Kaiser’s is a predominant right that breaks over a very shallow reef shelf. Sometimes the best surf spots aren’t the most impressive or the most difficult, but the most fun. By Kevin Whitton, author of Moon Honolulu & Oahu, Recommendations from the African Diaspora. Save. Above: the famous surf break off Waikiki beach, with the silhouette of Diamond Head in the background, attracts regular surfers even at early morning. Get today's most accurate Waikiki Beach surf report with multiple live HD surf cams for current swell, wind, and wave conditions. Bobby and Leroy Ah Choy both completed the Molokai Canoe Races during the 1950s and 60s. For those looking for big waves—but not the monsters that roll into Oahu’s North Shore—check out local favorite Oahu surfing spot Pops in Waikiki. So here you are, in sunny Hawaii ready to surf the waves that speak the stories of how surfing came to life, but you have no idea where to paddle out. Just on the east side of the rock jetty off Queen’s Surf Beach, way off the beach on the outer reef, Publics is a long left that breaks over shallow, sharp, and irregular-shaped coral heads. Whether you are a longboarder, a shortboarder, experienced, a novice, or a first-timer, Waikiki has a number of breaks that suit all abilities. Diamond Head can get very windy as the trade winds blow right across the break, and is a favorite for kiteboarders and sailboarders during the extreme conditions. Waikiki Walls - This is a bit of a bonus round, as Waikiki Walls isn’t technically a surf spot. POPULARs (POPS) surf SPOT Is an easy super fun wave located heading west of Waikiki. So, despite the name, it’s not terribly popular. They offer group beginner lessons starting at $55 per hour while a private one-on-one tutorial is $75. The wave was created by dredging a deepwater channel for boats to access the harbour and S swell will refract out of the channel and wedge up along the reef. Not everyone can handle the big waves and even those who can aren’t always looking to strain their abilities all day long. I am an intermediate surfer and I would like to find nice spots. © Grant Taylor / Alamy Stock Photo. Populars Surf Guide. From the beach, to the right of the channel is Lighthouse, a fast and powerful right for experts only. The surf breaks that Duke made famous riding on heavy wooden boards are the same spots that surfers seek out today. There is the added bonus of learning to surf in the spot where the sport was first popularized (after likely starting among Polynesian cultures elsewhere in the … Summer offers the best conditions for surfing. For an intermediate surfer I'd to Threes or Pop'lars (Pops) are the best. The perfect turquoise rights draw a host of the best longboarders in Hawai‘i, who hang ten down the line with style and ease. Austin K. "Surfing is a sport and a way of life. Mahalo for reading our blog, we hope you enjoyed it! We’d love to hear from you, so leave us a comment below and of course feel free to share it! Long, shacking lefts peel down a shallow reef outside the Ala Wai Harbor. Queens Beach. Waikiki in the summer is every surfer’s paradise. If you’re looking to get away from the crowds and off the beaten path, the reef break known … These spots are best surfed during mid-to-high and high-to-low tides. Back in the days, only royalty was allowed to participate in the sport of surfing. Waikiki in the summer is every surfer’s paradise. Stay aware and, by all means, if something large is coming your way, don’t be a deer in the headlights; paddle out of the way. Made famous by its appearance in Endless Summer. There were three people working including the owner and everyone talked to me. On a big swell the nice wall of a wave turns into closeouts, so make sure to check the report before you head out to Tongg’s. On small days, this break is one of the best places to learn to surf because of the deep waters and laid back crowd. Waikiki Surf Spots - Populars, Canoes and Queens Surf are most popular spots to surf in central Waikiki. With waters a shade of light-blue only really found on this long stretch of sand, there are numerous surf breaks that makeup Waikiki Beach, ranging from Pops to Queens to Canoes. But it can … Canoes is very crowded with all types of watercraft, from 12-foot longboards to canoes and catamarans. During this time, he raised six children; two of his sons became legendary Beach Boys. The break can get choppy from its exposure to the trade winds, and on big south