Surfing Oahu

Article by: Jake Howard, August 2008

Interactive map : Oahu's top surf spots

Rent a longboard

Whether you're surfing for the first time or celebrating winning a world title (like Australian surfer Mick Fanning ), nothing beats floating the day away at Queens. Walk down to the statue of Duke Kahanamoku in the center of Waikiki, throw a few bucks down for a board and go. The gentle waves, the scenery, the atmosphere, the nostalgia: it's as authentic as it gets.

Swim the bay

In the winter Waimea Bay is a bubbling cauldron of big-wave doom; in the summer it's as placid as Lake Winnipesaukee. Sailboats anchor in the green cove, tourists and locals alike float languidly in the jewel-bright water, and if there's a more tranquil place to waste a day, you'd be hard pressed to find it. An afternoon hike up to Waimea Falls is another good way to cool off.

Eat local

Katsu Chicken plate lunches at L&L Drive-In, shave ice at Matusmoto's, fresh-baked bread and cookies at Waialua Bakery: these are the flavours of Hawaii.

Visit the Bishop Museum

Nowhere in the world has a collection of surf antiquities like the Bishop Museum. They've got ancient relics, modern-day wave-blades, and just about everything in between. If surf history (or Polynesian history in general) catches your fancy, a tour through the museum in downtown Honolulu is a must.

Get made in the shade

Find yourself a good book (try either Mark Twain's Roughing It or Jack London's Cruise of the Snark, they both have brilliant accounts of the South Shore back in their respective days), stake out a nice grassy patch in the shade of a palm tree and try to get more than five pages in before drifting off to tropical dreams.

Go explore

Even on Oahu, the most populated of the Hawaiian islands, getting off the beaten path isn't all that hard to do. Take a drive down the coastal highways, head north, south, east or west, and at some point you're bound to uncover a quiet beach, a fun wave, and some much needed downtime from the frenzy that can be summertime in Hawaii.

Surf schools: a few of the best

Hans Hedeman Surf Camp

2863 Kalakaua Ave
Honolulu, Hawaii 96815
Tel: 808 478 5778
The premier surf camp on the South Shore, the Hans Hedeman Surf Camp has a top-flight staff of instructors and offers just about any surf-related adventure you may be looking for. Started in 1997 by former world-tour star and local boy Hans Hedeman, the school now employs other icons such as Pipeline Master Johnny Boy Gomes, world-record paddler Bobby Owens, and all-around waterman Kainoa McGee. They teach everybody, from the most seasoned professionals to the pasty white tourist just off a plane. If surfing's not your thing, they can arrange for a bike and hike to the top of Diamond Head.

Waikiki Beach Boys Surf Camp

Waikiki Beach Boys Surf School
Kalakaua Ave (Kuhio State Beach)
Honolulu, Hawaii U.S.A 96815
Tel: 800 939 8323
For over 100 years the Waikiki Beach Boys have been sharing the Aloha Spirit and teaching haoles (read: out of towners) the art of wave riding. From surfing's great ambassador Duke Kahanamoku to today's patriarch Rabbit Kekai, they've been down on the Waikiki shore for generations. Paddle out to catch a few waves or ride a canoe under the shadow of Diamond Head and you'll instantly understand why. Show up at the bronze statue of Duke from Monday through to Saturday for a lesson. There's two sessions: one from 9am to 11am, and another from 1pm to 3pm. Prices can range from $99 for a group lesson to $125 for a one-hour private.

Faith Surf School

Faith Surf School by Tony Moniz
2552 Kalakaua Ave Suite #200 (2nd floor above the main lobby)
Honolulu, Hawaii 96815
Tel: 808 931 6262
Tony Moniz is the man. He's been a pillar in the Hawaiian surf community for years, and typifies the Aloha Spirit. If you're staying on the South Shore you're in luck: every day the camp gathers at the Waikiki Beach Marriott Resort and Spa. Lessons start at 8:30am, 12pm, and 3pm, but show up at least 20 minutes early to check in and get your gear dialled. A two-hour private, one-on-one lesson will set you back US$200, while group lessons cost only US$75. If you've got a little adventure in mind, you can arrange for Tony to take you on a surf tour of the island.

North Shore Surf Camp

North Shore Surf Camp
P.O. BOX 172
Haleiwa, Hawaii 96712
Tel: 808 638 5914
While the summer is definitely the off-season for the North Shore, if you're staying in the Turtle Bay Hilton or at one of the quaint B&Bs in old Haliewa Town, North Shore Surf Camp will be able to find some swell and get you up on a board in no time. The keynote instructor is the legendary Karen Gallagher - a woman who's lived on the North Shore for the past 25 years and competed at the highest professional levels. The instruction is top-notch and the prices are very reasonable (US$100 for a private lesson, US$60 for a group rate, and if your family wants to learn drop her a line: she might even cut you a deal).

Hawaiian Fire Surf School

Hawaiian Fire
3318 Campbell Ave
Honolulu, Hawaii 96815
Tel: 808 737 3473
This is the turnkey solution to surf lessons. They provide the transportation and the boards, and may even take you to a more secluded, and considerably less crowded, spot to learn. It's not the cheapest route you could take (group lessons start at US$99 and a private session can cost an upward of US$180), but if you don't want any hassles and just want to get up and riding, Hawaiian Fire's a great option.