Located on the North Shore of Oahu, Sunset is one of the premier, world-famous breaks on this stretch of coast. It is an excellent right-hand reef break that offers up hectic and unpredictable peaks at size along with great rides for those that can navigate the lineup. There are a few main areas to the wave and reef. Sunset Point is the inside section, a good wave when smaller and for those looking to progress. Then there is Middles, which starts to break at the overhead mark, making for good walls. At double overhead, the Inside Bowl and West Peak begin to light up. There are some barrel sections but it’s really about the rail game out here. Bring a much bigger board than you think and be ready for unpredictable waves and currents, this lineup is chaotic at best. The waves here break for up to 300 meters over a coral reef, offering up powerful sections that demand respect.
What are the best surf conditions for Sunset?
Gets good between waist-high and triple overhead. We recommend riding a shortboard, then a step-up or a rhino chaser as the size picks up. This break is suitable for intermediate and advanced-level surfers. The surf here usually has something to ride (5/10) and will get insanely crowded (9/10). The best winds are from the Southeast. The best swells are from the North, Northeast, Northwest, and West. Works on all tides.
We recommend wearing board shorts or a bikini year round here. Water temperatures range from 27 to 24. See the temperature chart below for more data on this.
