We remember the first time we drove the Road to Hana, this was our first trip to Hawaii and we were super excited by this portion of the trip. We had researched the route in detail and we all ready to visit all the best stops and the best waterfalls on our journey through Paradise. Once we hit the road, an ain’t urge to push through took over and we missed so much on that trip. Relying on our senses, looking out for mile markers, and simply trying to spot things as we drove just meant before we knew it we were nearly at Hana and had seen very little.
It was still a GREAT drive and the views from the road are stunning enough, but we just didn’t get under the skin of the highway. On subsequent trips, we find the best way to find all the best Highlights and stops is with a live map. Preferably one with all the Stops and Mile Markers. Being a live-map means your position is updated via GPS and you can see exactly when Markers, stops, attractions, or Highlights are coming up. However, we couldn’t find a free map we really liked that showed everything and included Mile markers. So we made one ourselves! and here it is our Road to Hana Map WITH Mile Markers!
Road to Hana Map WITH Mile Markers
How to Use the Map
The first thing to do is ensure you are logged in on google, this way the map can be saved to your Google Maps account for use later on. To make the map easier to find make sure you hit the little Star in the top bar of the Map. Also, bookmark this page so you can get back to the map easily, but if you Star the map it will be saved in your Google Maps Account for future reference.
Desktop
To use as a desktop Map it is best to open it up in a second window. Simply click the Box icon in the right top corner to open it up on another page. This gives you more room to work with.
Mobile
If you are using it as a mobile app then it is very clunky as an imbed on our site so click the box in the top right corner to open the map up in Google Maps. Then you can toggle between the Map and your web browser.
Using the Map to Navigate the Road.
While the Map is great to help understand where everything is, to help you plan and know what is available on the Road to Hana, the best part about the map is being able to follow it along as you drive the road and then know exactly where you are and exactly what is coming up.
Spotting Mile Markers is near impossible at times (actually impossible at times as they are sometimes missing!) but with the Map open and your GPS position following along you will always know exactly where you are.
We have missed markers countless times, only realizing when we spot the next one, then we have the awful choice of having to backtrack or skip the stops entirely.
Using Our Map Offline
The Map works best with an internet connection. However, the Hana Highway is not known for its fantastic Cell service. You will be lucky to find any reception let alone a stable service, so it is best if you can make the map available offline.
First, make sure you download our Hana Highway Stops guide so it is available offline, along with any “read more” pages that interest you. Simply hit the Download option from the three dots in the top right-hand corner. You will be able to find the files from the downloads option from the same three-dots dropdown.
Next, the best plan is to make Googles Maui Map fully available offline. Do this by Searching for Maui in Google maps.
Click the Maui title and then the Download button that us below the heading. This then opens up a Make Map Available box, zoom out so all of Maui is in the Download rectangle, the amount of storage needed to store Maui will be displayed. Click ok and the Maui Map will be downloaded to your device. This way you will be able to zoom in and out of all of Maui without any data. Things like search, route planning, and Live updates are limited but the map can at least work as a traditional map
Once you have Starred the Map and downloaded the Maui google map you should now be able to follow along live when driving the road. You will know when you pass mile markers and when each attraction comes up on the map. Used in conjunction with our Road to Hana Stop Guide which you made available offline (switch between this and google maps) you have a full and interactive guide to every stop on the Hana Highway. You won’t miss a thing!
Finally, just in case, we need to remind you that this should only be attempted by a passenger, acting as a navigator. The road to Hana is Dangerous enough without the drive dividing concentration between the road and the map. Doing so will only end up with you in a ditch, or much worse!
More info on Stops and the Road to Hana
Our map is pretty cool on its own but really it is intended as a Companion Map to our Road to Hana Guide. This free resource to Driving the road to Hana is designed to help you e the best out of the experience. We have tried to cover everything you need to know about the Highway.
The most important section is the Road to Hana Stops Guide. This has more information on EVERY Stop we show on our Map, along with in-depth guides to all the best stops along the way. We rate the Stops to help you understand which are most worth your time and include precise info on how to find the waterfalls, trailheads, and vistas that we list on our Stops guide and the Companion map.
Have Your Say
If you have used our map please let us know your thoughts. Did it help with your Navigation on the Road to Hana? Did you find everywhere you were looking for? Was there a particular location you were trying to find we didn’t feature? Just let us know in the comments below and if you have any questions about the ma and how to use it just fire away.