Travel Reference
In-Depth Information
Haneoʻo Road Loop
It's well worth a detour off the highway to take this 1.5-mile loop, which skirts a scenic
coastline. The turnoff onto Haneoʻo Rd is just before mile marker 50.
At the base of a red cinder hill, less than 0.5 miles from the start of the loop, the
chocolate-brown sands of
Koki Beach
attract local surfers. The offshore isle topped by a
few coconut palms is ʻAlau Island, a seabird sanctuary. Incidentally, those trees are a
green refreshment stand of sorts, planted by Hana residents to provide themselves with
drinking coconuts while fishing from the island.
A little further along is
Hamoa Beach
; its lovely gray sands are maintained by
Travaasa Hana, but it's open to all. Author James Michener once called it the only beach
in the North Pacific that actually looked as if it belonged in the South Pacific. When the
surf's up, surfers and boogie boarders flock to the waters, though be aware of rips. When
seas are calm, swimming is good in the cove. Public access is down the steps just north
of the hotel's bus-stop sign. Facilities include showers and restrooms.
Wailua Falls
As you continue south, you will see waterfalls cascading down the cliffs, orchids grow-
ing out of the rocks, and jungles of breadfruit and coconut trees. Hands-down the most
spectacular sight along the way is Wailua Falls, which plunges a mighty 100ft just bey-
ond the road. It appears 0.3 miles after mile marker 45, but you won't need anyone to
point this one out, as folks are always lined up along the roadside snapping photos.
ʻOheʻo Gulch
Fantastic falls, cool pools, paths galore. The indisputable highlight of the drive past Hana
is ʻOheʻo Gulch, aka the Kipahulu section of Haleakalā National Park. You'll also hear
the area referred to (inaccurately) as the Seven Sacred Pools.
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Kipahulu
Less than a mile south of ʻOheʻo Gulch lies the little village of Kipahulu. It's hard to
imagine, but this sedate community was once a bustling sugar-plantation town. After the
mill shut down in 1922, most people left for jobs elsewhere. Today mixed among modest
