Waikiki Surf Guide

Waikiki in Oahu is an exposed beach and reef break that has very consistent surf. Summer offers the optimum conditions for surfing. Offshore winds blow from the northeast. Waves just as likely from local windswells as from distant groundswells and the ideal swell direction is from the south. The beach break provides left and right handers and there are also left and right hand reef breaks on offer. Best around high tide. When the surf is up, crowds are likely Beware of rocks, rips, crowds.

Waikiki Spot Info

Type:Rating:Reliability:Todays Sea Temp*:
Beach and reef2very consistent
25.2°C*ocean temperature recorded from satellite

Surfing Waikiki:

The best conditions reported for surf at Waikiki occur when a South swell combines with an offshore wind direction from the Northeast.

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

julyBest Season: summer
The best time of year for surfing Waikiki with consistent clean waves (rideable swell with light / offshore winds) is during Summer  and most often the month of July. Clean surfable waves are typically found 74% of the time in July while 2% of the time it tends to be blown out. For the remaining 24% of the time it is considered too small by most surfers but may still be OK for beginners and groms at times.
clean
74%
Surfable waves that hold up well for longer rides in prevailing cross-offshore, offshore or light wind conditions.
blown out
2%
Surfable sized waves that are of poorer quality due to prevailing onshore, cross-onshore or windy conditions (may be preferable for kitesurfing).
too small
24%
Waves usually considered too small for good surf. Some wave-magnet breaks may still work though if conditions are right (on occasion).

Explore Waikiki Location Map

Interactive Waikiki 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 Waikiki is Honolulu International Airport (HNL) in Usa Oahu Isl., 11 km (7 miles) away (directly). The second nearest airport to Waikiki is Kaneohe Bay Mcaf Airport (NGF), also in Usa Oahu Isl., 20 km (12 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.
Waikiki Surf Forecasts:
Todays Surf Summary
Monday, 4 May 2026, 23:08 Local Time
MonTuesday 05
11PM2AM5AM8AM
Wave (m)
0.4
SW
0.4
SSW
0.6
E
1.2
E
Period (s) 18 13 8 6
Wind (km/h)
25
15
5
5
Wind State cross-
off
cross-
off
glass glass

Swell History at Waikiki

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

Wind History at Waikiki

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


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