We booked the Road to Hana (Mercedes Van with Waterfall Swim, Black Sand Beach) trip through TripAdvisor. We didn’t know which third party TA booked us with until the van actually came. It was Aloha Eco Adventures Inc. (Stardust Hawaii). The fact that we were picked up from our hotel early in the morning and dropped back was very convenient. We did have a temperature check before we started our ride and had to show our Covid card. The van was for a max of 14 people but we had about 7 in total so it felt pretty cosy.
The 64.4 miles drive through the winding roads from Kahului to Hana was certainly a memorable one. Our driver was quite the story teller. He had never ending anecdotes which as entertaining as they were, sometimes sounded a bit far fetched so not quite sure of the veracity of all those stories- but they sure were enjoyable. It was his birthday on that day and his lovely wife greeted us all at the lunch stop with 2 large boxes of donuts which we realized was exactly what we needed!
Among the places we visited, was the famous Aunty Sandy’s banana bread (featured in Gordon Ramseyʻs ‘Unchartered’ TV series on the National Geographic channel), Ho’opika Beach where we saw so many wild turtles sunbathing. The highlight of the trip was also the Wai’anapanapa State Park which has the famous Black Sand Beach- we were given 1 hour. That’s simply not enough time to swim and explore the caves. You can do either of the two things. One hour can hardly do justice to exploring such a beautiful place. I wish that is taken into account when planning this trip. To say the views were breathtaking doesn’t even do justice. No photos can capture the essence of the beauty of the place.
The Banana Bread was good although I wouldn’t call it the best I’ve ever had. I’d say this though- that early in the morning, after a long scary ride, biting into that soft spongy banana bread does provide some respite! No special diet is included in the trip charge. You have to bring your own which is understandable. Bottled water and soda is provided all throughout the trip. Lunch was simple but lunch was hardly the main actor in this show. Restrooms are available at all major stops. I did take a dramamine before the trip and glad that I did. The roads are very winding and you get dizzy if you don’t unless you have a very strong stomach. If you’re still feeling sick remember to pick up some Hana Tonic (ginger supplement).
One of the things that all the guides talk about in Hawaii is never to pick up any stones or vegetation you see. We heard stories of bad luck and ill fortune that hound you if you do. Apparently every year thousands of rocks are posted back to Hawaii by people who didn’t heed and have had misfortune fall to them. Whether it was a way to preserve the native sanctity of the place or it was superstition, I wasn’t going to take a chance so as much as I loved the beautiful rocks, I took some pics and left them all there!
With 620 curves and 59 bridges, 46 of which are one-lane bridges, the Road to Hana is called the ‘Divorce Highway!’ I can understand why! I’m so glad we left the driving part to the experts. We just relaxed and enjoyed the view and experienced it fully. It is not cheap, but very well worth it.