Hale a ka lā, House of the Sun, is one of the most exhilarating experiences on Maui, Hawai’i, and personally in all of my travels thus far. Souring over 10,000 feet into the sky above the tropical imagery you know of Maui, is a whole different world. A national park of incredible views, unique flora & fauna, wildlife, & experience that will leave a great impact on your life. Coming to Maui, well I beg you not to skip out on Haleakala.
Here are THREE REASONS you MUST visit Haleakala:
Life in the Clouds
Coming From Kahului or even Paia will allow you to experience the terrain change as the elevation gets higher and higher. On a perfect day, it will be clear. But on most days, you will have the opportunity to drive right into the clouds.
While each days weather conditions vary, generally you will reach a point in the ascent where you drive out of the clouds and the feeling sinks in at just how high you are. With a razorback ascent going up, each turn takes you higher and higher until you reach the summit at Red Hill where youʻll have your breath truly taken away. Pun slightly intended…take it easy up there.
A different Hawai’i Experience
Itʻs quite obvious that Hawai’i is a tropical paradise of year round sunny weather, white sand beaches with blue water, and lush green mountains to accompany it. But on minor contrast to that, there are few locations across the Hawaiian islands where you can enjoy the cold. Mauna Loa & Mauna Kea on Big island, and Mauiʻs Haleakala, all towering volcanic peaks strutting into the sky.
At these elevations, itʻs not uncommon to feel temperatures below 50 degrees with the occasional snowfall. Itʻll be a cold trip up here and thatʻs okay, the beach and suntan awaits you only a couple of hours away.
Youʻll Feel Grounded
There are many places of great spiritual significance and powerful energy in the world that Iʻve encountered and this place is definitely one of those places! Haleakala was and still is considered a sacred place to Native Hawaiians, home to folklore and stories of the demigod Maui, for attempting to pull the sun closer for more sunlight.
The House of the Sun is considered to be one of the quietest places in the world. So if you venture away from the crowds into the crater and take a minute to be silent, this will allow a firsthand ability to feel more grounded in an instant than any opportunity in the world. Add a prayer or appropriate oil (chant) to this, well there will be no words to describe the experience.
