Iao Valley State Park-Iao Needle

[Arlenedow]

We are on the Island Princess leaving 10/6-04 and we're thinking of driving to Iao Valley State Park and wondering if anyone has done this or taken the ship's tour to the valley? Is it a site that shouldn't be missed? We arrive in Maui at 8am and leave at 4pm. We are tendered so do we have enough time to rent a car and drive ourselves or should we take the tour?

 

Arlene

[Suebee]

We rented a car and did this in conjunction with a very busy day. We didnt stop for very long at all (30 minutes?) and didnt go deep into the valley. We had small children with us and had to get to dinner you know! LOL :)

But the needle is nearly right at the parking lot so you dont even have to go far to see it. It IS quite a sight there and I think if you have the time you should do it. It is really not far off the beaten path. I am proof that you can run through it and still have good memories of it.

 

Looking at your times, you have more than enough time to do the valley and one more activity.

 

Oh, and dont miss a photo opportunity of the "president Kennedy Profile" in the rocks as you drive into/out of the park. It is well marked.

[bobnsandi]

Iao Valley is one of Maui's hidden gems. It is steeped in Hawai`i history, so take the time to read the markers and monuments. The short climb to the observation area is well worth the effort.

 

That said, consider that you'll be tendered off Lahaina. If you ship drops anchor @ 0800, it could take you up to an hour to get ashore, then get a car, etc. Driving from Lahaina to Wailuku can take from 40-60 minutes depending on traffice (getting lost, etc.?) Double these times to account for your return, drop off car, and tender back.

[ugyvel]

It is an absolutely amazing place if you walk in as deep as you can go. You start out in a basic island semi-arid and gradually see more and more vegatation until at the very end it is either raining or heavy mist in a tropical rainforest, even on an otherwise clear day. And, if I recall right, it is not more than a mile or two walk. There is also a small, clear mountain stream that runs down the valley. Go alone, I can't imagine doing this with a bunch of others. Towards the end, you are walking up a very narrow path.

[Sea Island Lady]

I will be curious to see how you liked the park when you return.

We took a ship's tour and while very pretty, we would have enjoyed our visit much more had it not been too crowded. It did begin to rain while we were there, but luckily we had finished our sight seeing.

Do go to the top as the stairs are quite fun. We also were able to catch some local young men as they were jumping off the rocks into the water just below the bridge. Interesting because the pool of water they were jumping into could not have been more than 14 feet wide and just a few feet deep.

We saw the "profile" of Kennedy and took pictures. It really was amazing how much the rock resemble Kennedy.

Would I go again if given the chance? No, the park really wasn't anything more than what we have here in TN. The needle is very tall and an interesting sight. Be sure and take a look at the Chinese Park down the road a bit. it was very pretty.;)