The Haiku region of Maui in Hawaii is home to lush rainforests, incredible food, breathtaking waterfalls, a quaint town center, some of the best surfing in the world, and the enviable climate that draw millions of visitors to Hawaii each year.
Known for its hippie sensibility, Maui offers a peaceful respite from busy resort towns and areas that are far more crowded with tourists.
But where is Haiku Maui? And how does one find this quiet corner of paradise?
Where is Haiku Maui?
Table of Contents
With a size of 771 square miles, Maui is the second biggest island in Hawaii, smaller only than the “Big Island,” and its city Honolulu.
Located on the northern shore of Maui, Haiku is a part of a larger town called Haiku-Pauwela. The larger area, including the unincorporated community of Haiku-Pauwela, is commonly referred to as Haiku.
While accessing this part of the island from outside of Maui requires both a flight and a bit of a drive, the travel time is well worth it once you arrive and experience the unique beauty of the region.
The drive itself offers beautiful views and a taste of the iconic Road to Hana, which lets you drive around Maui in a day (if you’re fast!).
There are several ways to access the unique and gorgeous area known as Haiku.
Traveling from Kahului
While Maui has three airports, only the Kahului airport accommodates direct flights from the mainland. So if you’re traveling from outside of Hawaii with plans to visit Haiku, this will likely be where you arrive.
From the airport there are several ways to traverse the approximately 13 miles to Haiku along the shore.
A 23-minute bus ride will take you from the airport to Haiku-Pauwela for as little as $2.00. Airport shuttles may be available as well at a comparable cost.
A taxi will take about the same amount of time but will cost at least $45.
The scenic ride hugs the northern shoreline, offering breathtaking views on the Road to Hana as you make your way to your destination.
Traveling from Lahaina
While starting from Lahaina will result in a longer drive to Haiku, it also offers the opportunity to see a wide swath of the island that would otherwise be missed with a more direct route.
This route to Haiku hugs the southern shore of the island before passing through the central towns of Maalaea and Waikapu and then heading east.
Once you’re in Lahaina, you might wonder, “How do I get to Haiku from here?” While it’s a bit of a trek from Lahaina to Haiku, it’s a manageable venture and well worth the time and cost.
A bus ride will take nearly three hours, depending on traffic and weather conditions (especially if it’s the rainy season) of course. That ticket will start at about $4.00. If you’re comfortable with a slightly longer ride and some frequent stops, a bus ride is an economical way to move through the island.
And who wants to hurry when there’s a beautiful vista at every turn?
If you’d prefer a shorter trip or to ride without other passengers, a taxi ride can shave nearly two hours from your travel time, but will cost more than $120.
Of course, with a taxi, you have the freedom to ask the driver to stop and keep the meter running while you pause to take in the views or snap a photo to send to your envious friends back home.
The Road to Hana
A popular attraction for visitors to Maui is the Road to Hana. It’s well worth stopping to see some of the sights on your way to Haiku. The 52-mile length of road, marked as Highway 36 on maps, offers an infamously scenic drive packed with:
- Waterfalls
- Beaches
- Lookouts
- A state park
..and gardens so beautiful they’re called “Kings Garden” and “Garden of Eden” respectively.
Whether you arrive through Kahului and Lahaina, both routes take you through a portion of the Road to Hana/Highway 36 route on your way to Haiku.
There’s far more to explore along that route, however, as the remaining miles hug the eastern and southern edges of the Maui shoreline ending at the road’s namesake, Hana.
