The Road to Hana pt. 2: Cliff Jumping

It's not for everyone. Leaping over a precipice, freefalling for several seconds, then crashing deep into the water. If cliff jumping is your thing, however, there's no shortage of places to jump off of in east Maui.

Red Sand Cove
As Adam swam to shore after his leap, the Hawaiian Monk Seal which had been resting on the beach chose that same moment to swim back to sea, unbeknownst to him at the time. They passed within 10 ft. of each other. Waimoku Falls
Scott took a 50 ft. plunge into a pool on the way up to the waterfall.


Venus Pool
The 20 ft. jump from the island was nothing after the initial 40 ft. jump into the pool. Charlie dove in with his fractured scaphoid. Notice the orange cast.




The world record for cliff jumping is 172 ft. The maximum safe distance is about 100 ft. As they say, the only way to go is up.

The Road to Hana pt. 1: Red Sand Cove

42 miles of narrow road wind through the cliffs, waterfalls, and bamboo forests along Maui's northern coastline to Hana. On the remote east side of the island where the slopes of Haleakalā meet the ocean, the crowds are sparser and the area wilder. For Maui denizens, making the trek is a pilgrimage, a rite of passage. We loaded up the Legend with camping gear and set off to explore.

Hana itself is a small town with fewer than 1,000 people. The tourists have a presence, but nonetheless the hotel exists alongside the local cattle ranches. A short walk from the town, Red Sand Cove is walled off by steep cliffs and the ocean, and feels solitary despite the proximity. True to the name, the sand is a deep volcanic crimson.


When we arrived, a 7 ft. Hawaiian Monk Seal was resting on the beach. Called ʻIlio-holo-i-ka-uaua ("dog that runs in rough seas") by the locals, the animal is critically endangered, with about 1,200 left in the world and only about 150 on the Hawaiian islands. The seal ignored us and after an hour disappeared into the water.


Maui may be overrun with vacationers, honeymooners, cruise ship shoregoers, and freelance writers, but there are still plenty of places off the beaten path to uncover.