Riding the Aloha State: The 8 best places for surfing in Hawaiʻi

Surfing was born in the Aloha State. Polynesian kings and nobles began harnessing the power of the ocean up to 800 years ago, in an age when great 10ft boards carved of Acacia koa trees were forged and high priests appealed to the gods for swells.

Those swells crash through in the winter from the north and roll up from the south in the summer, giving favorable year-round conditions. Reefs capable of holding more volume than a double-decker bus coexist alongside mellow lagoons with cruisy lips of water for beginners. Hawaiʻi has a surfing option for every level of rider, no matter the season. These eight are a few of the top spots to catch a wave.

Surfing etiquette in Hawaiʻi

Hawaiʻi is sacred territory in the surfing world. Everyone and their grandma wants a piece, so there can be big influxes of international travelers with boards in tow, and that can put pressure on lineups.

There have been reports of rampant localism at the most contested spots across the islands, especially on the North Shore of Oʻahu and even in Waikīkī. However, other surfers report nothing whatsoever. As a general precaution, it's a good idea to hang on the outside of the peak if there's a big local contingent and only go for the waves that are left. Alternatively, get up really early and try to snag the spot for yourself.

Naturally, all the usual etiquette applies for surfing in Hawaiʻi. Leave the wave for the person who's closest to the peak, don't try to surf waves that are already taken, and try to paddle around the break, not through it. It's also super important that you match your skill level to your chosen spots here. In Hawaiʻi, the waves – especially the north-facing ones – are capable of bone-breaking power, and rips are strong.

The best time to surf in Hawaiʻi

Hawaiʻi is a tale of two seasons. There's the summer (May to August), when predominant swells come in from the south and southeast. They're generally mellower but can get messy because of the strong easterly trade winds. The best breaks to surf during this balmy season are the ones that face south or east, like at Shipwreck Beach or Waikiki Beach.

Most pros and expert surfers hold off for the winter season. The North Pacific rumbles to life around November, sending solid pulses of swell straight into the most legendary regions of the Aloha State. This is when the XXL waves of Jaws go off and when the Banzai Pipeline of Oʻahu's North Shore begins an annual romp.

1. Banzai Pipeline, Oʻahu

Best for barrels

Any regular surfer worth their salt (pun intended) knows of the Banzai Pipeline. Also simply called Pipe, it's the world's most famous spot. Strong winter swells in the north and northwest channel provide the power, which is funneled through a series of perfectly positioned volcanic reefs to form a frothing wave that lips into long cylinders of water.

Paddling for this one is a leap of faith, with a drop-in that's steeper than the prices at a Waikīkī hotel. Riders who make the barrel have to stick to their guns in the depths of the pit before reappearing like a veritable Harry Houdini about 5–7 seconds later. Come summer, the wave is nowhere to be seen. It's just glinting cottony sand and lapping Pacific lagoons.

Getting to the Banzai Pipeline: Pipe breaks just off the ʻEhukai Beach Park on Oʻahu's North Shore. It's about a 45-minute drive along Rte 99 from Honolulu.

2. Shipwreck Beach, Kaua‘i

Best for intermediate surfers

If you can peel yourself off the turtle-dotted sands of Poʻipū Beach for a moment, there's a reliable summer surf option on the ever-popular southern side of Kaua‘i. A slight southeast orientation helps feed in regular May to September swells, which wrap into the headland to give short lefts but mainly fragment into countless A-frame peaks for goofy- and regular-footed riders alike.

When it's working, the conditions can be quite choppy and sloppy. You'll do a lot of paddling to realign yourself back at the take-off point. You'll need some experience to navigate the occasional double-up wave or backwash. There are more forgiving breaks nearby, though: Lawa‘i Beach and Baby Beach are less than 10 minutes down Poʻipū Rd.

Getting to Shipwreck Beach: Drive east from Poʻipū Beach for about 5 minutes. The spot opens up just in front of the Grand Hyatt resort.

3. Peʻahi (Jaws), Maui

Best for big waves

Down a mud-caked track off the Hana Hwy in northern Maui, one of the most formidable big waves on the planet roars into action. Cue Jaws, the monster of the Peʻahi cove, regularly clocking heights of over 70ft. It's Hawaiʻi's answer to Portugal's Nazaré and a regular stomping ground of Red Bull and other competitions.

What's crazy about Jaws is that it's deceptively rideable. Unlike at other XXL spots, where it's a case of paddle and pray, this gives open walls of water to the right. The best surfers are able to draw into the tube as tons of water flows overhead, emerge on the far side and kick out at the lip in style. Still, mere mortals should not be tempted to leave the comfort of the clifftop viewing platforms.

