The Road to Hāna

Maui's legendary rainforest coast drive

Location

East Maui · Hāna Highway (Hwy 360)

The drive

~64 mi · 600+ curves · 50+ bridges

Don't miss

Waiʻānapanapa black-sand beach

Plan for

A full day, start early

The Road to Hāna is a slow, winding coastal highway through the lush windward side of East Maui — more than 600 curves and 50-plus one-lane bridges past waterfalls, rainforest, and the black-sand beach at Waiʻānapanapa. It's famous for the journey, not the destination, and easily fills a day.

Waiʻānapanapa State Park's black-sand beach on the Road to Hāna, East Maui · Photo: dronepicr (CC BY 2.0)

The drive

The Road to Hāna threads the lush windward side of East Maui, connecting Kahului to the small town of Hāna and continuing toward the Kīpahulu District of Haleakalā National Park. It is famous less for the destination than for the journey: more than 600 curves and over 50 one-lane bridges wind past rainforest, roadside waterfalls, bamboo groves, sweeping ocean overlooks, and the black-sand beach and sea caves at Waiʻānapanapa State Park. The pace is deliberately unhurried, with frequent pull-offs for short hikes, fruit stands, and swimming holes.

Ocean and whale season

Because so much of the highway hugs cliffs above the Pacific, the drive doubles as a scenic vantage on the ocean. From roughly November through April, North Pacific humpback whales migrate to the warm, shallow waters around Maui to breed and calve, and the elevated coastal overlooks along the route can offer chances to spot spouts, breaches, and tail slaps offshore. Even outside whale season the pull-offs reward patience with turtles, dramatic surf, and long views along the Hāna coast.

Fitting it into a Maui trip

Most visitors treat the Road to Hāna as a dedicated full-day outing, starting early to beat traffic on the narrow bridges and to leave daylight for stops. It pairs naturally with Haleakalā National Park: the Kīpahulu District near the road's end offers coastal trails and pools, while the high-elevation Summit District is the classic sunrise destination on a separate day. You can self-drive at your own pace or join a guided van tour that handles the demanding driving.

Local tip

If you self-drive, start at dawn, download an offline map (cell service is spotty), and go slow — the one-lane bridges and blind curves demand it. A reservation is now required to visit Waiʻānapanapa State Park, so book that ahead.

Book & reserve