South Shore Oahu

Inarguably Town's most coveted -- and famous -- high performance wave. Ala Moana has a clearly formed and obvious lineup -- it's right where all those big dudes on big boards are sitting. Ala Mo', as it's often referred to, is a long left, with a few different tube sections and a range of takeoff spots, but it's most focused (and perfect) when a solid South swell detonates on the outside bowl section. The seabed next to reef was dredged for Ala Wai Harbor, thus the man-made interference bends swell and refracts it. And even though really big sets are still referred to as "Pole" sets, the pole that once indicated such incoming bombs is now gone. The Ala Moana Bowls left can hold solid size and breaks off toward the harbor channel, but Bowls also offers a shorter right on smaller days that will usually end as a closeout section on the very shallow inside reef. As you head west across Magic Island into Ala Moana Park, there are numerous quirky, crowded and hard to catch reefbreaks, including Tennis Courts, Big Rights and Kewalo Basin. All of these waves work best on the same swell as Waikiki, though tide and local knowledge definitely comes into play here. Click here for Surfline's Ala Moana Spot Check with Randall Paulson

Waikiki Beach consists of numerous spots that offer rights and lefts, as well as world-renowned crowds. But it's Waikiki -- one of the birthplaces of recreational surfing and a pillar in the quintessential Hawaiian surfing experience. Surf Waikiki and you'll share (literally) waves with people from all over the world, many of which are just learning how to surf. While Waikiki conjures images of small, soft and rolling waves, when there's a solid Southern Hemi swell running, many of its breaks turn on enough to keep the beginners on the inside, leaving the better outside rollers for more experienced surfers.

There are several different spots off Diamond Head that offer rights and lefts -- the best are Lighthouse and Cliffs. These reef breaks are located a good distance off the point and pick up anything from the Southern Hemisphere, as well as easterly trade swell. However, these breaks will also be the first to blowout with the easterly trade winds, which then opens up the lineup to wind and kite surfers. Cliffs is probably the most popular of the Diamond Head breaks, offering both rights and lefts that offer smooth take-offs and mellower rides. Lighthouse (which, of course, is located right in front of Diamond Head Light) is a bit more high-performance than Cliffs, and also shallower. On larger swells, cross currents can be a factor, especially at Cliffs.

Barbers Point Beach Park is located near Makakilo City and marks the western edge of Oahu's South Shore. Because of this, Barbers Point picks up Southern Hemi swells from all directions, and it can also absorb Northern Hemi energy that has a lot of West in it (between 390-329 degrees) or has snuck under Ni'ihau and Kauai (under 285 degrees). There is a point wave that breaks directly out beyond the lighthouse, but there are a variety of peaks spread out down the beach that offer good surf, depending on swell direction. Due to Barbers Point's exposed location, wind is often a factor... and sharks, lots of them.

Ewa Beach is located just west of Pearl Harbor and offers up a variety of smaller wave options, from lefts to rights, barrels to shoulders. Though surrounded by military installments, Ewa Beach is open to the public, but it is generally a hang out for the local community. Like Barbers Point eight miles to the west, Ewa Beach is wind sensitive.

Kaiser's is the easternmost surf spot on the Ala Moana reef area. It is very shallow and always has an aggressive crowd. The wave offers a steep, fast, bowly right that will throw a good barrel section off the peak and is fun to backdoor. There is also a decent left, which is usually a little more slopey and will often end in a closeout on the inside, leaving you to negotiate whitewash with very little water between you and the sharp reef. The right, however, spills into a channel, allowing for an easy paddle back out. On the biggest swells the channel will begin to close out, so beware.

Three's is located almost a half mile directly off the rock jetty in front of the Shore Bird Restaurant and Beach Bar, between other fun Waikiki surf spots Populars and Four's. Often considered slightly superior to Four's, Three's can really turn on during a solid South swell, offering up clean, racy right-handers that can barrel quite nicely. As with all of Waikiki's surf spots, Three's can get crowded with all types of surfers, from beginner to ultra advanced -- especially the latter when the waves are good. Unlike nearby Four's however, Three's has a deep channel at wave's end that often makes for clean trips back out to the line-up.

