The best way to travel across the top of West Maui is from west to east so you can see the sights from a better perspective. Another good reason is that this stretch of road can be very narrow in areas and when meeting another car you will feel much more relaxed if you are in the inside toward the island than on the outside near the ocean below. When you first start off you will notice the signs telling you that you will need a 4WD vehicle, this is not true any more. At one time, yes, the road was very hard to travel without such a vehicle, but today the road has been improved, even though it is very curvy and narrow.

This road from Kapalua to Wailuku is not traveled very much at all so you can enjoy a slow carefree drive. There are three nice secluded beaches along this way that you are sure to enjoy which include Slaughterhouse Beach just past mile marker 32, Honolua Bay just before you get to mile marker 33, and Punalau Beach about 7/10 of a mile past mile marker 34. At least here, you will not have to fight the crowds to relax in the sun or enjoy the beauty. Honolua Bay is a wonderful place to go snorkeling in the spring and during the winter months, you will enjoy the pounding turbulent waves.

After you pass the only beaches along the top of West Maui, you will come to the village of Honokohau. Do not expect a friendly Hawaiian greeting here. The residents here are not use to tourist and are not as friendly as other locals around Maui.

Well, one great attraction on this stretch of road is the famous Nakalele Blowhole. Mother Nature did a trick here and forced the ocean to undercut the shoreline under the lava shell, and then forces the water up through what is known as a blowhole. The blowhole can be very active at times shooting the water 70 feet in the air to being very calm and not doing a thing at all. Whether the blowhole will be showing its stuff when you visit is all up to the tides and the force of the pounding waters.

The mushroom shaped rock is another grand attraction here in West Maui. You can find it just past mile marker 42. This is an awesome place to just back, relax, and watch the pounding surf as it comes to shore. Here Mother Nature has something in store for you if you love watching and listening to the powerful ocean waves at work.

Just a bit up the road is the Bellstone. However, you had better watch the mile markers if you do not want to miss this boulder. Right past mile marker 42, the mile markers will change and start with 16. So, right after you pass mile marker 42 and just before you get to 16 is where you will find this unusual boulder. All the locals will tell you all about this unique rock. What you will hear is that this large round boulder when hit in the right spot will produce a metallic sound. If you wish to stand there for hours trying to hear this faint sound, have fun.

There is one lone waterfall along this drive, which is Lower Makamak’ole Falls. This majestic multi-tiered waterfall is a sight to see especially after the narrow curvy drive you just encountered.

The most important thing to remember along this drive is to take is slow since there are many places along the way where two cars cannot pass one another. Courtesy is that whoever is coming down the hill should back up and let the other car pass. If you are just not courageous enough to make this trip without a 4WD, you can rent at most car rental agencies.

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