Crowd & Localism
The lineup is almost always mellow, often empty, and the local vibe is genuinely welcoming. Access friction keeps numbers low on all but the best days. Keep it respectful and the atmosphere will stay that way.
Lanai, Hawaii, United States
Lopa Beach
20.804, -156.807
Edited by Tom Jackson
Verified May 2026
Editor-verifiedCross-checked against Surfline
At a glance
- Lopa Beach is a a-frame over reef, varied reef peaks, rights and lefts, wind-dependent.
- Beginner to advanced ability, working 4-7 ft.
- Peak January, February, April, May, June, July, August, September, December, water 23-27°C.
A-frame · ReefBeginner → Advanced4–7 ftJan – Dec
A sheltered reef break on Lanai's remote east coast, Lopa Beach rewards the surfer who can time conditions right and handle the access. Summer S to SSE swells provide the most consistent windows, while winter occasionally delivers NNE to NE swell sneaking through the gap between Maui and Molokai, ten miles across the Auau Channel. The easterly trades blow onshore most of the time, so ideal sessions depend on frontal passages that clock winds offshore from the SW to NW. Multiple reef peaks spread across the offshore shelf give surfers of all abilities something to work with at chest-high to overhead, though the wave quality lives and dies with the wind. Bottom: reef. Season: summer most consistent, winter episodic. Consistency: moderate, wind-dependent. You need a 4x4 to reach the beach via the dirt roads branching off Keomuku Road. No standard vehicle will make it, so plan accordingly before leaving town.
Wave fit
Skill suited
Beginner → Advanced
BegIntAdv
Best months
Jan – Dec
J
F
M
A
M
J
J
A
S
O
N
D
Character
Varied reef peaks, rights and lefts, wind-dependent.
Conditions
When it worksHazards
Reef
Trip planning
Quick facts
Water temp
23° to 27°C
Wetsuit
Boardies
What to bring
- Shortboard 6ft to 6ft 4in for head-high+ days
- Fish or funboard for smaller, punchier peaks
- Longboard when swell is inconsistent and waves are soft
Lineup
Mellow lineup
Where it sits
Location
Loading map...
About this break
What it's actually like
Access & Facilities
Four 4x4-only tracks branch off Keomuku Road on Lanai's east side. A proper high-clearance 4x4 is non-negotiable. No facilities on site. Pack water, food, and a first-aid kit. The reef is the main hazard in the water. Water quality is clean.
Nearby Alternatives
When easterly trades make Lopa unsurfable, Lanai's south and west shores occasionally produce cleaner conditions during the same frontal systems. Hulopo'e Bay on the south coast is more sheltered and worth checking if you're hunting rideable water anywhere on the island.
10-day swell, wind and tide
Lopa Beach surf forecast
Loading forecast...
Forecast by Windy.app
Stay nearby
Camps within boat range
Browse all United States surf camps
No vetted camps within boat range of Lopa Beach yet.
More breaks in Hawaii
If this isn't your wave
Honolua Bay
long hollow right-hand reef point with multiple barrel sections · Right · Reef
Advanced
Gas Chambers
fast hollow reef barrels, left-dominant on WNW-NW swell · A-frame · Reef
Intermediate → Advanced
Log Cabins
heavy shifting reef peaks, short hollow rights · Right · Mixed
Advanced
Sandy Beach
heavy hollow shorebreak closeouts, fickle left reef · Left · Mixed
Advanced
Pinetrees
consistent left and right reef peaks · A-frame · Reef
Beginner → Intermediate
Kaiolohia Bay/Shipwreck Beach
scattered reef peaks, rights and lefts, long offshore paddle · A-frame · Reef
Beginner → Advanced
Kahalu'u Bay
mellow rolling reef peaks with semi-steep outer lefts and rights · A-frame · Reef
Beginner → Intermediate
Shipwrecks
fast hollow right-hand reef, tide-dependent · Right · Reef
Intermediate → Advanced
Queen's
punchy A-frame reef peak, rippable left and right · A-frame · Reef
Intermediate → Advanced
Honomanu Bay
long hollow left-hand reef with shorter protected right · A-frame · Mixed
Intermediate → Advanced
Hultin's
powerful right-hand reef connecting into Laniakea · Right · Reef
Intermediate → Advanced
Poipu Outer Reef
heavy shallow-reef left barrel with longer sloping right · A-frame · Reef
Advanced
Plan a trip
Build a trip around Lopa Beach
Tell us your dates, skill, and crew. We match camps within boat range and forward inquiries.
Frequently asked
What you need to know before paddling out at Lopa Beach
What skill level is Lopa Beach suited for?
Lopa Beach is a reef bottom, varied reef peaks, rights and lefts, wind-dependent, break suited for beginner through advanced surfers. Beginners can give it a go on the smaller end of the size range.
What size does Lopa Beach work best at?
Working size is 4 to 7 ft. Below 4 ft the swell goes flat. Above 7 ft it gets heavy and the lineup thins out.
When is the best season to surf Lopa Beach?
Lopa Beach fires from January, February, April, May, June, July, August, September, December. Outside that window the swell window narrows and the lineup goes quiet.
What swell direction does Lopa Beach need?
Lopa Beach switches on with swells out of the SSE to SSW (157 to 202 degrees).
What are the main hazards at Lopa Beach?
Main hazards at Lopa Beach: Reef. Reef booties are common kit.
What type of wave is Lopa Beach?
Lopa Beach is a a-frame-breaking wave over reef. Varied reef peaks, rights and lefts, wind-dependent.
Sources
- Surfline
Lopa Beach
Pick the camps you want quotes from.