The greenest, wettest, and most adventure-inspiring section of Maui, the infamous Road to Hana is jam-packed with favorite waterfalls, scenic beaches, and some of the best-kept secrets that define Maui.
Last updated: May 25, 2026
Road to Hana: Stops You Don’t Want to Miss
Road to Hana… One of the most surreal places on Earth. A coast, filled with lush tropical jungles, verdant gardens, and breathtaking beaches. A destination that logically can exist only in books and movies. The Road to Hana is every adventurer’s dream destination. A place you want to come back to again and again.
Sure enough, I explored the magnificent and slightly bewildering Road to Hana during both of my visits to Maui. The scenic drive along the Hana Coast had put a spell on me a few years ago when, obscured by heavy rain that didn’t stop the entire day, it showed a different side of the island. Wilder, authentic, less polished… A tropical paradise I’ve always imagined old Hawaii looked like.
No doubt, the Road to Hana is intense. It’s time consuming. You need at least one full day to drive from one end of the route to the point where it merges with the Backside Road to Hana.
Yet the Road to Hana is not that long. It spans only 64 miles. But the condition of the road, dozens of one-way bridges, tons of gorgeous stops, and some of the most beautiful secret spots make it one of the longest and most impactful adventures you can have on Maui.
How to Plan Your Road to Hana Adventure
I dreaded and anticipated the Road to Hana trip the second time around. I knew what to expect. And the expectations were much higher this time.
The first time, we had driven along the scenic route – a trip we did in reverse to eliminate any possible parking issues due to the influx of visitors – the weather conditions interfered and completely changed our itinerary.
On the bright side, we got to see the most spectacular waterfalls. The force of water was so strong that nothing could stay in its way. It felt like those waterfalls had their own will and souls, independent from the jungle and the island itself. I’ve never seen the waterfalls along the Hana Coast so full and roaring like that again.
This time around, our Road to Hana trip was less about waterfalls. It included more secret spots, off-the-road sites, and places where locals congregated.
TIP: If it’s your first time planning a trip along the Hana Coast, you can combine this guide with the itinerary I compiled a few years ago and choose places that speak to your heart and pique your curiosity. But remember, if you have only one day, you won’t be able to see everything the Road to Hana has to offer. So, pick your destinations wisely.
With that said, let’s begin our journey along the Road to Hana (and continue it on along the Backroad to Hana and all the way into the Upcountry region of Maui).
ICONIC STOPS AND SECRET SPOTS YOU DON’T WANT TO MISS ALONG THE ROAD TO HANA
1. Paia
We started our journey along the scenic Road to Hana in a traditional way, beginning at the start, officially Paia.
Paia is a charming coastal town. The first place along the winding drive, it’s your last chance to get fuel before you reach Hana. For those who drive from West or South Maui on an empty stomach, it’s also a perfect time to experience local hospitality and get your breakfast and snacks for the long day ahead of you.
The latter, however, is not necessary. The Road to Hana is dotted with special little gems where you can try local delicacies, including the famous banana bread and coconut ice cream.
2. Maui’s Garden of Eden
If you’ve already seen several “regular” Road to Hana guides, you are more likely to expect to have Twin Falls Maui as the next stop. The road sign a short drive east of Paia will direct you to the exact spot where the majority of visitors stop and hike to a jungle waterfall with a swimming pool to cool off on a hot day.
We left the easy Twin Falls hike for bigger crowds to explore and instead looked for solitude and tropical aesthetics at Maui’s Garden of Eden.
One of the best-kept secrets of Maui, the place boasts a large variety of tropical plants, an ostentation of attention-seeking peacocks, and gorgeous views of the shore and Puohokamoa Falls.
How to Visit: Maui’s Garden of Eden is a paid site. You can get your entry ticket at the gate. No reservation is required. The place is open daily, normally from 8 a.m. to 4 p.m.
3. Ke’anae Arboretum
Another off-the-beaten path destination along the Road to Hana, the Ke’anae Arboretum is less formal. There is no garden staff on duty to take your payment and give you the overview of the place.
The Ke’anae Arboretum sits to the right of a modest parking area on a side road. A narrow trail with a single signpost and a short gate across the road are everything that suggest that you’ve reached your next destination along the Road to Hana.
