Reef
left
Level 5/10

Waikoko's

North Shore, Kauai, USA
🪸Sharp reef

Waikoko's sits across Hanalei Bay from Hanalei Point, offering a fickle left reef break that requires large N swell and W wind to fire. When conditions align, it's a beautiful, secluded wave with a shorter right also available.

Waikoko's surf forecast

Model forecast for swell, wind and tide.

10-Day Forecast
Tue22
18
Poor
1.4m@11s
9km/h
Today23
11
Poor
1.5m@9s
12km/h
Thu24
5
Poor
1.3m@9s
11km/h
Fri25
0
Poor
1.5m@8s
15km/h
Sat26
0
Poor
1.5m@10s
19km/h
Sun27
0
Poor
1.1m@9s
26km/h
Mon28
0
Poor
1.7m@10s
21km/h
Tue29
13
Poor
1.6m@7s
10km/h
Wed30
6
Poor
1.2m@7s
10km/h
Thu1
2
Poor
1.1m@11s
11km/h
5+ days out, less certain

Today's Conditions

Find Flights
Best session: AfternoonAM 7 km/h · PM 10 km/h · Tide at 12pm (0.6m)
Swell
1.4m
ENE(59°)
Score: 15/25
Period
11s
Medium period swell
Score: 8/25
Wind
9km/h
E(86°)
Score: 12/25
Weather
26°C
0.5mm66%
First light 5:56amSunrise 6:26amSunset 6:33pmLast light 7:03pm
Windswell0.6m@3sSecondary0.8mConfidence
100%

Location & Conditions

Loading map...
0°45°90°135°180°225°270°315°NESW
Swell
Wind
Showing forecast for today

Hourly Forecast, Tide & Strike Windows

Strike window: 7:13–9:24am · risingStrike window: 4:00–7:03pm · droppingIdeal tide: mid
6am
9am
12pm
3pm
6pm
6am
9am
12pm
3pm
6pm
6am
9am
12pm
3pm
6pm
6am
9am
12pm
3pm
6pm
6am
9am
12pm
3pm
6pm
6am
9am
12pm
3pm
6pm
6am
9am
12pm
3pm
6pm
6am
9am
12pm
3pm
6pm
6am
9am
12pm
3pm
6pm
6am
9am
12pm
3pm
6pm
°C
24°
26°
28°
28°
26°
24°
26°
28°
28°
26°
24°
25°
26°
26°
24°
23°
26°
27°
26°
25°
24°
25°
25°
25°
25°
24°
24°
25°
25°
24°
24°
25°
25°
25°
25°
25°
26°
28°
28°
26°
25°
26°
28°
28°
26°
24°
25°
28°
28°
25°
3m1.5
sec
11s
11s
11s
11s
10s
9s
9s
9s
9s
9s
9s
9s
9s
8s
8s
8s
8s
8s
9s
9s
9s
9s
9s
10s
10s
7s
7s
11s
10s
10s
11s
9s
11s
10s
7s
7s
7s
7s
7s
7s
6s
7s
7s
7s
6s
13s
13s
13s
6s
11s
swell
windkm/h
6g17
8g22
10g29
10g28
10g27
9g22
12g32
14g39
13g38
10g32
6g18
11g31
13g35
12g33
12g33
13g32
16g41
17g45
16g48
16g39
15g36
18g45
20g54
21g54
20g54
27g68
27g68
26g68
24g71
26g68
24g64
24g63
22g62
19g59
16g54
12g32
12g31
10g37
8g37
5g30
5g17
8g21
12g33
14g40
11g40
8g21
8g24
14g36
15g43
10g43
tidem
4:50am0.1m
12:30pm0.6m
7:30pm0.2m
5:50am0.1m
12:54pm0.6m
7:30pm0.2m
12:50am0.4m
6:30am0.2m
1:06pm0.6m
7:42pm0.2m
1:30am0.5m
7:10am0.2m
1:20pm0.6m
7:45pm0.1m
2:06am0.5m
8:00am0.2m
1:42pm0.5m
8:06pm0.1m
2:30am0.6m
8:42am0.2m
2:00pm0.5m
8:30pm0.0m
3:10am0.6m
9:15am0.3m
2:15pm0.4m
8:42pm0.0m
4:06am0.6m
10:10am0.3m
2:30pm0.4m
9:10pm0.0m
5:10am0.6m
12:30pm0.4m
9:45pm0.0m
6:30am0.6m
Ideal tide (from tide preference)Strike windowNight

Tide times today

4:50 am
Low tide - 0.12m
12:30 pm
High tide - 0.63m
7:30 pm
Low tide - 0.24m
Times shown in spot-local time.

Strike Score Breakdown

18
Poor
Components
Swell Direction0/25
Swell Size15/25
Swell Period8/25
Wind12/25
Raw Score35/100
Adjustments
🌊💨 Windswell-3
💨 Gusty Wind-4
⚠️ Weak Component-10
Adjusted Score18/100
Confidence
Multiplier×1.00
Final Score18

Plan Your Strike

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Swell Requirements

Optimal direction
N (350°)
Direction range
310° - 20°
Size range
1.2m - 2.4m
Ideal size
1.7m - 2.1m
Height multiplier
0.97×
Ideal period
14s+

Wind Requirements

Optimal direction
SSW (200°)
Offshore range
170° - 250°

Tide Requirements

Optimal tide
mid

Water temp

25°C

Wetsuit

Boardshorts / Rashguard

Bottom

Reef

Max wave face

3m+

Board

Shortboard

Consistency

4/10

Difficulty

5/10

Crowd level

3/10

Access: Beach access from Hanalei Bay west side.

Frequently Asked Questions

What tide is best at Waikoko's?

The Waikoko's profile favors mid tide. Compare this preference with the forecast tide and local conditions before choosing a session.

What wind direction is offshore at Waikoko's?

The Waikoko's profile uses wind from SSW (200°) as its preferred direction, with an offshore range of 170° to 250°. Wind speed matters too: light winds outside that range can still produce surfable conditions, while strong offshore winds can make takeoffs difficult.

What swell size and direction work best at Waikoko's?

The Waikoko's scoring profile favors swell from N (310° to 20°), a swell-height range of 1.2m to 2.4m, and a reference period of 14s. These are model inputs, not guaranteed breaking-wave heights or a promise that the surf will suit every ability.

When is the best time of year to surf Waikoko's?

The main season at Waikoko's is Nov, Dec, Jan, Feb, Mar. Nov-Mar. Across Hanalei Bay from the point. Fickle left reef break. Needs large N swell and W wind.

How do I get to Waikoko's?

The spot profile lists LIH as a nearby airport. The estimated road transfer is 35 minutes. Beach access from Hanalei Bay west side.

What kind of wave is Waikoko's?

Waikoko's is a reef break, a left-hander over a reef bottom. Difficulty is rated 5/10.

Best Season

Peak: Nov, Dec, Jan, Feb, Mar

Nov-Mar. Across Hanalei Bay from the point. Fickle left reef break. Needs large N swell and W wind.

Getting There

Airport
LIH
Drive time
35 min
Data quality
verified

Strike Log

Community Discussion