MAUI
Haleakala Sunrise
The Basics
The highest point on Maui, this volcano looms over the island at just over 10,000 feet. The national park is split into two distinct sections, neither of which can be accessed by the same road. The hikes to Seven Sisters and Waimoku Falls are accessed from the Hana side of the island. The top of the crater, which includes the coveted sunrise lookout point, can be accessed from Kahului.
Your pass to the national park is valid for 3 days! This means that if you make reservations to see Haleakala sunrise, you should make sure to do the Hana Road within those two following days to avoid paying entrance fees twice. I can assure you that this was a piece of information I did not see on any travel sites.
There’s absolutely no cell service so make sure you have all our documentation and directions before you leave your resort.
The entrance fee is $30 per car. I’ve read a lot of sites suggesting you park elsewhere and walk in since it is $15 per person fee for bicyclists BUT there are no hotels or parking lots anywhere near the entrances. Don’t be an asshole and park where you shouldn’t. Be respectful of the locals and their land: pay the fee and park in the designated area.
There is a visitor’s center on your way up to the summit with a bathroom that is open 24/7.
Sunrise Reservations
To have the opportunity to watch the sunrise from the top of a volcano, high above the cloud cover of the island is truly something spectacular. Everyone that I’ve talked to that visited said that it was their favorite activity.
What really deterred me at first was the travel time. I had a hard time with the idea of waking up at 2am and driving over two hours. For this reason, it’s easiest to do it your first day on the island before you’ve acclimated to the local time. It does take several hours to get to the summit, so plan to leave the hotel by at least 3am. If you’re stuck behind a slower driver or conditions are not ideal, you’ll be inching up the mountain at 20mph. This could take awhile. Also, keep in mind that although you have a ticket, that ticket only reserves a spot in 1 of 4 summit parking lots. You want to be in the top parking lot, so arrive early. There’s nothing fun about walking up a mountain in freezing temperatures in the dead of night.
Reservations are released eight weeks in advance and only for that 10 day period so be sure to set a reminder in your calendar. Tickets cost $1 per car and are only available once every three days. Timing this with your trip to Hana can be challenging so set up your sunrise reservations and Hana trip first and plan everything else around them.
Mother Nature
I’d like to say this was my favorite part of the trip, but it was not. Something to consider when booking activities that rely solely on Mother Nature: her sometimes glaringly inhospitable attitude toward tourism. She doesn’t give a shit, and she definitely proved it on this morning. While each and every other day on the island was absolutely superb, this particular morning there was a storm: a big one. It was pouring rain, sleet, and zero visibility going up the mountain. You couldn’t see tail lights ten feet in front of you.
This is a good time for me to impress on you just how important it is to be prepared. Hiking boots, thick socks, a windbreaker, ear muffs, a hoodie, even gloves seemed totally necessary. It wouldn’t be overkill to strip your hotel bedding and bring that as well. It is totally freezing even on the best day so don’t think a light sweater is going to be sufficient. Also pack plenty of food and drinks; its a half day trip at least and there’s nowhere to stop until you’re back down the mountain.
Once you reach the summit, there is a small enclosure at the top of the hill, maybe 50 steps total. It is just a plexiglass box with a doorway. You don’t need to run up there and get a spot as I’ve seen others suggest. On the day I visited, the wind and rain was wild and you could barely walk up the steps. People were crammed inside slowly freezing to death. Instead, set an alarm and take a snooze in the car.
After my cat nap, I awakened to find the sun still had not come out. I stayed at the top well beyond sunrise, waiting to see if the cloud cover would eventually clear, even for just a minute. It never did. So I went back to sleep in my car, and I can tell you that was the best sleep I got on the entire island. It’s nothing if not quiet at the top of a volcano.
Traveling back down the mountain is also pretty treacherous, with a ton of hairpin turns and a serious incline. Do yourself a favor and read the rental car manual. I did. It had a couple different settings for manually shifting downhill and this was invaluable. Downshifting is always recommended over breaking, especially in a car you’re not familiar with.
Be on the lookout for large groups of bicyclists, as this is the drop-off path for a lot of the downhill bicycle expeditions.
The view coming down alone is worth the initial trip up the mountain. On a clear day you can see all the way to Lanai. On a shitty day, not so much. But maybe you’ll get lucky and see a rainbow or two.
