Again, we started our day early. Today was the day to do "The Road to Hana." No matter what you read in the guidebooks, or online reviews, this is a trip worth taking. Some people say that it will make you ill, going around all those curves and up and down the mountain. To that I say this...You are driving too fast!! Really. If you stick to a nice safe and sane speed, like the one posted, it is impossible to get ill. Physically impossible. The snorkel trip the day before caused more of an ill feeling than Hana, or any road trip could possibly cause. Can you tell I took issue with those reviews? It is really just a stupid commentary that probably causes many a tourist to avoid this trip. But enough of that.
We headed over to the other side of the island and got breakfast in the town of Pai'a. Eat at Charley's. Not only is it convenient, it is freakin' good. I had traditional Egg's Benedict and Megan had the same, but with O'ho. She was pretty impressed. The kids had a hearty meal themselves and then we gassed up and headed up the road to Hana.
We had the book Maui Revealed with us, but if I could make one very important suggestion, it is to read up and plan your stops before getting in the car. Even with Megan co-piloting, it was difficult to make some of those stops along the way, quick enough. 2/10th of a mile past mile post 15 happens pretty quick. We missed a few spots that we wanted to stop at because by the time we realized where that spot was, we were either on top of it, or just past it. It did not help that it was raining pretty much the whole way there. The traffic was not bad at all, which made for a nice trip. We pulled over at several vista spots to take pictures, but we skipped some of the trails because of the rain.
We did stop at the black sand beach. Parking is a bit tricky, with all the tour busses, but we managed. The beach is nice to look at. The surf was very rough, and there were quite a few "Jellyfish" signs about, so I would not recommend swimming. The lava tube off the beach was pretty cool. The blowholes on the lava outcropping are also cool. We were able to hike right up to them, looking down 20 feet or so into the surf below. Make sure you wear good shoes, because that lava is tough and sharp. I saw a few people stumbling about. I bet a lot of people get hurt on that stuff.
We stopped at a little Farmers Market, right before getting into Hana. It was ok. They were sampling some Japanese cucumber salad, which was awesome. I got the recipe from the girl handing it out. We rolled into Hana, and decided to get a bite before continuing on. We stopped at TuTu's Snack Shop, down by the Hana Harbor. The food was tasty but expensive. I got the mixed plate which was worth it, but everyone else's food was good, but nowhere near worth the price paid. But where else are you gonna eat?? They know that, and they charge accordingly.
Next stop was Ohe'o Gulch. It costs $10 bucks to park, but that fee will get you into the Haleakala parking lot, up to 2 days later. So if you are planning on going there, save your ticket. It was raining when we arrived, but we decided to brave it and hike the Pipiwai Trail. The rain stopped and started all the way up. The temperature was around 84 degrees, and the humidity was 100%. I felt like I was getting ready for Navy Seal training. There were a couple of times where I thought I might have a heart attack. But I pushed on.
The waterfalls were raging due to the rain. Swimming was off limits. The trail was slippery with mud and fallen fruit. But everything was incredible in it's beauty. The Bamboo Forest was awe inspiring. I could have wandered around in there much longer, but the top was calling. The forest was so dense that it seemed like dusk was upon us. Upon reaching the top, Waimoku Falls, we had to cross a couple of streams. Now if it had not been raining all day, it would be easy. But these streams were swollen and running deep. We made it across, but it was tricky. Once there, the falls were pretty cool. About 400 feet or so, seemingly dropping from the sky. Right when we got there, the skies opened up and we got soaked. Firehose soaked. It made for a wonderful, somewhat dangerous trip back down, since we were all soaked thru and thru. But we made it.
By the time we made it back to the car it was close to 5pm. And we still had to get back home. No matter what you read you can go all the way around. The road is narrow, tight, scary and rough. But again, unless you drive like a tool, you can make it. A couple miles from the trails is a little farm stand. There you can get the freshest fruit, smoothies, ice tea and frozen treats. If you order a smoothie, be prepared to ride a bike. That's right. The blender is powered by a bicycle, and you operate that bike. The kids enjoyed that, but I had ice tea. No biking for tea. The girl working there explained that this was an all natural working farm, and everything they sold was grown right there. There were some cool seating areas and a great little farm cat. No bathrooms though. You are however, invited to use a bush, like the girl behind the counter does. Hmmm...
After all that, it was back on the road toward home. As stated above, the road is scary, cut right into the side of sheer cliffs. Because of the time of day, we were pretty much the only one's on the road. It was nice because I could just focus on driving, and could also stop right in the road to check out some of the awesome views. Watch out for cows. They are all over the roadway, and only move if you honk. After a bit, the road went from rough pavement to brand new pavement. That made for a nice finish, as we circled upcountry and then back down into Kahalui. After a quick stop for some food, we made home, tired and dirty, but completely satisfied.
Again, I cannot stress this enough. Do the Road to Hana. You and your family will enjoy it. Make sure to bring water, freshly charged cameras and patience. Also, bring mosquito repellent. Meg and the kids woke up on Wednesday covered in bites. Dozens of bites. We are pretty certain they came from the hike. For some reason I escaped this torment. So do yourself good and bring repellent.
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