Road to Hana Tours – Our Favorite 3 On The Island

Further inland from the sun-kissed aquamarine beaches and world class surf of the island of Maui, you may find yourself surrounded by the rolling Hawaiian taro fields, a lush wild jungle landscape, or a network of breathtaking waterfalls & magical plunge pools. These sights are just small taste of a plethora of diverse and scenic attractions that you’ll encounter as you embark on a road trip adventure down a famous winding road that traverses the Wailua Valley along the northeastern shore of Maui. This famous road is called the Hana Highway, and it’s the best way to witness the scenic attractions that stretch along the northern coast of the island of Maui.

Prepare to embark upon the Road to Hana Tour! There are numerous variations of highway tours for this amazing Hana adventure that travels along the scenic Hana Highway. This is because there are simply too many must-see natural landmarks and cherished cultural sites along this fabled road, that no single Road to Hana tour could offer travelers everything that northwestern Maui has to offer in a full day. For example, this Maui tour is wildly popular among first time travelers who would rather soak in the natural landscape than lounge on the beaches nearby. Cherished sites like Hana Town, Hana Bay, the Pii-lani Temple, Paia Town & the Maui Garden of Eden Arboretum will provide travelers with an appreciation for local Hawaiian culture.

The Hana Highway is truly a unique and mesmerizing road. In fact, calling the Hana Highway a “winding road” is a vast understatement. This Maui highway has a mindboggling 600 curves and 59 one-lane bridges along the road from start to end. That’s why most Road to Hana Tours provide a comfortable, airconditioned mini-coach to make the epic drive as pleasurable as possible for visitors. Let’s face it, you may not be in the mood pay for expensive helicopter tours to explore Maui, Hawaii. That’s why a safe and comfortable morning drive along Hana Highway is the only other comparable experience. Helicopter tours don’t last very long, but the Road to Hana, Maui tours will provide you with enough hours of fun to last a lifetime. Plus, you can’t go hiking, spelunking, or jump in waterfalls from helicopter tours (well, perhaps you could jump into waterfalls).

It really goes without saying that there are endless tropical destinations to be found along the Road to Hana, which is just an arm’s reach from the nearby postcard beaches, and private road trip Hana adventure tours are arguably the best way to visit such destinations in Maui. As a result, the Road to Hana Tour is offered by various operators, all worth checking out in their own right depending on what kind of experience you’re looking for. These tours provide spacious airconditioned coaches so you’ll be able to relax during the drive. We don’t recommend getting a rental car because that’s just an added responsibility and you probably won’t know where to drive to.

Having said that, we’ve got first-hand knowledge of the best of the best Road to Hana highway tours (three of them may be conveniently booked through this webpage).

Here’s a brief overview of how the Road to Hana highway tours compare to each other.

CRUISE

DETAILS

The Top 3 Road to Hana Tours

Tour #1 Heavenly Hana Tour

First up we have the Heavenly Hana Tour, which is the cheapest option for a Road to Hana Tour, and also one of the longest (lasting around 11 hours). This tour is an excellent value for your money and a perfect option for those who want the best way to visit Hana attractions on this famous road with a big and lively group of merry travelers. After all, it never hurts to make lifelong friends as you explore Wai’anapanapa State Park, Hana Town, Wailua Valley, or waterfalls like Wailua Falls & Waikani Falls. With a maximum capacity of 24 passengers, you’ll be surrounded by likeminded travelers who will join you in appreciating the popular attractions of northeast Maui. And all from the comfort of Heavenly Hana’s cushy coaches. This is a tour that literally lives up to its name (as you will be passing through a slice of heaven on Earth)!

All-inclusive is the name of the game for the Heavenly Hana Tour. You’ll be provided with an experience that other Road to Hana tours, which can’t offer a similar level of service, won’t be able to compete with. One experience that is emphasized by the Heavenly Hana Tour is a visit to the Hooklpa Beach Lookout, a spectacular viewpoint on one of the most famous beaches in the world, known for its towering surf that can reach up to 30 feet high!

Then, you will drive along the Road to Hana itself, an epic journey that takes you along a winding coastal highway packed with over 600 curves and 59 one-lane bridges. That’s a lot of opportunities to observe Mother Nature in all her grandeur. You will pass through tropical rainforest, the Black Sand Beach at Waianapanapa State Park, amazing waterfalls (such as Wailua Falls & Waikani Falls), valley lowlands, catch a sublime glimpse of a waterfall pool, as well as Maui’s indescribably beautiful agricultural zone. With an inclusive Continental Breakfast, picnic lunch, and stops for delicious local refreshments and 100% Maui-grown coffee to boot, it will be hard to find a Road to Hana Tour with better value. This is a well-balanced tour that will exceed your expectations. Go ahead and book your trip as soon as possible if the Heavenly Hana Tour sounds like the ideal road trip for you.

Tour #2 Taste of Hana Private Tour

This is another one of the great all-inclusive Road to Hana tours, but with an added touch of luxury. As the most expensive Hana tour on our list (at $269 per person or $538 for two), we can guarantee that this experience is worth every penny. We believe that any tour that provides an experience that goes above & beyond the price of admission is a tour worth considering. Most Road to Hana tours offer an incredible experience that’s worth every penny, but not all of them treat you like a VIP. However, the Hana Picnic Tour is one of those exclusive tours that will fulfill your expectations in style.

