The North Shore community varies from the ocean oriented towns of Paia, Kuau and Spreckesville to the rural/agricultural areas of Haiku to Huelo. Today, the towns of Paia/Kuau/Spreckelsville are prime central for all activities water related. Fishing, diving, surfing, winsurfing, kitesurfing and stand up paddleboarding are top of mind as to why to live in these areas. Hoʻokipa Beach Park is world renown for its quality waves. Paia Town is world renown from its Plantation Day look and its current mix of eclectic shops shaped by the recent influx of water sports enthusiasts from around the world. The beaches and ocean may not be as warm as South Maui, but nice and beautiful nonetheless. Further out along the north shore, you will find the rural/agricultural areas of Haiku, Peahi and Huelo. Certainly a wetter climate than say most of Upcountry but at elevations from 0′ to 1,000 ft, it’s not as cool as say, Kula. Until the mid 1980’s, this area was a large agricultural belt of pineapple farms, pastureland and before that, even some sugar cane. The demise of the pineapple industry because of foreign competition made way for the development of many agricultural subdivisions where most families reside. However, there are still several older residential subdivisions from the Plantation Days scattered throughout with the old Pineapple Cannery now serving as the community resource center for food, entertainment and commercial/industrial needs.
