The rains that fall on Haleakala cascade down Maui's long windward flank, covering it in thick, jungle-like vegetation. Convicts in the 1920s hacked out a road along the coast that has become a major tourist attraction in its own right, twisting tortuously in and out of gorges, past innumerable waterfalls and over more than fifty tiny one-lane bridges. All year round, and especially in June, the route is ablaze with color, from orchids, rainbow eucalyptus and orange-blossomed African tulip trees.
The usual day's excursion is roughly fifty miles (three hours) each way from Paia, to
Oheo Gulch
just past Hana. Don't attempt it if it's raining; in good weather, this road of hairpin turns, while not too difficult, is not recommended for the potentially carsick.
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