By: Ryan Haleakala National Park on the island of Maui is not what you might expect from a park in Hawaii… it’s not about sunning yourself on a beach or snorkeling. Instead, something even more interesting awaits you: some of the clearest skies on Earth and gorgeous tropical rain forests, and perhaps the world’s most beautiful drive connecting these disparate portions of the park. Its true: the night skies from on top of Haleakala are so clear due to rare clouds and markedly little light pollution that governments worldwide jump at the chance to put their telescopes on the 10000 foot peak. So, of course, we got up early to see the stars while they were up and also to watch the sun rise over the clouds thousands of feet below. Seeing these two things happen at once was certainly a highlight we’d recommend to all. Just get there early, because this is no secret - its one of the most popular things to do in the park and many tourists will line up for a good spot to watch from the rails above the crater visitor center. | |
Before we even got to the mountain top, we drove the road to Hana, considered by many to be one of the most scenic drives in the world. While it’s only a few dozen miles, it takes about 3 hours to drive from end to end because the two-way road goes down to one lane over more than 50 decades-old bridges, at which point the two lanes of traffic again and again have to negotiate right of way. This is not even to mention the more than 600 hairpin curves that wind in out of valleys hundreds of feet above the Pacific. The road to Hana is not for the faint of heart… there are some treacherous stretches and it's takes some patience, but the drive offers unparalleled views of Maui’s rugged coastline! And, most of all, it is the primary route into Kipahulu, the remote Western side of Haleakala NP. There’s not that much to do on this side of the park, but the main attraction is pretty great - the 5ish mile hike to the Pools at Ohe’o and the 400 ft Waimoku Falls is quintessential tropical Hawaii! Beautiful cascading waterfalls, lush bamboo forests, and the Pacific Ocean would make the long drive worth it even if the Road to Hana wasn’t already so great as to justify itself.
Our few days on Maui were such a treat, and thanks to free camping in both sections of Haleakala National Park, it’s easy to see Maui on a tight budget!
P.S. And as if all that wasn’t enough, while we were on Maui, we also had the good fortune to find ourselves at the Maui Brewing Company drinking the Imperial Coconut Porter. Do yourself a favor and do the same - it’s to die for!
Our few days on Maui were such a treat, and thanks to free camping in both sections of Haleakala National Park, it’s easy to see Maui on a tight budget!
P.S. And as if all that wasn’t enough, while we were on Maui, we also had the good fortune to find ourselves at the Maui Brewing Company drinking the Imperial Coconut Porter. Do yourself a favor and do the same - it’s to die for!