Maui North Shore Beaches & Towns

Surfing Culture And Beach Lifestyle

Discover the Beauty of Maui’s North Shore

When you think of the North Shore of Maui you probably think of wind, waves and gorgeous beaches. You would be right about all of that. Some of the best waves and the most consistent winds bring the surfing professionals to live in the towns of Haiku, Paia, & Huelo to train during the winter months each year.

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Our beautiful shores are subject to strong swells that move tons of sand up and down the coast for miles. You never know what you might encounter when you get to your favorite spot after a storm, a nice wide sandy beach or a rocky tidepool scene.

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Fun Fact

A few spots along the shore that we like to stop to see Hawaiian green sea turtles basking in the sun. They gather onshore in groups of up to 70 at a time. During the pandemic more turtles came closer into shore in even greater numbers. They did not seem threatened and that has continued to this day.

North Shore Towns & Villages

Visitors love spending time in the beach and small plantation towns of the North Shore. Check out some of the areas you should explore more on your own.

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Beach pavilions are community centers on Maui's north shore

Baldwin avenue leads into Paia from Makawao

Traffic in Paia includes outrigger canoes

Paia

The largest of the towns, Paia is a beach town and has a strong surf vibe to it. The cute shops, historic plantation buildings and location make this a wonderful spot to enjoy for an afternoon. There are about 12 different restaurants in town, and they are all popular. The pizza place is a local favorite as well as the grocery store.

If you are into ocean sports, you will likely bump into one of the top professionals in any of those sports in this seaside town. Windsurfing and surfing are all popular at the local Hookipa beach park. Some of the tour guides like to stop to watch all the colors against the ocean blue, sometimes 50 windsurfers doing tricks on the huge waves.

Kiteboarders tend to use areas down near Kahana in Kahului due to the width and length of the beaches in that area.

Haiku

Just off the Hana Highway, Haiku has a few small areas centered around the old cannery buildings that dot the landscape. These old industrial buildings been turned into commercial shops, restaurants, and offices. Visit the ones in Haiku that hold top restaurants, shops, bike activities, and so much more. This is a great stop on your way back from Hana if you are traveling on your own to grab dinner.

Hana Highway Residential Rainforest Maui

Deep valley waterfall and jungle below Hana Highway

road to hana full circle tour wailua waterfall

Huelo

The winding part of the Hana highway starts in this area. There is more rainfall in this zone creating more gulches that are bigger and deeper. The abundance of rain makes for a dense rainforest and hosts an infestation of bamboo that covers hillsides.

The deep gulches extend out into the water creating perfect underwater formations that make for huge waves. World-famous “Jaws”, an absolutely monster of a wave, sometimes pushing 80ʻ in height, is ridden during the right conditions right off-shore at Peahi.

Things To Do On Mauiʻs North Shore

Snorkeling
The best time to snorkel is in the early morning before the tradewinds pick up. You will meet few others during these morning swims. Heading over to a great spot for children in Sprecklesville, a long barrier reef provides a calm area for beginner snorkeling on a normally rough shore.
Hawaiian Green Sea Turtles
These are wonderful creatures that you might find swimming alone along the shore or resting on the sand. Many snorkeling tours along the south shores of Maui stop at off-shore locations where these creatures wander through the coral reef in numbers. On the North Shore, they come up on the few good beaches in big numbers. Helpful endangered turtle volunteers are there to educate the watchers and provide protection from stray dogs and people.
Watching The Surfers & Windsurfers
Some of the most exciting pastimes of the locals is to watch the surf and the people who ride it. A great spot is at Hookipa, from the bluff, you can get a close up look at the action below. Surfers from all ages perform all sorts of tricks and ride the waves using all sorts of different boards too!

Sightseeing Tours

All our road to Hana tours come through the town of Paia. Some will stop for a little while so you can look around a little, some drive slowly through and others will give you time to grab coffee or a full breakfast in the town before continuing down the Hana Highway.

ALL SIGHTSEEING TOURS

Helicopter Tours

All our helicopter tours start at the heliport at the Kahului airport which is set on the North Shore of Maui. You will see lots of this area from the helicopter as you take off and return.

ALL HELICOPTER TOURS

Hiking Tours

Wander into the lush rainforests of the North Shore with a guide and go for a swim in a waterfall pool. These experiences are available in the Huelo area. Take a shorter half-day tour or explore more along the road to Hana with a private hiking and swimming experience.

ALL HIKING TOURS

FAQs About The North Shore

When should we stop in Paia if we are doing a road to Hana trip?

On the road to Hana you need to pay attention, even if you are a passenger so having some coffee in the morning in Paia is a great quick stop to make. Grab a few light snacks too to settle your stomach before you reach Keanae and can get some banana bread. On your way back down the road to Hana, stopping in the evening for dinner is on everyoneʻs mind. Fewer people will drive up to Haiku to the food trucks and small restaurants there.
Is there a beach we should visit?

For visitors who love walking down a tropical beach. Start at Baldwin Beach in the morning and head east. You can along the beaches and forest pathways all the way down to Paia Bay. Along the way, there are a variety of spots to jump into the water to cool off. Depending on the day of the week, there might be a party too!
What is an ideal day on the North Shore of Maui?

For visitors who have a rental car and a full day to explore then get ready for an amazing day of exploration. The first step is to head over to one of the beaches and enjoy the calm morning and beautiful water until some hunger convinces you itʻs ready to leave the beach. Head over to Paia and choose from a number of great lunch places including Paia Fish Market. After a yummy lunch, and a little wander into shops about the town, itʻs now a good time to head over to Hookipa to take in all the surfing and maybe see some turtles too. Now make your way over to Wailuku and Iao Valley that lays behind it. You can see it from the Paia as a large valley cut into the West Maui Mountains. Spend the rest of the day in that beautiful spot. Many guests donʻt make it over there but most who visit wish they had more time there.

Get Answers To Your Questions

Your Road To Hana Experts

Having a perfect day in Hana means traveling with an expert guide. We know the Hana Highway well, so feel free to ask us any questions about this wondrous, winding road.

Top Road To Hana Stops

When all you have is just one day to experience some of the most beautiful tropical rainforests in all of the USA, then here are the stops we highly recommend seeing so you don’t miss a thing!

The Best Hana Highway Tours

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