Ten miles past the town are the Seven Sacred Pools. The drive to Hana is really more attractive and pleasing than the town itself. A quiet and contemplative spot, Iao Valley State Park lies at the mouth of the valley on west Maui. The valley is actually a crater of west Maui's volcano, reshaped and enlarged by erosion over the years. The main attraction is the Iao Needle, a green-carpeted spire that rises 1,200 feet from the valley floor.
Footbridges wander over meandering creeks and offer views of the rugged surrounding mountains.
The tombs of hundreds of ancient Hawaiian royalty reside in these valleys. Sugar Museum Housed in a restored plantation manager's home, the Alexander and Baldwin Sugar Museum features historical photographs, models, and displays from 19th century Maui. An important reminder that Hawaii was not always a land of windsurfers and jet-skiers. The Bailey House museum is housed in a quaint, New England-style house from the 19th century and features the island's largest collection of relics and artifacts from before the days of Captain Cook. Quilts, tapa cloth, stone and shell implements, an outrigger canoe, and a very unmaneuverable-looking redwood surfboard are on display.