Maui's Roads Less Traveled: East Kapalua and Makena Point

There are those adventures that everyone hears about on Maui: Road to Hana, the Summit of Haleakala, and, of course, the beaches all over the island.  There are also a few that aren't as often talked about but are equally as fun and adventurous.  While we were in Maui, we took two of these drives: up through West Maui to Kapalua and down East Maui to Makena Point.

If you look at Maui on the map, there are roads that follow the northern shores of the west and east sides of the island.  Both roads start near the airport, in the central valley of Maui.  The eastern road is one of the most well-known adventures in Hawaii: the Road to Hana, but the west side is definitely a hidden gem.  For the first part of our trip, we stay up in Kapalua, so we decided to take that windy road to our hotel on the first day we got there.  There's almost nothing up there, but the views are amazing, and FYI, the road is not for the faint of heart stomach.  If you had trouble with the Road to Hana, I might not suggest this trip.  However, if you like one-lane roads with tons of switchbacks, blind curves, and no guard rails, make sure you (have a Jeep, a few full afternoon, and) take this drive!

We went at the perfect time of day to see an amazing sunset over the mountains!  Plus, we made friends with a whole herd of cattle. 

One of the days we stayed in Wailea, we continued driving south to Makena Point to walk along the lava fields.  It was the most amazing scenery!  The walk was pretty easy, and if you like snorkeling, this is definitely the place to do it. I would definitely suggest getting there early because there isn't much parking, and the spots fill up quickly!