Heavenly Hana, Maui
Accessed primarily by the Road to Hana, Hana Highway (36 and 360), Hana Town is the most isolated town in the Hawaiian Islands. With a tiny population of less than 1,000 people, Hana is strongly "Hawaiian" having had less exposure to tourism and outside culture than any other area in Hawaii. The actual town of Hana is very small with few shops, including the Hasegawa General Store. Check out the Hana Map.
The East side of Maui is generally known as Hana. This area is home to the Oheo Gulch (Seven Sacred Pools), the Bailey Bridge (built by the Army Corps of Engineers), and huge stretches of lush coastline, waterfalls, and vast rainforest. As winds from the Northeast sweep over the ocean, it pulls with it dense humidity. As this moisture rolls up Haleakala, it cools and precipitates on the Hana side making Hana one of the wettest places in the world.
The drive to Hana is known as one of the most beautiful drives in the world. The Road to Hana runs approximately 52 miles from the beach town of Paia, over 59 bridges, and through 620 curves. Though the drive isn't for those with weak stomachs, it is generally safer than many people report. Much of the negative perception of the road to Hana as being dangerous comes from when the road was poorly paved 20 years ago.
Some of the most dangerous places on the East side are waterfalls and streams during heavy rains. Flash floods claim lives every year arriving quickly with no warning. Lacking any previous indications, flash floods run swiftly down the mountainside due to rains further up. You can be sitting at a quiet stream in full sun, while the water builds upstream from unapparent heavy rains. Before entering these areas, make sure to check with officials and see that water isn't gathering further up. Seven Sacred Pools at Oheo Gulch is a great place to visit because Haleakala National Park officials are well aware of the dangers and will close off the area to swimming if there's any potential flooding.
SEE THE HANA SLIDESHOW.
SEE THE ROAD TO HANA VIDEO.
Hana Map
Hana Maui Map
The above map is a satellite image directly above Hana Town. Use the navigation on the right side of the map to zoom in and out or drag the map around to see more on each side.
The Hana photo was taken by Natalie Brown for Hawaii Photography.