Haleiwa
Haleiwa is the gateway to the North Shore and a Triple Crown venue that delivers powerful rights and hollow barrels. The Toilet Bowl inside section is brutally shallow, adding consequence to an already demanding wave. When solid WNW swells wrap in, the rights can barrel for 100 yards.
Haleiwa surf forecast
Model forecast for swell, wind and tide.
Today's ConditionsToday's Conditions
Find FlightsLocation & Conditions
Hourly Forecast, Tide & Strike Windows
Tide times today
Strike Score Breakdown
Plan Your Strike
Return flights to HNL, departing today with a 5-day trip window.
Search Flights on SkyscannerLocation & Conditions
Know when Hawaii is about to fire
Get the best strike windows in Hawaii — and worldwide — in your inbox every Monday & Thursday. Live Strike Scores, the swell behind them, zero fluff.
Get the full Haleiwa trip window
Pro unlocks the 10-day forecast window, unlimited alerts, and custom spot tracking that help turn a good-looking surf report into a better travel decision.
10-day window
See the trip window before flights get expensive.
Unlimited alerts
Let the app watch your score threshold for you.
Custom spots
Track the breaks that actually matter to your travel plans.
Spot Details
CustomizeCustomize this spotSwell Requirements
- Optimal direction
- NW (305°)
- Direction range
- 290° - 320°
- Size range
- 1.8m - 3.6m
- Ideal size
- 2.6m - 3.2m
- Height multiplier
- 0.90×
- Ideal period
- 16s+
Wind Requirements
- Optimal direction
- SE (135°)
- Offshore range
- 100° - 170°
Tide Requirements
- Optimal tide
- mid to high
Water temp
25°C
Wetsuit
Boardshorts / Rashguard
Bottom
Reef
Max wave face
5m+
Board
Shortboard
Consistency
7/10
Difficulty
8/10
Crowd level
8/10
Access: Beach access at Ali'i Beach Park. Parking available.
Frequently Asked Questions
What kind of wave is Haleiwa?
Haleiwa is a reef break in North Shore, Oahu, USA, with peaks that run both left and right over a reef bottom. On its biggest days it can hold faces of around 5m. It's one of the more consistent spots around (7/10). A shortboard is the usual call.
What swell works best at Haleiwa?
Haleiwa picks up swell from the WNW round to the NW, and it's best when it's coming straight out of the NW. That's a tight window, so it needs the swell direction to line up. It starts working at around 1.8m and handles up to about 3.6m, with the sweet spot around 2.6 to 3.2m. Period matters too: aim for 16s or longer, as anything under 12s tends to be weak. These are the numbers our scoring uses, so treat them as a guide rather than a promise.
What wind is offshore at Haleiwa?
A SE wind is dead offshore at Haleiwa, and anything from the E round to the S keeps it clean. The morning is typically the best window, roughly 6am to 11am. Light winds from other directions can still be fine; strong offshores can make it hard to get into waves.
What tide is best at Haleiwa?
Haleiwa is at its best around the mid to high tide.
When is the best time of year to surf Haleiwa?
The most reliable run of swell at Haleiwa comes Nov to Feb. There's a second window in Mar and Oct too. Nov-Feb peak. Triple Crown venue. Gateway to the North Shore.
How cold is the water at Haleiwa?
The water at Haleiwa averages around 25°C, so boardshorts or a rashguard will do. It shifts a few degrees through the year, so check the season before you pack.
Is Haleiwa good for beginners?
Not really. It's rated 8/10 for difficulty and suits experienced surfers. It gets busy (crowd 8/10), so mind the pecking order. Powerful rights, hollow barrels. Toilet Bowl inside section is brutally shallow. Dangerous coral reef.
How do I get to Haleiwa?
The nearest airport on our list is HNL, then it's roughly a 45-minute drive. Beach access at Ali'i Beach Park. Parking available.
What other surf spots are near Haleiwa?
The closest breaks we track are Laniakea (0.7 km), Avalanche (0.8 km) and Chun's Reef (1.0 km), handy when Haleiwa isn't working. We track 23 spots around North Shore, Oahu in total.
Best Season
Peak: Nov, Dec, Jan, Feb
Secondary: Oct, Mar
Nov-Feb peak. Triple Crown venue. Gateway to the North Shore.
Getting There
Nearby Spots
Laniakea
🐢 Turtle Beach • Fun right point • Intermediate-friendly
Avalanche
🏔️ Haleiwa's outer reef • Deep water power • Big swell handler
Chun's Reef
🏖️ Mellow North Shore • Longboard heaven • Fun and accessible
Himalayas
🗻 Himalayan-scale waves • Historic swells only • Frontier big wave
Leftovers
🤫 North Shore sleeper • World-class potential • Empty on the right day
Waimea Bay
🤙 Big wave history • Eddie Would Go • 15ft+ to fire
Plan a trip around Haleiwa
Compare this break with other destinations in these surf guides.