Paia town is home to several restaurants, art galleries, surf shops, and other tourist-oriented businesses. We recommend filling up your gas here prior to tackling the Road To Hana.
Ho'okipa Beach is a world-renowned windsurfing destination. It's a beautiful white sand beach and is perfect for watching sunsets at.=
Twin Falls is the first easily accessible string of waterfalls and pools on the Road to Hana. It's the best way to kick off your Road to Hana adventure in style!
Waikamoi Ridge Trail is an often unnoticed attraction along the Road to Hana. It's located just past mile marker 9 between Twin Falls and the Garden of Eden Arboretum before Ke’anae.
Lush botanical gardens set on 26 acres, with trails, picnic spots, waterfalls & coastal views.
Kaumahina State Wayside is a scenic area rest area where you can picnic where you can see the Maui coastline.
Honomanu Bay is a picturesque bay located between mile markers 13 and 14 along the Hana highway.
Pull over to view sheer cliffs and crashing surf at Nua’ailua Bay.
Perhaps you’ve heard of the rainbow eucalyptus trees on the Road to Hana. If you’re looking to see these colorful trees up close, here’s the spot! The Ke’anae Arboretum is free and open to the public. You can also visit this stop on the way back if there’s time. We’ll mention it again on the return trip.
A nice place to stop by for their famous Banana Bread and beautiful ocean views.6
As you’re leaving the Ke'anae Peninsula, you’ll spot Aunty Sandy’s Banana Bread on the left side of the road. Aunty Sandy’s serves up warm loaves of banana bread that are made fresh daily. We highly recommend you stop for a bite. Plus, at this point, you’re probably starting to feel a bit hungry, and we still have a ways to go before we make it to the next major food stop.
Now, pull over for an amazing overlook of the Ke’anae Peninsula that we drove down. You will see a large shoulder on the left that you can pull in for a great bird's-eye view of the peninsula. Notice the many taro patches that dot the landscape.
The halfway point along your journey to Hana! A nice place to stop and get some fruits from some local fruit stands.
Wailua Valley State Wayside offers a view of Ke‘anae Valley and Ko‘olau Gap in Haleakala’s rim, and of Wailua Village.
Pua'a Ka'a State park consists of 5 acres of rainforest with waterfalls and pools
Also known as "Three Bears Falls", Waikani Falls is a very popular and picturesque waterfall along the Road to Hana. It is easily spotted and is a definite must visit when driving this awesome road.
After mile marker 25, you will find Makapipi Falls, one of the most interesting falls on the Hana Highway. The Makapipi Stream flows within the lava streambed into a pristine blue pool.
Nahiku viewpoint boasts a great coastline view with waves crashing against the shore. This is a fine picnic spot and a good place to stretch your legs.
Just six miles before Hāna Town, (near mile marker 29), you’ll find the Nahiku Marketplace, located here is some awesome places to stop and grab a bite to eat.
Kahanu Garden is a beautiful botanical garden along the Hana Highway.
Temporary closure: Hana Lava Tube is currently closed until further notice. The tour continues through the area, but entry to the attraction is not currently available. A fun, family-friendly adventure through a fascinating cave created by molten lava approximately 960 years ago.
Also known for the state park with Black Sand Beach, this place is a definite must-visit while tackling the Road to Hana.
Located within Hana Bay is Hana Beach Park, which has a long black-sand beach and a grassy area with picnic tables.
A nice place to stock up on food/snacks/drinks before heading back to Paia.
Koki Beach on Maui is located south of the small village of Hana. The dark reddish sand of the beach comes from the large red cinder hill, named Ka Iwi o Pele.
Hamoa Beach is located near the little town on Hana on the east side of Maui. Hamoa Beach is consistently named as one of the top beaches on Maui.
As you continue driving towards Kipahulu (Haleakala National Park), look out for Wailua Falls along the road. Up to this point you have already seen a ton of waterfalls. But this one is the largest of them all at 80 feet tall. The best view is from the right of the bridge. No need to stop here; there's no parking. Just peek out your window, but be mindful of other drivers on the road as you keep an eye out.