Just west of Canoes, and a hundred yards or so further out, lies the long, curving stretch of reef that's aptly named Populars (or "Pop's"). It's a peak with a decent right that peels and swings down the line, with a few bowly sections towards the inside, and a shorter, fairly mushy left. Because it's kinda far out, especially if you're coming from Kuhio Beach, the crowd tends to be fairly mild-mannered and more interested in escaping the crush than getting the most perfect waves and ripping for a camera or whatever. But when it's firing (which it does occasionally on a big South swell), look out -- half of Oahu's on it, and they all surf well.

Canoes is named after -- surprise surprise! -- the proliferation of Outrigger canoes that litter the lineup, which have a tendency to come steamrolling at you when you're least expecting it. Keep one eye out for sets, and the other for one of the double-hulled wooden beasts, full of either screaming tourists or big, manly Hawaiians (or both). This is all when it's under three feet and rather warbly, though. Because when it comes together with a solid south swell and a bit of tradewind, Canoes becomes a super fast right tube, a la Maaleaea, and those Outriggers have a hard time keeping up with the racetrack. Count on sharing the lineup on a four-to six-foot day with the South Shore's finest tuberiders, especially those regularfoots who don't want to pigdog at Ala Moana or deal with the crowd at Kaisers.

Publics is one of the prettiest -- and longest surfed -- surf spots on the South Shore. You can sit on your board and watch swells come in around Diamond Head, airbrushed back by the steady tradewinds; you can look down at the crazy coral below that would as soon look like some psychedelic underwater rainforest as cut the living bejesus out of any exposed flesh; and you could look towards Waikiki and appreciate the glitter of surfing's original boomtown. And that's even before you catch a wave. Fortunately, Publics is also one of the most consistent and longest lefts in Town. It's a ways out, and the reef is pretty shallow, so any bit of swell can run along its uneven edge. Getting in and out can be a serious hassle, as those coral heads will pop up at the most inopportune times, and yes, they do hurt. High tide renders the waves a little mushy, though safer, while low tide can be racetrackey, with the occasional tube section, but the real threat of losing some skin on the reef. It's probably better to try it out first time on a high tide. *Outside Castles, the infamous and fickle big, steamrolling left made famous in the early days by Duke Kahanamoku, sits way outside and towards Diamond Head, comprising an outer reef that stretches all across the bay at Waikiki. If you ever see it, you're luckier than most.

Queen's is right in the heart of Waikiki, so expect there to always be a crowd, even if it's nearly flat. There will even be crowds before the sun comes up and after it goes down. Furthermore, expect a fair amount of that crowd to be tourists, many of whom may have never surfed before. This is just the established scene at Queen's, like it or not. On small to medium sized days, Queen's offers a fun but shorter left and a longer right, usually split evenly by a single A-frame peak. On bigger days, the wave turns into a nice long left -- one of the best on the South Shore, actually -- and a shorter right. This wave can barrel at times, but usually it is just an easy, rippable face.

Sandy Beach is located in the cove just on the south end of Wawamalu Beach Park. Like its neighbor, Makapu'u Beach to the north, this spot is usually a bodyboarding or bodysurfing spot. It is a very hollow, heavy and shallow shorebreak, which can be very dangerous. Also like Makapu'u, only bodyboards are allowed here (when patrolled), and the board needs to be finless and under three feet. For surfers, there is a left-hander out off the end of the reef outcropping. There is usually always surf due to the year-round tradeswell. However, surface conditions are often tattered from the persistent onshore trade winds (strongest through summer months). Conditions are best on Southern Hemi swells or east trade-swells with a northwesterly wind.