# 107-Road to Hana
[00:00:00] **Bryan Murphy:** Should you drive the road to Hana or book a tour both options have their advantages and in today's episode We'll talk about the pros and cons and which option I would recommend when planning to do the road to Hana. Let's go
[00:00:16] Aloha,
[00:00:17] welcome to Hawaii's best here You'll learn what to know before traveling as we discover Hawaiian culture local businesses And the experiences that make Hawaii one of the most incredible places in the world.
[00:00:30] And now your host, Brian Murphy. Aloha and welcome to Hawaii's Best, the podcast all about highlighting Hawaii's culture and helping you. Travel responsibly to the Aloha State. I'm your host, Brian Murphy, the owner of Hawaii's Best Travel, and I just want to say thank you so much for joining me on this episode of Hawaii's Best.
[00:00:53] So glad that you're here, and today we're talking all about the incredible road to Hana on Maui. [00:01:00] Now, As you probably know, Hana Highway is filled with lush landscapes, cascading waterfalls, and picturesque beaches. So it's really no wonder why many people want to experience this incredible highway. Now, chances are if you've visited Maui or planning a visit to the Valley Isle, driving the road to Hana is more than likely on your to do list.
[00:01:23] But the big question is, should you drive yourself or opt for a guided certified tour? The thing about Roto Hana is that it's famous for its narrow, twisty path, and that can be pretty daunting for drivers who aren't familiar with the highway or who haven't driven the highway before, and with over 600 curves and 59 one lane bridges, yes, 59 one lane bridges, it's No wonder why this 64.
[00:01:53] 4 mile journey can feel overwhelming and for some travelers, the drive can be so [00:02:00] stressful and tiring that it takes away from the overall experience. So that's some of the things that we're going to be looking at is should you even drive the road yourself or should you get a tour? Maybe you shouldn't do Rotorana.
[00:02:14] Maybe that's that shouldn't be part of what you do when you visit Maui. It's your choice, but I kind of want to present a few different options and lead you with best recommendations of what I would do. But ultimately it's your vacation, it's, it's your call. But one of the first things though, to weigh in when considering whether to book a tour or drive it yourself is the local impact of increased visitors on Hana Highway.
[00:02:39] Rotohana is growing. Popularity has led to concerns about its effect on the environment and local communities. A lot of this made the news thinking about summer of 2021 when things were opening up and travel to Hawaii was almost back if not more so than pre pandemic [00:03:00] levels and this put a lot of strain on local communities and this has led to challenges due to the massive influx of tourists which strains the delicate ecosystem and obviously contributes to overcrowding at many of the popular spots along the highway.
[00:03:18] On a previous episode of the podcast, we had Edwin Ikolu Lindsay of Maui Culture Lands. He's over on West Maui and the topic of the episode was about how to volunteer while on vacation on Maui. And it's well worth a listen just for that. So I'll link that in the episode description, or you can go to hawaiisbesttravel.
[00:03:39] com slash episode. In our conversation, the topic of East Maui, the Roto Hana was naturally brought up due to a lot of the tension at the time in East Maui. And I want to play a little bit of the snippet from our conversation with Ikolo Lindsay. Having
[00:03:58] **Edwin Ekolu Lindsey:** gone out to East Maui [00:04:00] several times, I work with some of the guys out there working on some conservation action plans.
[00:04:04] Try to restore the ecology, the marine life, and the terrestrial side as well. Just it's uh, you got to take care of that whole ahupua'a system. But having gone out there a few times over the last couple of months. There's just too many people on those roads and working with like six different communities on East Mali.
[00:04:22] The number one thing that comes to the head all the time is people not knowing how to drive that road to East Mali. Everybody wants to take a look at the waterfalls, but you got cars parked on both sides of the roads. Big trucks can't get through. Locals are frustrated. They need to get to work. You need to get home.
