Mark Twain likened this steep valley to California’s Yosemite. Steep cliffs enclosed both places, but ‘Iao is a more open ended and greener. Some people call the landmark 1,200-foot rock monolith Iao Needle. It’s forever in sight as you hike the paved path into a gorge of the West Maui Mountains. Signage explains the geology and human history of the...

A trip to Kalaupapa Nat. Historical Park is the defining Moloka‘i experience for many people. Hawaiian residents who suffered from leprosy or Hansen’s disease were banished to this peninsula from 1866 to 1969. A few of them are still alive and have chosen to stay, though sulfa drugs now control the disease. Kalaupapa visitors experience a double dose of awe....

Take the Lahaina Historical Tour and you’ll see that the touristy town offers a lot more than pricey art galleries and funky souvenir shops. History runs deep, starting with relics from the ancient Hawaiians who fished and raised taro here before the missionaries came. A good way to uncover these sites is with a walking tour brochure from the Lahaina...