Take the road less traveled. It can sometimes be scary going into the unknown but oh the beauty you will stumble upon. Maui is breathtaking for many reasons; the beaches, the lush greenery, and nothing beats a Hawaiian sunset!
My husband put together a day tour for us traveling through the “back country” of Maui and I thought I would do a blog post about this. If you’re looking for an adventure in Maui and wanting to tour the Island without doing Road to Hana (which I would tell you to skip but that’s for another day) look no further!
Before you start, make sure you have a change of clothes (long pants, a long sleeve top, sneakers/socks, jacket, hat/mittens if you tend to get cold easily)…more on that later.
First stop, Mama’s Fish House in Paia. This is the START to the
Road to Hana. A cute little surf town. Massive waves crashing into the sand you are bound to see some surfers a long the way. Lunch will be spectacular, not just the view but the fresh food. I’m not just talking fish – think Island grown fresh fruits and vegetables harvested locally. My oh my, I’m drooling just thinking about it. If you only can do one thing on this tour, this is it people.
Next stop, Ocean Vodka Organic Farm and Distillery! Wait! What in the world is a Vodka farm? It’s a distillery but perched up on a bluff (can you say stunning views?)! Located on the slopes of Haleakala (which you’re headed to at the end of the day) overlooking Maui, the ocean, lush greenery! I mean, the world stood still on top of here as we sipped our Vodka lemonades!
I’m all for sustainable brands & supporting local companies. Let me tell you this place is doing all the things. Ocean Vodka Farm is eco-friendly in the production of their vodka and use responsible practices when sourcing raw materials. Lastly, they are GF, non-GMO, free of herbicides and pesticides.
A little further up, Maui Wine {pineapple wine, here we come}! Now I will mention, the weather will start to change at this point as you’re driving to higher elevation you can expect cooler temps and a potential sprinkle of rain. I will also mention – you should be or have a responsible driver for many reasons. The roads get narrow with no guard rails and with twists and turns you need to have a safe & sober ride. There is only one way to the winery so don’t try to take the backroads. Part of the experience is the drive itself – so enjoy the breathtaking views in the car.
Once at the winery we did two different tastings. I did the Pineapple tasting and Brian did a red tasting so we could experience all Maui Wine had to offer. After our tasting we grabbed a few glasses of wine to sip on and enjoy one another’s company. My personal favorite is the Hula O Maui – the pineapple bubbles! We sat outside and the temps were a bit cooler so make sure you have a sweater if you tend to get chilly.
I will say they do have shipping boxes available for purchase. We ended up buying 6 bottles of wine to share with family and friends. When else are you going to get authentic pineapple wine from the beautiful state of Hawaii?
Before you head to the last stop, change into long pants and a t-shirt/long sleeve top. It’s about to get COLD.
The grand finally is a bit of a doozy drive but WORTH IT! Get up to the top of Haleakala to catch sunset. DOUBLE CHECK the time the sun will set & get up there 30 mins prior (or more). It will most likely get busy the higher up you go. It takes about 1hr 15 mins to get there from Maui Wine so leave with plenty of time. This drive is not for the faint heart. In fact, I had to do a little breathing exercise in the car because it’s scary – no joke, but I can be dramatic at times so…..I will promise the views and experience are worth it.
As you ascend, you will start to get above the clouds – amazing! Eventually, you won’t be able to see down the mountain side or see the ocean. You’re about to watch the sunset into the clouds! You will most likely lose cell signal and your radio will stop working. That’s how you know you’re getting there! As you enter the state 
park, depending on the day – there may be a fee. We went on a Holiday so there was no fee but that also means it was a bit busier than we would have liked.
Once you find a parking spot, face West and enjoy the stunning views. It can be cold {or freezing depending on where you’re from}. I wore a north face fleece, leggings, sneakers & socks and was 
comfortable. Some people were in parkas others in flip flops so it all depends on your comfort level. My motto: bring your warmer gear just in case. It was about 40 degrees when we were there with a slight wind. When we watched the sunrise a few years ago it was 35 degrees and windy (wind chill at 15).
As you make your descent, it’s going to be dark – pitch black. Go slow and try to relax. You’ll be down before you know it and you’ll never be happier to be off Haleakala.
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