See a majestic banyan tree, stroll through a bamboo forest and arrive at a 400 ft waterfall.
Ohe'o Gulch is one of the most popular stops along the Hana Highway. It is also known as "Seven Sacred Pools" and is a must-visit along this windy drive. Optional stop: Explore the ʻOheʻo Gulch area in Haleakalā National Park’s Kīpahulu District. The pools can be viewed from designated trails, but swimming and entry into the pools are currently prohibited. A separate park entrance pass is required.
Your tour will end in Pa'ia Town, close to where we began. At this point, it’s probably late in the evening and you’re looking for some grub. We recommend you have dinner in Pa'ia, especially if you have to make the 45-minute drive back to West Maui. Check out the tour highlights for recommendations!
Highly recommend! This app makes driving the Road to Hana stress-free. It works offline (crucial since you lose cell service), tells you exactly where to pull over, and shares interesting local history along the way.
This tour made our adventure on the road to Hāna so enjoyable! Great history and stories about Maui. They even let us know where bathrooms and restaurants were ahead of time. So affordable and let us do it our way. Highly recommend!!
Nice to have guide while outside of cell coverage. The historical info was good. We kept laughing at how emotive the narrative voice was. Glitched when trying to skip to narrative for locations we weren’t going to see.
We opted to rent a jeep and tackle the road on our own. The tour guide was extremely helpful and we would use it again.
This guide was great! Download it before you go. It worked even when we had no cell signal! It plays Some nice upbeat Hawaiian music. This guide explained every single point of interest along the way. Even explains the history behind it. It also explains when the restrooms stops come up along with the different eateries along the Road to Hana. We made three stops. Started in Paia town and ended in Hana. Then we drove back. It took us about 8 hours total. Way cheaper than booking an actual guide. Plus we were able to make only the stops we were actually interested in. Spent about 20 minutes at each stop. If YOU PLAN ON STOPPING AT “Black Beach” you’ll want to make your reservation as soon as you can. We weren’t able to get reservations 2 months out. I checked all the way up until the day of. It was SOLD OUT! Start your trip as early as possible as well. We left Paia town around 8am.
This was such a great experience the road was challenging at times but the app is great so much history we would have never known. It points things out for you where to look where to stop such an awesome app definitely worth to get
This was a great app to use to go at your own pace. Wished it would have given a bit more history and info on the areas you drive through and the stops but it did give historical info about the islands towards the end which was very interesting
Loved this tour. So fun. Super detailed. So well done.feel like we got a true Maui history and cultural experience.
The guide fell short of expectations in a few areas: 1 - accuracy - in spite of the GPS functionality, we passed by a number of "recommended stops" that simply didn't exist. Either the GPS / timing was off, or the narration was simply incorrect. Particularly true in the first half of the trip. 2 - updates - a couple of the stops suggested were closed, whether for an "archeological study" or for an unspecified reason. A local guide should be up to date and inform you when not to make a stop 3 - the stops suggested were overcrowded (first swimming-by-a-waterfall stop had full parking at 8:55 am), and many others felt either underwhelming or not particularly "secretive". The redeeming factor was the narration / storytelling about Maui, Hana and the Hawaiian monarchy. That said, there are plenty of podcasts that would recount that story for free. Save the money.
It was a wonderful experience. Very informative. Lots to do. The sights are spectacular and beautiful. The narrative was very informative. The only thing I could ask for was more upbeat music on the drive back home. Other than that it was a great trip. We would recommend it for everyone.
