Water quality status and bacteria risk rating
📍 West Maui — between Kaʻanapali and Napili
Honokowai Beach Park enjoys excellent water quality typical of West Maui's leeward shoreline. The dry climate means minimal stormwater runoff, and the open Pacific exposure provides good ocean flushing. The beach is residential and low-density, with minimal pollution sources nearby. DOH testing for this area is infrequent but results are consistently good.
Based on: West Maui dry climate, residential density, open ocean exposure
Wait at least 72 hours after heavy rain before swimming at any Maui beach, including Honokowai.
Top-rated experiences near this beach. Check water quality above, then plan your trip.
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Free Maui water quality alerts — brown water advisories and bacteria warnings.
Safe to Swim Hawaii aggregates water quality data from six independent sources to provide broader coverage than any single agency. Our sources include the Hawaii Department of Health Clean Water Branch (beach advisories and bacteria testing), USGS National Water Information System (25 stream monitoring stations across all islands), NOAA CO-OPS (tide levels and water temperature), NDBC (wave buoys and ocean conditions), NWS Honolulu (weather and marine alerts), and City & County of Honolulu Environmental Services (Kailua Bay water testing and spill reports).
Historical bacteria risk ratings on this site are based on DOH testing data, Surfrider Foundation monitoring, geographic analysis (stream proximity, cesspool contamination areas, coastal development), and advisory frequency. These are historical assessments, not live measurements. Always check the live advisory status at the top of each page and verify conditions with the Hawaii DOH Clean Water Branch before entering the water.
⚠️ Important Disclaimer
Safe to Swim Hawaii is an independent passion project — not affiliated with the Hawaii Department of Health or any government agency. Water quality ratings are estimates based on publicly available testing data and geographic analysis. They are not real-time measurements and may not reflect current conditions.
Always verify current water quality conditions with the Hawaii DOH Clean Water Branch before entering the water.
This site does not recommend or advise anyone to swim at any beach. We share government data and geographic analysis so you can make your own informed decisions. By using this site you accept full responsibility for your own safety. See our Terms of Use for full details.
When in doubt, don’t go out. 🤙