Hāna town is about 60 miles from Kīhei. Plan on at least 2½–3 hours each way without stops, and count on it taking a full day with stops. Pāʻia, the last real town before the drive, is about 18 miles away (around 35–40 minutes). Kīpahulu is another 12 miles of slow road past Hāna.
We covered the Road to Hana in many episodes of The Aloha 360, a Maui travel podcast that is no longer running. Listeners asked the same questions every time: Is it dangerous? What time should we start? What should we bring? Here's our advice.
Before you go
- Pick your day. Choose a day with no other plans and a decent forecast. Going early in your trip leaves a backup day if the weather turns.
- Start early. Leaving Kīhei around sunrise gives you time to stop and still get back before dark. The road is narrow and winding, and it's much harder to drive at night.
- Fill up in Kahului or Pāʻia. The National Park Service notes Pāʻia is the last place to get gas before Hāna.
- Pack for the day. Bring water, snacks, a rain jacket, sturdy shoes or water shoes, a towel, mineral sunscreen, a trash bag and motion-sickness remedies if you need them.
- Download offline maps. Cell service is spotty along much of the route.
- Reserve ahead where needed. See Waiʻānapanapa below.
Driving etiquette
The Hāna Highway is also the daily commute for people who live in East Maui. A little aloha on the road helps everyone.
- Pull over to let faster cars pass. Use the turnouts when someone is behind you. Some are signed for slower traffic.
- Take turns at one-lane bridges. Yield to oncoming cars, and let a small group of cars cross together.
- Park only where it's allowed. The state marks no-parking zones at popular spots, and tickets come with a large surcharge. If a lot is full, keep driving. See HDOT's notice and current Maui roadwork.
- Don't stop in the road to take photos.
Stops worth planning around
- Twin Falls. Waterfalls on a private farm, Wailele Farm, not far past Pāʻia. Parking is paid, the farm has set hours, and it's reserved for Hawaiʻi residents on the first Saturday of each month. Check Twin Falls Maui before you go. The lower falls are an easy walk for kids. Paths to the upper falls go through the streambed and can be slippery.
- Keʻanae Peninsula & Puaʻa Kaʻa State Wayside. Lava coastline and taro patches at Keʻanae, and a small roadside stop with waterfalls at Puaʻa Kaʻa. Keʻanae is a living community, so drive slowly and stay on public areas.
- Waiʻānapanapa State Park. A black sand beach, sea caves and a coastal trail. Non-residents need a timed reservation booked in advance. Drive-ups without one are turned away, and there are entry and parking fees. A facility improvement project is underway, which has moved some parking and beach access and may close the park now and then. Check Hawaiʻi State Parks reservations and the DLNR park page for current details.
- Hāna town. A quiet, close-knit community, not a tourist strip. Stretch your legs, grab lunch from a local spot and enjoy the slower pace.
- Kīpahulu District, Haleakalā National Park. About 12 miles past Hāna. The Pīpīwai Trail (about 4 miles round trip, roughly 800 feet of climbing) passes a giant banyan and a bamboo forest on the way to Waimoku Falls. The Pools of ʻOheʻo are currently closed to swimming, but you can view them from the Kūloa Point Trail. A park entrance fee applies, and your pass also covers the summit for a few days. See NPS Kīpahulu, fees and current conditions.
Don't try to do everything. Choose a few stops that matter to you, and accept that the day will run long. Even with just a handful of stops, the trip can easily turn into a 12-hour day.
Support local and respect private property
The fruit stands, banana bread stops, farm stands and food trucks along the route are local businesses, and buying from them is one of the best parts of the day. Many of the waterfalls and pools you'll see online are on private land or reached by unofficial trails. If you see a "kapu" (keep out / forbidden) or no-trespassing sign, respect it. Use public parks and official parking, stay on marked trails, and take everything you brought back out with you.
Beyond Hāna
Past Kīpahulu, the road continues around the back side of Haleakalā on the Piʻilani Highway. Parts of it are rough and remote, with few services. Many rental car agreements limit where you can drive, so read yours before you go, check road conditions, and remember that driving back the way you came is always an option. Some visitors prefer to stay overnight in Hāna rather than rush the round trip.
Safety tips
- Flash floods are real. Stay out of streams and waterfall pools if it's raining or has rained upstream. Water can rise fast, even under blue skies.
- Don't jump from cliffs or waterfalls, and stay back from cliff edges. The rocks are slippery.
- Ocean conditions on the East Maui coast are often rough. Look, don't swim, unless conditions are clearly calm. Check Hawaii Beach Safety.
- Leave nothing valuable in your car, including in the trunk.
- Plan to be off the narrowest stretches before dark, and take breaks if you get tired or carsick.
- In an emergency, call 911. Know that cell coverage is limited.
Last reviewed October 2026. Conditions, fees and rules on Maui change often. Always check the official sources linked above before you go.