Your Official Guide To Surfing on Maui

Choosing the best surfing spots on Maui can seem like trying to pick your favorite Aloha Maid flavor. Nearly impossible and it always takes an eternity! We decided to help make it easier on everyone by sacrificing our time to visit beaches on Maui that are some of the best surfing spots (it’s a hard job but someone’s gotta do it). We’ve compiled a list of our favorite ones and rated them on their best qualities. So pack up the boards and your ohana, stop at Minit Stop and grab a spam musubi, and head down to the water this weekend! 

Best Beach for Beginners

The Cove, Kihei: The Cove is like a beach with training wheels. With extreme shallow waters, you’ll find that the waves are great for beginners, making any beach day safe and fun for everyone. Tucked away in a gentle cove and hidden from the South Maui wind, the surf here is great for trying out a new board, introducing surfing to a friend, or just getting out on the water with little work! The sets are calm and the water is family-friendly. 10/10. 

Best Waves All Day

Olowalu Beach, Lahaina: Olowalu is like the gift that keeps on giving. Most beaches on Maui have a period of the day where the conditions are perfect. Olowalu has that all day. You can count on good conditions and prime waves all day long. This is one of our favorites because you don’t have to just wake up at 6 am to get some good sets in. Any hour of the day you’ll find sets that make for long and fun rides to shore. 

Something For Everyone

Launiupoko, Lahaina: You’ll often find this beach booming with local families and surfers as early as 8 am on a Saturday morning. There’s a good reason for that - this beach is pretty much perfect. The waves don’t get any higher than 3ft, the water is nice and shallow, and the weather stays sunny and calm all day. There’s a saltwater pond that separates the smaller waves from the slightly bigger ones making this perfect for everyone. The kids and ohana can swim on the shoreline or in the little pond nearby making this our favorite way to spend every Sunday. 

Most Sandy

Kaanapali Beach, Kaanapali: If we could give Kaanapali the most beautiful beach on the island award we would! Smooth white sand, crystal blue water, and sunny skies make this one of the most scenic surfing spots. A lot of West Maui beaches are rocky, but at Kaanapali, you don’t have to sacrifice soft sand for good waves. Like most experiences on Maui, it’s the total package. 

Best Winter Swells 

Ho’okipa, Haiku: Where the big boys and girls come to play. Ho’okipa is definitely for advanced surfers and for good reason. When the swells are rolling in, there’s not much lounging about on the water. Waves at Ho’okipa can get as high as 20 feet during the winter months. Surfers from all over the island come here to feel the rush and adrenaline that comes from these big waves. If you’re not quite at that level yet, Ho’okipa has a great lookout that gives onlookers a front-row seat to all the action. 

Best For Crowded Days 

Ukumehame Beach Park, Lahaina: We love Ukumehame because on Maui, there’s only so many waves for every surfer out on their boards on a Saturday morning. With a long stretch of shoreline, waves are breaking for miles down the beach. This is perfect for those who like to surf with just the quiet sound of waves crashing. If the swells in front of the beach are crowded, you can always paddle a little ways left or right for your own personal surf spot.