swells, the waves can get quite big and the currents very strong. Waikiki Beach hosts many popular surf and ocean sports contests each year including the Waikiki Rough Water Swim, Duke’s Ocean Fest, Town & Country Grom Contest and the John ‘Pops’ Ah Choy Surf Fest. Canoe’s is located close by a beautiful statue of the legendary Duke Kahanamoku, who is believed to surfed this very break himself. Good for both shortboarding and longboarding, the fast lefts break over sharp, shallow reef and allow for a quick cover-up if you’re lucky. With a tight takeoff zone and a pack of hungry locals, it’s also best left to the residents. Pops. 256 reviews of Maguro Spot "This is a great place to get a fresh poke bowl. Christened Threes, due to it being the third named [and recognized] break in Waikiki this wave is a slightly shorter, and more hollow than its neighbor Pops. Not only did Hawaiians invent the sport of surfing, but the legendary Duke Kahanamoku—original beachboy, Olympic gold-medal swimmer, and the father of modern-day surfing, who hailed from Waikiki—introduced the fluid sport to the world. The wave breaks into the mouth of the Ala Wai Small Boat Harbor and is best viewed from across the channel on Magic Island. If you get lucky, the green sea turtles like to hang out at this spot too, so you might spot some peaking out to say hi. This spot is great for shortboarding and longboarding alike, … No tips and reviews. The island of Oahu is home to some of the best and most famous surf breaks in the world, many of which are located on the North Shore. Just remember that proper surfing etiquette applies at all breaks, and with so many people in the water, safety and respect for others are of the utmost importance. With waters a shade of light-blue only really found on this long stretch of sand, there are numerous surf breaks that make up Waikiki Beach, ranging from Pops to Queens to Canoes. To the east of Threes is Paradise, a surf zone with big, rolling, shifty peaks. We use cookies to enhance your visit to us. Continuing east, the next break is a favorite for all board riders—Populars. Some beginners may be less experienced than yourself so you want to be aware of the other surfers in the water. By using our website you agree to our use of these cookies. O’ahu has a large number of surf breaks on offer and it can be truly hard to find a place to surf that would accommodate your skills and expectations. The disadvantage of this fun break it the long paddle out. The fish was very fresh, the rice was piping hot, and the sauce had a good complex flavor. It is a very forgiving wave, making it a great welcoming spot for long-board or short-board beginner surfers. Once you finally got there, it was pure fun, and usually double the size of Canoes and Queens (the insanely crowded Waikiki breaks). Queen’s is usually very crowded, and if there’s any swell in the water, Queen’s is breaking. Canoes is straight out from the west end of Kuhio Beach Park. Waikiki surfing spots and beaches Mickeys Surf School is a deal for the notoriously expensive sands of Waikiki. Start off slowly on the inside, catching the whitewater till you learn to stand up and balance on the board. Threes is a favorite with local surfers and gets very crowded. You also have Fours and Threes outside Fort Ruger, and Publics, Old Mans, Tongs and Rice Bowls on the south side towards Diamond Head. We created a series of blogs for you to help you get around the island of O’ahu surfing the spots you’d love! This location get ready … Straight off the beach from the east end of Kuhio Beach Park, before the lagoon, it’s best for longboarding. Pops is a Waikiki break, but the looooong paddle out there deterred most tourists and surfers. Tongg’s is an easy wave to surf with less of a crowd due to its hard to find access. Luckily, there’s more to Hawaii than the kamikaze style waves found on Ohau and Maui. Rockpiles | First on the list is Rockpiles. OH hello, uncrowded surf spot! There are some slow whitewater rollers on the inside perfect for beginner surfers. John "Pops" Ah Choy started surfing at Waikiki at well known surfing spots, Queens and Canoes, in 1944. Is located in the heart of Waikiki and is considered one of the best beginner friendly spots in the world. The good news is also that the loooong paddle out means most tourists and surfers won’t bother. Required fields are marked *. It’s a favorite for longboarders and stand-up paddle surfers. Fours surfing spot is found