Water quality status and swim conditions
📍 Paʻia town beach · North Shore Maui · Near Hoʻokipa
Paʻia Bay is the small town beach fronting the historic North Shore surf town of Paʻia. The bay receives runoff from Paʻia town and the sugarcane-era drainage channels of central Maui, which can temporarily elevate bacteria after rain.
The DOH monitors Paʻia Bay and has recorded periodic exceedances, particularly following storm events when drainage from the town and nearby agricultural lands reaches the bay. On clear dry days, water quality is generally acceptable and the bay is popular with locals.
The bigger draw for most visitors is Hoʻokipa Beach Park, 2 miles east, to watch world-class windsurfers and sea turtles — though Hoʻokipa itself is not a swimming beach. Paʻia Bay is calmer than Hoʻokipa but still has North Shore trade wind chop that can make swimming uncomfortable.
Based on: DOH Maui North Shore monitoring data, Pa'ia town stormwater runoff patterns
The Hawaii DOH recommends staying out of the ocean for at least 72 hours after heavy rain. Paʻia Bay is more susceptible than many Maui beaches due to urban and agricultural runoff from the surrounding area.
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⚠️ Important Disclaimer
Safe to Swim Hawaii is an independent passion project not affiliated with the Hawaii Department of Health. Water quality ratings are estimates based on publicly available data and are not real-time measurements.
Always verify with the Hawaii DOH Clean Water Branch before entering the water.
When in doubt, don't go out.