Waioka (Venus Pool)

Waioka — popularly called Venus Pool — is the freshwater pool just south of Hāna town, fed by a spring and connected to the ocean by a narrow stream. Check the Community Water Testing section for the sample date, result and full Surfrider report. A sample describes the water collected at that place and time; it does not establish today's water quality. Check the live DOH status above separately.

Waioka is a brackish pool south of Hāna, connected to the ocean by a narrow stream. Runoff from the surrounding watershed can reach the pool.

A community bacteria sample describes the collected water at that place and time. It does not establish current conditions or resolve the pool's separate access restrictions; check the dated source report and current DOH notices.

The Hawaii Department of Health does NOT routinely test Waioka (Venus Pool). The community-tested readings on this page come from the Surfrider Foundation Blue Water Task Force, a volunteer-led monitoring program run by the Surfrider Maui chapter.

BWTF samples Waioka (Venus Pool) monthly using the IDEXX Enterolert method (MPN/100mL), and compares results against the same 130 Beach Action Value DOH uses statewide. See our overview of citizen water-quality testing in Hawaiʻi for the methodology and how BWTF data fits with DOH coverage.

Maui County closed Waioka in 2024. The traditional access road and trail cross private land; visiting is now considered trespassing. Multiple recent injuries and a death drove the closure. The BWTF data on this page documents historical readings; do not visit.

Access restrictions are separate from the community bacteria sample. If you read other guides recommending Waioka, check their date and current local access information.

For nearby coastal planning, see Hāna Bay and Hāmoa Beach. Each has separate water-quality information; check current advisories, dated samples and access information for the place you intend to visit.