1. Honolua Bay, Maui

Honolua Bay is without a doubt, Maui‘s most popular wave and one of Hawaii’s best surf spot. A consistent point break offering barrels and long lines, perfect for intermediate and advanced surfers. Honolua Bay works on the NW swells which hit Hawaii from November to March. In summer, it becomes a great snorkeling spot to see turtles and live coral reef.

2. Pipeline, Oahu

Located on the North Shore of Oahu, Pipeline is Hawaii’s most famous wave and also one of the most dangerous waves on Earth. When winter swells start hitting Hawaii in November, the reef clears up from all the accumulated sand over summer and becomes a barreling machine.

3. Hanalei Bay, Kauai

Hanalei Bay is a hidden gem located on Kauai‘s north shore. The point is a long right-hand reef break that handles over 20 feet swells while the bay is a softer beach break which can be surfed by beginners and long boarders.

4. Waikiki, Oahu

Waikiki is nothing less than the home of surfing. With several legendary surf breaks like Canoes, Kings, Queens, Diamond Head and Ala Moana everyone finds its fix in Waikiki. Beginners, intermediate and advanced surfers can all find their own little wave and enjoy a true Hawaiian surfing day in paradise.

5. Lahaina, Maui

Lahaina is one of the best waves in Hawaii to learn how to surf. Located on Maui’s west side, this soft, peeling reef break has everything a beginning surfer is looking for in a surf spot in order to learn in a safe way.

6. Makaha, Oahu

Makaha is an amazing right-hand point break that has several different sections which can suit all types of surfers. It is located on Oahu’s west side and works best on a winter NW swell. During peak season, Makaha is a thrilling, high-level point break, but on smaller days, beginners can also enjoy the inside sections.

7. Ho’okipa, Maui

Ho’okipa is a beutiful beach located on Maui’s north shore, near Pa’ia, a charming and small surf town. This surf spot is also one of the best wind surfing spot on Earth due to its consistent cross shore winds. This feature doesn’t stop Ho’okipa from also being a great surfing beach with great waves through the winter months. With a bit of luck, you will also spot a few turtles which are frequently resting on the beach.

8. Tunnels, Kauai

Tunnels is a high-level wave located on Kauai’s north shore. This challenging surf spot should only be tackled by the most experienced surfers looking to get great barrel opportunities, probably some of the best ones on Kauai.

9. Sunset Beach, Oahu

Sunset Beach is another famous wave located on the North Shore of Oahu. It is a legendary surf spot with a lot of history hosting a lot of prestigious events through time. Sunset Beach is a right-hand reef break that gets pretty heavy in winter and almost inexistent in summer.

10. Waimea Bay, Oahu

Another very prestigious wave in Hawaii that most surfers will only get the chance to watch is Waimea Bay. This iconic bay is a big-wave surf spot made famous by Eddie Aikau, pioneer of big-wave surfing in Hawaii. Today, Waimea Bay is host to the Eddie Aikau invitational, a great surfing event in honor of his legacy.

Waimea Bay is not just a big-wave surf spot, there is a also a shore break to play with as well as the occasional river wave.

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Going on a surf trip to Hawaii should be on the bucket list of every passionate surfer out there…Not only was the sport of surfing itself born in Hawaii, but it simply is a very special place to visit with amazing landscapes and countless different activities to chose from.

Planning such a trip is not as easy as it seems as there are many things to think about, including the big question:  which Hawaiian island should I visit on a surf trip? This is the most frequently asked question and as you will see, the answer is not so simple…

Hawaii is an archipelago composed of 137 islands. However, only 7 of them are populated which narrows the selection quite a bit. To break it down, let’s focus on the 4 major Hawaiian islands that are Kauai, Oahu, Maui and Hawai’i and highlight the differences between each one of them to make sure you chose the right one depending on what you are looking for.

Hawaiian Islands Comparison Table

Oahu

“The Gathering Place”

Oahu is the main surfing island in Hawaii. With legendary surf spots like Waikiki, Pipeline, Hale’iwa and Sunset Beach, Oahu is by far the most visited island in Hawaii. It is also the island with the highest population with just a bit over 1 million residents.

Yes, a high population on land does translate to heavier crowds in the water. However, there are so many surf spots on Oahu that it helps spreading the crowd a little. It remains the most crowded place to surf in Hawaii.

What makes Oahu a great surfing island

Oahu is a 360 degrees swell magnet. There are spots all around and they are all pretty accessible, unlike Kauai’s Napali Coast or Maui’s east side. Whether you are a beginner or an expert, there is definitely a wave to challenge you on Oahu.

Waikiki is the main tourist area located just next to Honolulu. It also has some great waves and surf spots with a rich surfing culture. If Waikiki is very commercial, you definitely still feel in Hawaii with some very good surf and a strong Hawaiian culture. If you are looking for nightclubs, restaurants and shops, this will be the place for you.

