Things to do in Hana and the north shore

The Hana Highway runs roughly 100 km from Paia to Hana, with 620 curves and 59 bridges, most of them one lane. Budget the entire day for the round trip, not a morning detour: there is no petrol station between Paia and Hana, so fill up before leaving, and the village itself has no supermarket or reliable ATM.

Along the way, Hookipa draws windsurfers and kiteboarders rather than swimmers, and Waianapanapa's black-sand beach requires a prepaid online reservation with a set time slot for non-residents. Near Hana, the Kipahulu pools sometimes close to swimming after rain, when flash flooding is a real risk.

A guided van tour, from roughly $150 to $220 per person, removes the driving and parking altogether.