Best Stops to See on the Road to Hana on Maui

When traveling with my husband, we try to do and see as much as possible in a new destination. With only six days to explore Maui and knowing how much there is we wanted to see on this beautiful island, we knew we had to make the most of our time there. When I asked around about what to do on Maui, everyone said we had to do The Road to Hana. Most people are able to do this drive in one day, but knowing my husband and how long he can take shooting with his camera while exploring new places, I knew I had to plan for two days on the Road to Hana. Lucky for me, this meant that we got to stay at Travaasa, one of my dream hotels, located in Hana!

Planning out our trip, we decided to fly into Maui late on our first night, rent an AirBnb in Paia (right near the start of the Road to Hana on Maui), and get a fresh start on the Road to Hana first thing in the morning.

Here are all all stops you need to make along your journey on the Road to Hana on Maui!

*Side Note* I don’t normally get car sick, but these windy roads did make my stomach a little queasy. Luckily, there are plenty of stops along the way where my stomach got a break from the car. Just be prepared if you are someone who gets car sick! But don’t let this deter you from going. It is definitely worth it!

Stop 1: Fuel up at Colleen’s at the Cannery

We woke up early to start our drive along the Road to Hana. We decided to fuel up at Colleen’s at the Cannery in Haiku, a restaurant I read many raving reviews about. It was so good, I forgot to take a photo of my food to share before I devoured it all, so here is a photo of the outside! Colleen’s opens at 6am every day, so no matter how early you want to start on your Road to Hana journey, Colleen’s will be ready for you!

Sign at Colleen's Restaurant and Bar in Maui

Stop 2: Hike Twin Falls

The Twin Falls area has a few easy hikes to explore. This first photo is a trail that leads past Twin Falls to the river upstream. We hit this spot right at the perfect time to see beautiful sunlight streaming through. These short hikes are not strenuous and are easy for everyone from little kids to grandparents. I enjoyed that this first “hike” was easy, considering my stomach was still very full from the delicious breakfast at Colleen’s!

Waterfall near Twin Falls on the Road to Hana

Here is a photo of the actual Twin Falls, just a short walk from the parking area.

Stop 3: Eat at a Food Stand

We didn’t stop at a food stand since we were still so full from Colleen’s Restaurant, but I read wonderful things about this food stand at Huelo Lookout (another great stop). If you are hungry or thirsty, make sure to stop and grab some fresh fruit and smoothies to fuel you for the rest of the drive.

Food Stand at Huelo Lookout on the Road to Hana

Stop 4: Walk Around Keanae Peninsula

I was really excited for this stop along the Road to Hana because of the history. When you enter Keanae Peninsula, you pass by a stone church that was built in 1856. A large tsunami hit this village in 1946, killing 24 people. The waves topped 45 feet and crashed into the village with no warning. The church was the only remaining building after the tsunami hit. Due to the tragedy of this tsunami, the Pacific Tsunami Warning Center was created, which now sends out tsunami warnings for all of the Pacific Ocean. With such a beautiful stop, it was sad to think about the village and lives that used to be here.

Even without a tsunami, you can see how rough the waves are crashing into the edge of this peninsula.

Waves crashing into rocks on the Keanae Peninsula

Stop 5: Waikani Falls

This is a quick stop you will miss if you aren’t keeping an eye out. As you cross a bridge, this waterfall is right off to your side. It’s a quick pull off to view. It’s definitely worth a stop simply because it’s so easy to see!

Waikani Falls along the Road to Hana in Maui

Stop 6: Visit Black Sand Beach

Black Sand Beach at Wai’ anapanapa State Park is a beautiful place to stop and see. Oh, and there are bathrooms! We got to this spot late afternoon and the beach was packed with people. Unfortunately, most of the beach is pretty rocky and only a little bit is sand. If you want to lounge on the beach, I’d recommend getting here earlier in the day to get a good sandy spot.

If you are a camper, this is also a great spot to stop and camp for the night.

Stop 7: Rest in Hana at Travaasa

I wish we could have stayed here longer, and I hope one day we will be back. But man, if you can spend at least one night at Travaasa, please do! I will be writing a blog post soon highlighting the hotel and all it has to offer. In the meantime, this pool was one of my favorite spots to relax.

Infinity swimming pool overlooking the ocean at Travaasa Hotel

We also got to see a beautiful rainbow after our morning yoga class! Talk about perfection.

Rainbow with palm trees at Travaasa Hotel

After a night of relaxation at Travaasa, head to your next stop. Normally people turn around and head back once they hit Hana, but I recommend taking the south side back to the main part of Maui. I personally loved this half of the Road to Hana much more than the first half.

Stop 8: Relax at Hamoa Beach

After a morning of yoga, meditation, beautiful rainbows, and a delicious breakfast at Travaasa, we headed on our way to finish up the drive on the Road to Hana. Our first stop was at Hamoa Beach. This beach is consistently rated one of the top beaches on Maui. I can definitely see why. If we could have stayed at Travaasa another night, I would have been sitting on this beach for an entire day! I’m a beach girl, if you can’t tell!

Stop 9: Hike the Pipiwai Trail inside Haleakalā National Park

Our next stop, and where we spent most of the day, was the Pipiwai Trail. If you want to be memorized by the views and the sounds of walking through a bamboo forest, make sure to hike the Pipiwai trail. When we were there, we were one of the few people hiking. It was an odd combination of peacefulness and eeriness. When walking through the bamboo forest portion of the hike, it was nearly silent. Then the wind would pick up and the bamboo would bounce against each other making hollow wind chime sounds. It is hard to explain. You will just have to experience it on your own! The hike is 1.8 miles one way and leads to to he hike leads to Waimoku Falls.