One of the main advantages is being able to drive with a smaller group (6-8 guests) in a spacious limousine van that will traverse the northern coastline in luxury (way better than renting a car). You will also be treated to a complimentary exclusive pick-up from your hotel, resort, harbor or even condo. That’s what we mean by offering a VIP experience. You can reside practically anywhere around the Hana Highway and not have to worry about logistics. Anywhere except, perhaps, a shack tucked away on the northern downslope of the Haleakala Crater (the limo-van needs an actual road to be able to pick you up in style). Moreover, this fun highway trip provides the perfect stress-free experience (which should be a priority for all the Hana tours). Over the course of 10 hours you’ll get the opportunity to not just weave your way down the Road to Hana, but explore wondrous locations depending on the desires of the group.

Like many Han tours, you’ll be able to see many of the main attractions that northern Maui has to offer. Popular Hana Highway stops include the beautiful Hana Tropical Gardens, where you’ll have the opportunity to explore acres of colorful tropical flowers, that are local to Hawaii, and an orchid nursery. You’ll pass by Wailua Valley, tropical rainforest, waterfalls, and get a chance to swim in the ocean off Black Sand Beaches. Not enough fun? How about taking a dip in one of the many waterfall plunge pools. Of course, a warm breakfast and delicious lunch at Hana Bay will be included. This is actually the highest rated Road to Hana, Maui tour on our list, and it will not disappoint. Book this fantastic Hana highway tour as early as possible!

“Experience the TRUE beauty of Maui’s landscape and picturesque views with a Road to Hana Tour!”

Tour #3 Road to Hana Private Tour

For a truly customizable and fully private taste of some of the best locales Maui has to offer, we recommend the Private Road to Hana Tour – a full day journey clocking in at between 8-10 hours with frankly unbeatable service that even extends to you modifying the stops along the way to accommodate the preferences of your group. Not many Hana tours can say they provide their guests with that option. You can’t beat exclusivity paired with flexibility.

A highlight of the tour is the fact that the more people sign up for the drive, the cheaper the individual’s price becomes. Once your group is between 4 and 10 people, you’re only paying as much as you would for the larger Heavenly Hana Tour, but with all the benefits of a fully bespoke, flexible, family-owned tour agency. Family-owned Maui tours are some of the best in Hawaii. If you like the feeling that a drive through paradise while munching on freshly baked banana bread gives you, then wait till you get to eat lunch on the mountaintops overlook Haleakala valley. We have a feeling this is one of the Maui tours that’s right for you.

With an emphasis on blending culture with nature, the Private Road to Hana Tour also stops in Nahiku Marketplace, a town bursting with Hawaiian cuisine and crafts. In addition to this you’ll learn about the history of the Keanae Peninsula and have the chance to swim through underground beach caves and hidden ground pools! And that’s not all this Maui drive has to offer. Your Road to Hana road trip isn’t complete without visiting waterfalls, tropical rainforest, passing by Haleakala State Park to catch a glimpse of the Haleakala Crater, Hana Bay, Hana Town, and other unique Maui hotspots. Or you can book one of several pricey helicopter tours and see everything in under an hour. However, we don’t think that would do justice to this part of the island of Maui. You really need a long morning drive on one of the most remarkable roads in the world to fully appreciate the natural beauty of Hawaii.

The Private Road to Hana Tour is a great value for its modest price. Usually, private and exclusive experiences don’t come cheap. But the local family of this Road to Hana tour is too generous to consider otherwise. Being that this Hana, Maui road trip is a strong contender for one of the best Road to Hana tours in Maui (and one of the best highway trips in Hawaii), we strongly advise you to book a reservation well in advance. This Hana tour tends to fill up quickly due to its reputation for providing a high quality service experience.

Final Thoughts Before You Embark on the Journey of a Lifetime

All of these extraordinary tours will give you an amazing visual experience that you will never forget. As you head down the Road to Hana, you’ll explore a wondrously diverse landscape, rare natural landmarks, and catch glimpses of otherworldly vistas that you may never be able to witness again for the rest of your life!

How often do you get a chance to jump into the swirling pools of majestic waterfalls, or mountain bike down the slopes of a massive shield volcano? What about frolicking on the obsidian surface of Black Sand Beach or curiously observing the geography slowly morph from tropical rainforest to lava deserts? Now, how often do you get the chance to witness all of this natural majesty in a single day? The remarkable reality of these Road to Hana tours is that the aforementioned destinations are barely half of the unique experiences you could enjoy when traveling down the winding Hana Highway.

The Hana trip that you eventually choose may just depend on what diversified services each tour company has to offer. Because each tour will either embark on basically the same route as every other tour, or give you the option to customize your journey, there isn’t much room for specializing or gaining a competitive advantage on the overall experience.

Having said that, each of these three tours do indeed diversify their service offerings in slightly unique ways. One tour may choose to emphasize certain sites and attractions off the Hana Highway that aren’t prioritized by the other companies. Another will focus on the quality of service, logistics, and trying to sell you a luxury service with a higher level of comfort. It’s not uncommon to see Road to Hana tours that try to give the guest a balanced experience, a tradeoff between luxury and flexibility. Maybe you would rather customize your journey at the expense of comfort or trip duration. However, one thing that all the tours have in common is the chance to visit many of the incredible attractions that surround the Hana Highway as it traverses across the northern Maui coastline.

No matter which tour your choose, you will be reserving a spot for a unique journey that’s unmatched by anywhere in the world. And you will still have the rest of Maui to explore once your dream is over. That’s an amazing thought. So think about your budget and how many of your friends and family you would like to accompany you on your epic tropical voyage. Hopefully, we have made your decision easier by providing a table that showcases all of the details of each tour in a simple overview. This way you’ll be able to consider all the pros and cons before arriving at your final choice.

Are you ready to get intimate with Mother Nature in all her glory? Book your reservation here, today!