Road to Hana - Wailua Falls

With the hairpin turns ending in Hana this next stage of the journey is a little more straightforward with a few gentle curves along the east coast of Maui. A slight detour for more beach opportunities are presented with either Koki Beach for surfing and views of Alau Island in the distance or Hamoa Beach further south that is great for bodysurfing and views of a row of pine trees on Maka’Alae Point.

The pine trees known as Cook Pines are endemic to New Caledonia but have been cultivated around the world including Hawaii. First classified by naturalist Johann Forster, the pines were named after Captain James Cook whom Forster joined on the 1772 round the world voyage. A quirky phenomenon about the Cook Pines is their lack of upright growth and rather obvious tilt. Looking like the Leaning Tower of Pisa, the strange aspect of its lean is that those cultivated north of the equator such as Southern California tend to lean southward and those cultivated south of the equator such as Australia or New Zealand tend to lean northwards. It seems depending where they are planted, they lean towards the equator. One particular tree in South Australia slants at a 40 degree angle.

With no shortage of waterfalls on the highway, Paihi Falls comes into view very close to the bridge. Tucked in a concave position, dense vegetation obscures it coming from Hana until pretty much located on the bridge. It is so close once seen you could almost reach out and touch it. At 50ft (15m) tall regardless of whether it’s a light trickle or full the waterfall is a pretty sight as it falls along several narrow rocky ledges to the pool below.

A quarter of a mile further (480m) is the scenic 95ft (29m) drop at Wailua Falls. Visible from the road, a better view is a short hike to the falls’ base to watch the upper section plunging halfway down onto a rocky ledge before fanning out slightly to cascade into the swimmable pond.



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Road to Hana - Hana

A mere 2.4mi (3.8km) further from Upper Waikani Falls is the Wailua Iki Falls. More of a cascade visible from the road to the right, the flow is part of West Wailua Iki Stream coming from up north. The stream, making up the Lower Wailua Iki Falls, plunges 150ft (45m) beneath the bridge into a pool below. This part is easily missed on the way to Hana as it’s not visible from the road unless travelling in the opposite direction. A good view from the road is 528ft (160m) after the bridge looking back and even better is to hike down to the stream via the Wailua Iki Trail that’s nearby. The impressiveness of the falls is dependent on the amount of rain that has fallen which dictates the strength of the flow. Seeing the flow of the cascade on the right would be an indicator if it’s worth looking for the waterfall downstream.

The next roadside waterfall is Hanawi Falls. Fed by the ample waters of Hanawi Stream, this year-round cascade flows beneath a nearly century old bridge continuing 9mi (14km) downstream into the Pacific Ocean. Surrounded by dense vegetation, the stream is home to an endangered damselfly species (similar to dragonfly) that feeds plants such as white ginger, the endemic koa tree and sandalwood. Groups of hala trees with its pineapple-shaped fruit are dotted throughout. Culturally significant many parts of the hala tree are used such as: the fruit, eaten fresh or preserved; the trunk as building materials; and the most common use are the leaves that are weaved into goods like baskets, mats or hats. One of the most pristine streams in Hawaii, the swimming hole is inviting but can be extremely cold.

Arriving in Hana is where the Road to Hana driving tour ends. However, this journey continues on along Hana Hwy for another 14mi (23km) or so along the east coast of Maui. Hana is a small community and one of the most isolated towns on the whole island. Settled by Polynesian people between the 6th-9th centuries, Hana was home to sugarcane plantations from the mid-1800s until 1949 when the last plantation closed. With the opening of the first inn, in the same year, Hana’s economy moved towards tourism which was further boosted with the construction of Hana Hwy.

Exploring Hana Bay along its black sand, a result of eroded lava that washed ashore, leads to Hana pier on the east side with views of Hana town and Haleakala Mountain in the background. Even more interesting is a meander along Kaihalulu Beach with its red-sand beach and whilst very rocky in some areas there is a sheltered swimmable area amongst its jagged ruggedness.



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