The Surf Window

Ho'okipa

Maui, USA

Reef breakAdvanced

The world capital of windsurfing and kiteboarding also produces powerful, serious reef waves, a challenging break where surfers and sail-powered riders share one of Maui's most energetic stretches of coast.

Typical Conditions

The Surf Window

Swell Window

N
OptimalN (0°)
WindowW–E (270°–90°)
Size3-8ft

Wind

NE

Offshore

Tide

Mid to high

LowMidHigh

Season

October–March

JFMAMJJASOND

The Wave

Type

Both (rights are longer)

Bottom

Sharp reef

Shape

Powerful, hollow walls with barrel sections

Length

100–200m

Skill Level

  • •Who it's for: Advanced
  • •Why: Sharp reef, powerful waves, and shared water with high-speed windsurfers make this a complex environment.

Hazards

  • •Sharp reef
  • •Windsurfer and kiteboard traffic, serious collision risk in the afternoon
  • •Strong current
  • •Exposed, powerful shore break on the entry

Local Tips

  • •Surf early morning before the trade winds kick in and the windsurfers arrive, by noon the water belongs to them.
  • •The cliff-top car park has an excellent vantage point to read the break before paddling out.

Location

Map showing the location of Ho'okipa in Maui, USA

20.9358, -156.3444