A trip to the summit of gigantic Haleakala, a 10,023 foot tall volcano in Maui, Hawaii, is one of the most popular activities on the island. Swarms of people begin driving at 2 or 3 A.M. every day to have the opportunity to view a sunrise from above the clouds. They have most definitely read travel guide after travel guide in preparation for their vacation in Maui, and they know that this is considered to be an absolutely amazing and beautiful sight.
They have probably packed a picnic breakfast and may plan on spending time after sunrise exploring Haleakala National Park by hiking some of its trails. Some opt not to drive at all, taking a tour van or bus up and possibly even bicycling back down part of the volcano. After seeing photographs of a Haleakala sunrise, I, too, was eager to see it for myself, so when friends and family members who had been to Maui before told me to skip it, that it was not worth it, I was a little surprised.
I know that this is not always the case, but everyone I know who had gone to the summit of Haleakala to watch the sun rise in the past told me that they really were not able to see much because of clouds. They said that all they really saw was what looked like fog and that they were so tired due to waking up to start driving so early that they did not enjoy themselves.
I then read that despite all the hype about Haleakala sunrises, sunset was really the ideal time to go because the view was just as beautiful, if not moreso, and the park and summit were less crowded. My husband and I decided that we were not going to pass up the experience of Haleakala as others suggested, but that we would try going at sunset instead. That way we would not be exhausted and would be able to enjoy a calm morning before setting out for the volcano.
I could not have been more impressed by what we saw on our journey up Haleakala. Because we drove up during daylight hours, we were able to see the clouds around us, then below us as we climbed higher. Once at the summit, there were only a handful of other people there. After looking around a bit, we were able to find a great spot to sit and have a couple of sandwiches while we waited for the sun to set.
Seeing the sun settling into clouds was absolutely amazing, an experience truly beyond words. We chose to drive back down pretty quickly after sunset so that there was still a little light along the way, but some people stayed for stargazing which I have heard is also great there.
If you are planning a trip to Maui, I would definitely recommend going to Haleakala at sunset. My experience there will remain in my memories forever as one of the best things I did in Hawaii. If you are interested in hiking the trails, make sure to allow time for that earlier in the day. There are less tours offered for sunset, but there are plenty to choose from if you prefer not to drive yourself or would like to try something like bicycling down. Make sure to pack some food if you think you might get hungry, and dress warmly and in layers because it gets very cool at the summit.
