Sunrise strikes the island's eastern point, illuminating beautiful Halawa Valley - a classic Hawaiian cathedral valley with twin waterfalls at the head and sinous bay. One of the first settlement sites in the Islands, Halawa was once filled with taro patches (lo'i), thatched houses (hale), and temples (heiau). Today, it is cultural treasure where the stones seem to whisper the stories of old days. Descendants of those early residents are now restoring portions of the settlement and offer daily educational hikes to the falls.
From here the two-lane road follow a dramatic shoreline with views of humpback whales and West Maui, then passes pocket-sized beaches, ancient fishponds, and moist groves. Stop at Mana'e Goods and Grinds for supplies, and visit a couple small churches built by Father Damien himself.
