The South Route to Hana

We woke up to another beautiful Hawaiian morning. I was so happy we had more adventuring ahead of us and we weren't leaving the island just yet.

The street you see is the access to the beach!

A little known secret on Maui is that the South route to Hana is just as adventurous as the North route. There is a stretch of about five miles that is unpaved and pretty rocky, but the coastline is beautiful and there are some fun stops along the way. So we were off, headed toward Upcountry Maui.

We stopped briefly to walk through the Sun Yat-Sen Memorial Park.

Will though it was funny that someone had dumped junk right by the "No Dumping" sign.

You can see Koho`olawe and Molokini!

Our next stop was Maui Wine in the `Ulupalakua region. Will had a tasting (I had a few sips for taste - yummy!) and we took an incredibly informative tour of the winery. I couldn't begin to explain the facinating history of this winery, but you can read up on it here.

The grounds are beautiful!

Will and his trees. This one was brought from Australia!

Cannon used to shoot welcome salutes to visitors to let them know they would get picked up soon.

The "Old Jail"

Right across the street is the `Ulupalakua Ranch Store and Grill. For lunch I had a veggie burger and Will had an elk burger. The elk roam right at the ranch in the area.

We continued on our journey to Hana with so many spectacular views along the way.

More views of Koho`olawe, Molokini, and Makena Beach.

Manawainui Gulch

The Gulch

View of the ocean while crossing the gulch

Stopping at the Kaupo Store for a drink and restroom break!

About an hour and a half into our drive we arrived at Haleakala National Park in Kipahulu. Here we hiked the Pipiwai Trail, crossing waterfalls and adventuring through a bamboo forest. 

There were several "Danger" signs along the drop offs!

We finally reached the bamboo forest!

The bamboo made such a cool noise as the stalks swayed with the wind.

The lower loop offered us beautiful views of the Pools of `Ohe`o, commonly referred to as the Seven Sacred Pools. Usually it is open for swimming, but it has been closed since January due to a rock slide. The silver lining is that is allowed for a nice view without people in the way.

Beautiful coastline everywhere you look.

The Pools of `Ohe`o 

With the day winding down it was time to head into Hana to check into our cottage.

There are Packers fans everywhere!

We arrived around 5pm at our cozy cottage.

Before the sunset we wanted to check out one more spot and take a quick dip, too, so we drove down the street to Hamoa Beach. It was a beautiful beach that I wish we could have spent more time enjoying, but a quick dip is better than nothing!

It was a little chilly with the sun on the other side of the mountains, so we went back to the cottage to shower up for dinner. For my special birthday dinner we enjoyed a delicious fish dinner at The Preserve Kitchen and Bar which is at the Travaasa Hotel in Hana (THE hotel, as in the only one!). The dinner was made complete with some of the best carrot cake that we've had in a long time!

The evening itself was gorgeous, complete with a bright, almost full moon lighting up the sky. Will dragged me along on a walk after dinner, much to my dismay due to the threat of rain. About a block away from the cottage it started to drizzle. I insisted we head back and it's good we did because just before we got to the lanai of the cottage it started pouring! It continued to rain throughout the night and at some points I thought the sky was falling. It made for a cozy night, and all that rain nourishes the lush landscape.  All things told, it was a memorable birthday to say the least!