Surfers come from all over the world to catch Hawaii’s impressive surf breaks. And the pristine beaches of Maui are home to some pretty famous surf and stand-up paddleboard spots, perfect both for those who want to learn to surf in Maui and others for those who want to test their surfing skills. So whether you’ve just had your first Maui surf lesson or you’re an experienced surfer, you’ll want to take note of these great Maui surfing beaches.
At Hawaiian Surf Style, we often take our beginning Maui surf or SUP guests either to Kalama Beach Park in South Maui or Ukuhame Beach Park in West Maui. These beaches both offer consistent, gentle peaks of knee high to head high waves that are great for beginners and longboard Maui surfers. These Maui surfing spots are ideal for morning Maui surf lessons when the winds are generally calmer and the waves are smooth. Kalama Beach Park also has a nice well-landscaped park area that’s perfect for having a picnic after your Maui surfing lessons.
While you’re in South Maui, you can also check out the great waves at Cove Beach Park. Just off of South Kihei Road, Cove Park is a favorite spot for longboard surfers. It’s also a nice surfing beach for beginners and Maui stand-up paddle board enthusiasts with its calm waves rolling in. There’s also a nice grassy park area here too for those who just like to watch surfers or have a picnic.
Ho’okipa Beach on the North Shore just outside of Paia is known as the “windsurfing capital of the world” and is also a popular spot for the advanced Maui surfer. This well-known surfing area boasts sometimes exceptionally large waves and strong winds, (especially in winter) causing it to attract world-class surfers, but also does not make it ideal for those just learning to surf. But you can watch pro surfers battle these commanding waves at a lookout point just above the popular surfing break known as “Pavilions,” which is the break furthest east.
Not far from Ho’okipa Beach lies another famous surfing location – Jaws – or Pe’ahi, Maui – about three miles east of Paia. This legendary Maui surfing break is where the best surfers in the world come to challenge, maybe not even each other, but some of the largest waves in the world. These massive waves can reach upwards of 60 feet during the winter. Often it becomes too dangerous for Maui surfers to paddle out to the break so they must use the “tow-in” surfing method where pro surfers are towed to the waves by personal water crafts and dropped off. Several ‘Big Wave’ surfing contests have been held here including the Red Bull Jaws contest. Of course, these Maui surf waves are only attempted by professional surfers, and they can be very dangerous even for them. But there are lookout areas on the cliffs overlooking Jaws where photographers and other fans gather to watch these spectacular surfing breaks.
If you want a little calmer surfing experience, Lahaina Harbor in West Maui is another a great spot for beginners and intermediate surfers with its consistent waves. You can paddle out from the beach next to the marina and catch both left-handed and right-handed breaks. After surfing you can walk over to historic Front Street in Lahaina and do some sightseeing or eat at one of the town’s great restaurants.
So after your Maui surf lesson with Hawaiian Style Surf, check out some of these awesome Maui surfing beaches along the beautiful Valley Isle coasts, where novice and pro come out to perfect their Maui surfing techniques.
