Sunrise over Haleakala

Sunrise over Haleakala

One of the many beautiful sights to see in Maui is the sunrise over Haleakala.

You’re actually above the clouds and the view is amazing.  Many of My Vacation Lady’s clients will opt to do a Sunrise Bike Tour down Haleakala.

If you want to visit Haleakala for sunrise, things are changing in less than 2 months.  As of Feb 1, 2017, if you want to drive to the park for sunrise, you need to make a reservation in advance.  You can make the reservations up to 2 months prior to your visit at http://www.recreation.gov/tourParkDetail.do?contractCode=NRSO&parkId=147940

It’s not a lot of money- a mere $1.50 per car but here are a few things that you need to know.

  1.  The $1.50 per car fee doesn’t include park entrance fees, which are only available currently at the gate.
  2. You’ll need your reservation pass and ID and the name on both must match.
  3. There are no refunds or transfers to other days (in case of weather) and your reservation will only work for the specific date that you purchase.
  4. You only need a sunrise reservation to access the summit during sunrise hours (3am to 7am).
  5. Visitors who arrive without a sunrise reservation will not be allowed to enter the Summit District until after 7a.m.  They will be directed to turn around at the gate.
  6. There are four viewpoints: the Pu`u Ula ula or Red Hill summit (10,023 ft.); Haleakalā Visitor Center (9,740 ft.); Kalahaku Overlook (9324 ft.); and Leleiwi Overlook (8840ft). Leleiwi Overlook is accessed via a 10 minute hike from its parking lot.
  7. There are only 150 parking spots total between the 4 viewing areas

So what are our suggestions?

  • Let us pre-book a sunrise excursion for you which will include transportation to the park.  It can be part of a bike tour or by van.
  • It’s REALLY REALLY dark on the road to Haleakala National Park and it’s a winding road and we really prefer that our clients not drive up for the sunrise.

My Vacation Lady is a Hawaii Destination Specialist and loves to help our clients plan their dream honeymoon or vacations to Hawaii.