A deep crescent bay about three miles east of Honolua on Maui's Upper Westside, Honokohau offers both rights and lefts on a reef-and-rock bottom with a noticeably mellower crowd than its famous neighbor. The right is the quality choice, capable of producing powerful, fairly long walls that can peel all the way to the cobble shore, though sections often go fat before snapping fast and closing out. The left lines up better on a solid NNW swell. NNW to NNE is the primary swell window, with NE working and large consistent NW swells wrapping enough energy around Molokai's shadow to fill the bay. Head-high to overhead is the sweet spot. Suits intermediate to advanced surfers most days, though advanced skill is required at size. Bottom: rock and reef. Season: winter. Consistency: hit or miss, quality varies with swell angle. Watch exposed rocks in the lineup, particularly on the right at lower tides, and budget for a long paddle back up the point after a longer ride.
Crowd levels are moderate and fluctuate with surf quality and day of week. The local vibe here can get intense. Visitors should read the lineup, take turns, and show respect. Turning up on a firing day without recognizing who runs the peak will get you noticed fast. Dawn patrol on weekdays is the sensible approach.
Parking can be difficult, so arrive early. The bay sits on Maui's Upper Westside roughly three miles east of Honolua Bay. Rocks and reef define the bottom, so surf shoes for the entry and exit are worth carrying. Water quality is clean.
When Honokohau is not cooperating, Honolua Bay three miles west is the obvious first check and delivers more consistent, higher-quality rides on solid winter NW swells. Smaller or more easterly swells may light up other Upper Westside reef sections along the same stretch of coastline.
Forecast by Windy.app
