South Shore Oahu

Inarguably Town's most coveted -- and famous -- high-performance wave, Ala Moana has a clearly formed and obvious lineup. Ala Mo' is a long left, with a few different tube sections and a range of takeoff spots, but it's at its most focused and perfect when a solid S swell detonates on the outside bowl section. The seabed next to the reef was dredged for Ala Wai Harbor, thus the man-made interference bends swell and refracts it. And even though really big sets are still referred to as Pole Sets, the pole that once indicated such incoming bombs is now gone.The Ala Moana Bowls left can hold solid size and breaks off toward the harbor channel, but Bowls also offers a shorter right on smaller days that will usually end as a closeout section on the very shallow inside reef. As you head west across Magic Island into Ala Moana Park, there are numerous quirky, crowded and hard-to-catch reefbreaks, including Tennis Courts, Big Rights and Kewalo Basin. All of these waves work best on the same swell as Waikiki, though tide and local knowledge definitely comes into play here.

Waikiki Beach consists of numerous spots that offer rights and lefts, as well as world-renowned crowds. It is one of the birthplaces of recreational surfing and a pillar in the quintessential Hawaiian surfing experience. Surf Waikiki and you'll share waves with people from all over the world, many just learning how to surf. While Waikiki conjures images of small, soft, rolling waves, when there's a solid Southern Hemi swell running, many of its breaks turn on enough to keep the beginners on the inside, leaving the better outside rollers for more experienced surfers.

There are several different spots off Diamond Head that offer rights and lefts -- the best are Lighthouse and Cliffs. These reefbreaks are located a good distance off the point and pick up anything from the Southern Hemisphere, as well as easterly trade swell. However, these breaks will also be the first to blow out with the easterly trade winds, which then opens up the lineup to wind and kite surfers. Cliffs is probably the most popular of the Diamond Head breaks, with both rights and lefts that offer smooth takeoffs and mellower rides. Lighthouse (which, of course, is located right in front of Diamond Head Light) is a bit more high-performance than Cliffs, and also shallower. On larger swells, cross currents can be a factor, especially at Cliffs.

Barbers Point picks up Southern Hemi swells from all directions, and it can also absorb Northern Hemi energy that has a lot of W in it (between 390-329 degrees) or has snuck under Ni'ihau and Kauai (under 285 degrees). There is a point wave that breaks directly out beyond the lighthouse, but there are a variety of peaks spread out down the beach that offer good surf, depending on swell direction. Due to Barbers Point's exposed location, wind is often a factor.

Ewa Beach is located just west of Pearl Harbor and offers up a variety of smaller wave options, from lefts to rights, barrels to shoulders. Like Barbers Point eight miles to the west, Ewa Beach is wind-sensitive.

Kaiser's is the easternmost surf spot on the Ala Moana reef area. It is very shallow and always has an aggressive crowd. The wave offers a steep, fast, bowly right that will throw a good barrel section off the peak and is fun to backdoor. There is also a decent left, which is usually a little more slopey and will often end in a closeout on the inside, leaving you to negotiate whitewash with very little water between you and the sharp reef. The right, however, spills into a channel, allowing for an easy paddle back out. On the biggest swells, the channel will begin to close out, so beware.

Often considered slightly superior to Four's, Three's can really turn on during a solid south swell, offering up clean, racy righthanders that can barrel quite nicely. As with all of Waikiki's surf spots, Three's can get crowded with all types of surfers, from beginner to ultra-advanced -- especially the latter when the waves are good. Unlike nearby Four's, however, Three's has a deep channel at the wave's end that often makes for clean trips back out to the lineup.

Just west of Canoes, and a hundred yards or so further out, lies the long, curving stretch of reef that's aptly named Populars (or Pop's). It's a peak with a decent right that peels and swings down the line with a few bowly sections towards the inside, and a shorter, fairly mushy left. Occasionally it fires, like on a big S swell.

Canoes is named after the proliferation of outrigger canoes that litter the lineup, which have a tendency to come steamrolling at you when you're least expecting it. This is all when it's under three-feet and rather warbly, though. Because when it comes together with a solid S swell and a bit of tradewind, Canoes becomes a super-fast right tube, and those outriggers have a hard time keeping up with the racetrack. Count on sharing the lineup on a four to six-foot day with the South Shore's finest tuberiders.

Publics is one of the most consistent and longest lefts in Town. It's a ways out, and the reef is pretty shallow, so any bit of swell can run along its uneven edge. Getting in and out can be a serious hassle, as those coral heads will pop up at the most inopportune times, and yes, they do hurt. High tide renders the waves a little mushy, though safer, while low tide can be racetracky with the occasional tube section, but the real threat is losing some skin on the reef. It's probably better to try it out first time on a high tide. Outside Castles, the infamous and fickle, big, steamrolling left, sits way outside and towards Diamond Head, comprising an outer reef that stretches all across the bay at Waikiki.

Right in the heart of Waikiki, on small to medium-sized days Queen's offers a fun but shorter left and a longer right, usually split evenly by a single A-frame peak. On bigger days, the wave turns into a long left -- one of the best on the South Shore, actually -- and a shorter right. This wave can barrel at times, but usually it is just an easy, rippable face.

This beautiful and somewhat fickle left reef break can get really fun with just the right swell and offshore winds. The spot to surf with a board breaks out front of the rocky outcropping on the eastern side of the beach. However, Sandy's is more known for the crazy beachbreak shorepound. The sand bottom zone of about 250 yards between the two rock outcroppings can get very solid and dangerous wedging hollow barrels (often spitting), but usually all closeouts, just off dry sand or even on it. This zone is not for boards -- bodysurfing only. This is also a common place for injuries, from either the wave pounding you into the sand or falling on other people.