Hana Lava Tube (Ka'eleku Caverns)

A roughly 0.5-mile (0.8-kilometer) portion of the much longer cave system is accessible to the public via self-guided tours. Travelers can purchase tickets from the visitor center near Hana, and explore the underground pathways with handrails and educational signage in less than 1 hour. The caverns are also visited on guided day trips and tours of the Hana Highway (Highway 360).

• Though the underground path is lit, visitors are provided with flashlights.

• The visitor center has picnic tables outside, along with a botanical garden and hedge maze.

• There are restrooms at the visitor center.

• The caves are accessed through stairs and walkways that are not wheelchair accessible.

• Children 5 years and younger can enter the caves for free.

• Bring a rain jacket, since water can fall from the cave ceiling.

The Hana Lava Tube is just off the famous Hana Highway (Highway 360) on Uliano Road, about 4 miles (6.4 kilometers) north of Hana. Public transportation options in this part of Maui are limited, so it's best to visit by car or as part of a guided tour. Free parking is available on-site.

Tours of the Hana Lava Tube are available every day of the year from mid-morning to late afternoon. Maui is pleasant to visit year-round, though rainstorms can suddenly appear and disappear no matter the season. Self-guided tours are relatively quick, taking about 40 minutes; arrive mid-morning with a packed lunch to take advantage of the gardens and picnic areas.

The Hana Lava Tube is not the only accessible lava tube on Maui—another cave system lies near a black sand beach in Wai‘ānapanapa State Park, also near Hana. There are many others throughout the Hawaiian islands, from the Kazumura lava tube—one of the longest and deepest lava tubes in the world—to the Thurston lava tube inside Hawaii Volcano National Park, both on the Big Island. Others are partly underwater, forming some of the best snorkeling spots in the island chain.