North Maui

What makes Maui a special destination for surfers?

I think Maui is really unique in the variety of surf. There’s such a vast amount of different waves. There are everything from pointbreaks, to sandbars, to slabs, giant surf, little surf. And for every in-between day there’s a bunch of wind sports to do as well. There’s a lot of versatility here, and if you have the ability in all kinds of different surf, Maui is a great place that can give you an opportunity no matter what the swell forecast is. And the unique thing about islands, as we all know as surfers, if the wind is onshore on one side of the island it’s offshore on the other. 

What kind of waves can visiting surfers expect?

With a lot of swell here there are a lot of fun locations that can flair up. Even in the offseason, the summer months, you can find different kinds of waves. Obviously, winter is main focal point with popular waves like Jaws and Honolua, but I think the biggest thing about Maui is how many different kinds of waves there really are here. I think that directly influences the type of surfer who comes from here and how versatile they are. All the good surfers from here have a very creative ability to surf in all kinds of different waves. It’s like anywhere, there can be incredible, world-class days, but it can also be fickle in terms of when really, really good waves flair up. On average, there’s a lot of consistent, fun waves here. It’s known as a windier location, absolutely, but in winter when the swells are pinpointed towards Hawaii, it does seem to find a lot of light and variable days. 

What’s the vibe? 

The vibe is really good. I’m a little bit biased, obviously, because I grew up here. But I’ve spent a majority of my life traveling around the world experiencing different locations and cultures, and they all have great details, but there’s something that just feels good about Maui. There’s really good people, there’s a really good energy and there’s a very active community here. And I feel like there are a lot of like-minded people here on Maui, and I think that leads to creating a strong sense of community. It attracts very cool people. Like anywhere in the world you surf, everyone knows there can be heavy components to surf locations, but there’s also a light component everywhere you go. It’s just depends on how you look at it and how you approach it. If you approach everything respectfully without much of an ego, you’re going to be much more welcomed. I think what makes Maui so special is not just the surf, but the people that are here too. 

What should surfers bring?

Bring your reef-safe sunscreen, that’s a big thing on Maui. And in terms of surfboards, it just kind of depends on what your ability is. That’s the great thing about Maui, you can learn to surf or ride the biggest wave of your life. Something to keep in mind is the know what your ability is and bring the equipment that suits that. The waves are really powerful here, the conditions change very quickly. 

When is the best time to score?

The Northern Hemisphere winter is the season for big waves and when the marquee spots light up, but even in the summer months there are waves. We get south swells and cyclones and tropical storms in August and September, which open up these unique locations on the island that we don’t normally get to surf. So, there is year-round waves. 

What else is there to do when you’re not surfing?

Maui has a bunch of stuff to do. It just depends on what kind of trip you’re on. If you’re here as a couple, you can definitely be “paradising,” as we like to call it. You can go to some parts of the island an experience that Hawaii paradise vibe. There’s incredible hiking, cycling, mountain biking. Outside of surfing, you’re here in the summer months and there’s not much south swell you can tap into the wind sports on the north and south sides of the island—downwind foiling, downwind paddling, sailing, canoe racing, there’s a lot of other stuff to do. It took me the majority of my life to actually turn around, I was so fixated on the ocean and what the waves were doing, then I turned around and looked up at the Maui mountains and there’s so much stuff to do there…wineries, lavender farms, horseback riding, downhill mountain biking. There’s a lot of different components to Maui that make it really beautiful outside of the surf. 

What’s your favorite local cuisine?

There’s also a lot of good places to eat. Some of the quieter sides of the island really do have good local food. Obviously, there are tourist destinations and some very fine dining options, but the local food is really good and fresh. 

Where can people learn to surf? Any surf schools you’d recommend?

If you’re really a beginner, I would recommend linking up with one of the surf schools here or take some private lessons. There are a lot of really good surfers from Maui that do lessons here. There’s great locations that they have permitted access for that are really safe and very forgiving waves. There are a lot of really good surfers here that surf when the waves are giant, and when they’re not they’re teaching surfing. I think if you’re just learning that somebody like that would really help enhance the experience and teach you a lot about the place and the waves. 

Any other local tips?

I would say a big tip here too is to not use a super thin comp leash. The waves are notoriously powerful and your leash can break pretty easily at locations where your board will end up on the reef or rocks, I see that happen quite a bit. Use a normal thickness leash—you’re not trying to compete against Italo [Ferreira] in waist-high waves. Also, be respectful of the people who live there and the surfers who devote their lives to these spots.