straight out from the U.S Army Museum. If you get lucky, the green sea turtles like to hang out at this spot … It might be difficult to find the way to these soft and sloping waves as there is no beach. I like both long and shortboards, but I assume longboards are usually better for waikiki waves. When in doubt, don’t go out. Find out more. Paddle out from the small swatch of beach fronting the parking lot (with designated free and paid parking), but avoid the areas of very shallow reef straight out from the beach. To the east of Kaimana are two breaks best for longboarding on the outer reef: Old Man’s is on the left side of the channel and Tongg’s just up the reef. Waikiki Beach. The right breaks longer and more consistently than the … Given the COVID-19 pandemic, call ahead to verify hours, and remember to practice social distancing. Best Surf Spots in Waikiki By Kevin Whitton, author of Moon Honolulu & Oahu Surfing is synonymous with Waikiki. So here is Pata Sudaka coming to the rescue! Populars in Oahu is an exposed reef break that usually has waves. Confident and patient surfers with a low profile may just have a chance of snagging a wave at the infamous Ala Moana Bowls. Offshore winds blow from the north. Your email address will not be published. Fun Surf Spots. It’s windy, quite a ways offshore, and subject to strong currents. This is a great place to go to build up some ocean time once you had a few surf lessons and have a little knowledge of how to paddle, pop-up, stand on a board and act around other surfers. A slow, rolling longboard wave, Canoes is perfect for beginners. Answer 1 of 13: Hello, I will be in Waikiki next august @Aston Waikiki Beach Hotel. It breaks both right and left and has several takeoff zones. Surfing is synonymous with Waikiki. Tips; Pops. A clean and sheltered break heading east of Waikiki, offering you a fun left handed wave that works well for both long and shortboard surfers. Because of the tight takeoff zone and thick crowd, beginners should stick to Canoes. But don’t let this discourage you, long paddles are great for building up your strength and endurance. Ala Moana Bowls is a fast, hollow left that is heavily guarded by a seasoned crew of local surfers. Fours. It is a very forgiving wave, making it a great welcoming spot for long-board or short-board beginner surfers. Sound inviting? Oahu Surf Spots / Pipeline, North Shore. I ordered a small poke bowl with the house sauce and tobiko topping on brown rice. Queens & Canoes are fabled fun Waikiki reefs packed with all kinds of surf crafts. Below the Diamond Head Lookout parking lots are several good breaks, the two most popular being Lighthouse and Cliffs. This spot is a little more exposed therefore it picks up a swell a little better than Canoes and Queens, for example, depending on the swell of course. From the picture perfect barrels of Banzai Pipeline to the humongous mountainous waves of Waimea Bay, Oahu has some of the most photographed waves in the world.. Tends to receive a mix of groundswells and windswells and the ideal swell direction is from the south southeast. Surf Spot and Home (private) Waikiki. All equipment, rash guards, boards (even booties to keep your feet safe on the coral) is provided. Professional and amateur contests are often held here. This surf break fronting the Sheraton Waikiki requires a paddle, but getting away from the crowded spots closer to shore — namely, Canoes and Queen’s Surf — is worth the effort. Locally referred to as Pops, this long right breaks over a sand-covered reef and can handle big surf. On the left of the channel is Cliffs, several peaks along the reef that break both right and left and are suited for all types of board riders. This surf spot is a nice mellow longboard break located straight out from the Elk’s Lodge in Waikiki. Publics. These soft, sloping waves offer respite from the Waikiki crowds, but keep an eye peeled for coral heads. Despite its name, it’s not THAT popular, well maybe only among the turtles it is. On low tide, the coral heads go dry and the wave breaks right over them. If you plan on surfing in this area, it’s best to surf the stretch of reef between the two spots, known as Rockpile. The wave is best ridden at high tide, when the coral heads are submerged. Paradise is the neighbor to the more well-known break aptly named Populars (or Pops), which has a nice long right-facing wave with a hollow inside section. 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