Hit the well-trodden path and dive into the lush garden that consists of all kinds of tropical plants from towering palm trees to thin-stemmed bamboos, papaya, breadfruit trees, and multicolored eucalyptus. Commonly known as rainbow eucalyptus, these trees have been on our Hawaii bucket list for a while.
4. Ke’anae Peninsula
This Road to Hana trip aligned with our travel goals as much as possible: more off-the-beaten-path destinations, less hot tourist spots. You can’t really say that the Ke’anae Peninsula is a true hidden gem of the Hana Coast. But it certainly doesn’t feel overcrowded.
The peninsula is known for its rugged scenery of black lava rocks and untamed waves and that famous Aunty Sandy’s banana bread that every other Road to Hana itinerary recommends. Yes, that family-owned stand that was featured on Gordon Ramsay’s show.
5. Aunty Sandy’s Banana Bread Stand
I came across Aunty Sandy’s Banana Bread so many times during the researching and planning phase of our Road to Hana trip that it got engraved on my mind. When we saw the sign to the banana bread stand on the Ke’anae Peninsula, it was one of those moments when the decision was already made for you.
Since the famous recipe asks for a generous amount of dairy butter (thank you, Gordon Ramsay, for this inside information), I was eagerly waiting for a verdict on this famous creation from Roshan.
Well, according to him, the still warm banana bread was good. But deciding whether it was divine or simply delicious was beyond his degustation abilities. Not the answer I was looking for.
So, although I don’t eat dairy, I tore a tiny piece of the banana bread and savored it. Aunty Sandy’s banana bread was very good. If you are a banana bread lover, you should definitely try it. But, no offense in case Aunty Sandy and her staff are reading this, it wasn’t the best banana bread I’ve ever eaten.
6. Ke’anae Lookout
We expected more food degustation along the Road to Hana later on. As for now, we relocated to the nearby parking area and enjoyed the panoramic views of the rugged coastline from the Ke’anae Lookout.
And since it was Hawaii, enjoying the vista while sipping fresh coconut water was the proper way of doing it. A hasty-made tent with a sign “Coconut $10” and dozens of large coconuts under its flimsy ceiling next to the parking area was such an intriguing sight for me and Dylan. We even agreed that the view looked even better once we got our hands on that sweet island “drink” in a shell.
7. Upper Waikani Falls (aka Three Bears)
The Road to Hana is one of the wildest and most beautiful places on Maui. It’s where tropical jungles intertwine with roaring roadside waterfalls to create a rich tapestry of colors, sounds, smells, and experiences.
You can drive along the Hana Coast without making a single stop and still come out on the other side of the route with the sense of complete awe and admiration for nature and forest. These are the places that don’t depend on visitors of even locals to survive, but thrive once left alone and undisturbed.
Upper Waikani Falls, or otherwise known as Three Bears Falls, is one of those scenic sites you can enjoy along the Road to Hana without any extra planning, walking, or even stepping outside of your car.
Location: Three distinctive waterfalls are located near mile marker 19. Slightly different in size, every part of the 70-foot waterfall comes into view from a one-lane bridge. After heavy rains, the “little bears” merge, creating a wide veil of rushing and churning water that spills into a swimming pool at the bottom.
If you are aching for a little adventure, given that you can find a safe parking spot along the side of the Hana Road, you can head down a steep and slippery trail to the bottom of the falls. It’s a challenging trail, though. You may want to look for an easier waterfall to hike to and swim at elsewhere.
8. Pua’a Ka’a State Wayside Park
If the rain that is frequent at the Hana Coast gives you a short window of sunshine, make a stop at Pua’a Ka’a State Wayside Park.
Location: The place is located at mile marker 22.5. It’s nestled just across the road from a parking area with a restroom facility.
The small roadside park is equipped with several picnic tables and overlooks a small, but gorgeous waterfall with a pool at the bottom. Normally ignored by the majority, the area is one of a few underrated spots along the Road to Hana.
Parking: Since travelers stop here for a quick picnic or to use the restrooms, parking spots open up quickly and regularly. You shouldn’t have any issues with securing one of the empty spots before your short waterfall walk.
9. Coconut Glen’s Ice Cream
One foodie place along the Road to Hana I was most excited about was Coconut Glen’s Ice Cream. Unlike all other food stops in this Hana Coast itinerary, the place was recommended to me by my brother’s family. So skipping Coconut Glen’s Ice Cream wasn’t an option. We were stopping there, rain or shine.
