Hana Daze A Vacation In Maui’s Quiet Corner Allow Several Days To Absorb The Tranquility And Intoxicating Beauty

A sunburned tourist in the crowded parking lot at Haleakala National Park sported a T-shirt that captured his day trip to Maui’s tropical side. It said: “I survived the Hana Highway.”

For many Maui visitors, a day trip to Hana involves something that few sane people would do voluntarily on vacation: get up before dawn to negotiate a busy road that has more twists and turns than a Stephen King novel.

They come to see the famously misnamed Seven Sacred Pools (there are really something like 20 pools fed by a freshwater spring), to visit the grave of famed aviator Charles Lindbergh, and to load up on souvenirs at the Hasagawa General Store.

But the day-trippers are missing something magical when they turn right around and head back to the densely populated west side of the island.

The intoxicating beauty of Hana takes several days to fully appreciate. Visitors who stick around will find that the tiny town - dubbed “Heavenly Hana” by the guidebooks - and the surrounding coast live up to the hype.

Originally settled by Polynesians in the 15th century, Hana is rich with legends and ancient Hawaiian myths. The existing town was built in the late 1800s when several sugar mills were in full swing. Before World War II, the town’s population soared to 3,500 and there were two movie theaters and more than a dozen shops.

When the sugar industry collapsed in the 1940s, many residents were forced to look for work on the other side of the island. Hana was on its way to becoming a ghost town.

But Paul Fagan, a retired industrialist from San Francisco, arrived like a knight in shining armor to breath new life into the burg. In 1946, he built the area’s first luxury hotel to attract tourists. He also built the community ballpark and brought the San Franciso Seals baseball team over for spring training one year.

Today, the sprawling Hotel Hana-Maui represents the town’s geographic and economic center. Of the 1,800 residents, more than 200 work for the hotel or the Hana-Maui cattle ranch.

I first visited Hana several years ago and was blown away - almost literally - by its natural beauty. The wind was howling as I walked around, checking out this small village. It was the first time I had ever been out in a tropical storm and I found the warm rain and the writhing palm trees exhilarating. I made myself a promise to return to Hana when I could stay longer.

This spring, I came back with my family for five days and still didn’t have time to do everything on my list.

Here are a few of my Hana highlights:

We stayed for a couple of nights in the posh Hotel Hana-Maui, taking full advantage of the extras it provided, everything from a lei-making class to afternoon water aerobics in the mammoth pool.

On a guided walk, organized through the hotel, our group of eight visited a little-known spot that was unbelieveably beautiful. We swam in a cool, freshwater pool and sat under a waterfall. I didn’t want to leave.

We had left the hotel at 9 in the morning in a four-wheel-drive to make the 40-minute drive. As guide Bert Williams drove down the deeply rutted Ulaino Road, he pointed out Kris Kristofferson’s house (high up on a hill) and Jim Nabors’ home, located just above his macadamia nut plantation.

We parked and walked down the road to the ocean. The air reeked with the stench of rotting mangoes under our feet. Williams said all the mango trees in the area had started with just one plant. Its seeds quickly were spread through by the streams that materialize after heavy rainstorms.

After reaching the beach, we hopped along boulder-sized rocks for a quarter of mile until we came to what locals call the “blue pool” - a deep, freshwater pool fed by a postcard-pretty waterfall. Bright pink and white impatiens and ferns clung to the steep rock wall beside the falls, glistening in the morning sun.

While most sun-worshipers prefer soft, white sand beaches, the coast near Hana is rimmed by beaches of color.

Just past the Hana Community Center, through a pre-World War I Japanese cemetery, visitors will find the steep trail to Kaihalulu or “red sand” beach.

Coarse brick-colored pebbles cover the beach of this small cove, where some sunbathe in the buff. A natural rock breakwater protects the bay from the wicked waves and strong currents just outside. (Swimmers on this side of the island should be aware that venturing outside a protected area will almost undoubtedly lead to a quick trip out to the open sea because of the unpredictable currents.)

The snorkeling inside the breakwater is only fair, but the beachcombing is better than average. The best snorkeling in the area is at Hana Bay, though it’s certainly not the most scenic beach.

The gorgeous, but very busy, Waianapanapa State Park is home to a legendary black sand beach. From the park, visitors can explore caves and an impressive blowhole, or hike along the coastline on the old “King’s Trail” where they will pass an ancient Hawaiian temple made of stones called a heiau.

Author James Michener once described Hamoa Beach, three miles south of Hana, as the only beach in Hawaii that looked like it belonged in the South Pacific. It’s surrounded by palm trees and lush vegetation and is the site of a weekly luau thrown by the Hotel Hana-Maui. Its moderate breakers make for fun body surfing.

The way visitors flock to the Seven Sacred Pools, you’d think they were giving away free mai tais. By 11 in the morning, the parking lot at Haleakala National Park is jam-packed with rental cars.

