The Road to Hana is Maui's most epic drive. It's an incredibly scenic journey through the lesser visited parts of Maui's wild jungle, dotted with amazing viewpoints, incredible waterfalls, and banana bread.

The road itself is a winding, two lane "highway", famous for getting ill-prepared tourists car-sick, sometimes clogged with tour buses as they follow each other to the same sights... but with some of our tips below, we'll help you get the most out of this one in a lifetime road-trip.

The Plan

Ultimately, when doing the road to Hana, there are three decisions to make:

Tour Bus or Self Drive? - We can't recommend it enough: drive it yourself. You'll be able to hit some of the highlights in a tour bus, and its a great solution if you don't have your own car, but if you drive yourself, you'll be in charge and get to see some of the hidden treasures along the way.

One Day or Two? - The Road to Hana is a full day-trip at least. You can get to Hana within 2-3 hours without stopping, but with so many things to do along the way, plan more on 10-12 hours roundtrip. You might not be able to do everything we recommend in a single day, so you'll have to prioritize. To really enjoy all of the sights, you might want to consider doing it in two days. Camping at Kipahulu just past Hana (more info below), allows you to take your time, appreciate, and explore.

All The Way Around or Back The Same Way? - Once you reach Hana, the highway continues around the backside of the volcano. The backside is even more remote and the road gets worse, with sections of dirt. The sunsets on this side are an incredible way to finish your Hana adventure, with few visitors to Maui venturing this way. Check your rental car agreement because some prohibit driving on this road, and if there has been a lot of rain, the road can wash out or be really muddy.

What to Bring

While the area may be remote, there are lots of opportunities to get snacks and drinks a long the way: fresh fruit stands, banana bread, and ice cream are plentiful along the route but there aren't a ton of options for bigger meals. Bring some water, pack a lunch (or two if you're staying overnight) and a dinner if you're planning on going around the backside. If you're coming back on the same road, stop in Paia for a well-deserved dinner.

Depending on which of our hot spots you want to see, you may need hiking shoes, swimsuits, towels, motion sickness tablets, and a light rain jacket... this side of the island is very wet, and chances are it'll rain lightly at some point.

Bring some cash as a lot of the stands may not accept credit cards.

If you went to Haleakala, the 3 day National Park permit you needed to buy is good for Kipahulu as it's part of the National Park as well.

Fill up your gas tank as there aren't any gas stations until Hana, which is expensive. You won't use much gas on the trip, a full tank will be plenty.

What to See

There is a lot to see and lots of people doing the same trip every day, so start early. You'll avoid most of the crowds if you're on the road as soon as there is light.

Twin Falls (Wailele Farm) - Mile Marker 2 - The first stop you'll come across is only 5 minutes in and almost seems too early to stop! The farm is home to a couple of waterfalls and a fruit stand. Depending on how early you started, might be a ghost town, or might be jam packed with people. The falls are accessible via a short walk and double as a swimming hole. You'll likely be driving past too early for the stand to be open or to enjoy swimming and there is better further on the road, so its safe to skip.

Rainbow Eucalyptus - Mile Marker 7 - One of our favourite stops, a small grove of Rainbow Eucalyptus trees right next to the road. There really isn't much parking, so be careful. There is also a small walk to a bluff with a few more trees overlooking the coast.

Keanae Point - Mile Marker 17 - This is a tiny detour off the Hana highway to a small community on the water. Also known as "Halfway to Hana", it's a good pit stop for a snack. There are a few options here, and you can't really go wrong, but we always stop at Aunty Sandy's for her banana bread. Continue along the road a few more minutes to reach a more secluded park to enjoy your snack with waves crashing against the black lava rocks.

Upper Waikani Falls - Mile Marker 19 - Also known as the 3 bears, are 3 waterfalls of various sizes, the biggest being around 70 feet high. You can snap a picture directly from the road, or drive a little past the falls to a parking pullout. There is a small hike that'll take you down to the pool... it can be a bit sketchy to get on, but after the first steps, the trail is easy.

Nahiku Marketplace - Mile Marker 29 - A few souvenir shops and food stands right after another roadside waterfall. We don't often stop here, but if you need to fill up on food, drinks, or keepsakes, this place is a good bet.

Pa'iloa Beach - Mile Marker 32 - This is a black sand beach within the Wai'anapanapa State Park, and definitely a good place to check out. Lots of parking, and easy access to the beach, the caves, as well as the surrounding bluffs and an old lava tube you can go inside.

Hana Town - Usually we just drive through Hana and don't stop often. There is a cultural center and some restaurants, and a few hotels but otherwise we haven't found much to see or do.

You might think this is the final destination on the road to Hana... but you'd be wrong, some of the best stuff is yet to come.

Hamoa Beach - Mile Marker 51 - One of our favourite beaches on this side of Maui and, depending on your timing, is a great spot to have lunch and go for a swim. The beach has public washrooms and even showers, rare in Hawaii, making it a great place to refresh.

Kipahulu - Mile Marker 42 - Part of Haleakala National Park, Kipahulu has 3 of the best sights in all of the road to Hana: Ohe'o Seven Sacred Pools, Pipiwai Trail, and Waimoku Falls. In addition, there is drive-in camping and we recommend you stay here if you're going to spend two days on the road to Hana. Its close proximity to our 3 favourite sights, the ocean, the jungle, and a few campsite comforts like BBQ pits, toilets, and trashcans, make it the perfect overnight stop.

Pipiwai Trail & Waimoku Falls - About a 6 km / 4 mi round-trip trail that takes you within a bamboo forest, past ancient banyan trees, over rivers and ends at a spectacular 400 foot waterfall you can bathe under... this is one of our favourite places in all of Maui -- and alone makes the road to Hana worth the effort. The trail is fairly easy with boardwalks in some areas to protect the environment, bring some water and a bathing suit... its not often you can swim under a waterfall this high!

Ohe'o Gulch - Also know as the Seven Sacred Pools, is a series of freshwater pools downstream from Waimoku Falls and the rivers you passed on the Pipiwai Trail. The pools are a great place to relax and soak in the sun before your trip back. The pools can periodically close due to flash floods so keep your fingers crossed they're open for your visit and check the National Park Service website for any notices or warnings.

Kaupo Store - If you decided to drive around the backside of the island, the jungle gives way to an empty, drier landscape and nestled seemingly in the middle of nowhere, one of the only places you'll see before you circle back to central Maui, is this small convenience store. Grab a drink and check out its old camera collection. It's a part of Maui few tourists enjoy and if you timed it right, the sunset will be incredible.