If you love driving, this is for you - but staying alert is key, as you'll run into a few surprise obstacles along the way. Banana bread is sold at many roadside stands on the island, including a few convenient spots on the Road to Hana. King Kahekili was king on Maui in the mid-1700s. Affiliate Disclaimer. TheNakalele Blowhole via Acid War Zone Trail is just about 1.3 miles round trip, but rated as moderate because its really steep and has a rocky terrain that can be difficult to hike, especially when wet. Finally, the last few miles of the Kahekili Highway (Route 340) from Waihee Point Lookout no longer present any difficulty, as the road widens again near the first residential areas of Waihee-Waiehu. There is also a very nice art gallery or two along the way. If you liked the drive to Hana, you might enjoy this drive; otherwise, I'd search the web for pictures of what you missed or take a helicopter ride. We also use third-party cookies that help us analyze and understand how you use this website. Those who say it's not dangerous are stupid so your review is very accurate. I am glad I did. Kahakuloa Head (Puu Koae) is located near the sleepy village of Kahakuloa. But what a view! I absolutely fell in love with it there and it was pretty nail-biting to do in a carby yourself! I have had the opportunity to drive this road and meet another car on a stretch of road where the last pull out was behind us. When my family and I got back to Ka'anapali to grab dinner (we didn't find anything edible for breakfast or lunch on the Kahekili Hwy, shocker), we couldn't even eat it we were so strung out from the drive. I had also heard about the Nakalele Blowhole (near mile marker 38), but I wasnt too sure where it was. Up to the blow hole you dont have to worry. (adsbygoogle = window.adsbygoogle || []).push({});
. I do think its worth the stop to see this unique part of the coastline! Many areas around Kahekili Highway and Maui Highway 340 areprivately owned and not accessible by tourists. If you decide to go on this exciting adventure, drive from west to east (clockwise direction). These are my favorite water shoes that travel with me every time I go to Hawaiior anywhere else for that matter! But some people like a little scary. Suppose you do not want to risk taking the Kahekili Highway. There are no guard rails in many areas. One of the most picturesque bays in Hawaii, Honolua Bay is stunning! Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews. Youre reaching the point where the Honoapiilani Highway/Maui Highway 340 and Kahekili Highway merge. The village of Hana was prepared to combat ocean invasions, but the wise . Not counterclockwise, the RT 30 was closed and apple maps took us to the 340 we had never heard about this road and i had a bad feeling seeing how curvy it was. Plus, your guides will take you to approved, safe places. The blowhole occurs in the lava shelf which can reach over 100 feet when air and water are forced upwards through the hole causing a geyser-like effect. You can drive the road to Hana yourself, or take a tour in a van . Highway 37 is a road that connects Kahului to the beginning of the Piilani Highway. Youll see warning signs and a grave of a 17-year old who passed away at the site. Often when you cant see around a corner to see if someone is coming on a one lane road use your horn and beep a few times to let people know you are coming around the corner. We are headed to Maui soon. Be sure to stop in the village and rest for a while. Review tags are currently only available for English language reviews. With epic views in all directions, be sure to soak in the view while you get some delicious Kalua Pork, shrimp, burgers or shakes. Born on Maui in the 1700s, he ruled all of Maui Nui, and then went onto conquer Oahu, Lanai and Kauai, according to legend. Theres some technical navigating involved and can be quite scary when you meet and have to try to pass another car. However, a greater part of this area is part of the West Maui Natural Area Reserveand there are some public spots worth exploring! Hana Highway, also known as the Road to Hana, runs for more than 64 miles along state Highways 360 and 36, connecting Hana in east Maui with Kahului. Find this post helpful? Save it for later or share it on social media! There are hairpin turns, scenic lookouts, and narrow one-lane bridges. So we share our tips on what to do and how to prepare for this scenic and thrilling drive. Theres a very small parking area, but you know it will be secluded! more. But if this is you - go for it, but slowly, covering the brakes around every turn, and looking ahead to pull out if a car is approaching from across the valley. I recommend a clockwise trip so your vehicle is hugging the mountain, not the edge of the road. Honokohau Bay is located where the Honoapiilani Highway (Highway 30) ends, and the actual Route 340 (Kahekili Highway) begins. TURN AROUND. She drove it one time and said never, ever again! Stop only in designated areas. You can see the natural pools easily, and all along the coast. Dont play music in the car. Theres a lot of privately owned land and undeveloped coastline. Beautiful images are easy in a scenic spot like Maui! For those driving the Road to Hana over the next few months, consider booking Road to Hana tours. Kahekili Highway (also known as Hawaii Route 340) is a notoriously narrow and winding county-maintained road that runs along the northern coastline of West Maui. This community is one of the most isolated spots on Maui and most of the residents work in and around the village. Youll be glad you did! Wish I read this beforehand but you nailed the description of that drive. Wow! Regardless, this area has a one-mile stretch where cars cannot pass. Performance cookies are used to understand and analyze the key performance indexes of the website which helps in delivering a better user experience for the visitors. The road climbed out of Kahakuloa Village and went into ranch land with sweeping vistas of green pastures. All of the negative reviews focus on the portion of road roughly between the Nakalele Blowhole and Waihee. Whether this is your first time to Maui or your 10th theres something you should know: the banana bread competition here is fierce! read more. There is a lookout point here thats quite beautiful! Ah so cool Yvonne! Oh Lord, please, please, please dont let me meet another car on this road. I thought to myself as I drove like a 90 year old man. Road