# Road to Hana in rain- yay or nay?



## heathpack (Nov 13, 2013)

We're having a wonderful time in Maui despite having been sick half the time.  We've ridden horseback into Halealaka crater, driven the loop around West Maui, snorkeled Molokini and Kaanapali, saw a slack key guitar show, went to a luau and took a food tour of Wailuku.

We have 3 days left- today Lahaina and the slack key guitar show (again!).  Tomorrow was supposed to be road to Hana.  Friday La Perousse bay snorkeling and visit South Maui.

Now checking the weather, it appears we may be in for quite a bit of rain for the rest of the trip starting tomorrow.  What say you on the drive to Hana?  Ok in rain?  Too dicey?  Reading on the Internet elsewhere people seem to say the drive will be more dramatic and still lovely,but muddy run off and falling rocks might make it a little too "exciting" for some.

What say you TUGgers?  We are not daunted by the drive itself, we find that sort of drive enjoyable in good weather.  Just not sure about how it will be in bad weather.

H

PS I'm still trying to figure out if it will be downpour-all-day type of rain or off/on showers all day.


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## BJRSanDiego (Nov 13, 2013)

*I would pass*

I think that I would "pass".  The road is all asphalt and if you took it slowly, you wouldn't have much of an issue, provided that the rains are light.  If the rains may be heavy, I would definitely say "Fa-getta-bout it!"

But there are a zillion sharp U-turns and you've got to consider that the other drivers may not be as sharp as you.  Also, if there is a single fender bender involving anyone, you could be delayed for a couple of hours - - or more.  

The beauty of the trip is the scenery.  With it raining, the visibility may be poor to non-existent.  Also, getting out at the various turnouts is going to be wet and not particularly fun.  

I would use the rain as an excuse to plan a future trip to Maui and a drive to Hana.  

Keep in mind that the Hana side is typically the rainy side.  So if you are getting a drizzle on the west side of Maui, that you will probably have heavier rains on the Hana side.  

Stay safe.


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## Luanne (Nov 13, 2013)

I'd pass in the rain, if it's going to be one of those rain all day types of things.


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## LisaH (Nov 13, 2013)

I think Hana almost always has some rain as I only remember one trip without rain. I would still go.


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## Phill12 (Nov 13, 2013)

Drive is slow no matter what the weather and the driver doesn't see much because of focus on the driving. Only way I got to enjoy was by stopping when you could find a open spot.

 I have to say we made two trips and never again would we waste a day on this trip. First trip we drove and made couple stops to swim at the water fall. Time we reached the end we were tired and ready to start back. Second trip we decided to take a tour van so I could enjoy the sites but half way there a lady became car sick and threw up in van and on most of us. At the town where we were to enjoy the beach and have lunch everyone spent the time cleaning up and no one wanted to eat. Driver spent the time trying to clean the van but smell stayed making all of us feel sick.

 We were told at the resort everyone should make the trip one time and once was more than enough! 

 Phill12


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## vacationtime1 (Nov 13, 2013)

BJRSanDiego said:


> The beauty of the trip is the scenery.  With it raining, the visibility may be poor to non-existent.  Also, getting out at the various turnouts is going to be wet and not particularly fun.
> 
> I would use the rain as an excuse to plan a future trip to Maui and a drive to Hana.




I agree.  We tried the trip many years ago in the rain.  It was miserable, we turned back, and we counted ourselves in the "Halfway to Hana" club.

We tried again in nice weather a couple of years back, stayed overnight in Hana, and had a wonderful time.

Our takeaway:  if you cannot do the side hikes, visit the Seven Sacred Pools, and enjoy the beaches, why bother?  But if you can, it is a truly magnificent excursion.


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## daventrina (Nov 13, 2013)

The road past Hana could become problematic with heavy rain... 

With really heavy rain the road before Hana could have issue if there are rock slides or tree falls.


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## crf450x (Nov 13, 2013)

We love Hana but would never do it just for a day trip.  Hamoa Beach is one of the nicest beaches in all of Maui and the hike through the Bamboo Forest at Oheo Gulch is not to be missed.  If you were able to spend a day or two in Hana, I would definitely make the trip, rain or not.  But as others have said, if it is raining heavy, doing the road to hana as a day trip would not be much fun.  One of the biggest attractions for most about Hana are the waterfalls, so without the rain there wouldn't be waterfalls.  At least the times we have spent in Hana, it has rained at least once or twice each day.


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## BocaBoy (Nov 13, 2013)

The biggest problem for me is not driving this road in the rain.  More significant is the fact that it will be miserable if you get out of the car to look at the scenery, and that is a main attraction of this drive.


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## taffy19 (Nov 13, 2013)

You will see lots of waterfalls along the road but no vistas far away so you miss a lot.  We have done the drive many times and the weather can change on a dime.

One time, we had just unpacked all our food on a picnic table near the Sacred Pools (I believe it was) to eat with our family from Europe and a sheet of rain came towards us so fast so we had to pack up even faster and get back in the car but it lasted only a few minutes.  I have never seen so many rainbows in one day as during that trip.


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## klpca (Nov 13, 2013)

Mr. Klp and I did this drive in the rain back in 2008. It was ok, but it wasn't my favorite way to see the sights. The wipers were going the whole time so it spoils the view a bit, plus he really had to pay attention to the road. We stopped on the Keane Peninsula just for a break and found a lovely church at the end of a road. It seems to me that we were able to park and walk around a small beach too.

Personally, I would leave it for another time.

I would try to go where the rain isn't, if that's an option.


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## HatTrick (Nov 13, 2013)

If the rain is sporadic, I'd give it a try. Otherwise, it'll be there next trip.





