East Maui: Road to Hana

Disclosure: As of January 12, 2018 I have received notice from Hana Highway Regulation that all waterfalls on the Road to Hana (aside from the falls at Puaakaa State Wayside Park) are on private property and should not be accessed by tourists. This post is not intended to promote this sight, simply to share a memory that I have of our honeymoon there. Please be aware that you will be fined if you trespass on private property.

Road to Hana

As much as we enjoyed the gorgeous beaches and breathtaking sunsets of Lahaina, Hana is ultimately what made us fall in love with Maui.

This part of the island feels protected and pure with green mountains and gushing waterfalls around almost every corner.

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It’s truly a magical place with so much to see and explore. There aren’t any resorts or cruise ships, it’s just Mother Nature at it’s finest.

Four Waterfall Hike

After staying in Lahaina for three nights we spent a night in Paia, a charming beach town lined with independent shops and a famous windsurfing beach.

Passing through, it might not look like much but the food here was awesome. We had lunch Flatbread Pizza Company, dinner at Mama’s Fish House, and breakfast the next morning at Anthony’s Coffee Co. and everything was incredible, especially the blueberry muffins at Anthony’s.

Starting the Road to Hana from Paia allowed us a head start of those coming from the west side of the island so we were able to avoid crowds and traffic along the way.

Road to Hana

The journey began with a somewhat treacherous hike through a bamboo forest to get to the Na’ili’ili haele stream and waterfalls. We hiked to the third waterfall but the swimming conditions weren’t ideal so we trekked back and continued on to the beautifully manicured Garden of Eden.

Garden of Eden

Garden of Eden

Garden of Eden

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This would be a great place to stop with a family since it’s pretty low-key and they have plenty of hungry ducks and a few peacocks.

Brandon wanted to feed them and it was hilarious to watch them chase him to the food. Some of the ducks even pecked at his legs while he was trying to get it out of the dispenser.

Bird Man

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Next up was a hike that’s right past mile marker 13, along Panalau Stream. There wasn’t a trail for this one so we had to hike over boulders that were literally in the stream (which was mostly dry).

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Waterfall Hike

Waterfall Hike

The water here was crystal clear and you got the most amazing view when you looked up at the enormous walls lined with dark rock and green moss. We had it all to ourselves and it was one of the best hikes of the whole trip.

Waterfall Hike

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Waterfall Hike 002

As we got closer to Hana, we stopped for vegan ice cream at Coconut Glen’s.

Coconut Glen

We went for a mix of classic coconut and chocolate macadamia nut that they served with spoons made from the same coconuts that they used to make the ice cream.

Coconut Glen's

That night we stayed at Hana Kai which is located right on the black sand beach of Hana Bay.

Hana Kai

Black Sand Beach

Hana Kai

Hana Kai

For dinner, we picked up a wood fired pizza from Clay Oven and brought it back to the hotel in a banana tree leaf to-go box.

The Clay Oven

The Clay Oven

The Clay Oven

The pizza was delicious and it was a great way to cap off the day. The next day was filled with even more hikes and unbelievable beauty. Stay tuned!