Sunset on Mountain Haleakala
Martina (
Czech Republic
)
The beautiful sunset in Haleakala National Park in Maui, Hawaii – Martina’s goosebump moment
“Hi, my name is Martina and I come from the Czech Republic. This is a story of my goosebump moment. So, when I was in the last year of high school, I was once looking on Google Chrome, browsing something, and when I opened it, in the background there was always some beautiful picture of some beautiful place of nature. This time I saw a beautiful sunset behind the clouds that said, “Mountain Haleakala, Maui, Hawaii”. And I told myself “One day, I am going to go there and see the sunset like this at the mountain Haleakala in Maui, Hawaii”. And not even three years later, during that time I decided to do an au-pair program in the US. In the last month of my time there, I ended up going to Hawaii, and I drove to mountain Haleakala, and I saw the sunset there. That was my goosebump moment.”
A spectacle of light
Haleakala National Park is one of Hawaii’s most impressive natural parks. It stretches from the south coast to the east coast and is home to the highest peak on the island, known simply as Haleakala, which is 3,055 meters high.
Haleakala means “the house of the sun” in the Hawaiian language and talks about a legend of the grandmother of the demigod Maui before he left on a trip to see the island. She linked her hair with the sun and attached it to the top of the volcano, thus making the day a little longer. On his return Maui released her by convincing her to slow down her journey across the sky, thus getting more light for the island.
Without a doubt, one of the most memorable experiences on Maui is watching the Haleakala sunrise or sunset from nearly 10,000 feet above sea level. The magic of this sunset light show gives more than one person goose bumps.
The breathtaking sunrise and sunset at Haleakala
The crater of Haleakala, a force of nature in every sense, towers over the island of Maui and can be seen from almost any point. This dormant volcano, 3055 meters above sea level, is the setting for an amazing variety of landscapes.
Many visitors wake up early to drive to the Haleakala Visitor Center, the best place to see what may be the most spectacular sunrise on Earth. As soon as the sun peeks over the horizon, an ever-changing swirl of light and color dances across a vast sea of clouds.
The sunrises and sunsets are just two of the reasons to visit Haleakala National Park when you travel to Maui. The breathtaking landscapes encompass more than 12,141 acres of public lands and range from Mars-like red deserts and rock gardens near the summit to lush waterfalls and streams in the coastal Kipahulu section of the park near Hana.
There are numerous hiking trails that offer solitude and scenic views, while guided hikes and horseback rides offer a specialized perspective in addition to the natural beauty. There are more endangered species than in any other National Park Service Park, such as the “ahinahina” (silver sword) and the “nene” (Hawaiian goose), the official state bird. Visitors can also camp on site, as individual campsites and cabins are available.
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