Road to Hana, Maui | The Mile Markers You Can’t Miss

Road to Hana is a 65 mile drive on the east side of Maui. This is one of the most iconic Hawaiian drives, offering waterfalls to swim in, rainbow eucalyptus trees, incredible views, and so much more. This is a once-in-a-lifetime drive that you have to add to your list of things to do in Maui. There are countless stops to make on the road but below is my list of the biggest highlights you should hit if you have time. But before reading, remember despite all of these stops, the drive is the journey and it’s not about the destination!

Road to Hana Tips

Start the Drive Early Morning

Leave early in the morning (with a full tank of gas) so that you have enough time to make the drive all the way down and loop back around before it gets dark. Pending how many stops you make and the duration at each one, this is an all-day event. I recommend arriving in Pa’ia, the town the drive begins, by around 7 or 8AM.

Stay a Night in Hana or Pick Top 5 Stops to pace yourself

Similar to tip 1, there are so many stops on this road so many stay the night in Hana to get to fully experience each one. If you aren’t planning to stay for a night, I highly recommend to pick your top 4-5 stops you really want to see leaving the rest for if you have time on the way back. You simply cannot do each stop in one day.

be ready for narrow roads and Prep for passenger Car Sickness

The roads here are very narrow, with all of the bridges being only one-way streets so you have to yield to oncoming traffic. if you are a more fearful driver, this may be a bit anxiety inducing so be prepped for this.

If you are prone to car sickness and will be a passenger, be sure to have either motion sickness medication or get these funky glasses which prevent feeling ill. The roads are extremely windy with over 600 turns and 59 one-lane bridges on this drive.

Pack Snacks, Water, and Lunch

There are very few food stops along the drive, with many being extremely pricey if you do find them open. I recommend packing your food for the day to have enough water and lunch.

Pack Waterproof Shoes

With all the waterfalls along the drive, you’ll likely be swimming in a couple. The bottoms of these waterfalls are covered in rocks which are all very slippery so it’s really beneficial to have waterproof shoes with you like Teva’s to be able to wear in the waterfalls.

download the Shaka Guide if you want more information

Download The Shaka Guide app to get a guided audio tour during your drive if you want to learn more history to ensure you don’t miss any of the key spots along the drive!

Remember It’s about the journey, not the destination

There are incredible views along the entire drive even if they aren’t marked as an official stop. Give yourself the flexibility to stop at random turnouts to take in the beauty of the area. These were some of the breathtaking views we saw along random points in the road:

Hana Mile Markers

Ho’okipa Lookout and Sea Turtle Beach (Before Mile 0)

As you start onto the road to Hana, the first point you’ll come to is Ho’okipa beach. When we came, there was a massive surf competition going on. I recommend making this a quick stop to see the view and use the bathroom before starting on the official drive. The views here are stunning and there are usually fruit stands if you want to start with a small bite to eat. Note that for the sea turtle sighting, this actually happens in the evening rather than the morning.

Twin Falls (Mile Marker 2)

Twin Falls will be the first major stop on the Road to Hana you see. You’ll park in the designated lot in front, which does cost $10 as this is on private land. When you enter, you’ll see two paths: One to Lower Falls and one to Upper Falls. Both bring you to a waterfall in the park which are so beautiful and so fun to swim in!

Lower Falls

Lower Falls is only about a 10 minute walk from the parking lot that requires very little hiking shoes. I was able to do this in flip flops which includes a small walk down a rocky path and walking through a paved opening in between plants.

Upper Falls

Upper Falls is a much further hike in the park, which takes about 30 minutes one-way. This hike is really only for more experienced hikers as it’s a pretty steep rock climb down that is risky if you happen to lose your footing at any point. You’ll then have to walk through a creek which requires good waterproof shoes to ensure you don’t slip on algae. This waterfall is much more private because of this hike so it is so worth it if you are up for a little adventure.

Waikamoi Waterfall (Mile Marker 9.9)

This waterfall is just a minute walk away from the road! The turnout is small so you may need to park further down the road or wait for cars to clear out. After walking down to the lower falls, you’ll come up to a swim pool with a rope swing and cliff jumps. If you’re dream is to jump into a waterfall in Hawaii, this is the must-see waterfall for you. The energy here was incredible when we went with everyone cheering for each person jumping in. Make sure to also do the short hike up to the Upper Falls afterwards to see the top of this waterfall!

