Queens
Waikiki
The most forgiving wave on Oahu, and the one Duke learned on. Slow, rolling, deep enough to be kind.
BeginnerSummer
Oahu / Where to surf
Oahu is two islands, six months apart.
Show up in July expecting Pipeline and you will find a lake. Every wave on this island is governed by a season, and picking the wrong coast is the difference between the best surf of your life and standing on a beach watching nothing happen. Here is where to surf on Oahu, and when.
Start here
The season decides the coast
This is the single most important thing to understand, and most visitors get it wrong. Hawaii does not have one surf season. It has two, on opposite coasts, at opposite times of year.
↓↓↓ November – March North Shore
North Pacific swells arrive with enormous power. Pipeline, Waimea and Sunset wake up. This is world-class surf, and it is frequently lethal. In summer this coast goes flat.
↑↑↑ May – September South Shore
Southern Hemisphere swells roll into Waikiki and Town. Smaller, gentler, warmer, and far more forgiving. This is where you learn. In winter it is mostly quiet.
The West Side, including Makaha, mainly works on winter north and west swells.
The breaks
The best surf spots on Oahu, by skill level
Twelve Oahu surf spots, sorted by who they are actually for. Be honest with yourself here. The reef does not grade on effort.
Start here
If you have never surfed in Hawaii, you belong on one of these two waves. Nowhere else.
Pua'ena Point
Haleiwa
The only genuinely approachable wave on the North Shore. The exception to every rule up there.
BeginnerWinter
Once you can turn
You can hold your own in a lineup and take a beating without panicking.
Laniakea
North Shore
A long right point that rewards patience. The most longboard-friendly wave on the coast.
IntermediateWinter
Haleiwa
North Shore
A proper North Shore wave with a bowl section that finds the edge of your ability.
IntermediateWinter
Rocky Point
North Shore
The North Shore's performance playground, and a lineup full of very good surfers.
IntermediateWinter
Makaha
West Side
A long, rolling point with deep community roots. Mellow small, serious big.
IntermediateWinter
Heavy water
Powerful, consequential waves with real crowds and real currents.
Ala Moana Bowls
Town
Town's best wave. A fast, hollow left, and the one elite break that works in summer.
AdvancedSummer
Sunset Beach
North Shore
A huge, shifting peak with brutal currents. It humbles very good surfers regularly.
AdvancedWinter
Velzyland
North Shore
A precise, hollow right over shallow reef, with a fiercely local lineup.
AdvancedWinter
Experts only
These waves have hurt people who were better than you. Read that again.
Gas Chambers
North Shore
Short, violent, and square. A barrel or a beating, and not much in between.
ExpertWinter
Banzai Pipeline
North Shore
The most dangerous wave in the world. Experts only, and that is not a figure of speech.
ExpertWinter
Waimea Bay
North Shore
Where big-wave surfing was born. It only wakes up when the swell is enormous.
ExpertWinter
Compare
Every Oahu break at a glance
| Break | Region | Level | Season |
|---|---|---|---|
| Queens | Waikiki | Beginner | Summer |
| Pua'ena Point | Haleiwa | Beginner | Winter |
| Laniakea | North Shore | Intermediate | Winter |
| Haleiwa | North Shore | Intermediate | Winter |
| Rocky Point | North Shore | Intermediate | Winter |
| Makaha | West Side | Intermediate | Winter |
| Ala Moana Bowls | Town | Advanced | Summer |
| Sunset Beach | North Shore | Advanced | Winter |
| Velzyland | North Shore | Advanced | Winter |
| Gas Chambers | North Shore | Expert | Winter |
| Banzai Pipeline | North Shore | Expert | Winter |
| Waimea Bay | North Shore | Expert | Winter |
Respect
Before you paddle out
Hawaii is not a theme park. The lineups have owners, the reef is shallow, and surfing is not a sport that was invented for visitors.
Learn the etiquette
Dropping in on the wrong person at the wrong break is a genuinely serious mistake. Read the unwritten rules of Hawaiian lineups.
Know whose water this is
Surfing is a Hawaiian cultural practice thousands of years old. The people beside you are its inheritors.
Check it every time
A break that was gentle yesterday can be lethal today. Use the live surf report.
Wax your board
Trivial until you slip on a takeoff over reef. Here is how to do it properly.
Questions
Frequently asked
Where should I surf in Hawaii as a beginner?
Queens in Waikiki, in summer. It is the gentlest quality wave on Oahu, the water is warm, and it is where surfing was reintroduced to the world. On the North Shore, Pua’ena Point is the only genuinely beginner-friendly option, and only on small days.
What is the best time of year to surf in Hawaii?
It depends entirely on which coast. Winter (November to March) for the North Shore, when the big swells arrive. Summer (May to September) for the South Shore and Waikiki. If you are learning, come in summer. If you want to watch the best surfers on earth, come in winter and stay on the beach.
Where is the most dangerous surf spot in Hawaii?
Banzai Pipeline. It breaks in shallow water over a sharp, uneven reef, and it has killed experienced surfers. Waimea Bay is more consequential on a big day, but Pipeline punishes small mistakes more reliably.
Can I surf the North Shore in summer?
Usually not. The North Shore goes flat for much of the summer. That is exactly when the South Shore turns on, so the surf does not disappear from Oahu. It moves.
Do I need to be a strong swimmer?
Yes. Hawaiian currents are powerful and the waves carry real weight. If you are not comfortable in the ocean without a board, do not paddle out at anything beyond Waikiki, and take a lesson.
Check it before you go
Live conditions at Pipeline, Waimea, Sunset, Ala Moana, Waikiki and Makaha.