Volume 14 Issue 1 » 19
proves extraordinary sporting layers of
bright green, orange, blue, purple and
maroon bark. Another stop, Pua’a Ka’a
Park boasts bathrooms, picnic tables and
sparkling little waterfalls that trickle into
fern-bordered ponds and streamlets.
Hana emerges three scenic hours later. A
wooden sign announces: Welcome to Hana:
the Heart of Old Hawaii. Day-trippers dash
conspicuously around town buying up
T-shirts declaring: I Survived the Road to
Hana...and head right back. We stay. And
from historic Hotel Hana Maui we explore
for three days.
Sugarcane boiling pots decorate the
entrance and border lush floral gardens.
Red, white and yellow plumeria flowers
perfume the air. From our Sea Ranch
cottage a pathway leads us to Hasagawa’s
General Store. This 1910 landmark stocks
everything imaginable, including cuttlefish,
dried shrimp and packaged purple poi
resembling Silly Putty. A hand-scrawled
sign humorously commands: “Don’t play
with the Poi!” Several small shops cluster
on a nearby knoll. The cafe serves popular
island snacks like musubi, rice cakes topped
with seaweed and Spam. Above, Hana
Ranch Restaurant offers an ocean view
terrace and menu items with a tropical
twist.
Silver evening mists drift down the valleys
while the surf rhythmically pounds the
rocks below, lulling us to sleep. At sunrise,
papaya yellows and guava pinks tint the
peaceful landscape.
Fagan’s Memorial inspires a brisk morning
stroll that boasts hilltop panoramas.
Puffing up the paved trail, we meet two
friendly locals. Pointing downward, one
gal notes, “My granny said that before
1946 our population was over 3,500. Hana
had fifteen stores, three barbershops, two
movie theatres, a pool hall and several
restaurants.” Her friend grins, “Now, there’s
about 700. Most of us work at the hotel.”
Atop the hill stands a colossal cross. A
plaque honours Paul Fagan, founder of
Maui’s first resort, the Hotel Hana Maui.
Converting 4,000 acres of sugarcane into
ranchland, Fagan also developed Hana
Ranch.