The Best Road to Hana Stops, in Order

The Road to Hana isn’t one destination — it’s a string of them, and the trick is knowing which to stop for and in what order. There are dozens of waterfalls and pull-offs along the 64-mile Hāna Highway, but you cannot do them all in a day; the rookie mistake is trying. This is the highlight reel in driving order, from the first jungle falls out of Kahului to the bamboo forest beyond Hāna — so you can plan a realistic day or follow along on a guided Road to Hana tour that already knows the route. Want to see exactly where each one falls along the highway? Open the interactive Road to Hana attractions map to view every stop as a pin in driving order.

The Stops at a Glance

Numbers 11 and 12 sit beyond Hāna, so reaching them makes for the longest version of the day. One housekeeping note before you go: Pāʻia, the little surf town at the start, is the last place to fuel up and buy proper food until you reach Hāna, so top off the tank and grab supplies there. (On a guided tour, food is handled for you.)

1. Twin Falls (around mile marker 2)

The gateway stop and a gentle introduction to the jungle. Twin Falls sits at roughly mile marker 2 on a working farm, with easy short trails to cascades and a swimming pool, plus a roadside stand for fruit and snacks. It’s the first place most itineraries pause — early enough that an early start means you have it to yourself.

2. Rainbow Eucalyptus “Painted Forest” (around mile marker 7)

A quick, free, easy-to-miss stop: a grove of rainbow eucalyptus (Eucalyptus deglupta) whose bark peels in streaks of green, orange and purple so vivid the trees look hand-painted. There’s a small roadside pull-out near mile marker 7 and a short walk to the trunks — five minutes, no admission, and one of the most photographed natural oddities on the route. You’ll see more of these trees at the Keʻanae Arboretum a few miles on.

3. Garden of Eden Arboretum (around mile marker 10.5)

A manicured rainforest garden with panoramic coastal overlooks at about mile marker 10.5. It’s a private botanical garden with an admission fee (around $20 for adults — verify the current rate on arrival), and you may recognize the views: the opening sequence of Jurassic Park was filmed in this stretch of coast. A good leg-stretch with the easiest “wow” panorama of the drive.

4. Keʻanae Arboretum (around mile marker 16.7)

Often confused with the peninsula of the same name, this is a separate — and free — stop at about mile marker 16.7. A flat, paved walk of roughly half a mile runs along Piʻinaʻau Stream past some 150 labeled plants, from native Hawaiian species to towering rainbow eucalyptus. It’s the easiest leg-stretch on the drive and a quiet, uncrowded alternative to the paid gardens.

5. The Central Stretch (miles 17–19.6)

The middle of the drive packs three quick wins close together. The Halfway to Hāna stand around mile marker 17 is the classic banana-bread pit stop. Just past it, the Wailua Valley State Wayside overlook (about mile marker 18.9) gives a sweeping look up a green amphitheater valley and back toward the coast. And at roughly mile marker 19.6 comes Upper Waikani Falls — better known as “Three Bears,” a trio of side-by-side cascades visible right from the bridge. None of these takes long, which makes them ideal momentum stops between the bigger ones.

6. Keʻanae Peninsula (mid-route)

A short detour off the highway onto a flat lava peninsula where the old Hawaiian village of Keʻanae meets a churning, rocky coast. It’s a window into pre-resort Hawaiʻi — taro patches, a small stone church — and the famous banana bread stands along this central stretch are worth the stop. Quiet, cultural, and a complete change of texture from the waterfalls.

7. Makapipi “Upside-Down” Falls (around mile marker 25)

A genuinely unusual stop: at about mile marker 25 you park on the bridge and look down on the waterfall rather than up at it, watching it drop straight into a deep plunge pool beneath your feet — hence the “upside-down” nickname. It’s seasonal and runs best after rain, and the nearby Upper Hanawī Falls (around mile marker 24) is another quick bridge view in the same stretch.

8. Hāna Lava Tube / Kaʻeleku Caverns (past mile marker 31)

For something completely different — and weather-proof — duck underground at the Hāna Lava Tube, the largest lava cave on Maui, off Ulaino Road past mile marker 31. The self-guided walk through the cavern takes about 30–40 minutes and stays dry no matter what the rainforest is doing. There’s a small admission fee; verify the current rate on site. It’s a handy midday option when the falls are crowded or the weather turns.

9. Waiʻānapanapa State Park (near Hāna)

The headline stop: a striking black-sand beach framed by lava tubes, sea caves and blowholes. This is the photo everyone comes for. The catch is access — non-Hawaii residents need an advance online reservation for both entry and parking, with no walk-ins. Those reservations open 30 days ahead and release daily at midnight Hawaiʻi time in four fixed entry windows (7–10am, 10am–12:30pm, 12:30–3pm and 3–6pm); you must arrive within the first 30 minutes of your slot, and non-residents pay about $5 per person plus $10 per vehicle — verify current fees when you book. On a guided tour the operator generally manages or routes around this, and substitutes Hāna Bay or Red Sand Beach if entry isn’t possible that day.

10. Hāna Town (around mile marker 51)

The quiet village at the “end” of the highway — calm bay, slower rhythm, a handful of shops and food trucks. After the winding drive out, Hāna is the exhale: old Hawaiʻi that rewards the effort of getting there. Many day tours turn around here; the next two stops are for those who push on. One Hāna spot to approach with caution is Kaihalulu (Red Sand Beach): the crimson cove is striking, but the only access is a steep, eroding cliff trail across contested private land, locals actively discourage the hike, and the water is unsafe to swim — most visitors are better off admiring it from afar or skipping it.

11. Wailua Falls (mile marker 45, past Hāna)

One of the most photogenic roadside waterfalls on the whole route, Wailua Falls drops right beside the road at about mile marker 45, roughly 8 miles past Hāna town as the highway continues toward Kīpahulu. No hike required — pull over, and there it is. Because it’s beyond Hāna, you only reach it on the longer loop or a tour that goes the distance.

12. Pīpīwai Trail & Waimoku Falls (Kīpahulu)

The grand finale for those who continue into Haleakalā National Park’s Kīpahulu district. The Pīpīwai Trail is about a 4-mile round trip through a surreal bamboo forest, climbing past pools to the base of Waimoku Falls, a towering 400-foot cascade. The Kīpahulu area charges a park entrance fee (around $30 per vehicle, valid three days — verify before you go) and is day-use only, roughly 9am–5pm, with swimming in the pools currently banned for safety. It’s the most rewarding walk on the route, and the reason some travelers build a longer day or an overnight in Hāna.

How Many Can You Really Do?

Honestly? Pick four to six and savor them. Which waterfalls and pools are flowing depends on recent rain and road conditions — another reason a guide who drives the route daily earns their keep, swapping in whatever is running best that day. Chase all of them and you’ll spend the day in the van; choose well and the Road to Hana becomes the highlight of Maui. For when to go for the fullest falls, see our guide to the best time for a Road to Hana tour; for how the day actually runs, read what to expect on a Road to Hana tour.

Ready to Book?

Want the highlight reel without the navigation, parking and reservation juggling? The featured Road to Hana tour hits the best stops in order — Twin Falls, the Garden of Eden area, the Waiʻānapanapa black-sand beach and Hāna — with a local guide, breakfast, a picnic lunch and free cancellation up to 24 hours before. Check availability and ride the road the easy way.