Surfing in Honolulu and Oahu

Perhaps no word is more associated with Hawaii than surfing. Every year the best of the best gather here to have their Super Bowl: Vans Triple Crown of Surfing. The pros dominate the waves for a month, but the rest of the year belongs to people like us, just trying to have fun and get a little exercise.

Oahu is unique because it has so many famous spots: Banzai Pipeline, Waimea Bay, Kaiser Bowls, and Sunset Beach resonate in young surfers' hearts the world over. The renown of these spots comes with a price: competition for those waves. The aloha spirit lives in many places but not on premium waves. As long as you follow the rules of the road and concede waves to local riders, you should not have problems. Just remember that locals view these waves as their property, and everything should be all right.

Best Spots

If you like to ride waves in all kinds of craft, try Makaha Beach (1½ hrs west of Honolulu on H1 and Farrington Hwy.). It has interminable rights that allow riders to perform all manner of stunts: from six-man canoes with everyone doing headstands to bully boards (oversize boogie boards) with dad's whole family riding with him. Mainly known as a long-boarding spot, it's predominantly local but not overly aggressive to the respectful outsider. The only downside is that it's way out on the west shore. Use caution in the wintertime as the surf can get huge.

If you really need to go somewhere people have heard of, your safest bet on the North Shore is Sunset Beach (1 mi north of Ehukai Beach Park on Kamehameha Hwy.). There are several breaks here including Kammie's on the west side of the strip and Sunset Point, which is inside of the main Sunset break. Both of these tend to be smaller and safer rides for the less experienced. For the daring, Sunset is part of the Triple Crown for a reason. Thick waves and long rides await, but you're going to want to have a thick board and a thicker skull. The main break is very local, so mind your Ps and Qs.

In Waikiki, try getting out to Populars, a break at Ulukou Beach (Waikiki, in front of Royal Hawaiian Hotel). Nice and easy, Populars never breaks too hard and is friendly to both the rookie and the veteran. The only downside here is the ½-mi paddle out to the break, but no one ever said it was going to be easy, plus the long pull keeps it from getting overcrowded.

White Plains Beach (In former Kalaeloa Military Installation) is a spot where trouble will not find you. Known among locals as "mini-Waikiki," it breaks in numerous spots, preventing the logjam that happens with many of Oahu's more popular breaks. As part of a military base in West Oahu, the beach was closed to the public until a couple of years ago. It's now occupied by mostly novice to intermediate surfers, so egos are at a minimum, though you do have to keep a lookout for loose boards.

Equipment & Lessons

C&K Beach Service. To rent a board in Waikiki, visit the beach fronting the Hilton Hawaiian Village. Rentals cost $10 to $15 per hour, depending on the size of the board, and $18 for two hours. Small-group lessons are $50 per hour with board, and trainers promise to have you riding the waves by lesson's end. No phone.

Hans Hedemann Surf Hawaii. Hans Hedemann spent 17 years on the professional surfer World Tour circuit. He and his staff offer surfing and bodysurfing instruction, four-day intensive surf camps on the North Shore and in Waikiki, and fine-tuning courses with Hans himself. One-hour group-lesson rates begin at $75 per person, $150 per person for a private lesson. 808/924-7778. www.hhsurf.com.

Hawaiian Fire, Inc. Off-duty Honolulu firefighters—and some of Hawaii's most knowledgeable water-safety experts—man the boards at one of Hawaii's hottest new surfing schools. Lessons include equipment, safety and surfing instruction, and two hours of surfing time (with lunch break) at a secluded beach near Barbers Point. Transportation is available from Waikiki. Two-hour group-lesson rates begin at $99 per person, $169 per person for a private lesson. 808/737-3473. www.hawaiianfire.com.

North Shore Eco-Surf Tours. The only prerequisites here are "the ability to swim and the desire to surf." North Shore Eco-Surf has a more relaxed view of lessons, saying that the instruction will last somewhere between 90 minutes and four hours. The group rate begins at $78 per person, $135 for a private lesson. 808/638-9503. www.ecosurf-hawaii.com.

Surf-n-Sea. This is the Wal-Mart of water for the North Shore. Rent a short board for $6 an hour or a long board for $7 an hour ($24 and $30 for full-day rentals). Lessons cost $85 for three hours. Depending on how you want to attack your waves, you can also rent boogie boards or kayaks. 62-595 Kamehameha Hwy. 808/637-9887. www.surfnsea.com.

Surf Smart

A few things to remember when surfing in Oahu:

The waves switch with the seasons—they're big in the south in summer, and they loom large in the north in winter. If you're not experienced, it's best to go where the waves are small. There will be fewer crowds, and your chances of injury dramatically decrease.

Always wear a leash. It may not look the coolest, but when your board gets swept away from you and you're swimming a half mile after it, you'll remember this advice.

Watch where you're going. Take a few minutes and watch the surf from the shore. Observe how big it is, where it's breaking, and how quickly the sets are coming. This knowledge will allow you to get in and out more easily and to spend more time riding waves and less time paddling.