If you’re planning to explore Maui by car, I highly recommend looking into the Shaka Guide downloadable app. We purchased the Road to Hāna tour for $19.99, and I can genuinely say it made our day significantly more enjoyable. For perspective, our family only rated the Road to Hāna itself 3 out of 5 stars. Between the crowds, traffic and incredibly long day, we felt the experience didn’t quite live up to all the hype. Without Shaka Guide? I honestly think I would have rated the Road to Hāna a 1 or 2. That’s how much the guide added to our experience. What I particularly loved was that it wasn’t simply giving us directions. Throughout the drive, we heard interesting Hawaiian history, cultural stories and information about the places we were passing. It turned hours of driving into part of the experience rather than simply the time between attractions. The directions were very easy to follow, and the guide would tell us about upcoming stops before we reached them. We could listen to what was there and decide, “Yes, that sounds like something our family would enjoy,” or “Nope, let’s keep going.” On the Road to Hāna, where there are far more possible stops than you could realistically visit in one day, that was incredibly helpful. And because cell service along the Road to Hāna is almost nonexistent in places, having the tour downloaded to our phone beforehand was invaluable. Is the narration occasionally a little corny? Yep. 😂 But honestly, that became part of the fun. Our family laughed at some of it, learned quite a bit, and it kept everyone engaged during a very long day in the car. Shaka Guide offers several different self-guided driving tours throughout Maui and the other Hawaiian Islands. We only purchased and used the Road to Hāna tour, so I can’t personally review the others. They do offer discounts when purchasing multiple tours, and based on our experience with this one, I would definitely consider purchasing another. We paid $19.99, and I thought it was 100% worth the money. For the price of a couple of drinks or snacks in Maui, we essentially had a tour guide riding around with our family all day—and it was certainly less expensive than booking a private guide or organized bus tour. One important tip: Download the entire tour before you leave and make sure your phone is fully charged. I’d also bring a portable battery pack because you’ll probably be using your phone for the guide, maps, photos and videos all day. ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ 5/5 from our family. Even though the Road to Hāna wasn’t our favorite Maui adventure, Shaka Guide absolutely made it a better one. 🌺🚙🎧
Great tour. Very fun and interactive. Great history lesson along with the guided tour. Highly recommend.
This is an absolute must do for anyone doing the Road to Hana on their own. We chose to drive ourselves due to wanting to be on our own schedule and having this app was amazing. The guide runs off of GPS so every turn is navigated for you with places to stop, places to avoid and the importance of things along the way. The guide also provides a rich and interesting history on significant events from the past that helped shape the island of Maui and also plays music during this long driving trip. It was so fun we all missed it when it was over and we had to drive back to our hotel on the other side of the island in silence. Please use the Shaka Guide - you will not regret it.
The best way to explore the road to Hana. The self-guided tour is so easy. Has all the great stops, all the tips and tricks, and great music. Learned some fun stories on the way.
Very informative and helpful along the route, especially when we lost cell service. They could upgrade the music in between stories/stops but overall very satisfied.
The guide was very accurate and helpful. The narrator was easy to understand. The music during downtime was enjoyable. highly recommend this!
This is an extremely helpful guide to explore the road to Hana. We loved learning more about the history of the islands too. Definitely take a charging cable with you.
Great guide that provides both audio and gps map view on car screen. Well narrated. Had a wonderful time and filled our day for myself, wife and 2 sons 20 and 17. Highly recommend!
This was invaluable on the drive to Hana. Great suggestions, updating timing for Black Sands reservation and lots of interesting history on the return trip.
This was, by far, the best audio tour I have ever utilized. Literally everyone in my family, from age 6 to age 70, could not get over how entertaining and informative it was. Taking the Road to Hana was a life-changing experience, and to be quite honest, the audio tour by Shaka Guide truly was the spice that made it stand out. It is so very much worth the money. They should be charging more! You will learn, you will laugh, you will be a different person by the end of it.
Accurate navigation, helpful commentary, informative and entertaining -- what more could you want for $24.99? Skip the expensive tours, pile the family into a rental car for less than $100 (one-day rental), download the app and enjoy the day. By the end of the trip you will be amazed by how much you learned about Hawaii.
This is an audio guided tour of the whole drive to Hana. The guide share interesting facts, stories, and music as you drive to Hana. This guided tour was also very helpful in navigating the drive.
