Things to do in Maui near the Hana Country Cottage
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Waioka (known as Venus Pool ) is an easy one-mile walk away! At mile marker 48 (just one mile further up the Hana Highway), this large, spectacular, fresh water pool is surrounded by lava formations that provide plenty of places to climb and jump in! A large tidal wall of rocks keeps the ocean surges out. The water is calm and clear, perfect for snorkeling.
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Just two miles away. Voted one of the best beaches in the world. A picture perfect gray sand beach, Hamoa is just off Haneo'o Road in Hana. James A. Michener said, about Hamoa Beach:
Paradoxically, the only beach I have ever seen that looks like the South Pacific was in the North Pacific. Hamoa Beach on Maui Island in Hawai'i; a beach so perfectly formed that I wonder at its comparative obscurity. Formed into the shape of a half moon, it is rimmed by boulders of lava and guarded by tall volcanic needles. Pandanus [Hala] trees line the shore, which offers a crescent of black and silver sand. [hat tip to The Maui Beach Guide]
Ka'ihalulu, or red sands beach, is very special. Only a fifteen minute drive away, this beach is protected from the surf by lava formations, which make it great for snorkeling. It is down a little bit of a trail (5 to 10 minute hike), but the seclusion makes it all the better.
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The Kahanu Garden is a National Botanical Tropical Garden on the Hana Coast featuring a large variety of tropical plants. Self guided and guided tours are available. The Kahanu Garden is due west of the Hana Airport on Ula'ino Road.
5 miles away, can’t be missed. Swim in the many gorgeous pools, or hike up to the huge waterfall, through giant bamboo forests--our favorite hike! The pools (actually, more than seven), and a series of waterfalls, are aligned along the Pipiwai Streams in O'heo Gulch, starting about two miles inland and winding down to the sea. The most popular pools are near the ocean, as they are the easiest to reach.
The Pipiwai Trail winds up the gulch, and is often sited as one of the best hikes on Maui. The 650 foot elevation gain trail takes 2.5 to 5 hours to hike, depending on your speed and stops. There are many waterfalls along the way, including the 400 foot tall Waimoku Falls at the top of the trail.
The pools are past the Hana Country Cottage on Highway 31, just past Mile Marker 42 on the makai (ocean) side of the road.
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Wai'anapanapa, near mile marker 32, features a spectacular black sand beach! This remote park with low volcanic cliffs offers camping and picnicking, an ancient Hawaiian coastal trail that you can hike all the way to Hana Town. Birdwatchers will enjoy a chance at seeing a sea bird colony. There is a heiau (temple), a hala tree forest, caves, a stone arch, anchialine pools (a land locked body with a subterranean connection to the ocean, and blow holes.
The whole family will love exploring the bat and mosquito free underground lavascape, where temperatures are always comfortable and the hike is easy. See the Maui Cave website for more info.
The largest heiau (ancient Hawaiian Temple) currently known is the Hale O Pi'ilani Heiau, is a massive, three-acre platform with fifty foot retaining walls, built in the 1200's for King Pi'ilani.
Site designed by Supak for higher search engine ranks. Arial photo of Hana by Kanoa Withington, 2006, under the GNU Free Documentation License, Version 1.2
