Wing Foiling Oahu
Oahu Wing Foil Spot Guide
Oahu has great wing foiling wave riding. We get more swell than Maui, have better breaks, and the wind is not so fierce. Bring a 3-4m and a 5-6m wing kite and you will be good to go in 95% of conditions. Personally I have an 5m wing and that keeps me ripping waves year round.
Learning? Learn to foil first, we recommend eFoil Waikiki
Try these locations
North Shore Locations
The swell season runs Sept-May, with largest waves in Nov-March (it gets huge 20-30ft faces weekly which overload most wave winging spots). However, the Dec-Feb months of winter are typically are the least windy months of the year, often with 1-2 weeks lulls of no wind. For visiting the shoulder seasons Sep-Nov and March-May provide the best combination of wind and waves. The wind is most consistent in summer, Jun-Sept but all trace of swell dies out and there’s only 1-2 ft of wind chop breaking.
South Shore Locations
The swell season here runs from April – October, with typically 2-3ft of southern ocean swell hitting the South Shore breaks. The largest the waves will get is 4-6ft, and these conditions will occur 3-5 days after a large swell hits Tahiti or Fiji. This is the windy season as well with the consistent trades blowing 15-20knts daily.
East Side Locations
The predominant swell here is wind swell, so there are consistent waves year-round, however you do get wrap from large NW swells, and these often offer the best conditions with high quality long period swell hitting the reefs, but not as large as the North Shore locations. Wind is best in the summer for this side.
North Shore Oahu Wing Foil Spots
The Bay, Dillingham airport, North Shore location, First bit of beach beside road at the western end of Dillingham airport. Great access, deep water straight off the beach, and several different breaks out front, fun and easy location for all levels when there is no swell (summer) Closes out after 4-6ft, or gets quite extreme. Some of best most consistent wind on the north shore and Island, wind is perfect cross onshore and the most consistent on the island during summer. World class local crowd who are friendly.
The Fence – At the end of the wire mesh fence, before the entry to Dillingham glider port, about a mile before “The Bay” Small patch of deep inner reef provides access through channel to fun left and right waves that break into lagoon, has waves even with wind swell, closes out after 4ft. Setup beside parking and carry gear to windward side of launch area.
Mokuleia – North Shore location, Great walling running righthand reef break, wind is perfect cross onshore and the most consistent on the island. More of a kiting location, but people wing and windsurf here. Due to shallow reef, especially at low tide we do not recommend this spot for anyone except experienced wing foilers, you need to paddle out to channel with board upside down.
Waialua Bay – North Shore location, access from beach access 260, works best on northly aspect winds, typically between 10am -2pm, strong trades work here as well. Can get thermal winds, when hot sunny day, and light N or W winds are forecast. Good learning spot with calm conditions, limited wind chop, and sandy beach for downwind runs, walk up beach about 1-200 yards to launch in sandy zone. Provides access to Hammerheads surf brake with is great long left and right waves until 4-6 ft where it gets a bit heavy for winging, not good very often.
Laniakea – North Shore location. Needs northerly aspect winds, can get thermal winds, when hot sunny day, and light N or W winds are forecast. Great long righthander breaking down reef, can get very large in winter. Easy access and channel and great fun wave even in in 1-2ft of swell.
Backyards/ Revelations – North Shore locations. Located just north of Sunset beach, beach access 281, these spots are truly experts only, having fearsome large powerful barreling righthand waves breaking onto sharp shallow coral. For backyards the wind here is also difficult, and the reef shallow with the NE trades typically very gusty and then dying out on the inside, northerly aspect winds improve the situation considerably. Revelations is a bit more user friendly with the wave not being as hollow and powerful and the wind less gusty and fewer dead zones. The slightly offshore aspect of the wind at revelations and its several long walling sections makes this spot a local favorite.
East Side Oahu Wing Foil Spot Guide
Laie/Hukilau – East side location. Hukilau Beach parking spot provides the best access to La’ie Bay, and has more sheltered conditions for winging, with a fun reforming right hander on the windward side of the bay, it’s a reform so is always small, but the winds offshore there, and the water buttery smooth so can be a fun playground. Good when there are strong trades or goes to easterly for Mokuliea or Backyards area to work. Setup beside carpark and carry gear to beach, walk upwind a little, and launch from the beach. Can wing the “Goats” surf break but can get quite shallow. There are other access points in Malaekahana bay north of here (access beside Malaekahana Beach Campground) with numerous other breaks in the bays north of here so go exploring!
