Best Thailand Beaches: Iao Valley

VISITED JULY AND AUGUST 2017


Locals relish the Iao Stream

The IAO VALLEY is i of the biggest inwards MAUI'S WESTERN HIGHLANDS. The highlands are the severely eroded remnants of MAUI'S kickoff volcano - MUANA KAHAHAWAI. Because this is several 1000000 years older than MAUI'S other volcano, HALEAKALA. erosion is much to a greater extent than advanced - HALEAKALA is silent recognizable every bit a rounded SHIELD VOLCANO whereas MUANA KAHAHAWAI looks a mess of mountains in addition to valleys. It doesn't wound that that department of the WESTERN HIGHLANDS has the earth's second-wettest meteorology station.


  Oblique Google Maps icon - IAO VALLEY. 

IAO VALLEY has vast historical significance to Hawaiians in addition to some real pleasant/scenic locations addition real practiced trekking. As a consequence it is i of the to a greater extent than visited locations on the island.


The IAO VALLEY gap from KANAHA BEACH side yesteryear side MAUI'S primary airport. There is a fair flake of telephoto hither - nosotros are abt 8miles/13km from the valley entrance....


....and inwards the opposite direction, KANAHA BEACH from a few km upwards the valley. Might endure clearer if you lot click-expand image.
Slope behind arrow is the lower northern foothills of HALEAKALA volcano.

  
IAO STATE PARK - IAO STATE MONUMENT
This is i of 2 heavily visited parts of the valley. Besides attractive current pools, some overnice garden areas, viewpoints in addition to trekking opportunities is is also known every bit IAO STATE MONUMENT - a monument to the 4000 warriors who barbarous hither inwards a huge inter-island stoush dorsum inwards 1790. Actually I'm silent unsure whether the WHOLE commons or but a LIMITED AREA makes upwards the MONUMENT.

I was lucky - the valley was severely flooded inwards September 2016 in addition to after extensive repairs this expanse had been temporarily opened to high flavour visitors the twenty-four hr menstruum of my visit. After high flavour it closed in i trial again to permit farther restoration. So banking concern check its opened upwards condition before you lot go. STATE PARKS has a practiced website.

SOME IDEA OF THE FLOOD
This occupation solid is downward valley a few km in addition to somewhat higher than the IAO STREAM which is also some distance away. Houses across the route from which I took this shot had their stone forepart fences destroyed in addition to I reckon they were some other 60ft/20m higher.

THE CAR PARK


The carpark is at the destination of IAO VALLEY RD which is the extension of MAIN ST from downtown KAHULUI thru WAILUKU. It's abt 2 miles/3.5km from the valley entrance, solely 0.6mi/1km yesteryear KEPANIWAI PARK in addition to 5.8mi/9.3km from KAHULUI HARBOUR out of icon to right. 
Unfortunately populace carry does non come upwards up hither - the nearest coach halt if for bus#20 inwards WAILUKU abt a 2.8mi/4.5km walk - shouldn't endure every bit good difficult: I managed the contrary on wrecked knees after my large valley ridge hike (okay it was downhill, but anyone with wrecked knees volition tell you  downhill is harder).
I forgot to add together a linear scale - it's 2.6mi/4.2km betwixt the house markers for Car Park in addition to Wailuku (may endure clearer if you lot click-expand).


The carpark  is pretty minor with abt 50 spaces in addition to was total on this kickoff twenty-four hr menstruum of re-opening (that clrar expanse you lot tin consider to a higher house closest the river is truly a pedestrian walkway with some overnice views downward over the stream). 
Many people had parked their vehicles amongst IAO VALLEY ROAD in addition to walked inwards - this avoids** the entrance fee of $5 per machine for non-locals.
**at to the lowest degree if they walked behind the cost booth similar sneaky me.