[00:04:42] Can't get past. You had an emergency vehicle stuck because they can't get through. So the county's put up some little parking signs and have some enforcement, but it's real difficult to enforce these things out any smaller because they only have the police force of XML and you can't be there all the time.
[00:04:57] Right? So I would like to ask anybody headed to [00:05:00] East Mali to just be very I'm aware of their surroundings. Let the local cars pass by pull over as soon as possible that they can let them pass by. Don't block the roads and also the one thing that pops up on East Maui is people are swimming a lot in these streams, right?
[00:05:15] And what do you do before you go swimming? You put sunscreen on. Okay. Now Maui has, uh, we have some new laws in place where you need to use read friendly sunscreen. But when you're putting on sunscreen and jumping into the streams, that water's going somewhere. So if you're around the Kainai area, that water is irrigating the taro that they have.
[00:05:36] So these guys in Kainai, they're seeing oil slicks come down and watering the taro. What does that do to the food? It makes it taste funny. Right. So, you know, when you're doing, when you go out in the sun, cover
[00:05:48] **Bryan Murphy:** up a little bit. Right. So like even reef safe or non reef safe, does it regardless of whatever you're putting on your body is slicking off and getting into the, the turtle fields.
[00:05:59] And [00:06:00] again, to listen to the full conversation, you can go to hawaiisbesttravel. com slash episode 70. That's episode seven zero. So by being aware of this issue, we can all help to minimize our footprint and show respect for the residents who call this amazing place home. I can't imagine just calling Hana home.
[00:06:20] And when you're driving the road, it's, it's kind of incredible to, to think that, but it is a lot of people's homes. It's a unique way of life, obviously over on East Maui, and it's not all about just the breathtaking views, but it's also about taking care of the land and it's people for generations to come.
[00:06:38] And. I could probably assume that you agree with that because you're listening to the podcast and and you've probably have maybe followed some of what we've been doing and we're all about responsible travel to Hawaii and thinking about, you know, if you have kids or your kids, kids thinking about generations to come to be able to experience.
[00:06:58] This incredible beauty [00:07:00] on East Maui, and it's up to us to continue to be stewards of that and take care of that, even if we are a visitor to that place. So this increased amount of traffic congestion has led to obviously parking problems and concerns for the local community. This congestion makes a daily life difficult for residents.
[00:07:19] So in response to that, there's been a push to install no parking signs in areas that are often packed with illegally parked cars. And you'll probably also notice as you're making your way on Hana Highway, you'll come across many handmade signs that are crucial to, you know, specific areas such as no swimming.
[00:07:37] or no trespassing signs. So this is essential to pay attention to and also to respect those signs as well. Now in response to all of this, a group called Hana Highway Regulation has been formed and is strongly encouraging visitors to choose a certified tour operator as a safer and more responsible alternative than driving the road themselves.
[00:07:59] And this [00:08:00] group was formed in 2016 and their goal is pretty simple. It's to tackle the rising number of illegal tour operators, parking violations, and incidents of trespassing on private property. What's sad is if even if you book a tour with someone who is a little bit off the grid or you pick up that guidebook, things change a lot.
[00:08:23] And for someone to know what is private property and what is not private property and what trail heads are closed and which are accessible, you kind of need that local voice, that local knowledge of someone who Knows the road and who knows East Maui. And that's why having a certified tour guide is super important.
[00:08:44] And in addition to all this Honda highway regulation has helped to create a road to Honda code of conduct and outlining rules for visitors and tour operators to follow. This includes how to properly pull over for [00:09:00] local traffic and avoid trespassing on private properties. And a link can be found in the episode description of this as well.
[00:09:07] Now, the group is pro tourism, but it advocates for better management systems that consider community perspectives. And it's not all just about visitors being mindful of this. It's also government as well. So advocating for better management and better oversight of East Maui Hana Highway, uh, something that they are strongly advocating for as well.
[00:09:30] So it's obvious that opting for a certified tour. Operator has many advantages. So it's definitely worth considering booking a certified tour operator. And when I say certified, uh, you can go to hawaiisbesttravel. com slash episode seven, nine, and, uh, there's going to be a link to where you can find certified tour operators for East Maui.
