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Published: April 18th 2009
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Only about 35 miles seperate Kihei (where we are staying) and Hana. However the two towns might as well be a world apart. We've been looking forward to the drive to Hana, the guide books all gush about how it's probably the most spectacular drive in America. So with our convertible and a packed picnic, we set out early for this almost mythical road. Even with such high expectations we were totally stunned by how many incredibly scenic and awe inspiring vistas there were on the drive.
The road is very narrow and windy with too many blind turns and one lane bridges. It makes for very technical driving and I was very glad that John was behind the wheel. I would have probably done an unintentional "Thelma and Louise" on us had I been driving. We relied heavily on
Maui Revealed for the tips and directions to the sights along the road. This book has caused quite a controversy here in Maui. It has exposed sights that are out of the way and potentially hazardous to get to. There have even been deaths blamed on this book. In our opinion while most of the hikes are definitely not for novices, as
long as you use common sense and know your limitations you'll be fine. The pay off is so worth it.
By the time we got to Hana we've seen about nine waterfalls. It had been raining a few days before so the waterfalls were flowing heavily. This is probably the only place in the world where you can have waterfall fatigue. there are so many of them but we thought nine was enough for a day. Most impressive were the Lower Puhokamoa falls (200' cascade but no water access), the Hanawi falls ( called 3 bears for the 3 cascades), Punalau and Nihuku (these two had pools that we waded into).
One of the highlights for me was he side trip to Nihuku. In the 1920s a rubber plantation was planned here but because the environment was so rich and lush the trees did not produce much rubber. What remains is this this green gem of a town. It's barely a town actually, no main street, no stop lights, just a few houses. Verdant would be the perfect word to describe this place, I've never seen so many shades of green. There were huge trees everywhere, vines growing on the
trees, ferns covering the ground. At the end of the road is what I would remember as the singular most naturally beautiful spot I've ever seen. A little waterfall with a pool right next to the ocean, from here we could see a panoramic view of the coastline. We could not believe that no one else was there, it was our own private eden. I think the road blocked bridge with the cross at your own risk sign kept sightseers away.
A couple of miles before Hana is Wai'napanapa beach park. Here we explored some caves by the shore and a couple of caves with fresh water pools, we spent a lot of time at the beach. The sand here is of volcanic origin, created when lava hits the ocean. It's one of the few black sand beaches in Maui. This is a good place to observe nature at work. From the beach we watched the surf pounding on the lava formations, perpetually and slowly changing the landscape. John and I talked about how wonderful it is that this part of Maui has been spared any development, free for everyone to enjoy.
We finally arrived in Hana around 6pm and
checked in at Joe's Place. A bare bones but clean place that offers the most affordable accommodations in town. Hana is such a tranquil and isolated place, I felt my pulse slowing just walking around town. Due to this isolation the guidebooks call this the most Hawaiian of the towns in Maui. It has the most percentage of truly Hawaiian descent and has not changed much in decades. This present day sleepiness though belie a bloody past. Hana was witness to many bloody battle between the warring kings Hawiian islands in the 1800s.
The following day, before leaving Hana we had breakfast at Luana Spa. A small local operation over looking the ball park, nothing more than a few tables serving variations on the rice and egg (plus meat) breakfast. It was such a calming experience though, just watching the town as it wakes up. We're glad we made the decision to spend a night in Hana. Most people make it a day trip, it would have been too rushed and would have taken the fun out of exploring all the sights along the way.
Moving on beyond Hana there are more wonders to see. We decided to keep driving
south and make our way back to Kihei by going around Hale'akala (the Volcano). We made a stop at Hamoa beach (beige sand), which was deserted early in the morning. Next we made a stop at the aptly named Venus pool, a large pool at the end of a gulch and right next to the ocean. We did not take a dip because the trail down to the water looked perilous plus we were saving ourselves for the pools at Ohe'o gulch.
AKA the seven sacred pools, Ohe'o gulch is part of the Haleakala (volcano) National Park. For some this is the gold at the end of the rainbow that is the drive to Hana. It's a series of waterfalls and pools (not seven) that were created as the waters cascade down. The pools are easily viewed though it seems that the park is discouraging people from going down to play in them. Maui Revealed mentioned that it is common for people to dive in and swim however that day we did not see a single person playing in the waters. Instead we saw many signs warning of flash floods that have swept people out to sea.
Aside from the
pools the other attraction of the park is the Pipiwai trail. This leads to 2 waterfalls, the full trail can take up to 5 hours. We decided to only see the closer of the two waterfalls, the Makahiku. This is the tallest waterfall we saw in Maui and the view from the overlook was stunning. It's possible to get closer and actually access the pool that feeds the falls. We found the trail though it was supposedly closed we were able to go around it and make our way. From the pool you can see is the horizon and hear the rumbling of the falls as the water crashes 200' below. The guide books call this an "infinity" pool, kinda like those you find in fancy resorts. I think it's an infinity pool because if you are not careful and wander to the right edge of the pool the currents can toss you over the cliff into your own infinity.
Leaving the park we decided on one more stop before heading back to Kihei. The grand finale of our road to/pass Hana was the Alelele falls. About 50 feet tall and a 10 minute easy hike from the road. The
pool was a good size,deserted. The water was clear, cold and irresistible (since this was our last chance to make like an irish spring commercial). I got in and it was one of the high lights of our trip. Just us and the waterfalls and the wilderness of Maui.
The drive around Haleakala was partly unpaved and took us to the side of the leeward (drier) of the volcano. What a difference from the road to Hana, this side was scrubbier, desolate and drier. Big volcanic boulders and gulches give parts of it an extraterrestrial look. We stopped a couple of times to observe the rugged terrain and the wind battered coast.
Finally back in Kihei we were welcomed by rain. We started preparing for our flight home the following day. We spent our last day just laying in the beach, playing in the ocean and soaking in as much sun shine (albeit filtered through clouds) as we could.
We will definitely miss Maui and we've already thought of enough reasons for a return engagement. There's the sunrise trek up Haleakala, snorkeling in Molokini crater, exploring the offshore islands of Lanai and driving up the northwest coast. Until then Aloha.
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The place looks and sounds amazing!