# Haleakala: sunrise vs. sunset



## darcy (May 17, 2008)

Can you give an opinion on which to see?  It seems like sunrise is THE thing to do, but is it so much better than sunset?  for both, you are driving in the dark one direction, so that doesn't seem to be the issue.  We are leaning toward sunset.

Thanks,
darcy


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## PrettyKitties (May 17, 2008)

I haven't done sundown, but sunrise was defintely worth it!  If you do the sunrise, remember warm clothing, gloves and a flashlight.


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## DeniseM (May 17, 2008)

Honestly, nothing short of an evacuation would get me out of bed that early on vacation!  The road to Haleakala is a good road, but steep with switchbacks.  Might not be fun to drive in the dark. 

Haleakala itself is stunning any time of the day.  We left in the morning (but not at the butt crack of dawn) took a picnic lunch and made a day of it.  

We had lunch at a very nice little park - Hosmer Grove - which is right inside the park, but before the visitor's center.  It is well-marked on the road to Haleakala. 

Map & info. - http://gorp.away.com/gorp/resource/us_national_park/hi/hik_hal4.htm


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## PrettyKitties (May 17, 2008)

Also, this question has been asked on Trip Advisor's Maui forum - you may want to go there and do a search (or just ask).






PS - found the post, hope this link works:

http://www.tripadvisor.com/ShowTopi...set_Haleakala-Lahaina_Maui_Hawaii.html#535643


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## taffy19 (May 17, 2008)

darcy said:


> Can you give an opinion on which to see?  It seems like sunrise is THE thing to do, but is it so much better than sunset?  for both, you are driving in the dark one direction, so that doesn't seem to be the issue.  We are leaning toward sunset.
> 
> Thanks,
> darcy


We did sunrise once and they pick you up in the middle of the night.  I believe it was like 3 AM.  It was very cold and windy and we were dressed for it.  Our sunrise was nothing spectacular.  If you get a nice sunrise, it is well worth it but do it on your own.  The road is very good.  We have done many sunsets and like it too but to see the crater in the nicest colors, you need to do it during the day.  Haleakala Crater is a must do.


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## PrettyKitties (May 17, 2008)

DeniseM said:


> Honestly, nothing short of an evacuation would get me out of bed that early on vacation!  The road to Haleakala is a good road, but steep with switchbacks.  Might not be fun to drive in the dark.  The squiggly line in the middle of this map is the road - http://www.mapquest.com/mq/3-SFG0
> 
> Haleakala itself is stunning any time of the day.  We left in the morning (but not at the butt crack of dawn) took a picnic lunch and made a day of it.
> 
> ...



Being from the east coast, I found it was not hard to get up on the second day of our trip to do the sunrise, because our bodies were still on east coast time.  Probably true if you are from Texas also, so if you go at sunrise, plan it for early in the trip.  I didn't find the drive up particularly difficult, you do have to be careful and take your time, but frankly, I'd prefer going up Halekala in the dark to driving on the DC beltway during rush hour.  If you go at sunset, you will have to drive down in the dark, so either way you will be going one direction in the dark.


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## oneohana (May 17, 2008)

*Sunrise*

I have never done the sunset. When we were there in Feb. I inquired about the sunset and was asked why sunset? Either way, the road was closed due to snow.
The sunrises are awesome.


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## california-bighorn (May 17, 2008)

We did the sunrise about 4 years ago and it was beautiful, but way too cold. If I ever went there again, I would go up late morning, hike in the crater, have a meal from food packed in an ice chest or something like that, then watch the sunset.


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## falmouth3 (May 17, 2008)

Kitty, I was going to suggest the same thing!  The first day we were in Hawaii we were awake at 2 AM anyway.  Wished we had planned to do the sunrise that day.

Sue


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## PrettyKitties (May 17, 2008)

falmouth3 said:


> Kitty, I was going to suggest the same thing!  The first day we were in Hawaii we were awake at 2 AM anyway.  Wished we had planned to do the sunrise that day.
> 
> Sue



For most of our trip, we found ourselves getting up around 6 and going to bed when the sun went down.  I think our bodies were trying to tell us something!


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## Kauai Kid (May 17, 2008)

Been to the top once during daylight and for the life of me I don't understand what the fascination is with a pile of colorless rocks in a cold windy area.
Maybe there is something wrong with my color vision at high altitude.


It would be last on my list of things to see on Maui.  Now upcountry, that is beautiful, like driving through an impressionist painting.

Glad y'all like it but it reminds me of the cinders my Dad use to pull out of our coal furnace when I was a kid.


Sterling


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## Mimi (May 17, 2008)

We have seen both sunrises and sunsets on Haleakala. It is awesome to be above the clouds and watch the sun rise and set. However, I don't think I could be convinced to get up in the middle of the night again...It really puts a strain on your vacation day in paradise. At least you can go to bed when you get home from the sunset.


