Kahalu'u Surf Guide

Kahalu'u in Big Island is an exposed reef break that is usually a safe bet and works all around the year. Offshore winds are from the east southeast. Tends to receive distant groundswells and the ideal swell angle is from the west. Good surf at all stages of the tide. Sometimes crowded. Take care of - Urchins - Rips / undertow - Rocks - Localism.

Kahalu'u Spot Info

Type:Rating:Reliability:Todays Sea Temp*:
Reef3very consistent
25.9°C*ocean temperature recorded from satellite

Surfing Kahalu'u:

The best conditions reported for surf at Kahalu'u occur when a West swell combines with an offshore wind direction from the East-southeast.

What's the best time of year to surf Kahalu'u (for consistent clean waves)?

januaryBest Season: winter
The best time of year for surfing Kahalu'u with consistent clean waves (rideable swell with light / offshore winds) is during Winter  and most often the month of January. Clean surfable waves are typically found 45% of the time in January while 44% of the time it tends to be blown out. For the remaining 11% of the time it is considered too small by most surfers but may still be OK for beginners and groms at times.
clean
45%
Surfable waves that hold up well for longer rides in prevailing cross-offshore, offshore or light wind conditions.
blown out
44%
Surfable sized waves that are of poorer quality due to prevailing onshore, cross-onshore or windy conditions (may be preferable for kitesurfing).
too small
11%
Waves usually considered too small for good surf. Some wave-magnet breaks may still work though if conditions are right (on occasion).

Explore Kahalu'u Location Map

Interactive Kahalu'u surf break location map. View information about nearby surf breaks, their wave consistency and rating compared to other spots in the region. Current swell conditions from local buoys are shown along with live wind speed and direction from nearby weather stations. Click icons on the map for more detail. The closest passenger airport to Kahalu'u is Kona International At Keahole Airport (KOA) in Usa Hawaii Isl., 19 km (12 miles) away (directly). The second nearest airport to Kahalu'u is Bradshaw Aaf Airport (BSF), also in Usa Hawaii Isl., 48 km (30 miles) away.

  • Map Icons:
  • Break
  • Live Wave Height (m)
  • Live Wind Speed (km/h)
  • Surf Rating (10 Max)
  • Ocean Swells (m)
  • Wind Speed (km/h)
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Please note that some surf spot locations are approximate to protect their exact location while others are not shown at close zoom level.
Kahalu'u Surf Forecasts:
Todays Surf Summary
Tuesday, 5 May 2026, 10:32 Local Time
Tuesday 05
11AM2PM5PM8PM
Wave (m)
0.3
SSW
0.4
NW
0.3
SSW
0.4
NW
Period (s) 18 12 16 12
Wind (km/h)
10
10
10
10
Wind State cross-
on
cross-
on
cross cross-
on

Swell History at Kahalu'u

Surf stats for Kahalu'u, see the swell variation by month or season on the history page here.

Wind History at Kahalu'u

Wind stats for Kahalu'u, see the variation in direction and stength by month or season on the history page here.


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