Your Private Hana Van Tour is operated by Mahalo Tours, a Company owned and operated by a Hawaiian family who cherishes the opportunity to show you their home, and wants to make sure every guest will not only get the opportunity to learn about Hawaii and enjoy its beauty, but will also fall in love with its culture and history. You will be taken on this unforgettable journey by a true Hawaiian host, who is also an entertainer, and who can't wait to show you the beauty and warmth of the Hawaiian hospitality and give you some laughs while at it!
You will experience first hand the Hawaiian hospitality and taste some wonderfully prepared "treats" throughout the day. Your private tour may include an optional barbecue lunch in Hana, prepared by a Hana resident and Tahitian chef, who has prepared his signature dishes for several celebrities and dignitaries through the years. Should you add the lunch to your tour, you'll get to order your lunch off an extensive menu featuring fresh fish, steak, ribs, chicken and vegetarian selections. Some have said lunch was "their best meal in Hawaii"!
Your journey can be customized to meet your needs and time restrictions for your day, and usually includes...
Maui's North Shore, see the world famous Ho`okipa Beach Park; a breath-taking white sand beach which boasts perfect wind-surfing conditions. During the first part of your road to Hana experience, you will be enchanted with the historic area of Huelo, adorned with vistas of bamboo, remarkable cliffs, and exceptional ocean views that certainly qualify as breathtaking!
Half way to Hana is the small community of Keanae, where you'll get to step into the past. Located on a peninsula which is an old lava flow, it is graced by the Keanae Congregational Church, built in 1860 of lava rocks and coral mortar. There you'll get another opportunity to entice your taste buds as you feast on the best banana bread in the Hawaiian islands and possibly catch a view of the honu, Hawaiian sea turtles.
On your next stop, you'll get a bird's eye view at the Keanae lookout that will take your breath away, with its panoramic views of the Keanae peninsula and its taro fields.
And just when you thought you could not be any more awed by the beauty of your adventure, you'll arrive at Honokalani Beach, a gorgeous black sand beach at Waianapanapa State Park. This magnificent beach is set among lava cliffs and the sand is actually small, smooth, lava pebbles. A small sea arch, sea caves, and seaside lava tubes are located right on the beach. An ancient Hawaiian footpath leads to the beach area which appears like a vivid dream, with bright green jungle foliage on three sides and cobalt blue water lapping at its feet. It's just Spectacular!
Your next stops: The famous Hana Town! Hamoa Beach, a long strand of soft grey sand tucked between lava rock outcroppings, in the shape of a half-moon; Koki Beach overlook, where you will see a red hill (which is actually an eroding cinder cone) known as Ka Iwi o Pele, meaning "the bones of Pele". At the base of the cone is the only red sand beach in all of Hawaii. From this vantage point, you can also get an excellent view directly offshore of `Alau Island, a seabird sanctuary with a 150-foot summit, topped by swaying coconut palms.
You'll also be going by O`heo Gulch, also known as The Seven Sacred Pools, located in the Kipahulu area of Haleakala National Park, make stops at Charles A. Lindbergh's grave and Kipahulu Church. Visit Kaupo district, and its rugged coastline, desert-like landscape, and unpaved roads will leave you feeling you are in the latest Indiana Jones adventure!