Laniakea
Laniakea is a beautiful right point break 2.5 miles north of Haleiwa, also famous as Turtle Beach for the green sea turtles that bask on shore. The wave offers fun, long walls that are more accessible than the heavier breaks further up the coast.
Laniakea surf forecast
Model forecast for swell, wind and tide.
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Spot Details
CustomizeCustomize this spotSwell Requirements
- Optimal direction
- NW (305°)
- Direction range
- 290° - 320°
- Size range
- 1.2m - 2.4m
- Ideal size
- 1.7m - 2.1m
- Height multiplier
- 0.97×
- Ideal period
- 14s+
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
3.5m+
Board
Any
Consistency
7/10
Difficulty
5/10
Crowd level
6/10
Access: Beach access. Also known as Turtle Beach.
Frequently Asked Questions
What kind of wave is Laniakea?
Laniakea is a reef break in North Shore, Oahu, USA, that mostly breaks right over a reef bottom. On its biggest days it can hold faces of around 3.5m. It's one of the more consistent spots around (7/10).
What swell works best at Laniakea?
Laniakea 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 1.2m and handles up to about 2.4m, with the sweet spot around 1.7 to 2.1m. Period matters too: aim for 14s or longer, as anything under 10s 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 Laniakea?
A SE wind is dead offshore at Laniakea, 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 Laniakea?
Laniakea is at its best around the mid to high tide.
When is the best time of year to surf Laniakea?
The most reliable run of swell at Laniakea comes Nov to Mar. There's a second window in Oct too. Nov-Mar. Also known as turtle beach. Good intermediate North Shore wave.
How cold is the water at Laniakea?
The water at Laniakea 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 Laniakea good for beginners?
It's more of an intermediate wave, rated 5/10 for difficulty, so newer surfers are best off sticking to the smaller days. Expect a moderate crowd (6/10) when it's on. Fun, long walls when not too big. Good intermediate North Shore wave.
How do I get to Laniakea?
The nearest airport on our list is HNL, then it's roughly a 45-minute drive. Beach access. Also known as Turtle Beach.
What other surf spots are near Laniakea?
The closest breaks we track are Chun's Reef (0.3 km), Haleiwa (0.7 km) and Himalayas (1.2 km), handy when Laniakea isn't working. We track 23 spots around North Shore, Oahu in total.
Best Season
Peak: Nov, Dec, Jan, Feb, Mar
Secondary: Oct
Nov-Mar. Also known as turtle beach. Good intermediate North Shore wave.
Getting There
Nearby Spots
Chun's Reef
🏖️ Mellow North Shore • Longboard heaven • Fun and accessible
Haleiwa
🚪 Gateway to the North Shore • Triple Crown venue • Toilet Bowl inside
Himalayas
🗻 Himalayan-scale waves • Historic swells only • Frontier big wave
Avalanche
🏔️ Haleiwa's outer reef • Deep water power • Big swell handler
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 Laniakea
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