Water quality status and bacteria risk rating
📍 Hāʻena State Park, Kauaʻi — Permit required for non-residents
Hāʻena Beach receives significant rainfall — the nearby mountains are among the wettest places on Earth. The Limahuli Stream drains to the ocean at this beach and can carry elevated bacteria after rain. On dry, sunny days water quality is generally good.
Stay out of the ocean for at least 72 hours after heavy rain. Kauaʻi's North Shore receives extremely heavy rainfall and the stream mouth can be heavily impacted. If the water looks brown, do not enter.
Hāʻena Beach is a gorgeous, long stretch of golden sand on Kauaʻi's dramatic North Shore, framed by lush green mountains and sea caves (wet and dry sea caves are nearby). It sits within Hāʻena State Park, just one mile east of Keʻe Beach and the start of the Kalalau Trail.
Access requires an advance parking permit for non-Kauaʻi residents (reserve at gohaena.com). The permit system was introduced to manage overcrowding and protect the fragile ecosystem. The reward: one of the most beautiful beaches in the Pacific.
Free alerts when water quality changes at your beach.
Safe to Swim Hawaii is an independent passion project — not affiliated with the Hawaii DOH. Ratings are estimates, not real-time measurements.
Always verify with the Hawaii DOH Clean Water Branch before entering the water.
When in doubt, don't go out. 🤙