Hana Highway
4.2(144)yelp
Road TripScenic Lookout
Overview
The Hāna Highway (colloquially referred to as The Road to Hāna) is a 64.4-mile-long (103.6 km) stretch of Hawaii Routes 36 and 360 which connects Kahului to the town of Hana in east Maui. To the east of Kalepa Bridge, the highway continues to Kipahulu as Hawaii Route 31 (the Piilani Highway). Although Hana is only about 52 miles (84 km) from Kahului, an uninterrupted car-trip takes about 2.5 hours to drive, since the highway is very winding, narrow, and passes over 59 bridges, of which 46 are only one lane wide.
Practical Info
Suggested Duration8-12 hours
Best TimeThe dry summer-autumn corridor from May to October is prime for navigating this world-renowned coastal drive. With over 600 hairpin switchbacks and 54 historic one-lane bridges, it is highly recommended to kick off your drive from Paia town by 6:00 AM. This beats the tourist caravan rush and grants you empty rainforest trail pullouts.
Getting ThereSpanning eastern Maui along the HI-360 corridor; a rental vehicle is the only true way to experience it. The highway is narrow and mentally demanding, making a agile compact SUV ideal. Major waypoints feature narrow gravel pullouts; always pull over safely and practice traditional aloha road etiquette by letting local drivers pass.
Travel Tips
- The Road to Hana packs 617 hairpins and 59 single-lane bridges; bridge crossings demand strict adherence to local yield etiquette (first-to-arrive crosses first), and tailgating previous vehicles onto a single lane causes immediate gridlock.
- The highway flanks sensitive indigenous kuleana lands where road shoulders are narrow ditches; blocking private fruit farm gates or staging tires inside marked red zones triggers swift retaliatory towing from local operators.
- The route features zero street lighting and severe post-rain landslide hazards alongside complete cellular dropouts; a mandatory return transit must begin by 4:00 PM to clear the dangerous cliffside twisties before total nightfall.
Reviews
Positive
- The dense rainforest waterfalls, black sand beaches, and ocean cliffs are gorgeous; the Road to Hana completely lives up to its name.
- Plenty of roadside signs highlight waterfalls and viewpoints, and roadside fruit stands add great tropical charm and fun.
- No admission ticket is required to drive the entire route; multiple free state parks line the way, offering raw Hawaiian vibes.
- You can buy amazing freshly-baked banana bread and fresh coconuts; though a secondary spend, prices are fair with no price-gouging.
Heads up
- The road packs over 600 sharp turns and 50 single-lane bridges; driving is stressful, and passengers easily get motion sickness.
- Because roads are tight and crowds thick, some popular waterfall turnouts hold only 2-3 cars, making parking impossible later on.
- Public restrooms and bins are miles apart, and cell service vanishes completely; vehicle breakdowns pose major safety risks.
- The round trip demands 7-8 hours of tedious driving; if you just rush through, it can feel underwhelming, like endless trees and bridges.