[00:09:54] And a stat that I thought was pretty cool is that each tour can potentially take five to six cars off the [00:10:00] road, depending on the number of passengers. So that's a pretty significant impact as far as traffic congestion is concerned.
[00:10:11] All right. So those are some of the obvious advantages of going with a certified tour operator. But what about the benefits of driving yourself? So some of the. Perks of taking the wheel yourself are flexibility, customization, privacy, pace, and obviously budget friendly. Now with flexibility, when you drive the Rotorana yourself, you have complete control over your schedule.
[00:10:35] You can stop at your own leisure, go to the restroom, take as much time as you want at each location, and even explore some of those off the beaten path spots that a tour might not cover. Obviously you need to be aware of your surroundings. You need to be aware of, you know, if you're stepping on private property, all those things need to come into consideration too.
[00:10:56] But also with customization, you can tailor [00:11:00] your experience to suit your interests and preferences. Whether you're an avid hiker or not, a beach enthusiast or someone who just wants to hang out and take in all the sites, you can focus on these sites that matter most to you. With privacy, it's pretty obvious driving yourself means you can enjoy a more intimate experience with those you're traveling with without sharing the journey with a group of strangers.
[00:11:25] It's ideal if you're seeking a more personal and private adventure, that's a little bit more my pace, getting on a. Tour bus with a bunch of strangers and trying to fit, you know, all their needs and wants and all my group's needs and wants. For me, that's something that's really a huge plus is having that privacy and also having the pace.
[00:11:46] Some people prefer to tackle the road at their own pace. So if you're a confident driver and enjoy the challenge, you might find yourself more satisfied than being a passenger on a guided tour. It's also budget friendly, [00:12:00] although renting a car and fueling it up might add up. Driving yourself can be a more budget friendly option than a guided tour, especially if you're traveling with the group.
[00:12:10] You got mom and dad and grandma and grandpa and aunts and uncles. That could be a pretty expensive tour rather than just, you know, slamming into a couple of Chrysler minivans and doing it yourself. But remember, again, I'm just going to probably say it again is that driving the road to Hana comes with its own set of challenges, such as navigating the narrow whiny roads and potentially missing out on local insights that a guided tour can provide.
[00:12:37] So be sure to weigh some of these pros and cons before making your decision. But again, it's, if you're up for the challenge, driving the road to Hana yourself can be a rewarding and unforgettable experience for sure. Recently, I did a poll on our social media accounts, on our Instagrams and our Facebook group.
[00:12:55] Love to have you join us in our Facebook group. But I asked the question, should you drive the road to [00:13:00] Hana or do a tour? And the poll on all platforms were about 70, 30, meaning 70 percent were in favor of driving yourself to kind of doing the traditional route of doing the road to Hana and driving to yourself.
[00:13:13] And then 20 percent said to book a certified tour. And then the other 10 percent said, don't do it at all. So I thought that was interesting to kind of share with you some of those stats. And that was pretty across the board, what everyone was saying. And one of the comments I got from someone in the Facebook group, uh, she said, I've driven it once and missed a lot of the stops next time I'll do a tour.
[00:13:36] So that's something to consider, you know, maybe. Maybe the other way around. Maybe the first time you do a tour and kind of get a little familiar with the highway and some of the stops. And maybe the next time, if you have the opportunity to visit East Maui, maybe you drive it yourself. But in our time remaining, I just want to kind of give some unique stops along the way.
[00:13:55] And there's So many guides out there and so many other resources. [00:14:00] Really I wanted to talk about just the pros and cons of booking a tour and doing it yourself. But I also kind of want to leave you with some tips and some stops to consider along the way.
[00:14:11] Now your, your journey starts off officially in the charming town of Paia. It's a laid back beachside spot filled with adorable shops and delightful places to eat breakfast bites. It might be a good spot to get your breakfast. You want to keep in mind that your next chance for food probably won't be until the Garden of Eden or a bit further down the highway.
