Where is the best place to Surf on Maui? 10 best surf spots! Local guide to surfing West Maui
Ever wondered where the best place to surf on Maui is? Well below is a list of places you may like.
Like with everything it all depends what you are looking for and where the swell/wind is coming from. We are blatantly honest about each spot giving a real local idea of spots on island to surf.
During the Winter the waves mostly come from the North, and from the summer mostly from the south, so plan according to the days surf report found here
http://www.swellinfo.com/surf-forecast/honolua-maui
(north)
http://www.swellinfo.com/surf-forecast/lahaina-maui
(south)
1. Honolua Bay
A popular snorkel spot during the summer but come winter time it is surfing time! One of the best point breaks in the world, It is a right hand wave that likes a North or NNW swell.
To access the bay it is for intermediate/expert level surfers only due to the nature of the wave. Also you will park along side the cliff and walk down and jump off the rocks into the surf. Bottom depth are about 4ft deep across the whole surfing bay,
Known for sweet barrels and tube rides bring your shortboard! We suggest if you want to get away from the crowds surf the inside section towards the middle of the bay its less crowded and a good longboard spot on bigger days.
NO SUP'S!!!! One of the few places SUP'S are not allowed to go in, Honolua Bay its a local rule I suggest you dont test it. Please surf with respect as this spot can have some surf rage and localism.
2. DT FLEMMINGS - Small crowds
One of the smaller less crowded surfing spots for west maui is DT Flemmings Beach park. On North Swells It has another right hand wave that can be big and mushy or have some small barrels at the take off.
At this beach it has showers and bathrooms and even a lifeguard tower watching and ready to assist if it ever comes to it, they even have a Jet-Ski!
There is plently of parking and a great spot to BBQ with the family, and kids to boogie board in the shorebreak. The wave is not the highest qualitly but there is typically very little crowd so it increases your wave count!
3. Iron Woods - Kapalua - No crowd!
It is often also called Sh*t Falls, Because of fast close out sections and a shallow inside reef. Surf the Right side of the bay if you facing the ocean. There is lefts and rights we suggest you go right, if you go left it gets shallow.
Very few crowds at this beach, and ther ALWAYS surf here and gets pretty windy/choppy if there is no surf anywhere else and you really want to go this is the spot.
On the left side of the bay (facing the ocean) there is all sand a great spot for kids to boogie board and play around with no reef to cut their feet on!
(pictured below is the right side of ironwoods on a small surf day)
4. Little Makaha Maui & Hole in the head surfing
Great longboarding spot also right next to it is hole in the head, (a gnarly right hander to get pitted)
Little Makaha a long great ride, bewteen 50-150meters Needs a big north swell for it to break! To get here go to honokeana cove by Napili shores outrigger and jump out the break wil be on the south side of the bay, pretty uncrowded spot.
Its a bit of a paddle to get out there and getting in/out can be tricky because you have to jump off the rocks, getting out is the hard part. A real gem on Maui!
Shown below the first break to our right is Hole in the head - dont miss a section or you will end up on the super sharp rocks!
The break out in the distance is Little Makaha - very mellow longboard and SUP spot.
5. S-Turns Pohaku Beach park - Long ride few crowds
Next on our list is Pohaku Beach park or more commonly known as S-turns. You can get a really long ride on this wave ,it likes a Northswell and can even break on a BIG south aswell.
This wave is great for its SUPER LONG RIDE and super long paddle back out, it is mostly sand bottom with some patches of reef. This spot is known to be quite SHARKY with a local tiger shark that has claimed a life and has attacked many others. With that being said dont go out when the water is really murky.
This is one reason why there is few surfers here but you can really score some good waves, We suggest a big board for here or SUP due to the long paddle back out.
The wave is right and a left with the right being the better more powerful of the two while the left just goes into deeper water and eventually dies out with the right, you can ride it all the way to shore!
6.Ka'anpali Point Surfing with tourist's
Surfing at Ka'napali Point this is probally one of the most underated surf spots on the island really likes the south swell, can accept north aswell but south is better.
Surfing here is going to be filled with surf school's teaching on softtops and a bunch of a kooks running into eachother. With that being said if you are just learning its a great spot as there is no localism here, or if you do know how to surf well you can really score some great waves with a bunch of people learning so you really have the place to yourself. If you can deal with getting snaked alot.
Great Left hand wave at Kaanapali point on the swell, can get a very long ride aswell we reccomend using a longboard here. In the afternoon it gets quite windy so surfing dawn patrol or early morning is best and no crowds at this time, a real gem.
There is also another break south of Kaanpali point (200meters) called racetracks which if there is little surf at Kaanpali point, it will always have a wave due to it being shallower. Great spot for shortboarding and getting awesome barrels on bigger south swells!
7. Mala Wharf Surfing - Longboard -
A great surf spot for summer time south swells to get here
Take Highway 30 to Lahaina Town. At the point where the highway runs along the ocean, look for Front Street, turn off and drive 5 blocks, look for Mala Wharf Road. (park at the pier) (make sure to lock your car)
Excellent longboarding spot is a left hand wave great place to practice noseriding! The kimo's longboard contest is held here every year! Experienced surfers only as the inside is very shallow the outside is fine.
Very few crowds can be seen here and is a great spot for summer time swells!
8. Lahaina Harbor & Breakwall (south swell)
Another toursity surf spot (Breakwall)
and a fast left hand wave (harbors)
Breakwall is a left and right mellow wave alot of lessons are taught on the isnide, few to none on the outside but a great place to learn to surf or go out for a fun time. Right in town in Lahaina you can rent a board from one of the local surf shops.
Harbors, a great left hand punchy wave can barrel on head high and bigger. Great shortboard spot! very fun and goes into deeper water so it is super safe! Surf break can have alot of localism specially on bigger days!
Watch out for boats coming in and out of the harbor too! Don't forget hold your breath when Pacific Whale Foundation's boat come by they spew soo much exhaust its like a firebreathing dragon. It's a shame the company pollutes the water here, sometime the harbor can swell like gas and is a good idea to shower after getting out.
(shown below is the harbor on a bigger day)
breakwall is much more mellow
9. Laniopoko Beach Park
Very well known longboarding and SUP spot pretty mellow break, to the north side of the park there is the (cove) and straight out in the front there is Lanipoko and to the south there is another mellow break for the kids.
Really great family spot to go surf its mellow and safe, very well known for having large amounts of SUP's little to no localism mostly family's here having a good time, on bigger days can get local.
Pretty mellow lefts and rights at the cove, infront of lanipoko ONLY GO RIGHT due to the fact it gets shallow and large coral heads will make you hit the bottom. If you go right its fine just never go left infront of Laniopoko.
There is also a kiddie pool that is sheltered from all waves and swell. Great for babbies and young children to play in!
(shown below Laniopoko beach park, a long mellow ride great to learn)
10.Grandma's!
Beginner surf break goes right over the reef and left. Mellow break can get faster on bigger swell, great spot to learn how to surf and hangout for the day.
Good beach to hangout at and go surf then get some food at Leoda's Pie shop (http://www.leodas.com/)
Alot of people live in their cars and just kind of hangout in this area alot so be aware of that. The beach is full of keawe trees that have thorns so wear your slippahs!
The beach can get crowded on the weekends so go midweek and enjoy no crowd at all! located on West side , in Papalaua Park, take State Route 30 (Honoapiíilani Highway) to Lahaina. It’s the first beach you come to after passing through the tunnel.
I hope you enjoyed our local surf guide of west maui, We gave our honest thoughts of each surf spot but still have some super secret spots we keep to our selfs. I included a map below so you can get some bearings on where each surf spot is located
