Hawaii: The Road to Hana & the rest of Maui

Hawaii

If you can’t stand the thought of just lazing around the beach all day, and your idea of the perfect vacation is to mix beach days with activities and great scenary, Maui is the place for you.

We split our time on the island: Half of it spent staying on a solar powered cottage in the jungle, on the road to Hana. This enabled us to have a peaceful visit and an amazing journey to Hana. The rest of a luxurious suite at the Westin Resort & Villas on the other side of the island. This enabled us to have luxury, great pools and cocktails, and some good old beach time (swimming and snorkeling). We also found time to visit the volcano in between the two :).

A 10,000-Foot Dormant Volcano

You’ll need to wake up early to visit Haleakala. Plan to either hike in the crater, speed down the mountain on a bicycle or I guess you could also drive up/down. You don’t have to be at the top for sunrise, but it is the thing to do. Watching the sky slowly light up is a near-religious experience you’ll never forget. Note: Pack warm clothes. It is high up and freezing cold at that hour.

The Road to Hana

Spend the entire day driving the scenic Hana Highway. Pull over often, get out to take photos, smell the flowers, and jump in the mountain-stream pools. Get the guidebook Maui Revealed to do this. It will enable you to set your odometer and have clear ideas of where the hidden treks and waterfalls are. They are well worth it since less tourists are willing to hike a few miles for an amazing swim. NOTE: There is no rush to get to Hana – there is nothing there. It is the drive and experience that matters!