The Hawaii island of Maui could very well be one of my favorite island in the world. I consider it the be-all island, where everything you could potentially want from an island, you get. However, while many people naturally gravitate toward West Maui, I consider the North Shore of Maui (and Maui Upcountry) the truest form of the island. Many people traveling to Maui, however, take the Road to Hana, considered one of the best road trips in America, but then stop there and turn around. It’s one of those towns where the saying, “Blink and you’ll miss it,” couldn’t be truer.

Nonetheless, when I visited Maui, I decided to spend a couple days in Hana, and those couple of days (including the road trip to Hana), has been some of my favorite Hawaii experiences. This included having a staring contest with a large cow that would later chase me down the mountain, snorkeling beside large schools of fish, seeing one of the most beautiful sunrises I’ve ever seen, and eating a loaf of banana bread that I dare you not to eat all of in one seating.

And all of that in a place that many people traveling to Hawaii hardly even stop in. But don’t just take my word for it. Today I come to you with a tour of Hana, Maui in photos.

Tour of Hana in Photos