Kahana Bay – East side location, launch eastern carpark in Kahana bay, set up beside car on nice grassy area and walk out to the beach. Needs strong trades to work (20-30Knts on forecast), and if you want swell there needs to be 10ft swell at 10s period minimum on the buoys for there to be any waves in the bay. So not a reliable spot but when it’s on, it is so good. You will be sharing waves with surfers, long boarders and lots of prone and SUP foilers so try to keep upwind and out of their way.
Sandbar– Winging the Kaneohe sandbar is a flat water beautiful location, riding downwind of an azure green sand bar drop off. You will need strong wind in the forecast as it typically a few knots less than in Kailua. Also, to get there you will need to take boat, though some people downwind from chainman’s hat, but it can be fickle, and getting back upwind could be challenging.
Kailua Bay– Is a perfect location for all levels on wing foiling. Its great access and long sandy beach, with deepwater bay make it one of the best place to learn on Oahu. With constant wind, and an outer reef protecting it , a nice launch zone with facilities make this the most popular spot on Oahu. Bring your larger wings, as the wind typically has a die off during the middle of the day, with the morning and evening usually the windiest times of the day. There are good waves here also, see the spot guide for full details.
Waimanalo – Not such a popular spot but it has the same conditions as Kailua, winds on the lighter side, so bring big wings, and the outer reef also has waves. Wind is more directly onshore, so getting to outer reef takes some time. Access not as easy as Kailua, with you having to park further from the setup zone. Park and setup at Bellows Beach or Sherwood’s Beach
South Shore Oahu Wing Foil Spots
Hawaii Kai – South side location. You need SE to SW winds to wing here, and they seldom happen, and are not often very strong or consistent. You need a Kona weather pattern anomaly, where typically there are southerly winds before a front comes through, and then the wind dies. Good waves on the outside if you score the “Kona” winds.
Kahala– Nice south side spot right in town, by Kahala resort, small beach park and launching area. Has narrow deepwater channels you need to use to get outside for Winging, with it being very shallow on either side. Some better winging spots upwind (east) of launch area/channel further up the reef towards Wailupe. Razors surf break in front to shallow to wing. The standard NE trade wind can be fickle, and this location is GUSTY, wind gets cleaner the more easterly it goes. Ideal conditions are ENE/E/ESE winds and 2-3ft swell at high tide. Experts only location due to shallow reef which goes dry at low tide, please note left hander in front of beach park is called “Razors” for a reason.
Diamond Head – the “Diamond” of the south shore. A great location for wave riding and was the go to spot on Oahu for windsurfing in the day. Picks up the most swell of all south shore locations and can hold any size. Several breaks across the zone, starting at Keiko’s a left hander with good wall in front of Blackpoint. The other main spot is the left hander in front of the cliff where you walk down hill, there will still be surfers at this spot when its blowing so please respect them. Again, the standard NE trade wind can be fickle and this location is GUSTY especially on inside, but wind gets cleaner the more easterly it goes. Park on the road and walk down the hill with your gear. walk east along beach 100-200m and there is a stretch of sand to launch. This is a tight launch zone, and the wind is gusty and turbulent close to the cliffs, get up and get out is the rule. Also, wind goes gusty and offshore after beach access path so always try to come in where you launch. Not a beginner’s spot.
Ala Moana Beach Park – Experts only location due to tough launch. Gets good on easterly trades. Launch from 2nd lifeguard tower from town, there a s hallow channel over the reef, either paddle out, or start riding in deep water near shore and stay on foil till you have cleared shallow reef. Couple of fun waves to ride on southerly swells.
Ke’ehi Lagoon/ Sand Island – Great location for learning, with large area of flat water, and couple of great down wind learning runs. Check out the “spot guide” for the lowdown of this learning heaven.
White Plains – South side location, Kapolei side, not such a popular spot but it has consistent winds, and swell in summer with a couple of good breaks in front of the launch area. There are a few patches of shallow reef, but there is a large area to play in for intermediate to advanced riders. Again the standard NE trade wind can be fickle at this location but the wind gets more consistent and stronger the more easterly it goes. Also possible to wing here on southerly Kona winds. Bring your light wind gear. Parking and launch is opposite the coast guard station, at Nimitz Beach.