On 7/7/23 my wife, two teenage daughters and I participated in the Road to Hana bus tour with Valley Isle Excursions. We chose Valley Isle on the recommendation of a local Maui-based friend. The full 12-hour event started with a 6:40am pick-up at our hotel. Our driver and guide for the day was Travis, a lifelong resident of Maui. From the beginning, Travis was prompt, courteous, enthusiastic, knowledgeable, and truly cared about both our safety and the quality of our tour experience. Travis kept the group engaged by calling us by name and he encouraged respectful but fun interactions between different groups on the bus. The Road to Hana itself can be a daunting and dangerous drive; Travis always made us feel comfortable and cared-for. Traveling in the bus allowed us to enjoy the journey rather than having one of us fully focused on the 54 single-lane bridges and 600-something tight switchbacks. He interspersed history lessons with humor and drew our attention to the important features of the island including the waterfalls, vegetation, beaches, local vendors and marketplaces and animals. Travis never made us feel obligated to buy anything along the way (though we did most definitely enjoy the provided Continental breakfast and coffee at the Maui Tropical Plantation, Aunty Sandy’s banana bread, the lunch provided by Hana Farms and the shave ice at “Halfway to Hana.”) This experience may seem like a splurge to some, but it’s 100% every penny. My family would strongly recommend that you tour with Valley Isle Excursions and that you specifically request Travis for the experience. (PS. If you’re prone to car sickness like we are, we highly recommend you ask your healthcare professional about using a Scopic transdermal patch – it was a life saver!!)