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## LisaRex (May 17, 2008)

Sunrise is beautiful, indeed.  This year we're doing a StarGazers program this year so we plan on heading up for sunset.  I'll let you know.


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## taffy19 (May 18, 2008)

Kauai Kid said:


> Been to the top once during daylight and for the life of me I don't understand what the fascination is with a pile of colorless rocks in a cold windy area.
> Maybe there is something wrong with my color vision at high altitude.
> 
> 
> ...


I agree with you that a drive in the upcountry is beautiful and very mystical if there is a little mist amongst the trees but to call the crater a pile of colorless rocks is where we differ, Sterling.  To me, the colors are beautiful as there are so many different shades. You may have been there at the wrong time of the day or at a day when it wasn't too clear and too cold and windy. I know how that feels and you don't want to hang around to see the scenery.

The drive to the top of the crater alone is worth it to me with the beautiful vistas of the ocean on both sides of the island at the same time.

Here is a very old picture as I took many more this spring but they are not posted yet. More crater pictures are in my Picture Trail album but they are old too but the crater hasn't changed.


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## mepiccolo (May 20, 2008)

We did the sunrise tour on our honeymoon and soooo regretted not taking the advice of other honeymooners who were leaving who told us not to do the sunrise one, to do the one in the morning.  It was horribly cold and unfortunately for us the sunrise was actually rather disappointing that day-very cloudy so just a bright orange glow in the distance.  Then the first hour of the trip down all you saw was clouds.  Now once the clouds broke and we could see the views of the island from that high up it was absolutely amazing and we loved the Upcountry.  But the experience would have been way more enjoyable for us had we done the trip that started in the morning because (a) our view would have been better and (b) it wouldn't have ruined a couple of days of our vacation making up for the lost sleep because they picked us up at like 2 a.m. to do the sunrise trip.  I believe the activities salespeople make more money coniving you to do the sunrise trip....


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## EAM (May 21, 2008)

*silversword plants*

What I found intriguing were the silversword plants.  They live abt 50 yr, bloom and die, and are native to Haleakela.  You will need daylight to see them.


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## Carol C (May 21, 2008)

We went this past Nov & stayed til sunset. At about 3 PM the heavy cloud cover parted and gave us a beautiful view of the valley. But according to the park ranger it had been socked in up until that time. Then the clouds came back and by sunset it wasn't that great, but shadows fill the valley later in day, even on clear days. The sunset was ok, but visible only beyond the observatory bldgs & socked in by clouds. It was so cold and windy...but it is truly a magical place.

Be on lookout when you're driving back downhill for honor-system fruit and flower stands. Good deals, and the flowers I got for only 3 bucks were tropical and unique and lasted a full week.


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## glenn1000 (May 21, 2008)

Last month we took a late morning tour of the crater that also combined a bike trip down (27 miles of pure downhill). Along the way, about half way down, we stopped and did the Zipline tour. Reservations are required for both the crater/bike and the Zipline. We stopped along the way for lunch on the bikes berfore returning them in town. It was our kids favorite day and we did not have the pain of getting up in the middle of the night. :zzz: 

http://www.bikemaui.com/

http://www.skylinehawaii.com/


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## MikeM132 (May 22, 2008)

The trip up the volcano is great, the view at the top is great (when not too cloudy) and my opinion is either sunrise or sunset are overrated. I've seen a million at sea and this thing might make the herbal tea, crystal power new age crowd float out of their earthly bodies it is  just another pretty sunrise to me after a long ride in the dark missing some of the best views on the way up. Sleep in, go up mid-morning and stop at a few spots on the way up or down. Watch the sunrise on your red-eye home.


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## dive-in (May 25, 2008)

I second (or is it third or fourth) getting up your first day on the island to do the sunrise.  We have another strategy of stayin in Upcountry Maui B&B the first few days. That way we knock out the sunrise the first day, and the road to Hana the next.  You save a lot of the drive time for both trips by staying there.  One of the B&B's provided a loaf of bread, jellies, fruit, coffee, and a thermos.  We threw all that in a bag, and headed up the mountain.  After the sunrise, we turned the heat up in the car and had a nice breakfast.  We also had a cooler to throw sandwiches and drinks in for the trip to Hana.

Of the three times we've done the sunrise, one was great, one so-so, and the other a flop.  It's still consider each one a great experience.  It's not colorless rock, but a rainbow of colors.  You're at the mercy of Mother Nature there.


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## PrettyKitties (May 25, 2008)

When we visited the Badlands in SD, all my daughter did was complain and ask why I was so interested in a bunch of rocks!     Each to his own, I guess.


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