Beaches that recover first, beaches to avoid, and alternatives when you canʻt swim.
The Hawaii Department of Health recommends staying out of the ocean for at least 72 hours after heavy rain. After heavy rain on Maui, bacteria levels can exceed safe thresholds by 10-100x. The 72-hour countdown begins when rain STOPS, not when it starts.
These beaches are on dry leeward coasts with good ocean circulation. They tend to return to acceptable water quality within 48-72 hours after rain stops:
Wailea beaches (dry south shore), Kapalua Bay (protected, north end of West Maui), Napili Bay (sheltered, calm).
These locations have stream mouths, chronic contamination, or poor flushing that keeps bacteria elevated longer:
Hana coast beaches (high rainfall), Kahului Harbor area, any beach near stream mouths along the Road to Hana.
The clock starts when rain STOPS, not when it starts. If rain continues intermittently, the countdown resets each time. During the 72-hour window, bacteria counts can be 10-100x above the 130 CFU/100mL advisory threshold. Even if the water looks clear, microscopic contamination may persist.
Maui Ocean Center (indoor aquarium), Surfing Goat Dairy, Maui Tropical Plantation, Iʻao Valley State Park, Aliʻi Kula Lavender Farm, shopping in Lahaina or Paia.
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⚠️ 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.
When in doubt, don't go out. 🤙