Well, it wasn’t just raining. It poured cats and dogs when we reached a bright yellow bus with a small crowd in front of it. We parked and waited for the rain to subside. After a few minutes of idly looking as people would congregate, leave, and line up in front of the ice cream bus, we followed their lead.
Each of us took two scoops of different flavors of dairy-free, locally-made coconut ice cream. I don’t know whether sitting under the umbrella on a picnic table in heavy rain surrounded by lush tropical greenery had something to do with it, but ice cream had never tasted that good.
10. Nahiku Marketplace
We made a quick stop to get heartier food right after the ice cream moment. Located just a few minutes down the Hana Road, Nahiku Marketplace with its pop-up pizza and barbecue tents was as good as it gets.
The only exception in our case was that not all regular “shops” were operating that day. The ones that were closed were where Roshan and Dylan wanted to get their food from. So, we left the marketplace empty-handed and grabbed our late lunch in Hana.
READ MORE: Where to Eat in Lahaina – Kaanapali, Maui (Vegans, Too)
11. Wai’anapanapa State Park (Black Sand Beach)
One of the most resplendent places along the Road to Hana, Wai’anapanapa State Park is home to the beautiful Black Sand Beach (Pa’iloa Beach). The enchanting cove with a small lava tube and steep cliffs surrendering it are direct offspring and silent witnesses of lava flows that rushed through the area hundreds of years ago.
Places of such dramatic beauty are what draws you to the Road to Hana. I’m afraid to admit that we almost skipped Wai’anapanapa State Park. The main reason was the crowds. Easy to access and excessively advertised by social media, the Black Sand Beach on the Hana Coast is hardly a serene place.
Its popularity, often paired with the lack of empty parking stops, had demanded some intervention from the State Park authorities. As a result, you must reserve your slot time before arriving at the park.
TIP: I booked our afternoon visit a few days in advance. Our previous, not so successful experiences on Oahu kept playing in my mind as a reminder that some state parks in Hawaii can be quite hot spots. Wait until the last day and you may not be able to get inside.
12. Hana
Hana is a symbolic place. The entire scenic route, the Road to Hana, is named after it, after all. The place is the last town along the jungle road to get gas and food and do some gift and souvenir shopping.
From here, you can continue on to the Kipahulu District of Haleakala National Park and then the Backside Road to Hana. The alternative route is to head back the way you came.
13. Red Sand Beach
The day was slowly going to an end. Officially, we made it to the last point along the scenic Road to Hana. But it wasn’t our final destination. Apart from getting some food, we weren’t interested in any attractions in the town but one. Red Sand Beach is Hana’s hidden gem.
Known among locals as Kaihalulu Beach, this secluded cove lures with its dramatic dark red sand, turquoise water, tranquility (for the most part), and uninterrupted whale watching (when the season is right).
Note: The coastline is nowhere as popular as any other unique beaches along the Road to Hana due to a treacherous trail that leads to it. Narrow and winding up and down along the steep cliff, it presents challenges beyond many Hana visitor’s physical abilities.
14. Wailua Falls
As we were heading further down the Road to Hana toward the Kipahulu District of Haleakala National Park, we had one more stop to make.
Wailua Falls is a sight you can’t miss. Plunging from an 80-feet cliff, this roaring giant sits right to the side of the road and drowns out all other sounds.
You can spend as much or as little time admiring the waterfall from your car, given you are not holding the traffic. For a more pleasant and respectful experience, park on the other side of a small bridge nestled right in front of the waterfall. Then take a few steps back, face the towering waterfall, admire its flow, and enjoy the mist that splatters all over the place.
15. The Kipahulu District of Haleakala National Park
I have a soft spot for the Kipahulu District of Haleakala National Park. We didn’t get a chance to visit it this time. During our previous trip to Maui, however, we’d hiked along its diverse Pipiwai Trail that sprints through a dense jungle and a bamboo forest, runs across gurgling streams, and comes so close to two waterfalls that you feel like you can touch the water.
Near the Pipiwai trailhead, a shorter trail veers to the right and takes you to breathtaking Pools of Ohe’o, commonly known as Seven Sacred Pools.
