The Hidden Gems of Maui

Most of us that visit Maui go to the popular venues: Haleakala State Park , the Hana Highway, Lahaina, Ka'anapali Beach and the list goes on. What if you want to get away from the crowds and see the untamed side of Maui? There are places to visit where you will enjoy fewer crowds and see a little more rural, rustic side of this beautiful island. 

 

On Maui, Off the Beaten Path

LIVING 12:44 PM byJohn Briley

Just steps from a paved pullout on the Honoapiilani Highway, a shady spot offers a view of Molokai. This is one of dozens of serene stops along a drive on one of Maui's least-visited coastal areas. - John Briley,For The Washington Post

The best roads to drive are those that you would really rather not drive at all, the ones that practically yank you out of the car every mile to hike, surf, ski or just breathe in the tantalizing world beyond the windshield.

Maui has a deep bench of such roads, among them a 40-kilometre stretch that runs along the coast on the north side of the West Maui Volcano.

Nakalele Blowhole

In April, during a nine-day stay on the island with my wife and kids, we twice ventured along this route — once from Kahului, on the Kahekili Highway, and once from Kaanapali, on the Honoapiilani Highway — and each time found pockets of wild Hawaii, along with far less traffic and fewer people than I've encountered on the famous Hana Highway.

 

Not that I've got anything against that marquee route. In the iconic-one-day-drive department, it delivers on high expectations and, to be honest, deserves a three-to-four-day commitment (which I've never managed to give it).

But unless you follow the hard-to-follow advice to start early, beeline to Hana and work your way back, you'll be sharing your special vacation moments with a lot of other people.
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