Hawaii Surf Spots – The BEST Surf Spots in Hawaii
You’re very lucky if you’re looking into surfing Hawaii, because there truly are a thousand Hawaii surf spots worth riding, with dozens of them undoubtedly being among the best surf spots in the world. Hawaii has been at the forefront of surfing progression and wave riding conditions for hundreds of years. Indeed, ever since the art of surfing was created by ancient Hawaiians right along the famed shores which now play host to millions of tourists, locals, and surfers, amateur to professional alike. Because of this, many of the best (and wost) surf spots in Hawaii have been ridden, documented, and made more accessible to surfers as of late.
That said, while a lot of expensive surf guide books can endlessly log the hundreds of different ridable areas along the hundreds of miles of Hawaii’s coastline, few can simply narrow it down to the absolute best surf spots to ride at what time. Read on for a list of the BEST Hawaii surf spots categorized by the things that matter to us surfers: the tangible details, namely:
- Average conditions
- Wave Quality
- Crowd Size
- Overall “Stoke” factor
- Conditions during time of year
The BEST Hawaii Surf Spots – Summer
Ahhh, summer surf. When Hawaii’s water is at it’s warmest, the girl’s bikinis are at their skimpiest, and the south, east, and west facing shores of Hawaii get some amazing swells courtesy of the south Pacific. A good summer swell can be what dreams are made of. Without further ado, here is our list for the best Hawaii surf spots to ride on Oahu and Maui during summer:
Oahu – Diamond Head Cliff’s/Lighthouse – On Oahu’s South coast, about a mile East of Waikiki, and directly in front of the giant lighthouse which juts out from world famous Diamond Head, lies the reef breaks of “Cliff’s” a.k.a. “Lighthouse”. Yes, we said breaks. Plural. Due to the fantastic positioning of the reefs here, Cliff’s is one of the few spots on the south shore to not only soak up all the juice of proper south swells, but it also gets power from east swells. This is one of the few Hawaii surf spots on the south shore to have such an advantage. For this reason, there are 3-4 different peaks along an 80-yard wide lineup, leaving ample room for the many surfers who call this place home. Long rights and lefts break here, with lots of room for carving or getting barreled. It also means that when it is going off (very often in the summer months) the waves are generally larger than most other spots on the South Shore, and break more frequently. Due to the diverse conditions, short boarders, long boarders, and a variety of wave riders find excellent conditions here. It is also recognized as one of the best spots to paddle surf Hawaii.
Now, with all of the amazing surfing here there are a few cons worth mentioning. First, crowds can get larger on weekends, so if you go on a Saturday or Sunday, try to fit in your surf session before 11 AM to avoid the rush. Also, with the spot’s eastern exposure, strong winds can chop the waves up in the afternoons. Lastly, the wave breaks shallow during low tide, so be prepared to kick out early if you don’t want to risk falling onto reef. With all that said, Cliff’s is truly an excellent set of waves along a beautiful coastline, and definitely worth checking out. Works best with a North wind, with swells 2-8 feet. Definitely one of the must-ride Hawaii surf spots.
Maui – La Perouse Bay – Best on a South/Southwest swell, La Perouse Bay on Maui is a largely unknown, yet amazing surf spot. Great on any tide, and with waves sizes between 2-16 feet, “LP” delivers a left-breaking reef break which allows the rider long carving sections, as well as spots where a simple stall move or cutback can lead them into big barrels. The paddle out is definitely not for beginners, because on bigger days, cleanup sets can wash you right into a bunch of lava rocks lining the beach. With that said, moderate-advanced surfers will LOVE this wave, which is usually uncrowded and breaks well on any tide during south or west swells. Check out the video below for more on this amazing Hawaii surf spot…
The BEST Hawaii Surf Spots – Winter
Hawaiian winters are famous for producing the most spectacular and amazing ridable surf in the world. Since the early 1900s, tourists have been flocking to Oahu’s famed North Shore to see the world’s best surfers tame the world’s most famous and ferocious large waves. Many of the best Hawaii surf spots can be found here.
We’re going to assume that you may not be Kelly Slater or Laird Hamilton, but if you are looking for the best surf spots to surf in Hawaii during the winter, you’re most likely an advanced to expert level surfer. As such, we present to you two must-ride winter Hawaii surf spots. They may not be the most famous, the biggest, or the shot you need to get onto the surfing world tour, but they are magnificent, fun, overall great waves. These are our two favorites:
Oahu – Ehukai Beach Park – Just to the right of the most infamous of Hawaii surf spots, the Banzai Pipeline on Oahu’s famed North Shore, lies a mishmash of wonderful peaks at Ehukai Beach Park. With swell anywhere between 2-10 feet, Ehukai can actually be better than Pipeline, and way less crowded to boot. Different swells and sandbar location means the waves themselves constantly move around, but one thing has been made clear time and time again..when the conditions aren’t right at Pipeline, look East 50 yards. Ehukai is great during the smaller days on the North Shore and holds well up until about 10 feet, when it’s famous neighbor all but swallows it up with sets that cross over the sandbar between the two spots. At that point, Ehukai only becomes the paddle out point for pipeline surfers. That said, catch Ehukai when it’s good and you can find one of the most fun waves anywhere in the state.
Maui – Hookipa Beach – Located in scenic Paia, on the north shore of Maui, Hookipa is one of the most consistent surf breaks in the entire state of Hawaii. Famous as one of the best windsurfing spots in the world, it doubles as one of the best surf spots on the island when the wind dies down. Much like Cliff’s on Oahu, the reef and coastline formations leave this spot open to a variety of swell directions, most notably from west/northwest and eastern windswells. It also means there are several peaks to choose from, which can offer everything from shallow, dodgy rights, to long, peeling lefts. Barreling sections can be found everywhere. The most notable spot is called Pavillion’s, a fantastic right that peels off of the point east of the beach park. Catch Hookipa on a good day and you might not ever leave Maui; it’s that good.
Hawaii Surf Spots – Final Thoughts on The Best
The Best Hawaii Surf Spots aren’t always those with the flashiest barrels or the most recognition. Instead, we argue that they are like the spots above; where you are most likely to have a good time! Isn’t that what surfing’s about at it’s core? Simply paddling out, maybe with a couple of buddies, and enjoying the stoke that comes from riding these amazing waves? We definitely think so, and hope that you’ll check out these spots at least once. We think you’re bound for a good time. Thanks for reading out list of our favorite Hawaii Surf Spots, we hope to see you out in the waves!
Mahalo, The Surfing Hawaii Team
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