Hana
FINALLY - you've reached the mecca of Hana (literally translated as work) at mile marker 33.4. This is popularly known as the land of the low hanging sky. Isolation ensures that Hana, a very sleepy little town with the charm of old style Hawaii, is mostly unchanged. Once you get to the Y intersection (where the police station is located), first take the lower road to Hana Bay where local families bring their children to picnic and frolic in the gentle waters. There you will find a snack bar, pier, and Kauiki Hill which was the site of many ancient battles.
Turn left after leaving the bay. There is a quaint little museum in Hana, an expensive place to stay and eat called the Hotel Hana Maui, and Fagan's cross on the hill. Mr. Fagan founded the hotel, and if you want to hike up to the cross, ask at the hotel desk for a key to the gate. There are also several churches and two stores.
There are no signs that say, "Welcome to Hana," no main street, no fast-food franchises.
For dining, there are the two restaurants and Tutu's Snack Shop at Hana Bay.
People here believe less is better -- less noise, fewer cars and fewer city standards.
Some visitors say the scenery in Hana town seems anticlimactic after the wild beauty of the ride.
The mountainsides are tamed, rolling green hills of cattle land and manicured residential lawns.
In their relative isolation, residents along the road have developed a lifestyle that fosters independence.
A number of residents proudly recall voting against statehood in 1959.
Hasegawa's General Store
Now you have a decision to make. You simply must visit Hasegawa's General Store but should you do it right now or just before you start your return trip back towards Kahului?
If your final destination is Hana, and you are not driving over to the seven pools, then duck right in and check out this famous country store. However, if you are traveling on to the seven pools you might want to save your stop at Hasegawa's for later. That would give you a few moments to stretch your legs before the long drive back and allow you to drink a cup of Kona Coffee or a cola while you leisurely enjoy this store. It's your decision.
But whatever you do, do stop at Hasegawa's General Store, the landmark frequented by visitors and locals alike. Hasegawa's has been in operation since 1910.
Stores are part of the culture of a country, and especially this one here in Hana. The Hasegawa General Store is mentioned in almost any book on Maui, and it is probably the most famous shop, since it was theme of a song (George Paoa Trio Live, Hula Records1992): It is a generally known fact that the General Store offers practically everything what you could need. "You just name it - they have it there - in the Hasegawa General Store", it says in the song. Harry knows exactly where everything is without using fancy computers, he just knows every item in the store. I marveled at his use of shelf space. You will too as you poke around the aisles chock full of trinkets and shirts as well as necessities. Where else can residents and tourists on this end of the road find Bisquick, blue jeans, motor oil, machete's, music CDs and fishing line all in one place? This might also be a good place to buy your "I survived the trip to Hana" shirt! But, just so you know, several of the other stores across the street also sell survivor shirts.
The original Hasegawa store burnt down on August 15, 1990. As you can read in the newspapers pinned to the entrance door, the gas station was also destroyed, and fuel had to be provided by a tanker truck for a while. But soon the store and the gas station were reconstructed. It still has much of the charm and funky feel that the original had.
Consider spending the night in or near Hana
The trip to Hana is often a hurried, one day affair which is really unfair to you and which you might find frustrating at having to end so soon. Unless you live on the left coast of the United States or Canada or Mexico, and can do Maui fairly often, this may be the one and only time you'll make this thrilling trip. So consider spending at least two days on this adventure. Even if you have already paid for a hotel room in Kaanapali or Kihei, to be able to truly savor the flavor of the Hana Drive, and to see its wonders without dealing with crowds, it might truly be worth it to spend the extra money to stay the night in Hana.
On your first day take a leisurely drive to Hana, stopping at all of the scenic and beautiful spots along the road and unhurriedly and fully partaking of the natural beauty. When you get into the Hana vicinity you can find accommodations at many locations. Fully equipped housekeeping cabins at nearby Waianapanapa State Park are available for a pittance. There are a number of bed and breakfast places along the Hana Drive route, many of them charging less than $100 per night double. A more expensive option is the Hotel Hana Maui in Hana itself. There are also some bungalows down below Hasawega's store that can be rented. By staying the night you will be able to see Oheo Gulch and Lindberg's grave earlier in the morning and without the hordes of tourists that show up later.
So the second day might be spent leisurely driving to see Wailua Falls, Kanahualui Falls, Oheo Gulch and its beautiful pools and Lindberg's gave in the Palapala Hoomau Congregational Church cemetery. Follow that up with a visit to Hasegawa's General Store back in Hana, then a swim at the black sand beach at Waianapanapa State Park, followed by a more relaxing drive back to Kahului without a caravan of cars on your tailpipe trying to push you along too quickly.
But keep in mind that the scenery is just one part of the Hana experience. Hana's people are as much a part of the landscape as the fish, flowers and falls are. The region's people are mostly all blood related and their spirits and personalities are deeply rooted in this land. Their isolation has preserved their genuine aloha for the visitor and cemented the bonds of "Ohana", or family, with their neighbor. This solitary existence has imparted to Hana town the quality of being seemingly untouched, unsullied, and totally unlike anyplace else you've ever visited.
OK, this is the end of Part Four of the Road To Hana travelogue.
To continue this adventure, please see the following and last article in this series:
Taking One Of The Most Beautiful and Scenic Drives In The World On The Hawaiian Island of Maui - The Road To Hana - Part Five
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