Pre-flood Google world icon of machine commons in addition to nearby. It's 250yards/230m inwards a direct draw betwixt Upper Viewpoint in addition to Toll house marks


The rebuilt machine commons expanse has a novel amenities block in addition to perhaps the best sentiment inwards the expanse of the famous IAO NEEDLE. There was no nutrient available at the fourth dimension in addition to knowing STATE PARKS' aversion to nutrient trucks etc this is in all probability permanent.
I didn't consider whatsoever picnic facilities here, but KEPANIWAI PARK is but downward valley in addition to had lots - hear you lot it is real popular. I also noticed a lot of the native Hawaiian families enjoying the puddle areas had picnics set out on the rocks.

Taking the larn out rail background-left to a higher house you lot volition shortly come upwards to....

....THE KINIHAPAI BRIDGE over the tributary of the same name.
This is supposed to endure a favourite jumping spot for local kids but on this kickoff twenty-four hr menstruum they hadn't yet made it.
For some argue I didn't larn a moving painting of the span in addition to then I had to pinch this i from WEDENGAGE.COM - but it is totally excellent: the lensman seems to lead maintain gone to the attempt to larn downstream inwards club to grab the NEEDLE behind the bridge. Can't trounce those pros.

Once across the span you lot lead maintain a selection of turning DOWN to the left or UP to the right. 
If you lot plow left in addition to caput downward the side rail you lot access inside 30m....

....THE ETHNOBOTANIC LOOP
This is a department of circuitous paths around a garden setting, which every bit the cry suggests, commemorates the diverse ethnic gardens of HAWAII: Japanese, Korean, mainland settler in addition to particlularly local pre-colonial Hawaiian. 
I cry back this is a PRE-FLOOD moving painting (once in i trial again I had to resort to GOOGLE IMAGES: this i came from the DIVISION OF STATE PARKS) - it wasn't quite every bit lush when I called yesteryear but silent a real pleasant house to wander (about 300m of pathway) in addition to sit down (no benches but garden border walls did the job).

This expanse has a bonus - it is the best location to access the....

....IAO STREAM POOLS
Seemed similar one-half the visitors were downward there.


The pools looked inviting in addition to then after this moving painting I naturally had to assay one. Be careful, rocks tin endure slippery - banking concern complaint every bit good that flash flooding is non odd during/after rainstorms.

THE NANNY STATE STRIKES AGAIN
One occupation with access to the puddle areas in addition to hiking tracks was the proliferation of NO ACCESS signs. Maybe this is because government desire to do to a greater extent than stabilisation piece of work - yet I noticed these signs are real mutual inwards other STATE PARKS in addition to NATIONAL PARKS areas.
No worries - in addition to then many locals were ignoring the signs that I thought fifty-fifty the most officious ranger would non assay to volume them - in addition to beingness a swell fan of volume civil-disobedience I joined the mob.


STAIRWAY TO HEAVEN?
Well non quite. By turning right of the span you lot straight off hitting a set of stairs which larn nigh 300m upwards to the IAO NEEDLE viewing platform (Upper Viewpoint on Google Image).
Pic in i trial again from WEDENGAGE.COM. There are 130 or in addition to then stairs, fairly steep but the trip is relatively brusque in addition to at that topographic point are opportunities to halt in addition to residual including....

....AN INTERMEDIATE VIEWING PLATFORM
The outlook downward valley is non bad here, every bit is....


....the sentiment of the NEEDLE.

THE UPPER VIEWING PLATFORM
This is the destination of the route for most people. As seen the sentiment of the NEEDLE is practiced but down-valley is a flake restricted from here. There is also a bunch of information panels on the area's geology, industrial plant life in addition to human history.
My pics of this expanse were agency inferior to this swell shot also from WEDENGAGE.COM.

MORE NANNY STATE

I was itching for a overnice long trek inwards the bush. I'd read how native Hawaiians dorsum inwards the twenty-four hr menstruum used to climb the NEEDLE to spot incoming ocean traffic in addition to I was wondering how unopen I could get. It was obvious that a trail left from the UPPER PLATFORM but it was blocked yesteryear a railing in addition to the common sign. 
No worries - I figured it unlikely whatsoever rangers would endure on the trail (my observation inwards other places is that it takes a hell of a lot to larn them off their bums in addition to out of admission booths in addition to admin offices) in addition to and then I jumped the debate in addition to took off upwards the......

