Hookipa Beach Park - Paia, Maui

The beach itself is not that large, but it is large enough for the main activity, which is mostly watching the windsurfers, kite surfers, and surfers. The Ho'okipa Lookout is a small parking lot on a bluff overlooking the beach. The consistent trade winds and seasonally large surf make the Aloha Classic the most popular destination of the windsurfing media, spectators and athletes. This event is the crown-jewel of wave sailing. Be aware that access to windsurfing is denied at many beaches and certain restrictions may prevail at accessible beaches. Find out about the reef, tide and wave conditions before you go into the water.

Paia is also the unofficial hang town for most of the serious windsurfing contingent – legendary Ho’okipa Beach is among the sport's elite playgrounds. It's been the second home to some of the world's best windsurfing, surfing, and kite surfing athletes and even a few Hollywood stars! This beautiful property is the place to stay and relax on Maui's low key North Shore. When the winds pick up in the afternoon, you'll see the windsurfers flying across the water, doing aerials and putting on a spectacular show for all to enjoy. Kite boarders also come out when the winds are piping.

As such, Maui is considered the birthplace of kite boarding and its older cousin, windsurfing. Hundreds come to this "Wind Mecca" to experience the consistent side-shore trade winds, warm water and designated kite boarding areas. The reason is to keep kite surfers away from the swimming areas and the crowded windsurfing access. Please take care when launching at these areas because this beach is a very popular one and gets very busy especially on weekends. This beach has been called the windsurfing capital of the world and is popular with daredevil surfers as well. However, it is not recommended that you swim here.

Favorable surfing and wind surfing conditions here year-round makes it first-rate for visitors and local residents alike and it is home to the world-wide windsurfing competitions. A short coral reef nearby helps make the waters calm enough for excellent swimming in the mornings and the coconut trees here provide shade and relaxation - so swim in that area. By the 1980's windsurfing was an international sport and the world discovered the winds and waves on Maui and especially at Ho'okipa. The rest, as they say, is history.

As word got out to the international windsurfing community about the unbelievable windsurfing to be had in Maui, and Ho'okipa in particular, Maui became the premier vacation destination for windsurfers world wide, and Paia became their headquarters. Today, Paia is blessed with thriving boutiques and restaurants, and has a very enjoyable international atmosphere.

World-class windsurfing events are held here annually. After you're done at the lookout, your best bet is to get back on Highway 36 and continue your journey. For those new to the sport, do not fret - you can surf the way most non-surfers do - by body surfing or boogie boarding. It is the most popular break for windsurfing, and generally breaks as a right. With the prevailing trade wind direction being east to east-north-east, this is most frequently down-the-line sailing on starboard tack (wind from right when standing on the beach).