Three's is a fast and hollow right-hander in the Waikiki/Diamond Head area that catches more S-SE swell than other south shore breaks, making it one of the more consistent summer options. All levels share the lineup.
Model forecast for swell, wind and tide.
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Water temp
26°C
Wetsuit
Boardshorts / Rashguard
Bottom
Reef
Max wave face
3m+
Board
Shortboard
Consistency
7/10
Difficulty
5/10
Crowd level
7/10
Access: Beach access in Waikiki/Diamond Head area.
Three's is a reef break in South Shore, Oahu, USA, that mostly breaks right over a reef bottom. On its biggest days it can hold faces of around 3m. It's one of the more consistent spots around (7/10). A shortboard is the usual call.
Three's picks up swell from the SSE round to the SW, and it's best when it's coming straight out of the S. It starts working at around 0.9m and handles up to about 2.4m, with the sweet spot around 1.6 to 2m. 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.
A N wind is dead offshore at Three's, and anything from the NNW round to the NE 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.
Three's is at its best around mid tide.
The most reliable run of swell at Three's comes May to Sep. There's a second window in Apr and Oct too. May-Sep. Catches more S-SE swell than other Town breaks.
The water at Three's averages around 26°C, so boardshorts or a rashguard will do. It shifts a few degrees through the year, so check the season before you pack.
It's more of an intermediate wave, rated 5/10 for difficulty, so newer surfers are best off sticking to the smaller days. It gets busy (crowd 7/10), so mind the pecking order. Fast and hollow right-hander. Catches more S-SE swell than other Town breaks.
The nearest airport on our list is HNL, then it's roughly a 15-minute drive. Beach access in Waikiki/Diamond Head area.
The closest breaks we track are Canoes (0.6 km), Queen's (0.6 km) and Publics (1.1 km), handy when Three's isn't working. We track 6 spots around South Shore, Oahu in total.
Peak: May-Sep
Secondary: Apr, Oct
May-Sep. Catches more S-SE swell than other Town breaks.
🏄 Birthplace of modern surfing • Waikiki icon • Mellow to draining
👑 Queen Liliuokalani's wave • Historic royalty • Transforms on south swells
🌊 Longest left in Town • Always crowded • Diamond Head classic
🏙️ Pipeline of Town • Man-made reef • South shore tubes
👑 South Shore premier • Fierce pecking order • Bowly perfection
💎 Multiple DH breaks • SE swell exposure • Heavy when on
Compare this break with other destinations in these surf guides.