15. Maui Road to Hana

Bags packed, backpacks on: We are currently loading our things, leaving the hotel room, and finally starting the car – today we have the legendary Road to Hana on the agenda! But before we plunge into countless curves and hidden waterfalls, we have the most important morning routine to complete. And it’s quite significant here.
When snorkeling in Maui, it quickly becomes clear why the island plays a pioneering role in environmental protection. It's not enough for products to simply be labeled “Reef Safe” – as this term is hardly legally protected. Maui has therefore completely banned all chemical UV filters. When I prepared for the trip, I had to learn to read the back of the packaging: Only products that are 100% mineral-based, like zinc oxide, are allowed on the beach here.
In reality, this means: The morning routine feels like it takes forever! Anyone who has ever tried to apply pure zinc sunscreen knows what I'm talking about. The stuff is extremely difficult to spread, you rub and scrub, and in the end, you usually look like a pale ghost in the mirror. But even though the morning slathering in the hotel room is a real workout – it’s a small effort for us that makes a crucial difference for Maui's fragile underwater world.
The engine hums, the windows are down, and the warm, salty Pacific air flows into the car. The first miles on the Road to Hana lead us past sugarcane fields and abandoned plantations until the road takes us directly to Maui's spectacular coastline.
First stop: The spectacle at Hoʻokipa Beach Park. Just a few minutes past the surfer town of Paia lies the first must-see stop: Hoʻokipa. This beach is the undisputed mecca for surfers. From the viewpoint on the cliffs, we look down at the gigantic waves on which professionals seem to ride effortlessly.
But the real highlight awaits down at the beach: Hoʻokipa is famous for its honu – the Hawaiian green sea turtles. A dozen of these gentle giants lie in the soft sand, warming themselves in the morning sun. Although we have already seen this, it’s always exciting.
We leave the coast behind and plunge deeper into the rainforest. The road gets narrower, the curves tighter. We pull over to the side of the road because here they are: the famous rainbow eucalyptus trees.
It feels almost surreal. The trunks of these gigantic trees look as if an artist painted them with brush strokes in neon green, orange, red, and violet. This natural effect occurs when the bark peels off at different times of the year. A photographer's absolute dream.
Just a short distance further, we turn into the inconspicuous parking lot of the Waikamoi Ridge Forest Trail. While most tourists drive by heedlessly, we choose the short hike – and are rewarded.
The path is an oasis of tranquility. We walk on a carpet of leaves, surrounded by giant ferns, bamboo, fragrant ginger flowers, and ancient mahogany trees. After a short, brisk ascent, we reach a clearing with a wooden bench. From here, we have a spectacular view over the dense green canopy of the rainforest down to the deep blue ocean.
The winding adventure continues to the Puaʻa Kaʻa Wayside Park. Right next to the parking lot, two beautiful waterfalls cascade into a clear, natural pool. Swimming and bathing here is actually expressly not allowed, as indicated by signs – the currents and sudden flash floods can be life-threatening.
Of course, we adhere to the prohibition and use the stop only for a short rest. One cannot help but be astonished by the behavior of other tourists: Despite the clear prohibitions, numerous people ignorantly climb over the barriers to swim in the pool. For us, it’s incomprehensible how one could disregard personal safety and local rules for the perfect social media photo. The scenery is wonderful even from the official paths.

Just a bit further, we reach the Hanawi Falls – one of the most photogenic waterfalls along the entire route, in my opinion. The water cascades abundantly over several steps right below a historic bridge.
Here, we experience Hawaii action up close: A group of teenagers uses the steep cliffs above the river pool as a springboard. With spectacular jumps and loud cheers, they catapult themselves from dizzying heights into the depths. The energy is infectious, but the danger always lurks.
Suddenly, everyone holds their breath. A girl slightly loses her balance during the jump, lands awkwardly on the water, and barely makes it shore. The shock runs deep, and the joyful atmosphere vanishes in seconds. Fortunately, after the initial shock and a short pause to breathe, it turns out: Nothing serious happened. She quickly feels better, and a sigh of relief spreads through the crowd. A poignant reminder for us all that nature here is beautiful but also unpredictable and demands respect.
After the experiences at the waterfall, we notice our concentration slowly waning. In the travel guide, it all sounds very relaxed, but the reality behind the wheel demands full attention. René constantly maneuvers us through the tight hairpin turns and one-lane bridges. This is genuinely exhausting over time. The constant switching between curves and the dense greenery passing by the window takes a toll on the circulation after a couple of hours. He even feels a little dizzy from the constant stop-and-go and the changes in centrifugal force. I look at the narrow roads from the passenger seat and must honestly admit: I absolutely don’t trust myself to do this. Respect to anyone who drives here – I’d rather stay the co-pilot.
We regularly pause to maintain concentration. Luckily, we have no reason to panic, and the situation is completely relaxed: Our life-saving anchor is that we don’t have to go back today! We have booked two nights here. Knowing that we don’t have to face the return trip today takes all the stress out of the ride instantly.

With the knowledge that the destination is very close, René's fatigue almost dissipates by itself. Just before Hana, we finally turn into the entrance to the spectacular Waiʻānapanapa State Park. While most tourists must rush in with a tightly scheduled ticket, we roll in completely relaxed. The reason? We hit the absolute jackpot and booked one of the coveted cabins directly in the park!
We head directly to our cabin to take a moment to explore it. As we step into our rustic little hut in the greenery, all the travel stress of the last hours immediately drops away. The cabins are simply furnished, but offer everything you need, and especially a private veranda in nature. From here, we can already hear the powerful roar of the Pacific through the palms.
After thoroughly inspecting the cabin and dropping off our things, nothing can keep us inside any longer. We make our way into the park and head to the lookout point that offers a breathtaking view over the entire bay. The contrast is simply surreal: pitch-black lava sand, shining in the sun, framed by bright green jungle and the wild ocean.
At the shore, nature shows all her power. The waves crash with incredible force against the rugged lava rocks. The water shoots into massive fountains high into the air through the crevices – a gigantic spectacle! Our kids stand very close to the edge, underestimate the reach, and get completely soaked by a huge spray wave from top to bottom. The loud shrieking and laughing of the kids echo through the bay and make the atmosphere here simply perfect.
As the day-trippers are forced to leave the park in the late afternoon, it suddenly becomes quiet. We sit on the rocks, gazing at the roaring water, and know: Every single exhausting kilometer today was worth it. Tonight, we will sleep in the wild heart of Maui.
After the adventure at the cliffs, hunger strikes. At the cabins, there are fixed barbecue stations, so we fire up the grill. While the meat sizzles and the scent of barbecue wafts through the tropical air, we mentally pat ourselves on the back: we did everything right in our preparation!
One must know: The cabins in the state park are extremely spartan. There is absolutely nothing – no bed linen, no towels, no dishes. But we were prepared. In our two large suitcases, we feel like we packed half our household from Germany and flew it across the Pacific. For dinner, we specifically bought an inexpensive pan at the supermarket beforehand to ensure nothing goes wrong while cooking.
When it’s time to go to bed, our best travel hacks come into play. There are actually no proper pillows in the cabins. Our solution? We brought inflatable neck pillows! They are meant for the flight to save space in our luggage by stuffing clothes into them. Here in the cabin, we quickly convert them into super comfortable pillows. Together with the extra bed sheets we brought, we transform the bare mattresses into a cozy bed in no time.
Well-fed and proud of our camping skills, we snuggle in. Through the windows, we can hear the steady crashing of the waves on the black sand beach and the chirping of crickets in the rainforest. What a perfect conclusion to this eventful day!