*Hotel Hana in the rain, May 2012.*


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## Ron98GT (Nov 14, 2013)

*Yah*

We did it in the rain in 2012.  It was my wife's sons 1st time on Maui, so she wanted him to experience it.

Negatives: It could be a little (meaning a lot) wet in some places, so you may not want to get out of the vehicle.  It could be muddy in places. It could be harder to park in some places. The visibility isn't as good at times and could even suck at times. It could be a little more dangerous on the roads. You won't be hiking on any trails, at least not very far.  The overall trip will take you a little longer.

Bright-Side:  There will be less traffic and more parking will be available.  The weather changes thru-out the day and the island. We hit dry spots, damp spots, misty spots, lite rain spots, and areas with a down pour.  The water falls will have water.   It's Maui, the air is fresh, it's beautiful, and it reminds you - life is good.

I'm glad we did it. 

One last note or two.  Make sure to pack a lunch, snacks, and drinks.  Take along a hat, light coat, and some towels.  Make sure you have a full tank of gas. Bring your camera. And have fun.


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## klpca (Nov 14, 2013)

I saw some pics on Facebook of the surfers up at Jaws yesterday. Huge waves. I'd see if I could check it out if we were still there. It's somewhere up on the north shore.


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## Kaelyn (Nov 14, 2013)

*Road to Hana*

4 words.  54 One Way Bridges. There, I said it.

This trip is about 4 hours each way, longer if you stop at all the cute stuff along the way. If you get motion sick very easily, you may want to reconsider, even in dry weather. Plan on pulling over at the pullouts often to let the locals who actually know the road fly past you. Coming back at night, you will want to be careful of the pigs. They are about 2 feet tall, jet black, and will walk right out in front of you like they OWN the road.  Hitting one will wreck your week. The water falls are great, but it takes a while to unwind after that drive, and enjoy it. There are tour buses full of people, and that make it less relaxing. Then you get to drive back. I got really lucky and stuck to a Robert's Tours Van's tail end like white on rice all the way back. We did it in 3.5 hours. It was a little hair raising, but the road was dry, people got out of the way for the bus, and I just stuck right with him.

Hana is beautiful. It's worth doing, but you will be exhausted. If I were doing Hana again, I would drive out one morning, over night there, and drive back the next evening.


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## MOXJO7282 (Nov 14, 2013)

One of our most scariest experiences as a family was driving the Road to Hana on the way back to Kaanapali at night in heavy rain.  

We usually start very early on the Road to Hana so we don't have to drive the road at night even on a clear day but this day we left late and found ourselves driving at night and it started to rain heavily.  

We were driving real slow and I assume it was locals whizzing around me like I was standing still.  It was nerve-wrecking.  When we made it off the Hana Hwy we vowed never to be in that situation again.


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## taffy19 (Nov 14, 2013)

Ron98GT said:


> We did it in the rain in 2012. It was my wife's sons 1st time on Maui, so she wanted him to experience it.
> 
> Negatives: It could be a little (meaning a lot) wet in some places, so you may not want to get out of the vehicle. It could be muddy in places. It could be harder to park in some places. The visibility isn't as good at times and could even suck at times. It could be a little more dangerous on the roads. You won't be hiking on any trails, at least not very far. The overall trip will take you a little longer.
> 
> ...


Good idea if you are with a family or friends and it is fun. 

We have learned from experience to leave ponchos in our car as well as an umbrella, sun hats and a bathing suit with towels. 

Weather is very different even a few miles apart and the weather forecast seems to be always the same when we are in Hawaii so pay no attention to it anymore. One side of the island almost always seems to get some rain during the day when we are there during the spring. November may be different ? but here is some information about the long term weather forecast on Maui that you may like to read.
*"*We often get phone calls from people who have looked at a 10-day forecast and are worried it's going to be raining the entire time they are on vacation. If you are looking at a 10-day forecast on *WEATHER.COM *you need to realize that it doesn't account for the different weather on the dry and wet sides of the island. Since it rains in the rain forest almost 300 days a year, their long-range forecast tends to skew toward reporting all that rain. It is not unusual for people to come here and find out that they don't see a drop of rain all week, even though the *WEATHER.COM* extended forecast looked ominous.*"*​PS.

http://www.hawaiiweathertoday.com/satellite.php

I can hardly wait to go back next March!


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## lizap (Nov 14, 2013)

Definitely go.  Cannot imagine a Mauai trip without the drive to Hana..  It may very well not rain the whole time.


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## heathpack (Nov 14, 2013)

Thanks for the opinions everybody.  Today was calling for heavy rain on the north shore of Maui.  We drove along the south shore instead, then had lunch and did some Christmas shopping in Lahaina.  We thought about trying to go see the surfers ride 20' waves at "Jaws," until we read that it was a 1.5 mi hike in without a 4-wheel drive vehicle.

Tomorrow is our last full day on Maui and the rain on the north shore is supposed to be intermittent- about a 30% chance throughout the day.  Not ideal to do this drive our last day, but we're going to give it a whirl.  Heck, we survived the Halealaka horseback ride in the rain for hours, we'll probably (hopefully?) survive the road to Hana.

H


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## taffy19 (Nov 15, 2013)

Good for you and try to go as far as the Charles Lindbergh's grave.  It is not that much further but you need to find it as it is easy to miss if you decide to drive around the island.  We missed it once but took a tour last year all around the island and we stopped there again.  The other side of the island is very dry and looks a little like Hawaii.  I have many pictures of the trip but not handy.

Either way, you will be very tired once you come home but I hope that it will be worth it for you.  You will be back as that is what happens once you go to the Islands of Hawaii.   

Enjoy and post a picture or two when you come home.


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## dlca1 (Nov 15, 2013)

Have fun! Hope the weather stays holds up for you.

Don't forget to fuel up in Paia.


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