Simple Tips for Driving the Road to Hana

March 11, 2024

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The Road to Hana is one of the most popular activities in Maui; however, the drive can be pretty daunting if you aren’t prepared. With a bit of prep and a few tips, you can have a great time on the drive. Check out the six simple tips below to make your Road to Hana trip smooth sailing!

1. Start Your Road to Hana Day Early

The earlier you start your drive, the less traffic you will encounter and the less stressful the drive will be overall. Eventually traffic will catch up with you later in the day after you make stops, but you should be able to get pretty far into the drive without an abundance of traffic!

We started our drive at 6:45 am from Kahului and didn’t hit much traffic until around the black sand beach, which is one of the most popular locations

Driving down a road lined with palm trees. In the distnace the clouds on the horizon are glowing orange from the sunrise

flowing river and small waterfall lined with a rocky bank and tropical plants and trees. The sky is grey and cloudy.

2. Pull Over For The Locals

The locals drive this road often, it is the only road in and out of Hana. They have places to be and things to do; they are going to be much more comfortable quickly driving this road than you. When there shoulder space pull over when you can and let them pass. You are going to make your drive easier and their day better.

There may not always be a place immediately available to pull over, but you should find one quick enough to allow anyone traveling quicker than you to pass.

Two lane highway lines with tropical trees and plants. Clouds on the horizon in the distance.

Looking between and over tropical trees and plants at a bright blue ocean hitting a black rocky shore.

3. Download A Road to Hana Audio Guide

There are so many apps that provide audio guides for the Road to Hana; pick one guide and utilize it as much or as little as needed. These apps and guides are great at providing directions and information about stops along the route. Everything from must-see stops and locations for changing into swimsuits to bathrooms, food options, and even history lessons are available as part of these guides. They are an excellent tool to have available to you, and you should quickly skim the guide before the day you start your drive.

We used the Shaka Guide and would definitely recommend it! There was lots of great information about what was worth stopping at based on the available time. I also really loved the stories, informational tidbits, and history provided as part of the guide.

brown-haired woman in sunglasses standing on a black sand beach holding her hair and looking out at the ocean. She is wearing a black cropped tank top and teal leggings with white pineapple print. In the background there is a black rocky area with topical plants growing on top

Two lane highway lines with tropical trees and plants. Puffy clouds dot the blue sky

4. Pick Your Must See Stops Ahead of Time

It can be difficult to stop and see everything in a Road to Hana trip if you aren’t spending more than one day on the road. Pick a few must see stops ahead of time and focus on visiting them. Beyond that, go with the flow, the Road to Hana is just as much about the journey as the destination. If you plan to visit the black sand beach, you will need a reservation for the Waiʻānapana State Park and it must be made in advance.

White jeep parked in an nature park looking out over the ocean in the distance with many tropical plants and palms in the foreground

Brown-haired woman carrying a pink water bottle and wearing a black cropped tank top, and teal leggings with a white pineapple print walking along a wooden path through a bright green bamboo forest.

5. Stay Alert and Don’t Get Too Comfortable

There are many narrow areas and one-lane bridges along the Road to Hana. Stay alert for places where you should yield to oncoming traffic, and always be aware of other vehicles. If you have a passenger, they can even help keep an eye out for oncoming traffic on narrow roads and one-lane bridge crossings.

When crossing a one lane bridge follow the traffic in front of you, if they are crossing you should too, don’t stop for oncoming traffic that is already yielding. Also, don’t get too comfortable on the drive, that’s when you can make mistakes. Take it slow if necessary and pay attention! The road gets more intense between Hana and the Pipiwai Trail and often only has enough space for one vehicle. This area can also be busy due to the popularity of the trail.

One lane road on the "Road to Hana" lined with green tropical trees and plants. Powerlines run through the top of the trees.

6. Avoid Driving the Road to Hana After Dark

Avoiding driving after dark calls back to multiple previous tips. You don’t know this road very well, and it is narrow and winding. It can be dangerous during the day and even more so after dark when there is reduced visibility.

Plan your major stops so you are headed back with plenty of time before the sun sets. You ideally want to be out of the main road, which involves hundreds of narrow turns, before it’s dark. Plan to start heading back 1.5 to 2 hours before sunset.