Hairpin turns with abounding rock cliffs on one side and straight down cliffsides on the other. Parts of the Hana Highway are one lane and all bridges are one lane with traffic yielding to the other. This is the Road to Hana. It's soooo worth it!
Most of the road hugs the coastline but is hundreds of feet up along the sides of mountains and cliffs. If you drove straight to Hana, it would take about 2 hours, but then you'd miss all that's along the way. The town of Hana is not your main destination, it's enjoying all what you can find and see along the way.
It was built in 1927 and has been maintained nicely through the years. We drove over brand-new asphalt for miles. You'll find over 600 hairpin turns, 56 one lane bridges, temples, churches, black sand beaches, red sand beaches, and tons of waterfalls.
The town of Paia begins the trek even though the Hana Highway leads from near the airport. The town of Paia is really a cool little town. It's beachside and is the home of the invention of windsurfing. You'll find lots of tourists, tons of surfers and windsurfers, and lots of locals there too—not avoiding the tourist population. I wouldn't consider the town a tourist trap with gift shops, etc. It is, though, the last real stop on the way to Hana so be sure to get gas, snacks, drinks, and film...and use the bathroom before traveling to Hana, as there are few facilities. You'll be pulling over on the side of the road to use the bathroom otherwise...and that's difficult because most of the road is cliffside. If you do pull over at a pull off spot, there's no privacy as you'll be one of many drivers at any time of the day. If you get nauseated with turns in the car, be sure to eat ginger, drink ginger ale, bring crackers, and take Dramimine. Trust me.
You can drive it yourself or take a guided tour with air-conditioned mini-buses or SUVs for about $100. If you drive it yourself (which I recommend), you can stop anywhere you want. Rent/buy a Road to Hana CD to play in the vehicle, which will tell you all about everything.
It can rain along the way. Speed limits are posted as 20 and 30 mph. The turns keep you from going much faster and you wouldn't want to...with the accidents you could have and the things you'd miss along the way. Falling rocks are a hazard too.
Don't miss: (1) Twin Falls waterfalls. Hike beside the guava trees. Mile marker 2. (2) Garden of Eden Arboretum for tropical flowers. Between MM 10 & 11. (3) Keanae Peninsula with views and taro fields. (4) Wai'anapanapa Park past MM 32 for black sand beaches, lava tubes, caves, and ancient cemeteries. (5) Hasegawa Store in Hana. (6) Seven Sacred Pools Park past Hana. (7) Charles Lindbergh's grave—difficult to find—we couldn't!