Visit Kepaniwai Park on the way to your Iao Valley hike. It's adjacent to Iao Valley and includes various displays for the different cultures - Portugal, China, New England, the Philippines, Japan, and China - that contributed to modern Hawaiian culture. Traditional structures include a Japanese tea house, Hawaiian grass shack, Chinese moon gate, New England salt box, and Portuguese outdoor oven. Throughout the gardens are small waterfalls and ponds all fed by the Iao Stream. The park is adjacent to the Hawaii Nature Center. There are pavilions available for picnics.
The Haitai is a mythical, omniscient unicorn-lion that upholds justice and repels evils. The status are a replica of the Haitia, or Haetae-Haechi, statues standing in front of the Gyeongbok Palace in Seoul, Korea.
Be sure to find the plaque commemorating the Battle of Kepaniwai known as the "damming of the waters" caused by the bodies of fallen warriors in the river. This was a decisive for Kamehameha as he sought to control the island of Maui.