But it’s easy to escape the crowds by hitting the trail that follows the Ohe’o stream up to the spectacular Waimoku Falls. We munched on guavas that we picked off trees lining the trail and met only a handful of people on the path. Many of the “sacred” pools are accessible from the trail and make for a refreshing place to stop and take a dip.

About halfway up the three-mile trail, we entered a dense bamboo forest. Suddenly, the bright sunlight was dimmed and the only sound we heard was the wind caressing the two-story high bamboo trees. The experience was truly eerie.

Shortly after emerging from the bamboo, hikers are rewarded with the site of one of the highest waterfalls on the island. The Waimoku Falls plunge dramatically out of thick, tropical vegetation to jagged rocks some 400 feet below. Signs warn hikers to stay back because rocks have been known to come crashing down off the cliff.

A few more miles down the road to Kipahulu is Charles Lindbergh’s grave. The famous aviator spent his last days in Hana, dying there in 1974. The nearby Palapala Ho’omau church is also of interest to amateur archeologists because it dates back to 1857, one of the island’s earliest Christian settlements.

If hiking and beachcombing sound too ambitious for a vacation, you can chuck all the activities and enjoy one of Hana’s most attractive attributes - the sense of tranquility. Except for the rush of daytrippers that usually lasts from 11 in the morning until mid-afternoon, Hana is indeed a sleepy little village.

It’s perfectly acceptable to kick back, sit by the pool and order another mai tai. That Stephen King novel awaits.

, DataTimes ILLUSTRATION: 4 Photos (3 color)

MEMO: This sidebar appeared with the story: IF YOU GO Hana isn’t just miles apart from Maui’s busiest side of the island. It’s a different world. There are only a few restaurants, not much in the way of shopping, no movie theaters and certainly no nightclubs. Visitors who stay in Hana should come prepared to relish the area’s natural beauty. There’s only one resort, but it’s a beaut. The Hotel Hana-Maui is a magnificent, meticulously landscaped 66-acre property. It features a wide variety of accommodations ranging from a standard room to luxurious sea cottages where guests relax in their private outdoor whirlpool. Though pricey, the quarters don’t have some of the features that pampered travelers have come to expect. However, I thought the lack of television and the use of ceiling fans instead of air conditioning added to the resort’s oldfashioned charm. (There is a TV lounge with a big screen television and a VCR for those in need of a video fix.) For those who crave action, the hotel offers horseback riding, mountain bike rental, various spa programs and guided nature hikes. All of these activities are also open to non-guests for a fee. Daily rates at the Hotel Hana Maui range from $325 to $795, but when making reservations, ask about off-season specials or package deals. The reservation number is (800) 321-4262. Other accommodations available in Hana run toward self-contained condos. We stayed in a nice one-bedroom duplex offered through Hana Plantation Houses that sported a large deck, a full kitchen and a hot tub. The best feature was a private outdoor hot water shower. Hana Plantation Houses has 12 properties ranging from a solar-powered unit to a small studio located in a lush, tropical garden. Rates range from $65 for a studio to $500 for a huge estate with a private tennis court and pool. Most units rent for around $120 per night. For reservations or a brochure, call (800) 228-4262. There are a dozen rustic cabins available for rent in Waianapanapa Park for an astonishingly low cost. Depending on the number of guests, a cabin can rent for less than $30 a night. Not surprisingly, these bargains are in demand, so early booking is essential. To reserve a spot, call the state Department of Parks in Honolulu at (808) 587-0300. Also, some cabins are better situated than others, so try to get one that’s closest to the ocean. If you’re staying for any length of time and plan to do your own cooking, stock up on supplies in one of the larger towns before heading to Hana. (The Safeway in Lahaina has the best overall selection, while the health food store in the small town of Paia is well-stocked with good-for-you gourmet food, including an impressive take-out menu.) There are just three restaurants in Hana and two of them aren’t open for dinner. The sandwiches and pasta dishes are wholesome and delicious at the Hana Gardenland, two miles outside of town. Diners can sit among a lush tropical garden surrounded by chatty, exotic birds. (Don’t worry, they won’t join you for lunch. They’re behind bars.) Also, Gardenland has a huge selection of unusual plants are for sale, which can be shipped back home. I’ve managed to keep an orchid I bought there alive for a couple of months. The upscale dining room in the hotel includes a section of tables near windows that open to the gorgeous tropical garden. On the night we enjoyed a fabulous meal, a cat strayed in. Watching the busboy chase it reminded me of a Three Stooges movie. To help with trip planning, I recommend reading “Hidden Hawaii” by Ray Riegart (Ulysses Press), which offers good tips on all sorts of activities. For an overview of the island, including helpful suggestions on accommodations and restaurants, check out Fodor’s guide to Maui. For general information on Hana and the rest of the island, contact the Maui Visitor’s Bureau at (808) 244-3530. The Haleakala National Park office can offer suggestions on hiking near Hana. Call (808) 572-7749. Finally, when packing for a trip to Hana, don’t forget sturdy shoes for hiking and a lightweight jacket, as it rains most afternoons and can be cool at night. Leslie Kelly