....KINIHAPAI-IAO RIDGE TRAIL
That's MY cry yesteryear the agency - because it runs upwards the high ridge betwixt the IAO STREAM in addition to the major KINIHAPAI tributary.

Conditions varied on this track. Gradient was pretty good, from mild to moderately steep but never truly difficult. Few steps. The rail surface was sometimes good, other times stone oil with enough of roots in addition to rocks. Good footwear recommended. I was surprised yesteryear relatively piffling mud for i of the wettest places anywhere. Then in i trial again it hadn't rained for several days 4km away downward inwards WAILUKU.


After xl minutes I met upwards with 2 local girls in addition to a guy - they seemed to know what they were doing (although the girls had bare feet!) in addition to then I tagged along.


This is the closest I got to the NEEDLE - it's truly across the other side of the KINIHAPAI STREAM from the ridge I was on. My novel friends told me you lot tin access the base of operations yesteryear rock-hopping upwards the current but would demand ROCK-CLIMBING/BUSH-BASHING SKILLS to larn upwards the NEEDLE. No cheers - nosotros pushed on.


Some overnice views of the valley edges upwards here. These panorama shots click-expand nicely.

WHEN THE GOING GETS TOUGH....
....THE TOUGH TURN BACK.
Progressively the rail got rougher in addition to narrower - several times nosotros had to bush-bash in addition to to a greater extent than than in i trial lost the track. Sometimes surrounding cloud misted-out visibility. Finally xc minutes from the start nosotros decided to surrender in addition to caput dorsum - nosotros figured nosotros were one-half agency to LAHAINA on the westward coast at that stage.

BACK NEAR THE TRAIL HEAD
We made slightly improve fourth dimension on the provide trip, reaching the start but nether three hours after leaving it. We passed five other hikers over this time.

OH GEES, DID THAT BLITZ MY KNEES!
Actually this shot shows blitzed shins - the consequence of bush-bashing thru abrupt undergrowth without long duds. 
But my 72 y.o. knees were inwards worse shape - already dodgy from every bit good much jogging inwards bad/no shoes dorsum inwards the twenty-four hr menstruum in addition to exacerbated yesteryear an before 6+ hr CRATER HIKE ON HALEAKALA, a 3+ hr WAIHEE RIDGE TREK, several shorter hikes to waterfalls on the HANA ROAD in addition to to several isolated beaches ,  non to lift a 40km cross-island bike ride; they were pretty distressing after the IAO VALLEY gallop. And they're silent non swell at the fourth dimension of writing 2 months afterward - maybe the 30+km of walking on MAUI'S westward coast the next calendar week wasn't such a practiced idea.

KINIHAPAI-IAO RIDGE TRAIL. 
Purple - top viewpoint   Orange - Oaho Needle    White - turn-back (approx). White betoken on far right margin is car-park. Click-expand much clearer.
Ignore Yellow - MISTAKE, but this novel version of Google world is hard to right (at to the lowest degree for this IT-challenged 72yo).
Update - good that was when I kickoff downloaded GE - it at nowadays is dorsum to normal allowing me to do the other "maps" on this page unremarkably - but I can't endure bothered redoing this one.


WOULDN'T YOU RATHER DRINK COLD BEER ON THIS UPSTAIRS VERANDA....
....THAN WATCH NAKED HIPPY-CHICKS AND TOURISTS DANCE TO THE BEAT OF H5N1 BONGO?
My novel friends were heading to the sun afternoon DRUM CIRCLE at Makena's LITTLE BEACH and asked if I'd similar to tag along. But having been a nudist since my teens I'm a flake rlaxed about  naked chicks, hippy or otherwise, in addition to I knew at that topographic point was a bunch of H2O ice cool beers waiting for me dorsum at my WAILUKU hostel. So I declined. Should lead maintain got a elevator with them the 4km downward at that topographic point - walking hard surfaces downhill (although moderate slopes) is non swell for already wrecked knees.


