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.
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.
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.
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.
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.
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.
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).
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.
As we got closer to Hana, we stopped for vegan ice cream at Coconut Glen’s.
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.
That night we stayed at Hana Kai which is located right on the black sand beach of Hana Bay.
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 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!
Oh my goodness I’m jealous of those photos! It looks gorgeous!
Absolutely gorgeous! I love the waterfalls and the tropical foliage is amazing!
Gorgeous pictures! That one of you by the waterfall is so cute. I love how clear that water was!
I really love all your pictures! Also, I think we saw that same peacock on our way to Hana! We stayed two nights in a yurt, which I think was pretty close to the place you guys stayed, it was a pretty cool experience! Unfortunately, we did not get the pizza in a banana leaf, so I guess we just need to go back and pick one up :)
A pizza box made out of banana leaves is pretty dang cool!
Vegan ice cream? Yum!! Also, that pizza looks to die for!
I didn’t get a chance to do the Road to Hana when we were in Maui but it is definitely on my list for next time! I heard so many great things!
ahhh, so tropical and lush!!
banana leaf to-go box? that’s uh-mazing and so creative!
great photo of you in the waterfall, fit chick!
OMG chocolate macadamia nut ice cream? Dying. Even with all the beautiful scenery, the macadamia nut part of your Hawaii posts is where I always seem to zero in :) It looks like you guys really took advantage of everything Maui has to offer! Love living your honeymoon vicariously through the blog :)
Gorgeous photos! I love hearing about other peoples holidays and seeing all the beautiful pictures. Hana looks stunning!
And I love how the pizza came in banana leaves and the spoons were made of coconuts – on one of the islands we were on recently there was so much rubbish from all the packaging used for food for the tourists, but then you would walk through the villages and see the locals eat off banana leaves using their hands. So its good to see sustainable tourism is going strong in some areas, hopefully it catches on :)
Such gorgeous views!! We never did the road to hana when we were in maui! I’ll just do it instead through your pictures : )
I love your photos. Hawaii is such a beautiful place to visit. Thanks for sharing :D
Luscious nature, a true paradise. That pizza placed on banana leaves is really something.
Such gorgeous photos! I love the use of their eco-friendly utensils for the ice cream and plastic/cardboard-free pizza container. So neat! This looks like total paradise and I think I need to have a visit to this place in my lifetime. Wow!
Wow, what a beautiful trip! I love the lush foliage. …and that pizza! OMG! I’m drooling over that clay-oven pizza! (the foodie in me is taking over)
Oh my gosh, everything looks so amazing! This is my kind of day :) I love the ice cream with coconut spoons + the pizza wrapped in banana leaves. So much fun!! And don’t even get me started on how beautiful the hike & waterfalls look! It looks so magical.
I know a lot of people that just went to Hawaii, and I’m getting an itch to go back there!
Ahhh how cool! I definitely would have been afraid of all the birds, especially to look at. I’m not a bird person haha though they are pretty! So many waterfalls—gah I love reading your recap but now I really wanna go!
I’m SO jealous, and I’m incredibly happy for you. Those pictures are stunning. You’ve got quite the eye for photography! Take lots of hikes and tons of pictures :)
So beautiful! I went to Hawaii once (granted it was with my mom) and I did not have a good time at all. Maybe it was a mix of wrong location and teenage hormones but your pictures inspired me to check it out again!
Really enjoying your Hawaii posts. What a wonderful trip. Fantastic pics.
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