Road to Hana, a dream come true

Written by Steffi 😃

Yesterday we had the very famous Road to Hana on our itinerary. The Hana Highway (HI-360) has 620 curves and 59 bridges (one way!!). The road passes through lush rainforests, flowing waterfalls, diving pools, and dramatic coastal landscapes (so it says on the internet). You can stop at numerous places and discover endless things.

So we prepared ourselves well. We packed drinks, snacks, sturdy shoes, and swimwear. Just before seven, we got in the car, stopped briefly to buy coffee, and off we went. At a starting point, I could start our GyPSy Guide (an app that describes all the sights, parking facilities, and the history of Hawaii using the GPS signal from the phone). It was a great investment at seven euros because with the help of the guide, we found all the places we had researched before. There are hardly any signs, so you have to rely on mile markers, and that is trickier than it sounds. First, we drove through the small hippie town of Paia, past the famous windsurfing spot Ho'okipa (unfortunately, we didn't see Robby Naish or something like that) and then past mile marker 0.0. I was so touched that I could finally drive along this road that I had dreamed of for so long that I actually couldn't hold back a few tears🙈. After we got used to the hairpin curves, the bridges that could only be crossed by one car at a time, and the ups and downs, our GyPSy Guide (we called him Jimmy Humuhumunukunukuapua (name of a Hawaiian fish)) recommended the first stop. We hiked the "Waikamoi Nature Trail," a short hiking trail through the rainforest that smelled heavenly. However, the path was also very muddy, slippery, and uneven. After many more curves and several stops to enjoy the great view, our Jimmy recommended a walk through the "Ke'anae Arboretum." It is a path that leads past various plants described on signboards. This walk was not that spectacular. However, we saw eucalyptus trees with colorful bark, which gave the impression that they had been painted. Amazing! We continued to an old settlement on a small peninsula, "Ke'anae Peninsula." The ancient village was destroyed by a tsunami long ago, and only the old and very beautiful church remained. In addition, the bay was beautiful, with rugged lava rocks, green trees, and really high waves. After that, we stopped at the "Upper Waikani Falls," also known as the "Three Bear Falls," as the water cascades down the rock in three cascades. I really wanted to swim in a waterfall, but this one was not suitable, so we stopped at the "Pua'a Ka'a State Park." Although there were quite a few people there, the path to the waterfall was relatively easy; we just had to climb over some rocks and wade through a stream, and then I could swim in the waterfall pool. It was wonderful, the water was clear and cool. After all these experiences, we needed a break. There are endless food stalls and small local restaurants by the roadside offering fruits, banana bread, and BBQ. Here, too, we relied on Jimmy and stopped in Nahiku, a small square with some stalls and a café. We opted for ribs and Huli Huli chicken. Both tasted delicious. Unfortunately, there was nothing suitable for Sabrina. She was very brave all day anyway. Since she is not a fan of winding roads, this trip was particularly exhausting for her. (Thank you for coming along anyway😘). After being refreshed, we headed to our next stop, the "Wai'anapanapa State Park." There we discovered a great black sand beach, but with very strong surf. You could walk on the cliffs and see how the huge waves crashed against the lava rocks and climb through an old lava tube. I really liked this stop, just for the play of colors (black sand, green jungle, and blue sea and water). After this stop, we reached the town of Hana, which is not worth mentioning; it is just a collection of houses, there is not much else to discover there, but as our guide said at the beginning of the journey, the journey is the destination. So we quickly drove on. Our next stop was the "Wailua Falls," a relatively high waterfall. After a short path downhill, you could also swim in it. Patrick and I took the opportunity to cool off in the fresh water. It was exciting to swim close to the waterfall and look up from below. Our last stop was the "Pools of Ohe'o," terraced pools fed by waterfalls. Unfortunately, swimming is no longer allowed there. But even here, the sea made up for this little disappointment. We watched the surf for a while and then walked back a few hundred meters to our car. We decided to drive back the same way because there was a 12-mile long section on the loop that rental cars are not allowed to drive. Without stops, you really felt how winding and narrow the road actually is. Patrick drove the entire way alone and did a really great and safe job. That was a huge feat because we needed 12 hours for the whole trip.

Back in Kihei, we quickly had something to eat at a nice street festival and then fell into bed in our apartment, completely exhausted.

For me, it was a fantastic day😊.

Steffi