Arboretum lies alongside the Pi‘ina‘au Stream on leveled terraces built hundreds of years ago by Hawaiians for growing taro, a mainstay of their diet. A 0.6 mile paved walkway takes visitors through timber, fruit, and ornamental trees from tropical regions around the world, many of which are marked with name plates. Inside the arboretum you can find some 150 varieties of tropical plants (including taro). This is a great location to see some indigenous flowers and the painted bark eucalyptus trees.
Location: Northeast Maui
Between mile markers 13 and 14 on the Hana Highway you will have a chance to visit Honomanu Bay. There are two roads that lead to the beach. The first is about a half-mile beyond the 13 mile marker - but this dirt road brings you out on the wrong side of the beach (the stream will cut you off from the remainder of the shoreline). The other access road is available just beyond the 14 mile marker. This route is much muddier, steeper, and 4x4 may be required at times so you might have to walk to the beach instead. Taking your car off-road is a violation of your rental agreement anyway.
Like many beaches in Hawai‘i, the amount of sand can vary from the winter to summer months. In the winter months the beach can be mostly small rocks and boulders. Whereas, in the summer the sand will return. The beach is frequented by surfers, especially in the winter months. Swimming is ill-advised due to rough surf. In our opinion, the best way to view this bay is from above (at mile marker 13 or one of the upcoming lookouts).
Between mile markers 13 and 14 on the Hana Highway you will have a chance to visit Honomanu Bay. There are two roads that lead to the beach. The first is about a half-mile beyond the 13 mile marker - but this dirt road brings you out on the wrong side of the beach (the stream will cut you off from the remainder of the shoreline). The other access road is available just beyond the 14 mile marker. This route is much muddier, steeper, and 4x4 may be required at times so you might have to walk to the beach instead. Taking your car off-road is a violation of your rental agreement anyway.
Like many beaches in Hawai‘i, the amount of sand can vary from the winter to summer months. In the winter months the beach can be mostly small rocks and boulders. Whereas, in the summer the sand will return. The beach is frequented by surfers, especially in the winter months. Swimming is ill-advised due to rough surf. In our opinion, the best way to view this bay is from above (at mile marker 13 or one of the upcoming lookouts).
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