Getting to Peʻahi: Take the turnoff for Hahana Rd from the Hana Hwy west of Kahului Airport. There's a small parking area on the cliffs above the break.

4. Kahaluʻu Bay, Island of Hawaiʻi

Best for the shoulder seasons

Despite its size, the Island of Hawaiʻi rarely manages to conjure the same epic conditions as its neighbors to the north. That's not true at Kahaluʻu Bay, though, which is the epicenter of wave hunting on largest island of the chain.

A westerly orientation helps it hoover up shoulder-season swells in fall and spring as the action is switching between the North and South Pacific. When that happens, a wedgy wave forms on the outer reefs for intermediates and up. It then reshapes on the central reef to give something mellower for learners. Kahaluʻu Bay Surf and Sea have really made the spot their own. Instructors give lessons and provide rentals opposite the main paddle-out point.

Getting to Kahaluʻu Bay: Jet into Kona International Airport, then head south on the main coastal road for about 20 minutes.

5. Waimea Bay, Oʻahu

Best for huge swells

It's not for nothing that the great Waimea Bay was listed in the chorus of the Beach Boys' 1963 hit "Surfin' USA." First conquered in 1957, it's now considered the birthplace of XXL gun riding, and it hasn't let up since. Huge swells are needed to get it cooking, which typically happens in winter. Then prestigious competitions like the Eddie Aikau Invitational pass through, bringing the cream of the discipline with them.

It's a wave that's really for the pros and experts only. Colossal, lurching walls of water move through the reefs at the north end of the beach, forming steep and very fast. You have to paddle like a steam engine to make the drop or else you're looking at a vertical descent into churning water. The key is to go right to avoid the frothing onslaught of whitewater that chases close behind – gnarly stuff.

Getting to Waimea Bay: Waimea Bay sits plum on the Kamehameha Hwy that loops northern Oʻahu. The drive takes about 40 minutes from Honolulu.

6. Lē‘ahi (Diamond Head), Oʻahu

Best for longboards

Where else in the world can you surf on the cusp of a dormant 500-year-old volcanic crater? Lē‘ahi looms high over Honolulu to the southeast of the city. It's a doozy for hikers chasing the views but also hides a sliver of beachfront on its Pacific side where there are some neat, all-level waves during the summer months.

Southerly swells roll in here and hit the reef-sand patchwork below the Kuilei Cliffs. That's where a cruisy A-frame wave starts off the action with sets that are perfect for longboarders and minimal riders on average-level height. It's a little harder than the beaches of Waikīkī, so bear it in mind when you start improving after those initial surf lessons.

Getting to Lē‘ahi: Drive south of Honolulu and Waikiki Beach on Diamond Head Rd. There's a place to park at the top of the cliffs, and a trail leads down to the main break.

7. Waikiki Beach, Oʻahu

Best for surfing history

The dazzling beaches of Waikīkī have been drawing crowds since the 1800s. They now sprout more polished condo blocks and spa-ready hotels than you can shake a hibiscus garland at. But the area is also hallowed ground in the world of surfing, thanks mainly to onetime resident Duke Kahanamoku, arguably the greatest pioneer of the sport, anywhere, ever.

The spots are largely split between the inside and outside sections. The latter refers to the areas nearer the sand, which get secondary swell tempered by the outlying reefs. The former is gnarlier stuff but still mellow compared to Jaws. Think of Waikiki Beach like you would Kuta in Bali. It's one of the top places to learn to surf or sample the water if you don't really know what you're doing.

Getting to Waikiki Beach: Next door to the state capital of Honolulu, Waikiki Beach is less than 20 minutes from the largest airport in Hawaiʻi.

8. Honolua Bay, Maui

Best for variety

Right-hand sets roll into Honolua Bay with the punctuality of a Victorian steam train when the winter swells hit the right angle and things are at least a head high. As they meet the rock crags of the headland, they peel off to form lovely embankments of glassy water that can be divided into roughly three main take-off zones, going from the beefy hits of Coconuts on the outside to the Cave, which is where you'll score those rare Honolua barrels.

Relying solely on the northerly pulses of the colder months, Honolua Bay does an about-face come May. As the water stills, the reefs stop being a factory line for waves and become a hangout for sea turtles and moray eels, making it a fine spot for snorkeling.

Getting to Honolua Bay: Honolua Bay is just about as far as it's possible to go from civilization on the stunning HI-30 highway ringing northwestern Maui, though it's still only 15 minutes in the car from Kāʻanapali.