Haleakala Crater at Sunset

Haleakala Crater at Sunset

By Mary Hanson

Haleakala Crater, also known as the House of the Sun is a now dormant volcano, which emerged from the Pacific Ocean more than a million years ago.  It takes up fully three-quarters of Maui’s Landmass. On your way up to the top of this mighty volcano, you will pass through as many ecological zones on a two-hour drive to the summit as you would on a journey from Mexico to Canada.It is an awesome trip!

Book it todayhttps://www.mauivalue.com/activities/sunset-haleakala-crater

Many visitors and locals alike have taken the early morning trek to watch the sunrise from the top of this crater.  It is a magical, almost spiritual adventure.   However not too many have ventured up to watch the sunset. I decided to check out the sunset with Polynesian Adventure Tours.  It was incredible!

Sitting back and listening to the knowledgeable tour driver is so relaxing.  I wish I had recorded him so I could listen to him repeatedly.   He had so many interesting facts about the different terrain that we were passing through.  He stopped and let us smell the eucalyptus trees and then closer to the crater we saw the state bird, the Nene Goose.   At the top is the rare Silversword Plant, which grows only at Haleakala Crater.  The trip just kept getting better.

The evening we took the tour was a bit special as the full moon was rising as the sun was setting.  We ran back and forth from one side of the summit to the other to see both beautiful skylines!  It was spectacular!  The view inside the crater was something very special too.

• Kindly note that this tour is not recommended for guests with heart or respiratory conditions that may be exacerbated due to high altitude. People who have gone scuba diving should wait 72 hours before going on this tour. No refunds if the Haleakala sunset is not visible due to inclement weather conditions. This tour is operated on rough, winding roads. It is not recommended for pregnant women or those with back or motion problems.