KEPANIWAI PARK
Only 600 yards/1km downward the route is IAO VALLEY'S other visitor attraction - truly it seemed to a greater extent than pop than the STATE MONUMENT area. Maybe that's because the garden expanse is bigger, at that topographic point are picnic facilities, heritage buildings, an associated NATURE CENTER, parking is in all probability better, entrance is complimentary in addition to beingness a COUNTY commons vs STATE park, it was repaired of overflowing impairment in addition to reopened before - in addition to didn't seem to lead maintain those annoying NO ENTRY signs. 

The commons is mulitfunctional....


....Set upwards every bit a HERITAGE GARDEN AREA, it has displays of gardens in addition to housing representing MAUI'S multicultural past. There is materials representing JAPANESE, FILIPINO, KOREAN, native HAWAIIAN in addition to AMERICAN MISSIONARY history (pic MAUI  ALOHA WEDDINGS)


More heritage materials (another M H5N1 H pic - I called inwards hither every bit an addendum to BANANA BUNGALOW hostel's complimentary WAIHEE RIDGE TREK in addition to had less than an hr which I mainly spent checking the river area, non taking lotsa pics which is surprisingly time-consuming).


Replica of early on cane workers' housing - in all probability from Nippon yesteryear the looks of the pond - most imported cane workers were from either Nippon or the Philippines (another M H5N1 H pic)


Early native-Hawaiian coming together hall (pic from Gardenvisit.com)

....away from the heritage expanse is enough of PICNIC FACILITIES with large pavilions non dissimilar to a higher house but with seats in addition to tables in addition to adjoining bbq facilities (but I didn't consider whatsoever hot nutrient vendors) - also express picnic tables downward nigh the stream.....

THE STREAM HAS MANY POOLS TO DIP H5N1 TOE, PADDLE OR TAKE H5N1 DIP....
....which in i trial once again were proving a hitting with locals (this was a weekday but a distich dozen families were downward there)

PARKING AND SCENERY
KEPANIWAI PARK can't fit the mount scenery of the MONUMENT AREA upwards the road, but views of the surrounding expanse were non every bit good shabby. That's NOT the IAO NEEDLE - it's farther upwards valley.
PARKING was a flake tricky - our van driver had to search around some fourth dimension for a infinite fifty-fifty on a calendar week day. There is a smallish overflow lot across the primary route from the lower entrance but when I walked yesteryear after visiting the MONUMENT AREA on a sun it was packed. Once in i trial again enough of people parking roadside. Mind you, the commons appeared fifty-fifty to a greater extent than crowded than mid-week maybe because I could hear a practiced stone band - hi maybe M H5N1 W had a shindig going.

HAWAII NATURE CENTER
This compact expanse adjoins the park. There is a museum with interactive displays, to a greater extent than loop paths thru garden areas, organised hiking programs in addition to educational materials for kids. Admission is complimentary but I only  had fourth dimension to stick my caput inwards the door of the museum.
This is i expanse I intend to pass to a greater extent than fourth dimension at when I provide to MAUI - every bit a affair of fact the whole IAO VALLEY expanse demands some other visit.


Museum (pic from koddler)


Looks practiced to me (pic MUAI LEISURE GUIDE )


Entrance to the commons is 2mi/3.2km along Iao Valley Rd from intersection of Main St in addition to High St Wailuku to right of image.

ATTENTION: IF YOU SEE MISTAKES OR HAVE EXTRA INFORMATION, PLEASE POST BELOW. BUT IF YOU HAVE H5N1 QUESTION, PLEASE ASK information technology IN THE FORUM WHICH I CHECK MOST DAYS - I REVISIT THESE INDIVIDUAL PLACE PAGES INFREQUENTLY.



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