closures in place for King's Runner 10k in Honolulu There were fatal accidents along the Kahekili Highway. There are several food stands, a studio, a ranch and many hillside homes along the way. These cookies will be stored in your browser only with your consent. As other reviewers have noted, this road does make the Road to Hana seem like child's play. 340). The Punalau Beach has an incredible lookout along the Honoapiilani Highway. The Kahekili Highway starts at the bottom of the gulch facing Honokhau Bay, taking over from the Honoapiilani Highway. I'm Nikki. This infamous 64.4-mile highway that stretches from Kahului to Hana is popular not for the destination Hana Town but for the incredible journey it takes to get there. This is the version of our website addressed to speakers of English in the United States. So be extremely careful. Dont obey the warnings and pay for it with your life. Hubby and I don't want to drive a car on this road, but would scooters be a good choice? What to wear and what to pack for the Kahekili Highway trip? The county reported the road open at about 1:15 p.m. Around 8 a.m., police reported that Kahekili Highway in the area of Mile Marker 7 was impassible due to flooding. But those in search of a back-to-nature driving experience should go the other way, along the Kahekili Highway (Hwy. We talked to many locals before going on the road, even one lady who lives up the road on the Head. Again, no trespassing just for a photo! Please take this into account. Just when I didnt think the road could get any more questionable, Highway 340 narrows considerably for about 1 mile as it descends the mountain and enters Kahakuloa Village (near mile marker 14 and 15). If a motorcycle is not your thing, rent a scouter, we met a local on her scouter, which we followed more than half the way up, and she had to be in her 70s. Its some of Mauis most gorgeous land. I have done several things in my life, skydived, flying small aircraft, cliff diving, etc., by far this was the most exhilarating of them all, seemed like to road would never end :). Find the trailhead for the Ohai Trail between mile markers 40 and 41. Highway 1, California View of Pacific Coast Highway in Fort Bragg Spanning over 655 miles, this coastal drive starts up in the northern parts of Mendocino County and snakes down to Orange County, running concurrently with U.S. 101 along the way including in a stretch across San Francisco's Golden Gate Bridge. Pinterest. One more note, at the Motorcycle rental in Kaanapali, they gave me a map for this road, is was not forbidden like car rental companies deem it. Be on the lookout. Because it wasn't paved until the mid-1990s, many tourist maps show it as a dirt road, if they show it at all. The village is home to about 100 people, a couple of churches, Lorraines Banana Bread and Banana Cream Pie, Julias Banana Bread, Karen Leis Gallery, Bruce Turnbull Studio and Sculpture Garden, and a few small businesses. This road should be used for people who live in that area only. I have yet to travel there, but this route is incredible. Its early in your trip, but every great road trip includes awesome food. So our concierge in Kaanapali Beach suggested the 13 crossings trail. We nearly scraped the rental car on the rocks on the hairpin turns and ultimately make a sketchy u-turn. It sounds perfect for us! Theres a small parking area or road you can take for great pictures. Tripadvisor checks reviews for fraud. She of course said she loved it! Yayyy! It's simply stunning! I havent seen many pictures of the inside, but its so pretty. It stretches 21.5 miles from Kapalua to Wailuku in western Maui. Whether on your own or on a tour, you will see the gorgeous scenery of the rainforest, including . Answer 1 of 17: Is there parking at Kapalua Bay? Its located on the side of the road right before you pass the Puu Koae. We did run into many people traveling in the opposite direction and had to back up several times. Finally before coming down the Kahekili highway into Waihee I passed a number of little fruit and artist stands. Especially dangerous is the stretch of highway between mile markers 6.9 and 16.3, where the changeover from state to county maintenance occurs in Maui. Theres still a trail that leads up there, but its too narrow and dangerous. For us after dark with no GPS or clue what we were getting into (my fault, no one elses) it was rather scary. It may save your life, Happy trails to you, Sherry Ott, and may you never give poor advice to anyone again. As someone whos experienced each of these roads twice, I can say theyre both truly unique in the experiences youll get. On a one-lane road, if you can not see around the corner to see if someone is coming towards you, honk a few times to let people know you are coming around the corner. Serious hiking shoes are not necessary, although a comfortable set of athletic shoes is preferred over sandals. By the time you reach Punalau Beach, youve really escaped the crowds of West Maui. Dec 20, 2015 - Take the road less traveled and find out why the Kahekili Highway is better than driving the Road to Hana in Maui. New weight limit 15 tons. 98% of travelers recommend this experience. Some say that Maui is the most beautiful island in Hawaii. The road to Hana is one of Maui's two most famous sights. When I had expressed interest in driving the Road to Hana, my friend in Maui furrowed her brow and said Everyone does the Road to Hana when in Maui. If you drove too fast (especially at night) you could easily end up off the road and several hundred feet down, with no one aware. An Adventure EVERY TIME - thrilling and beautiful and scary!! And because of this, the increased congestion on the roads, combined with visitors disobeying posted no parking signs, creates traffic jams and slow moving traffic. You'd absolutely love it, Bea :). Another travelogue from a one time tourist, who thinks they know everything. If you are a resident of another country or region, please select the appropriate version of Tripadvisor for your country or region in the drop-down menu. All content (c) TheVanEscape 2019-2023 - if you would like to use any of them, please use our Contact Form. I had to back up at one point as the other car was in the turn with no where to go and I felt I had no where to go. Thanks for your thoughts Chad. I don't recommend this drive as you are not able to trust the drivers coming the other way. 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