Waiʻanapanapa State Park Campground

Two families, total of five people reserved a cabin. We had great space with one family in the bedroom (2 bunk beds) and the other using the bunk bed in the living space.   Unfortunately in the February rain we didn’t use the outdoor living space (covered deck) with picnic table as much as we would have liked but the kitchen had a long folding table that gives room for cooking, eating, and games.    A couch or other seating would have been nice.  It was very nice to have a full bathroom with hot water we showers. You do need to bring your own kitchen wares, bedding and towels.  

The state park is beautiful to explore.  Definitely recommend an overnight stay over a day rip. The reservation is two night minimum unless there is a single day available.  A few of the cabins stayed empty despite full reservations prior so might be worth keeping an eye out for cancellations!

The road to Hana is a Maui Island must-do. And lots of people try to do it in a day -- sure it can be done, but why would you want to?  You’ll see so much and won’t take any of it in. So, slow down, take a minute between stops on your itinerary and stay a night or three in Wai’anapapa State Park.  We stayed 3 nights and wished we'd had 1 more.

This park is known for its amazing black sand beach and offers visitors a 4-hour permit to experience the beach, the cove and coastal trail through rugged a’a lava fields. However, if you camp there your permit is good for the whole day and into the next to make the most of your visit. The park closes at sunset for all the other visitors, but campers can come and go and feel like you have the place all to yourself at sunrise just before the early permit holders arrive. 

The current camping area isn’t much more than a big patch of grass with trees around the perimeter. Things might open up again once the pandemic regulations subside. A small area, perhaps 50 yards by 20 defines the camper van camping area and there are only 6 loosely defined sites. The bathrooms old and well used, showers are the outside beach variety with cold water and spectators. Potable water is available as well as a few Coke machines. 

We had a problem charging up our electronics and assumed that we might find electricity at the state park just like back on the mainland -- we were wrong. There wasn’t an outlet to be found either in the park or even in the beach park down in Hana – this one got our hopes up because they have outlets which weren’t hot.  So bring your solar panels!  Plan ahead, or go to the coffee shop five miles back up the road.

The road to the SP has at least 3 fruit stands and you’ll find another dozen on your way into Hana town. There is a small grocer as well as a handful of good restaurants associated with the local inns or guest houses. Gas is also easy to find in town as well as a small hospital. There is also a spouting hole in the lava which erupts with the incoming waves very close to the main beach -- this is fun for the whole family. Snorkeling is pretty good in the cove, especially on calmer days. Body surfing is fun when it’s less calm as this beach has a black sand break rather than reef. 

Hiking in the park is totally worth it. The trail winds along the coastline high above the water, allowing amazing views of the lava structures, arches, tubes, coves and caves that the sea has shaped. The trail is strenuous and footing can be tricky in places, but the views, especially on a south eastern swell are amazing. Give yourself some time to check it out.

We were lucky enough to get a cabin for one night at Waiʻanapanapa State Park, allowing us to spend more time hiking at this end of the island without worrying about driving back to the other side the same day. The black sand beach is lovely, but when we went in February, it was a bit too dangerous to enter the ocean. There are definitely rocks all around, and it's the side of Maui where the waves are larger, so be careful. The high surf did let us see the blowhole in action - great fun to watch the wind carry the sea spray for yards into the park. 

Campground: The campsites we saw don't really have vegetation between them, but you're here for the location and the beach, and there aren't any other economical overnight options in the area, so that is neither here not there. Would definitely recommend staying at the park if you'd like to spend more time in this corner of the island.

Cabins: We stayed in a cabin, which are usually two-night minimum, but we planned our trip around a 1-night only availability to get around this rule (~$100/night). Our cabin (#9), didn't have a direct ocean view, but it did sit a bit above the tree line and nevertheless had a great view. It was also intermittently pouring, so a cabin was ideal for our February stay. For tourists, there are some hurdles to booking the cabins (you need to bring your own sheets, towels and soaps, which many folks don't fly to the island with). The cabins have 3 sets of bunks (4 beds total in a bedroom and 2 beds in the living room). We slept in the living room as the mattress condition was better and the mosquito nets on the windows in that room didn't have holes. The cabin has water and electricity, but no AC, so we just slept with the windows open and it was comfortable. No window coverings. To avoid ripping the mattress covers or scratching the floors, there is no moving the mattresses or the beds. There was a bit of a smell (maybe the drain, maybe oxidizing steel sink and hotplate) when we arrived, so I did a thorough clean and blocked the drain with a towel. The cabin will be pretty much the way the last guests left it so I'm sure conditions will vary - our bathroom and floors were clean for cabin conditions. No complaints there. The bathroom has a shower, sink and toilet. the kitchen has a fridge/freezer, microwave, hotplate?, and sink. There is a table and 4 folding chairs inside and a built-in picnic table on the porch, and a grill for each cabin. 

That all may not sound luxurious, but we really enjoyed our night here! The porch was large and each porch is designed to face away from other porches and towards the view. It was beautiful watching the sky change at sunset and sunrise. Staying here was much more economical than our other options in Hana. Most importantly, staying over night removed the time stress of doing the road to Hana. We were able to stop, hike, picnic, etc. as often as we wanted on the way out without worrying about a time crunch. We checked out the town of Hana after checking into our cabin and had a relaxed meal across the street from the entrance. We were able to add a 3-hour hike in Haleakala national park (Pipiwei Trail - recommend!) the following day and since that was a hot day, it was nice to start before the sun was too high and the parking lot was too full.