Brit and I flew all the way to Hawaii to watch The Raconteurs close out their tour. We spent two and a half days on O’ahu and then took a cheap hopper flight (via Southwest) to Maui. With only six days to explore I think it would have been best to concentrate on one island, however, I’m impressed with everything we accomplished. Below is a picture of O’ahu from the plane window.
We decided that renting a car was our best option since we were literally driving around the entire island. Car rentals were reasonably priced through Southwest. Once we got our ride, we started our drive towards Mama’s Fish House just outside of Paia. Brit made dinner reservations several weeks in advance because they are well known for their grub. This was also our lodging for the night and if you decide to stay here- be prepared to drop a pretty penny.
We planned on leaving our bags and driving to Haleakala for sunset but there was a widespread, non-intentional fire on Maui. The skies were engulfed in smoke which led to us skipping Haleakala due to poor visibility. Instead we explored the little town of Paia, did some shopping, had some yummy ice cream and spent sunset with the sea turtles on Kaulahao Beach.
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Mama’s Fish House is a family owned restaurant on the North Shore of Maui. They’ve been around since 1973 and are well known for their variety of fresh fish. Each morning, the fisherman scout several locations in the ocean; some even reaching 2,000 feet. Once caught, they are brought directly to the restaurant and served within 24 hours. We ordered a few plates and also a complimentary order of their home-made Poi. This is a traditional cuisine for native Hawaiians and is made from the underground stem of taro. It has a thick and pasty consistency very similar to baby food. Our waiter informed us that it’s more about the experience of trying it opposed to actually enjoying it. There is not much flavor but I’ll try anything once! Unlike my opinion of Poi, the rest of our meal was delicious and each plate had a unique presentation which I always enjoy.
“Water is the secret to a great vacation”
Mama’s Fish House Waiter, in the most twangy Texan accent.
Alright, the next morning Brit and I started our journey on the Road to Hana. We did a lot of research in regards to spending one or two days driving. It is possible to complete in one day but you would need to get an early start and manage the time you spend at each stop accordingly. We decided to break up the drive and spend one night in Hana.
Couple things:
- Pack snacks and drinks for your journey. You’ll be spending a lot of time in the car with limited stops.
- Fill your gas tank before you take the Road to Hana. Gas stations are sparse.
- Download the “Gypsy Guide” Road to Hana app. It’ll cost you $6.99 but it’s worth it because the app lets you know the where, when and what of each stop along the way. Don’t worry, you’ll still be able to listen to your music! The narrator will pause songs and give a brief description of the approaching destination. The app works with GPS and follows your progress.
- Drive safe. The Road to Hana has something like 620 curves! Take your time and be respectful of locals. They are more comfortable with the roads and have work to do throughout the day. Let them pass if you can pull to the side.
- Take turns when you encounter one of the 59 bridges on the Road to Hana. Most can only accommodate one car at time. Before crossing, always stop and check to see if someone is coming. If you’re first to reach the bridge then you have the right away.
- Book your Hana lodging ahead of time. It’s going to be pricy and there are limited options so it’s best to be prepared. I quickly discovered that several spots would not provide one night stays so an airbnb was the best we could find.
- Do not travel on the backside of the Road to Hana unless you are an extremely experienced driver. The roads are very bumpy, narrow and unfinished. If you blow a tire, it’ll be EXTREMELY difficult to get help and you’ll be stranded for hours, if not an entire day. Plus it’ll cost you an arm and a leg!
The first stop we wanted to make was “Jaws” aka Pea’hi, where surfers can catch extreme waves that reach 50 feet or more in height. At mile 7 past Paia, there is a view point where spectators can hang out but having a four-wheel drive vehicle is a must (I promise, I tried in the car. They really mean it) or you can park along the look-out road and walk one mile. Here is more info on Jaws. We were eager to continue our journey so we did not walk in.
As mentioned on the Gypsy Guide app, Twin Falls can be skipped. There are better views ahead. The Keanae Arboretum can be easily missed, despite the app giving you a heads up. The entrance is marked with a small sign and a rusty old green gate that we actually passed the first time because it sits in one of the windy bends. The parking is also in the bend so you have to be extremely careful when crossing. It’s a short and peaceful walk with luxuriant trees, bright colorful flowers and rainbow eucalyptus trees! The eucalyptus trees can be found in various locations on the Road to Hana.
Just a short jaunt from the arboretum, take a left on Keanae Road which will guide you to several viewpoints. The water in Maui is a special color blue. It’s not like anywhere I had seen before.
Stretch your legs and soak in the views before getting back on the Road to Hana. The halfway mark to Hana is not far and there are a few local stands with coffee, food (mmm, Banana Bread) and souvenirs. If I remember correctly, the shops close around 5 so try to get there before then.
You’ll pass several waterfalls on your drive. Most can be seen from the car as you cross the bridges but if you want a closer look, you can cautiously pull off the road and park.
Please be sure to check out one of the Lava Tubes. I believe there are two of them before reaching Hana. We did not end up stopping. I’ll explain later haha.
You do not want to miss the Black Sand Beach at Kuaiwa Point. Everything is so GREEN in comparison to the black sand. If you walk past the beach and onto the coast path, you’ll reach the Wai’anapanapa Blow Hole. Again, proceed with caution. The water is powerful and footing can be sketchy.
Hey Birdie
Important note: They close the access gate at 6 pm. If you are still at the beach, they will lock you in. Also, watch out for wild animals! This spotted pig was…spotted…running down the road. Before reaching the airbnb, we ordered Thai from a food truck in Hana called Ae’s Thai Kitchen.
The next morning we headed towards The Pools of ‘Ohe’o but first made a stop at Hamoa Beach.
Homoa Beach
Wailua Falls (seen from the road) was really tall and pretty with a rainbow shimmering in the mist. We had a lot of anticipation for The Pools of ‘Ohe’o but unfortunately Brit and I were disappointed when we arrived. No one was swimming, the pools were not full and the place seemed deserted.
Wailua Falls 
Our original plan was to drive back the way we came and stop at one of the lava tubes. Taking the same way home is recommended. As mentioned earlier, insurance companies will not cover damage obtained on the backside of The Road to Hana but we were feelin’ like rebels!
The backside was by the far the best part. It felt like we were driving on the edge of the world. At first the road was extremely narrow and bumpy. It is mostly one-way so it became difficult when we encountered traffic heading the opposite direction but it eventually turned to pavement with two lanes. Talk about a FUN drive zipping thru the hills along the coast.
We completed the entire Road to Hana loop without any problems- Praise be! We then drove all the way to Lahaina Beach and made it just in time for our whale watching reservation with Ultimate Whale Watch and Snorkel. Our only pit stop on the way was a sunflower field in Wailuku. This is apparently seasonal so we were really lucky to see these!
Also seasonal are the guaranteed whale sightings! November- May is the best time to see the North Pacific Humpback Whales due to their annual migration during mating season. Males will spend eight weeks in Maui searching for the females that may only stay for one day. Their goal is to get pregnant and as soon as that happens, they head back home.
We did not see any whale breaching but this rainbow above Lahaina made up for it.
Our trip was packed full with exploring and very little relaxation time. There are still several items on my Hawaii bucket list so I guess I better make my way back soon. 🙂 Thanks for reading.