Road to Hāna: what to know before you drive it
The Road to Hāna runs along Maui's north-east coast from Kahului to the town of Hāna, about 64 miles on Highways 36 and 360, with hundreds of curves and dozens of mostly one-lane bridges past waterfalls and rainforest. It is a slow, scenic drive, not a fast one: plan a full day and start early.
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What it's like
Tight, narrow and constantly turning, with single-lane bridges where you yield to whoever is already on them, and blind corners against the cliff. The pace is slow by necessity — the point is the waterfalls, gardens and coast along the way.
Fill up in Pāʻia before you start; services along the road are limited.
Driving it well
People live along this road and drive it every day. Pull over to let faster local traffic pass, park only in marked areas, and respect closed and private property — many of the waterfalls you've seen online are on private land.
Start early to beat the tour traffic, and give yourself time to drive back in daylight.
Past Hāna
Beyond Hāna the road continues toward Kīpahulu and the coastal district of Haleakalā National Park, then becomes the Piʻilani Highway around the south side of the island, with rough and unpaved sections. Many rental car agreements prohibit it, so check yours before you go.
Mapped drives on Maui
Curated drives first, then by how much they bend.
- The Road to HānaNear Kahului79 mi1,076 corners13.6 / mi
- Unnamed Hawaiian Road #1Near Haiku6.8 mi166 corners24.3 / mi
- Lupi RoadNear Haiku5.6 mi124 corners22.1 / mi
- Unnamed Hawaiian Road #3Near Haiku3.8 mi71 corners18.6 / mi
- Olinda Road + Pi’lholo RoadNear Paia17 mi200 corners11.6 / mi
- Unnamed Hawaiian Road #2Near Makawao3.7 mi107 corners28.8 / mi
- Unnamed Hawaiian Road #44.5 mi99 corners21.9 / mi
- Kaupakalua RoadNear Makawao6.5 mi79 corners12.2 / mi
- Haleakala HighwayNear Kula9.1 mi70 corners7.7 / mi
Questions
- How long does the Road to Hāna take?
- Two and a half to three hours each way without stops. With stops, it is a full day.
- Is the Road to Hāna dangerous?
- It is narrow and slow rather than dangerous, if you drive it patiently: yield at the one-lane bridges, keep to your side on blind corners, and don't stop in the road.
- Can you drive all the way around past Hāna?
- The road continues around the south of the island, but parts are rough or unpaved and many rental contracts exclude them. Check your agreement first.
Keep reading
- How do I find twisty roads near me?How to find the best curvy driving roads near you: what makes a road good to drive, how to measure it, and how Road Finder scores every road in an area on curvature and flow.
- What is the best app for driving enthusiasts?What a driving enthusiast app should do — find great roads, navigate them with pace notes, record drives and run group drives — and how Road & Rally covers each.