Where was this in 2004 when we were in Hawaii! the Road to hāna has no internet but somehow this app works! i did not think it was cheesy. great historic info. my kids were like not king k again. but we learned about atrocities and sugar cane development and a story of a princess. i dont know who the voice is but he reminds me of Casey Kasey and top 40 songs. 8 hour guided audio tour with music. love that it tells you if you are short in time to skip an attraction. the app alerts you what is coming and you can decide if you want to do it or skip it. buyer be ware, the parking lot for these attractions is tiny. the first waterfall had about 10 cars in it for the twin peaks and there was a person with a sign “lot full” so we moved on. we never made it back. we started about 8 am and it took us 8 hours. we skipped the towns. there is plenty of food along the way- shave ice, banana bread. definitely you need a full tank of gas . don’t forget your car insurance. the road to hāna is often one lane only. super tight squeezes and be patient. locals drive crazy. they have no problem passing around a curve or tiny straight away. the app also lets you know where the food is. road to hāna has few bathrooms! go when you can. bring hand sanitizer!!! public bathrooms are hit and miss. vendors take apple pay, venmo, etc. don’t forget you need a park pass for black sand beach. you need to schedule this at the start of the trip. the seven pools park fee is pricey!!! we did not enter the park. it was per car and per person. at one waterfall. the voice says there is a “trail” to the largest waterfall. this “trail” is less than a foot wide rocks, over a cliff and uneven. and the “hike” to the waterfall is short and filled with boulders that you maneuver down and up them. the waterfalls are lined with slippery rocks. wear the right shoes for this trip. this is not a flip flop kind of thing. another waterfall had paved route and signs everywhere to not jump and a bunch of tourists jumped from the the top. before this app, we just drove and parked when other cars parked. this app just makes so much sense. we didn’t know what was coming or what to expect. this is really how you should do this your first time. i will probably use this again when we cool e back. again there is no cell service. when you are driving to the next place, the app provides a lot of hawaiian music. get this!!! worth it.
Not only was it a turn by turn while still adhering to local rules but it was also a pretty cool digital history book. It was a really cool experience. Would highly recommend.
Loved the Shaka guided tour: road to Hana. Detailed description of places to see and sprinkled in historical importance.
Wish we could personalize it. Road to Hana is long and confusing. There were some spots we weren’t sure what to do. Also elevator music was too long at times. Otherwise had some good commentary and directions.
We absolutely loved this app! It was spot-on with its adventure stops, the music was fantastic, and the return trip was packed with fascinating Hawaiian history that made the experience even more enjoyable. We were so happy we purchased this app before our trip—it truly enhanced our entire journey! A couple of helpful tips for future travelers: bring your own toilet paper and hand sanitizer, as some rest areas we visited were out of toilet paper and soap. Also, be sure to move over and let local drivers pass when safe to do so. They’re much more familiar with the roads, curves, and driving conditions than most visitors. Highly recommend this app to anyone visiting Maui—it made our adventure unforgettable!
It was a fantastic stop by stop tutorial on the sites to see places to park, etc.!! Along the way there was wonderful music and information being told throughout the trip!! We highly highly recommend the Shaka guide to the road to Hana. It was excellent.
This little app is invaluable on the road to Hana! What's coming, where to stop, lots of history, and cool Hawaiian music between vocals. We decided to drive all the way around the island instead of back tracking. WOW so glad we did! It was like seeing another world!
Loved this audio guide!! It gave great directions with plenty of time to turn, and explained all the stops and what there was to see at each stop. The voice was nice and friendly and he made jokes too. Me and my boyfriend thought we’d get sick of it for the long drive but listened to it the whole time. When it’s not talking, it plays nice Hawaiian music to listen too. On the way back, it told us stories of Hawaiian history that had me and my boyfriend listening with all our attention. We seriously loved this. Can’t recommend enough!’
The guide was awesome! We really enjoyed the navigation part but also the music and stories in between. We have never used a guide like this before but it was well worth it. I highly recommend!!
Great way to experience the road to hana! It took the stress away and allowed you to enjoy everything
It's a must to get an early start. 7:30. We started at 10:30 and only made it 2/3 of the way because we didn't want to drive that road back in the dark!
Made the Hana trip so much easier and more fun—kind of like having your own private guide! We loved the Hawaiian music and the history/stories on the way back. Highly recommend!
