We had read lots of articles on Maui before we left and had gotten lots of advise from friends who had been to Maui before us. One thing that everyone agreed on was that you HAVE to plan to see a Sunrise on Haleakala. Having done this....I wholeheartedly agree with this advice!
An "Other Worldly" Sunrise
Tip: I would suggest that if you are traveling from the Eastern part of the continental United States (or actually anywhere on the mainland) that you plan this excursion on one of the first days that you arrive in Maui. This is before your body has a chance to adjust to the time change. You will be up early anyway and you are going to have to be up early to get to Haleakala in time for Sunrise.
On our chosen day, we set our alarm for 2:30 AM local time. We had checked the sunrise times the evening before and knew from the advice we had gotten that it would be a good couple hour drive up the mountain to get there in time for sunrise. This sounds really strange because it's not that far as the crow flies...from Wailea to Haleakala but you are in for some windy roads and a slow trek up the mountainside...especially since you are doing it in the dark! Give yourself plenty of time to get there...you don't want to miss this!
We left our resort at about 3:15 AM. When we requested our car from the valet service they said..."Oh you are going to Haleakala!" I guess there would be no other reason for us leaving at this ungodly hour! They were so nice and gave us great advice and extra water bottles to take on our journey. So off we went. It was dark outside but the moon was bright and it was a beautiful trip as we headed up north to begin our trek up the mountainside. We weren't sure what we were going to have available to us on the way up so we made a quick stop in Paia at a McDonald's (which was actually open!) for an egg mcmuffin and a stop in the restroom...now we were ready to begin the real journey!
We started up the road to Haleakala National Park. There is a $10.00 entrance fee per vehicle and is good for 3 days. Note: Keep your receipt if you are planning to go back for another sunrise or if you are going to visit the 7 sacred pools on the Road to Hana...the park has two entrances on different sides of the island. Your entry fee is good for both as long as you are within the 3 days from your initial visit but you must have your receipt with you.
The first part of the drive is easy. You will wonder.....why did they tell me to leave so early we are going to get up there in no time. Just wait...it slows down. As you get further into the park the road becomes very windy and speed limits drop. It is also a very popular thing to do so traffic can back up. Take time to look at the sky as you go up.....obviously this is easier if you are the passenger! It is amazing. I have never seen so many stars in the sky! There were literally stars everywhere! The moon was brilliant also but it was the stars that just were magical! There is a rest area part way up the mountain. Stop here and take a look at the sky. There are also nice clean restrooms available here. These are the last ones till you get to the top so take advantage of them if necessary.
Once you wind your way to the top of the mountain there is a parking area. Park here and head over to the rim of the crater. There is a railing there. Tip: If you are early enough you can get a spot on the rail and it's so much easier to get pictures without anyone in front of you.
The other thing that people will tell you is that it is cold when you are standing there for sunrise. We heard all of the warnings and took jeans and hoodies to wear on that morning. What they did not say is that it is COLD!!!!!!!!! It is very windy up there...you kind of lose track of how high you are actually going because of the darkness...you are at 9.740 feet at this point! It is beyond cold!!!
Tip: Wear really warm clothing when you head up for sunrise at Haleakala! If you are staying at a hotel...take a blanket from the room! Gloves would also be good!
Once you have gotten there and have claimed your spot on the rail....just wait.....sunrise happens over a period of time. It starts slow and then just appears in a sudden burst of glory! You are overlooking a crater (I know it's not really a crater since it only has 3 sides now but it looks like a crater!) and the clouds are actually below you. Watching the sun rise out of the clouds is like nothing I have ever experienced. It really looks like another planet.....and it looks like you could literally walk on the clouds to the sun. It is THE most beautiful sunrise I have ever seen!!! Here are some shots as the morning progressed:
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| The beginning of sunrise...if you look closely in the upper right you can still see the stars. |
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| The clouds leading to the sun |
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| Every minute added something new to the beauty of the day |
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| Here comes the Sun! It was like watching molten lava come up from the sky. |
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| Higher and higher it rose |
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| The actual sunrise took a very short period of time |
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| Another look at the "other worldly" feel |
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| Almost there.... |
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| Just amazing as the sun lifted through the clouds |
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| Finally...the dawning of a beautiful day! |
Sunrise itself happens very quickly...you see the molten lava that is the sun appear and literally a few minutes later the day has dawned. There is a visitor's center at the sunrise site and there are rangers there who are very willing to answer any questions that your might have. At the moment of sunrise they begin a native chant and it just brings chills to you.
Take time to stop in the visitor's center (it's heated...even if you don't buy anything in the gift shop it's worth it to warm up!) and make a stop at the nearby restrooms....they are also very clean and flush toilets. At this point you can start your trek back down the mountain or head on up to the summit. We decided to head up a little higher to the summit. It was definitely worth a stop!
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| Make a stop in the Visitor's Center before you head down the mountain. |
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| There's some strange vegetation at the summit! |
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| The summit of Haleakala |
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| Beautiful views from the Summit |
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| Views from the summit |
One of the things that Haleakala is famous for are the bike trips down the mountain. You can get a ride up to see the sunrise and then take a bike down the mountain afterward. Several companies supply bikes and helmets and it's just crazy to watch. The company trucks drive down behind the group so they don't get hit by cars trying to get down the mountain. It's a little slow go for vehicles as they are held up a bit but I can't image that there is any other way to do this safely! People were flying down the mountain. If you are an avid bike rider I am sure there is no greater thrill. As for me...I was perfectly happy to sit in my warm vehicle and watch the craziness unfold around me!
This was truly one of the highlights of our trip to Maui. We saw and did other things while we were there but this is the one thing that I can honestly say MUST NOT BE MISSED. Now we did ask while in the visitor's center if sunrise was always beautiful like it was that day. We were told most days it is but there are some days that you can't see the sunrise well due to the cloud cover so I would suggest that you watch the weather and try to pick a clear day to make your trek. Whatever you do in Maui...you will not be sorry if you take the time out for this! The good thing is that you are back down the mountain and on your way back to the resort by 7:30 AM or so....the rest of the day is yours!
Coming up Next: Surf's Up
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