[00:14:33] And then next up we have Ho'okipa Beach, which is a renowned gym along the highway and a paradise for windsurfing and kitesurfing enthusiasts. This incredible spot has... Earned a global reputation as the top destination for these thrilling water sports. Thanks to consistently strong winds and impressive waves.
[00:14:54] Take a moment and stop at this beach. You'll get spectacular views of overlooking the [00:15:00] shoreline from the elevated vantage point in the parking lot. Trust me, you won't want to miss this stop at Ho'okipa beach. Next up is the captivating Canine Peninsula, just a little detour off the highway, but you don't want to miss it because not only do you get to see this incredible landscape, but it's also a stop for public restrooms, which are conveniently located near the peninsula, making this a perfect stop to recharge.
[00:15:25] Now, here is one of the gems. Of Hana Highway and as you wave goodbye to the majestic Kainai Peninsula, keep an eye out for Auntie Sandy's banana bread, a delightful gem nestled on the left side of the road, famous for this warm, freshly baked loafs. Auntie Sandy's serves up some of the most delicious banana bread you'll ever taste, which is prepared daily with Aloha.
[00:15:53] and cares. So I can't recommend this stop enough. It's the perfect chance to fuel up. [00:16:00] If you're feeling a little hungry and you didn't eat enough for breakfast or the drive is making you hungry, you know, this is a good spot to do that. Plus with a good stretch of the journey still ahead before reaching the next major food hub, there's no better time to treat yourself to a mouthwatering slice of heaven from Auntie Sandy's.
[00:16:19] Next up is the incredible Waianapanapa Black Sand Beach, a magical spot along the road to Hana, where you get to experience one of Maui's rare black sand beaches. It was formed from hot lava as it met the ocean and shattered. This unique beach stands in stark contrast to its Counterparts of the green lushness of East Maui.
[00:16:43] This spot is also perfect for stretching your legs, getting up, soaking up the sun or enjoying a leisurely picnic. But please note that reservations are required to visit Wai'anapa Napa State Park, so you can book up to 30 days in advance. But no same day reservations [00:17:00] are allowed. Entry fees are 10 for parking and an additional 5 per person.
[00:17:08] All right. Now I realize that there are tons more spots to make sure you hit along the way, but this is all the time we had for today. And as you can see, when planning your adventure, the choice between driving yourself or on a guided tour is a pivotal decision that'll shape your overall. Experience. So think about.
[00:17:27] Those factors like your driving skills, environmental impact, and benefits of having local expertise when making your decision. As tourism along the Hana Highway increases, it's crucial to act responsibly and respectfully towards the environment and local communities. So by choosing a certified tour operator, you not only contribute to a more sustainable approach to exploring East Maui, but also ensure a safer, more informed, And enriching experience.
[00:17:56] This is the option that I would highly [00:18:00] encourage is to book a certified tour operator, at least for your first visit to driving on a highway, however, whichever option you go for, be prepared to immerse yourself in the amazing sites, hidden gems that make Hana highway, a truly unforgettable adventure.
[00:18:18] With proper planning and consideration, you'll be able to savor the extraordinary beauty of Rho Dahana and create memories that will definitely last a lifetime. And with that, we've reached the end of our journey today. I hope that this discussion has provided you with valuable insights to help you plan your perfect Rho Dahana adventure.
[00:18:37] And remember, it's all about the journey. Take your time. Enjoy the sights. And most importantly, have fun. And until next time, be well. Aloha.
[00:18:51] Thanks again for joining me on this episode of Hawaii's Best. To get all the resources and references from this episode, go to hawaiisbesttravel. com [00:19:00] slash episode 79. Also, if you have someone you know visiting Maui soon, be sure to share this episode with them. Again, for all the resources from today's episode, go to hawaiisbesttravel.
[00:19:11] com slash episode 79. Aloha.