This was a great app! We were able to at our own pace do the road to Hana. It had great relaxing Hawaiian music and great narration that allowed us to spend the time we wanted where we wanted at a very reasonable price! We loved it!
This was worth its money for sure!! The guide was clear about every turn and every site to see. You were able to skip an area or attraction if you wanted to and it always gave you timelines so you could be sure to make it back to your home base when you wanted to. In addition you are given an audio story telling of the history of each area. Down time can be filled with chill Maui music from the audio tour. On the way back you are given a full history of the Hawaiian Islands from the very beginning and specifically the history of Maui. We were able to spend as little or as much time at each attraction and the tour would pick back up once in the car. Be sure to pack food, water, towels, bathing suits, sunscreen and a change of clothes.
This self guided tour is amazing. It's well planned out and the narrator is great. We like the GPS knowing where we were and what we skipped
We had some issues with audio, sometimes it wouldn’t play thru Apple car play. Also they should have an option to lower the volume when the back ground music plays. The music was nice but doesn’t need to be as loud as the audio but it’s a pain to turn your stereo volume down when the music is playing then quickly turn it back up when he starts giving directions again. Overall it was a good tour and hit everything we wanted to see along the way.
We had several kids in our vehicle and all of them were completely silent listening to the stories on the recording. They've even talked about the stories that were told since we've been home. I highly recommend this guide.
It was great! Worked seamlessly with the gps and without internet. Was informative and my 11 year old loved it. Also liked how it played music when it wasn’t talking or telling you were to go.
We loved the Shaka guide! Enjoyed stops, music and stories on the way! Would highly recommend! My kids enjoyed it too
Unfortunately, the kona low storm that arrived on the day of our planned Road to Hana drive prevented us from actually using this app. However, the app itself and the tour details looked highly informative and I am confident we would have benefited from the experience. I don’t mind that I paid for it because it was a bargain and I will make it a point to use it the next time I’m on Maui.
Not the company's fault that there were biblical rains on Maui last week and we can, but we had so looked forward to this trip to Hana and while we knew the Hana road was closed in the first few days after the rains, it had been 5 days so we thought it would be opened up, as did many. We got to Twin Falls and then there was a police blockade so we didn't really get to do more than the first 8 miles of Hana Road. Highly recommend that if the company is selling a travel guide for a route, that they perhaps keep track of state road closures and alert customers they will be unable to make the journey, or at the very least provide a link to Department of Transportation websites for them to check themselves. Regarding the guide itself, it is nicely laid out but the delivery is slow and corny. We rolled our eyes at least a dozen times in the first few miles. Love the concept and product's flexibility otherwise.
We really enjoyed the audio tour. They had very helpful information and suggested places that we wouldn't have known about. We particularly enjoyed the Ke'Anea peninsula, several lookouts, the arboretum and food trucks in Nahiku (monster fish taco) that were recommended.. We really enjoyed the tour and also some Hawaii history as we returned.
This did not work very well at all. Total waste of money. Tried to start up numerous times and it never worked as advertised.
This was amazing! My husband and I drove the road to Hana on our own. The guided tour was not only great at describing everything and telling us all about the history, it was perfectly timed location wise and was helpful along the drive as there was no service for the majority of it and we could not access the maps apps. Make sure you download it before you leave on the day of your trip. We also loved the music and the historical stories on the long ride back to Kīhei. Highly recommend this guided audio tour!
I don’t usually give reviews, but this tour deserves it! It is a simple download that gives great info to entertain during the drive and provides very helpful suggestions and directions for the “must sees”. Totally worth the money and easy to use!
This GPS-guided tour was recommended by a local sandwich shop where we picked up food to bring on the road to Hana. I'm so glad we decided to download this tour! It narrated our drive, taught us a lot along the way, and kept us entertained. It was also nice to have a heads-up on upcoming stops that we otherwise would not have known about. Highly recommend.
Excellent app that made the road to Hana easy, enjoyable & time efficient. It’s like having your own personal tour guide. Very clever app that tracks locations with GPS. Well done to the creators. Highly recommend.
Much better than a tour. Drive was not bad. Narration was great My wife gets car sick and she drove and no issues
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