Hawaii Surf Travel Guide
Hawaii is the birthplace and spiritual home of surfing. The North Shore of Oahu remains the ultimate testing ground and nowhere on Earth can boast a higher density of world class surf breaks within such a short distance. Meanwhile Waikiki on the south shore of Oahu and its gentle, sloping waves offer the perfect antidote to the power of the North Shore and a great place to learn to surf.
Quick Facts
Breaks best in the Northern Hemisphere winter
Waves like Pipeline, Waimea and Sunset are the big-wave gold standard
Crowds are an issue, but empty(ish) spots do exist
Warm water, great weather and incredible surf culture.
Where to surf
The North Shore of Oahu, aka the “Seven-Mile-Miracle” is obviously Hawaii’s biggest drawcard, yet the outer islands of Kauai, Maui and Big Island all offer some quality uncrowded options for more mellow adventurers. Along the seven-mile stretch of coast on the North Shore there are some 40 surf breaks, some being the best known in the world.
Best Surf Breaks
North Shore Oahu
Banzai Pipeline – Pipe is a legendary wave that demands a surfer’s respect. It is the final stop of the Triple Crown of Surfing as well as the ASP World Tour. It’s a super fast, ledgy left hand reef break with one of the best tubes in the world.
North Shore Oahu
Backdoor – The same take off zone as Pipe, but a right hand barrel that breaks over very shallow reef. It’s hollow, fast and powerful.
North Shore Oahu
Off The Wall – Mostly a hollow, fast and powerful right tube, with some lefts but closes out on the inside.
North Shore Oahu
Turtle Bay – On the west side of the resort, a hollow, fast and powerful right reef break when the swell is up, and a fun longboard wave that can take you over a hundred yards when its smaller. On the east side of the resort there is a right called Rainbows that gets fun when there is more east in the swell. Further east from Rainbows is Baggers, a very long and hollow left tube over shallow reef.
North Shore Oahu
Velzyland – This wave is an amazing right hander with rippable walls and long barrels. When it gets really big, there is a left called Freddies on the south side of the same bay, and behind them both is a big wave spot called Phantoms.
North Shore Oahu
Waimea Bay - One of the first recognised big wave surf spots in the world and holds swells up to 30ft.
North Shore Oahu
Log Cabins – Fast, powerful, very long and can get epic.
North Shore Oahu
Rockpiles – Hollow, ledgy and powerful right and left reef break.
North Shore Oahu
Rocky Point – left and right reef that is the North Shore’s most high-performance wave.
North Shore Oahu
Sunset Beach – legendary big-wave testing ground whose big rights break 500 metres offshore in front of famous white, sandy and palm-fringed beach.
South Shore Oahu
Ala Moana Bowls – Long, hollow, powerful, fast and ledgey left tube.
South Shore Oahu
Queens – A fun right and left reef break.
South Shore Oahu
Canoe’s – Short, easy right and left reef break.
Kauai
Hanalei Bay – a long right coral reef point break. Classic set up in a stunning bay and surf town. Handles anything from 2 feet to 15 feet
South Shore Oahu
Publics – A consistent long left
Maui
Honolua Bay – 300-yard long perfect righthand point on Maui that needs a solid swell to break.
When to go
Located smack bang in the middle of the North Pacific Ocean the North Shore of Oahu is wide open to the powerful winter west and north swells. The best time to visit the North Shore is between October and March. November and December are however the most crowded months as hundreds of professional surfers decamp to “The Rock” from all over the world. February, March and October is better for holidaying surfers just looking to surf without the the contests and crowds. The Southern Shore of Oahu also gets its fair share of fun mostly In the summer surf months from May through August when the waves around Waikiki or “Town” come to life.
Attractions
Explore off-the-beaten-track destinations, whether they are hidden beaches or towns that you won’t find on a postcard. Learn to surf or kayak or go to an authentic luau where you can get a taste of Hawaiian culture and watch the art of hula. From romantic escapades, whale watching, volcano hikes, family fun or buying gifts at countless Hawaii surf shops it’s possible to do it all or simply sit back and enjoy Island time.
The Country
Hawaii was an independent republic until first became a territory of the United States and then a state in 1959. The state encompasses nearly the entire Hawaiian archipelago, 137 islands spread over 2,400 kilometres. Hawaii’s diverse natural scenery, warm tropical climate, abundance of public beaches, oceanic surroundings, and active volcanoes make it a popular destination for tourists, surfers, biologists, and volcanologists. Because of its central location in the Pacific and 19th-century labour migration, Hawaii’s culture is strongly influenced by North American and East Asian cultures, in addition to its indigenous Hawaiian culture.
Getting There
The Honolulu International Airport (HNL) on Oahu is the major point of entry, while and short, 40-minute domestic flights are available to the outer islands.
Travel Information
Time Zone
UTC -10:00
Currency
USD
Calling code
+1
Electric
120V – Plug A, B