Maui

“The Valley Island”

Maui is a very trendy island and a popular destination for all generations of travelers. With a solid nightlife, hikes, beaches, rock pools, decent surf and even a volcano, Maui has everything to please everyone.

It is the perfect “all around” island if you want to avoid the heavy tourism of Oahu or the quietness of Big Island and Kauai.

Beginners will have plenty of fun at spots like Lahaina or Kihei while advanced surfers will get challenged at Honolua Bay or Ho’okipa Beach.

Hawai’i

“The Big Island”

The island of Hawai’i is the biggest island in the archipelago and it is an important aspect to keep in mind on a surf trip. Unlike the other islands, you probably will not be able to drive from one side of Hawai’i to the other for a surf check.

It is best to chose between the east coast (Hilo) or the west coast (Kona) and stick to it for a few days before going to the other side.

A bit like Kauai, Big Island will get you away from the heavy crowds. However, there are not as many surf spots to chose from. Although it has some amazing surf, Big Island is probably the island with the least surf spots and overall surfing potential.

Kauai

“The Garden Island”

Home of many surfing icons, Kauai is gifted with some of the most amazing waves in Hawaii. Although it has some good beach breaks like Polihale, Kealia or Hanalei, most of the surf spots on Kauai are reef breaks. Beginners who want to stick to beaches are pretty much left with Hanalei as an option to surf.

However, if reefs don’t scare you, Kauai will spoil you with several world-class waves breaking all year round.

Everything that Kauai lacks in nightlife, it gains in outdoor activities with some of the best hikes like the Kalalau Trail and the Waimea Canyon.

The post Which Hawaiian Island Is Best For A Surf Trip? appeared first on MyWaveFinder.

Summary

The island of Hawai’i, more commonly known as the Big Island, is the largest Hawaiian island. It also is the least popular of the 4 major islands for surfing although we still find a few high quality breaks. Therefore, someone looking to get away from the big Waikiki crowds could very well find its paradise on Big Island.

Going around from side to side takes much more time than on any other island so the two major surfing regions are located around Kona (west side) and Hilo (east side). Both cities have their own airport and driving from one side to the other will take a bit less than 2 hours.

Whether it’s looking down at stunning Waipi’o Valley or on a tour to see actual lava flows, the Island of Hawai’i has so much to offer on top of the quality of its waves. It truly is a gem that is often overshadowed by Maui or Oahu and ends up being shamefully forgotten by many travellers.

When to surf Big Island, Hawaii

The best time to surf Big Island (Hawai’i) is from November to April for heavy north-westerly swells to which Kona is exposed.

The summer months, from April to November will offer decent southern swells.

Where to stay on Big Island, Hawaii

Typically, there are two main areas where people decide to settle down on Big Island. Kona, on the west side and Hilo on the east side. Both cities have an airport since driving from one side to the other of the island can take a little while.

Best Surf Hotels in Kona

Royal Kona Resort

Courtyard by Marriott Kona

Best Surf Hotels in Hilo

Grand Naniloa Hotel Hilo

SCP Hilo Hotel

Browse our interactive map to find the best accommodation deals on Big Island!

Getting there

The best way to get to Big Island is to fly into Kona or Hilo airport from any of the Hawaiian island or the mainland. Flights from Asia will transit in Honolulu.

Safety/things to know

-Hawaii has a reputation for a reason. The waves can be very big and mean with swells coming from nowhere and doubling in size in a matter of minutes. Be very careful. If in doubt, don’t go out.

-Hurricane season runs from July to November, but such events remain rare.

-Big Island is home of 10 out of the existing 14 different climate zones.

Surf Spots on Big Island

Kahalu’u

This is one of Kona’s most popular beaches both for swimming and surfing. Works better in summer with the SW swell and should be good for surfers of all skill levels.

• Wave direction : Right and left
• Bottom : Reef
• Best tide : Any
• Skill level : Any
• Optimal swell direction : SW
• Optimal wind direction : E

Banyans

A decent and hollow reef break working all year round. Winter’s north west swells will provide a short and hollow right-hander while a summer southern swell will offer a longer left. 

• Wave direction : Right and left
• Bottom : Reef
• Best tide : Any
• Skill level : Intermediate and advanced
• Optimal swell direction : NW
• Optimal wind direction : E

Honoli’i

Located on the Hilo side of Big Island, Honoli’i is a decent surf spot very consistent throughout the year. However, with the prevailing onshore east wind, conditions are rarely clean. There are several breaks to chose from with a rivermouth, a beach break and a reef.

• Wave direction : Right and left
• Bottom : Reef and sand
• Best tide : Any
• Skill level : Any
• Optimal swell direction : N/A
• Optimal wind direction : E

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