You can drive the Road to Hana on your own. But why risk it? There were times when riding on the tour bus that I could look down and see just a drop over the cliff because the road is so narrow. Also because some people are inconsiderate they speed on the road and don't observe the yield signs. It's a crazy road so I would recommend the tour if you want a safe way to get up to Hana and don't want to risk your rental car being crashed into by some reckless driver. We were picked up at our hotel at 6:30am. Then after a few more pick ups we met with another tour guide and more tourists to all merge onto one bus. They do this to make pick ups faster as they are divided by the area of Maui you are staying in. Honestly that's a great way to do it as the other tours I've taken seem to take longer cause they pick up people from all over the place. Our tour guide's name was Alan. He was a very outgoing, informative guide. One of the best guides I have ever had! Try to request him if you can, I don't think you will regret it. After we were all settled on the main tour bus we stopped at a country club for a quick bathroom break and that's where the tour guide picked up our lunches which are included in the cost of the tour. After that one of our first stops was Turtle Beach. It was great out there. The beach is nice and there were of course turtles. Large ones! Don't get too close or the locals will not appreciate it and will say something to you. Stay behind the rope they put up. There are a couple of vendors at turtle beach and also on the Road to Hana so bring lots of cash if you are interested in buying anything. After Turtle Beach we headed up to Hana. The Guide stopped at several water falls and scenic points so we could take some photos. Second major stop was up at Keane. The ocean had no sand but was full of large beautiful rock formations and scenics. The water was a beautiful color blue. Stunning! Around lunch was when we got into Hana. We ate our lunch at Hana Bay and the beach there was sandy but did have some debris on it whether from broken branches or random trash. It wasn't dirty but it did seem a little less manicured than the other beaches we had seen on Maui. We continued on through Hana seeing the various landmarks and hearing great information from the guide about the town. After that we headed off to our 4th stop which was Waianapanapa Beach Park. This beach was gorgeous. It also had camp grounds as well as a blow hole. This is where we saw a black sand beach which also had a small cave. A tip for this beach, if you swim or walk on the sand the sand is really rough on your feet so wear water shoes. It will protect you the best. I had sandals on and I didn't stay on the beach long as the rough rocky sand pained my feet too much and I didn't want to lose my sandals in the water. Bring your swim suit though, we had a little bit of time so we stayed there longer and we could have swam there if I'd have known we would have the time. Depends on your group but bring a swim suit and towel just in case. We also stopped at Hana Farms and had some delicious ice cream and banana bread. Our tour ended back at one last look at turtle beach and then back to the meeting point. We got back around 6pm I believe. Overall this tour was amazing, we saw so much but it is long and we were worn out at the end of it. A great way to see Hana though and some of Maui. I highly recommend this tour!
Our guide was very informative and super helpful. He took good care of us on the somewhat scary highway to Hana! Thanks
Excellent tour. Our guide knew everything about everything and we made numerous stops. There were several waterfalls, the church where Charles Lindbergh was buried, and a black sand beach with green sea turtles. The breakfast stop was very pleasant and the walk trough the gardens there was an added feature. It is a long rough ride, so be ready for that. We went the opposite direction from most people, beginning with the narrow rough road and ending with the six hundred curves toward the airport. Although we had a van for 18, there was only one other couple on the trip, giving some options that large groups might not have. One negative note: We were picked up at our hotel by a shuttle driver who should retire. His only words were complaining that we did not see his van when he pulled up into a spot out of sight from the lobby. He did not have the courtesy to call us, and was completely silent through the rest of the trip both directions. Fortunately he handed us off to the actual tour guide who was very talkative and informed., . All in all, a must-do for anyone who goes to Maui.