Jackieinpdx's Blog

Maui Trip Report – Part 5 Driving the east side of Maui and on the road to Hana

Burning the sugar cane near Paia

Windsurfing just beyond Paia

The Road to Hana – Get ready for a trip back in time to the old style, slower paced Hawai’i and the most beautiful tropical rainforests you’ve ever seen! But be prepared to take your time getting there, as the road to Hana offers some of the most spectacular scenery found anywhere in the Hawaiian islands, but the road is long and winding, with over 600 curves and 54 bridges. It’s only 53 miles from Kahului Airport to Hana, but it usually takes about 2½ to 3 hours to make the drive, of course that depends on how often you stop.

We stopped and turned around about an hour or more from the end of the road. Denise had seen enough and driven enough since she once again volunteered to drive. I had told her that my only experience driving to Hana was with Tara at 9 years old and her cousin at 12 years old and my sister who had been on Oahu for a week. The girls fought in the back seat most of the way. I had a migraine and at one stop one of the kids pushed the driver’s door and it hit me right above my eye and I ended up with a black eye.We got to the end of the road past Hana where the 7 Sacred Pools are and it was pouring rain. We ran and looked at them then turned around.

View point along the way

The Garden of Eden – Botanical Gardens

The opening of Jurassic Park was filmed here

Stupid peacock! He thought he saw another male but it was his reflection in the car. He was jumping and strutting around like he was trying to attack the other peacock. Denise had to back the car up so I could get in the door.

Keanai Point where we stopped for fresh baked banana bread, cokes and a bathroom. Then we turned around and headed back.

We were going to stop at the famous Mama’s Fish House for a beer and an appetizer but didn’t feel like paying for valet parking and eating at the restaurant in our bathing suits and cover-ups. So we went back to Paia and had appetizers at Milagros where we had eaten dinner at a few nights before. Milagros is a Mexican style restaurant trying to be Hawaiian at the same time. Some of their dishes were good but we had fish tacos that had fish that was over cooked.
Paia is a funky laid back historic, surfing/hippieish town somewhat like Haleiwa on the north shore of Oahu or Hanalei on the north shore of Kauai.
This was the last of the touristy things that Denise wanted to do. So the next few days were just sun and beach days.

Filed under: friends, Hawaii, photos, Travel, vacations | Tagged: maui |