After we passed Hāna, we kept driving. Beyond the road to Hāna, the road narrowed again and winded around through lush green areas and sheer cliffs. Some parts of the road were not paved and we began to question if we had taken the right way, but it is one of the only roads on that side of the island, so we didn’t fret much. The tropical foliage surrounding us began to fade, along with most other living things. It became very clear to us that this was not the popular route to or from Hāna, and we made few stops as we were pressed to make it out of the twisting roads before sunset.
I know some people warn of driving this route on the island, but it really wasn’t too bad. You just have to remember to drive slow and complete it during daylight hours. I would have rather found a spot to sleep in our car than to drive it at night. That said, it was one of my favorite parts of the island. It was so much different than the rest of it, and the volcanic rock is beautiful against the dry grass. It felt so unfamiliar, and beautiful at the same time. I highly recommend it if you get an early enough start. Plan to have a full tank of gas, snacks, and water handy as there are very flew places to replenish supplies.
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