Part Three: Maui, Hawaii

ROAD TO HANA

It is very easy to get distracted and spend more time than necessary at a particular attraction, not that it is a bad thing when on vacation. Having a plan of action works so much better when you are on the road to Hana. It peeked our interest just enough on DAY 2 to plan an entire day seeking the hidden beaches, waterfalls tucked away and treasured attractions. We made mental notes of all the places we wanted to come back to visit the following day.

I found this interesting and informative FAQs sheet that pretty much answers every question you might have about taking the plunge to explore Road to Hana on your trip to Maui, Hawaii.

Day 4

Half of our joy of being on our journey to Hana came in the form of our trusted Jeep that we of course rented in Maui. Nihaar kept asking why we had to rent a car when we already had a car at home and it was very difficult explaining logistics to a three year old, of how complicated it is to fly your own car to an island vacation. After this trip, he is now only interested in trips that involve renting a car....sigh! 

There were plenty of pullovers along the road, to stop and soak in the views of the coastline or snack at one of the numerous fresh, homemade banana bread stalls and juice stands. But the most fun things you end up remembering are the unexpected stops you make like this one..

This guy perched his birds on a rickety gate and was attracting quite a few passersby. Needless to say, the kids were ecstatic to see these very colorful and well behaved macaws.

We later leant that his birds got featured in Hollywood movies and he takes care of the birds from generous donations from travelers.

Honomanu Park

When we were driving by the previous day, we got a peek from the highway of a car parked on the beach below but could not figure out a way to get to this beach. It seemed exotic and just in the right spot so as to be cozy and private with very few people realizing of its existence. We went back and made notes as to which turn to make to get to the beach, the turn was very secretive, covered in bushes and we almost missed it a couple of times before we figured it out.

It sure was such a gem of a find, just at the intersection where Honomanu stream flowed into the ocean. The ocean waves were choppy and difficult to snorkel for us but the stream turned out to be the perfect spot to laze around, splash water and snorkel.

It always helps to have extra pair of clothing, towels and plenty of sunscreen. Carrying umbrellas was also imperative, the weather can quickly change from sunny to cloudy to pouring rain. We were extremely lucky to have the sunniest of days on this particular outing.

Kanahu Gardens

Kanahu Gardens is home to the largest ancient place of worship in Polynesia, a huge lava rock structure. The botanical gardens is marked as Historic National Landmark and is one of the five National Tropical Botanical Gardens of Hawaii. 

PC: http://ntbg.org/tours/kahanu/

The botanical gardens were the perfect spot to stretch our feet and walk around in the lush greenery and sounds of splashing waves in the not so far distance. 

The shoreline was rocky and inaccessible but we got a bird's eye view of the crystal clear waters from the botanical gardens which was perched high up on a mountain. Everywhere we looked, the various trees and plants were labeled and was eye opening to see such distinct flora thrive. We took a leisurely walk in the gardens and built an appetite for our next stop.

The thatched canoe house intrigued the kids. They kept imagining of different ways they would make use of the canoe and the task for us was to remind them to keep their hands off of the canoe. 

This archeological site gave us a sneak peek at how ancient civilizations must have flourished just by braving the ocean in a canoe.

Travaasa Hana

We planned our day trip such that we could be at Travaasa Hana for lunch. It came highly recommended in all the research we did and it did not disappoint! The views from the resort and the food were both mind blowing!

We tried tuna poke, fish tacos and chicken burger at the Preserve Kitchen + Bar on the property. The open-air restaurant had a very relaxing vibe, gentle ocean breeze with palm trees for backdrop adding to the aura.

The design scheme of the resort is very modern with hawaiian touches. It felt very zen to walk and explore the property.

We mooched around after lunch, playing board games in the library and also visited the on-site gallery housing the most amazing art from local painters and craftsmen. The staff were super friendly and welcoming too.

Pools of Oheo

Our last stop for the day was Pools of Oheo aka Seven Sacred Pools. Ten miles south of Hana are these tiered, swimmable pools located in Oheo Gulch. As the kids got tired and cranky at the end of the day we did not attempt the Pipiwai trail to get to the waterfalls but instead took the shorter trailer which was easier on the legs and still had some stunning views.

We hiked through bamboo forests, having changed into comfy, walking shoes. Nihaar was in the baby carrier and it made the hike much faster. I can't believe he is growing out of the baby carrier, it was just yesterday we took that trip to Costa Rica and we had to fill in the extra space, to keep him safe and comfy!

The sight of sapphire blue waters against supple, sprouting greenery kept us going and made us insatiable the more we saw of it.

The difficult part was getting these two monkeys to pose for a picture!

Rounding the loop on Road to Hana

We drove from Oheo Gulch to Kula Highway and the terrain changed drastically from tropical rainforest to lava rock and almost non existent vegetation. The weather also changed dramatically to fog and rain. But the views of the coastline and the ocean did not stop to amaze us. We were just in time to watch the sunset as we drove west, unable to stop due to long stretches of rugged, unpaved road. As it got darker we wanted to be in the safety of our home at the earliest.

Having the Jeep car helped immensely. We could brave the very rough roads on this side of Hana and you actually have to check with your car rental if it is allowed to take their car through this route. 

I hope you enjoyed reading about this part of our trip. Coming up next week is the Fourth and final part of our trip to Maui, Hawaii where we finally got to taste the very famous Hawaiian shaved ice and took a snorkeling cruise to see the coral reef!

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Part One: The Airbnb we stayed in Maui, Hawaii

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