Kaumahina State Wayside Park (Mile Marker 12)

This is a 7.8 acre park, but the key item to do here is to stop and checkout the view if you plan to make it all the way down the road to Hana. This viewpoint offers breathtaking views of the ocean, highlighting the road and views you’re about to see as you continue the drive. There are also public restrooms here.

Honomanu Bay (Mile Marker 14)

Honomanu Bay is the black sand beach you actually see from the Kaumahina State Wayside Park viewpoint. This bay is easy to miss as you have to take a side road on the left hand side which is a fairly unpaved road that takes you down to the beach. This black sand beach had stunning views up to the roads we were just driving and of the Pacific Ocean.

Ke’anae Arboretum | Rainbow Eucalyptus Forest (Mile Marker 16)

This is a 0.6 mile walk that takes you into the forest to admire the tropical flowers and plants living here. There are over 150, with the most famous being the rainbow eucalyptus trees. if you skip the grove of Eucalyptus tress off the side. off the road around mile marker 7, definitely stop here on your drive!

Aunty Sandy’s Banana Bread (Mile Marker 16)

There are numerous food stops throughout the drive, but this is the absolute communal favorite. This banana bread is famous on the Road to Hana, and once you try it you’ll understand why. It’s also a great energy pick-up after swimming in waterfalls.

Wailua Valley State Wayside Lookout (Mile Marker 19)

To the right of the parking lot, you’ll see a step of stairs which take you to this incredible lookout point. On one side, you’ll have a view of the windy Hana road with the ocean backdrop. On the other side, you’ll have this viewpoint of Wailua valley. Make sure to keep an eye out for this one as it’s easy to pass by mistakenly! This is one of the more hidden and sudden stops.

Waikani Falls (Mile Marker 19)

This waterfall is one of the more difficult ones to get to with no specific parking lot or turnout to park here. I advise parking at the nearest turnout further down the road and walking back carefully.

Pua’a Ka’a Falls (Mile Marker 22.5)

These two waterfalls are a part of Pua’a Ka’a State Park. There is a paved trail to each of the falls, making them very easily accessible. There are also restrooms and picnic tables in the area which makes this a great place to stop for lunch.

Hana Lava Tube (Mile Marker 31)

The lava tube on the road to Hana is one of the coolest spots on the drive. The tube was formed 960 years ago by molten lava ejecting towards the ocean. There is a self-guided tour you can opt for, which costs $15 and takes about 40 minutes. You’ll be given a flashlight to explore the dark tube. Open from 10:30am – 4pm daily.

Waianapanapa | Honokalani Black Sand Beach (Mile Marker 32)

This beach is located in Waiʻānapanapa State Park, which requires a reservation that is $5 per person and $10 for parking your vehicle. You can make a reservation at the official site here; note that you cannot make a reservation day of so be sure to do this advance. They are not flexible on this and we see a lot of cars get turned around. You will also need to specify an entrance time; we chose 12:30-3:00pm which aligned well with us doing Twin Falls and a couple of quick stops.

This is a MUST DO stop and was my favorite along the drive. The famous black sand beach is beautiful, with a lava cave you enter directly from the beach. If you have snorkeling gear, a lot of people mentioned they saw sea turtles here!

There is also a small hike you can do by entering on the left hand side of the sandy beach which provides beautiful views. I highly recommend doing this path if you have time as it was absolutely stunning and fairly easy, taking around 30 minutes round trip.

Kaihalulu | Red Sand Beach (Mile Marker 35)

This one of the only true red sand beaches in the world, making this a must see stop on your road to Hana. The red color comes from the Ka’uiki head which erodes iron onto the beach. The 0.5 mile trail to get here is a bit more difficult than any of the others on this list, making it less suitable for children or those with mobility issues. You’ll need to bring proper shoes to maintain balance on the fast-eroding trail that has some steeper jumps. Note that this beach is also known to be a nude beach.

Wailua Falls (Mile Marker 45)

This is arguably the most iconic waterfall in Maui, and definitely one of the most photographed. This 80 foot waterfall falls down the jungle wall is impossible to miss even from the road. You’ll find many people swimming, local vendors, and great energy here. This is truly the highlight of the road to Hana that you cannot miss so be sure to pace yourself to make it here!

Note that it is a 2 hour drive from Wailua Falls back to Pa’ia so you will need to leave Wailua at the very least 2 hours before sunset to ensure you aren’t driving at night. This means it’s really important to pace your day out well!