United States ยท Pacific Islands
Each location is refreshed once every three hours. The hourly view, 7-day forecast, luck factor and packing notes come from the same stored update.
We compare the 7-day forecast with the version-matched historical observations available for the same time of year at Honolua Bay. The delta shows whether conditions look better, worse or about the same as a typical late July.
We score each day of the 7-day forecast using the same algorithm as the leaderboard, and highlight the highest scorer.
Open-Meteo's Marine API (swell height, period, water temperature) and Weather API (wind and conditions).
Flat as a lake. Save your energy for another day. Reasonable period putting some grunt behind each wave. Breezy. Some surface chop to deal with. Not enough swell to get this spot firing properly.
PeakWave scores are planning signals, not safety clearance. Check local authorities, official bulletins and on-site conditions before you go. Read our editorial policy.
Honolua Bay is a world-class, intensely powerful right-hand point break located on the north-western coast of Maui, Hawaii. The geomorphology features a pronounced volcanic rock point that transitions into a vibrant, live coral reef shelf within the bay. When struck by massive north-westerly winter groundswells generated in the North Pacific, the wave energy refracts flawlessly around the point. A south-easterly offshore wind, heavily funnelled by the surrounding cliffs, grooms the wave to a pristine finish. The wave breaks mechanically across several distinct sections-including The Point, The Cave, and Keiki Bowl-often connecting to offer incredibly long rides featuring deep, cylindrical barrel sections and steep carving walls. Due to the intense speed, the shallow depth over the sharp coral, and the fiercely competitive line-up, Honolua Bay is strictly an advanced surfing location. It demands elite wave-reading skills and highly technical tube riding to navigate the high-consequence inside sections.
Heads up: jellyfish: peak season, and rocks exposed at low tide.
Indicators derived from forecast data, not official warnings. Always check local lifeguard or official advice.
The air here is 62% cleaner than the average comparison city right now.
Noticeably cleaner air than a typical city. Good conditions for prolonged outdoor activity.
Not a pollutant. Ozone is naturally higher at altitude and near the coast, and lower in cities where traffic exhaust breaks it down. High readings here typically indicate clean air. Can cause short-term airway irritation during intense exercise but is not linked to the long-term health risks of particulate pollution.
Additive health score: each pollutant contributes points relative to its WHO 2021 guideline and long-term health impact (PM2.5 9, NOโ 5, Oโ 3, PM10 2, SOโ 1 at WHO limits). Data via Open-Meteo. City markers show live readings. Red line marks the WHO guideline. Updated 15:12
Crystal clear water: ~31m visibility
Daily scores over the last 12 months at Honolua Bay
Historical quality only. Safety is not reconstructed for this view.
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Create Profile โPartly. The model uses stored spot geometry, swell ranges and tide preferences where configured. It cannot see changing banks, crowds, access, closures or everything visible on a local cam, so treat it as a starting point.
The best week for surf at Honolua Bay is the week of 30 November (score 3/5) with low crowds.
This guide was generated from conditions data. Know this spot? Submit your own tips below.
Honolua Bay is a world-class right-hand point break on Maui's northwest coast. The wave peels along a reef shelf inside a protected bay, producing long, powerful walls and barrel sections. It has hosted professional events and is considered one of Hawaii's finest rights. The jungle-lined bay and clear blue water create an iconic setting. Protected as a marine preserve, the water teems with life.
Needs a solid north-west Pacific groundswell (6ft+). Winter season (November-February) delivers the biggest swells from North Pacific storms. A south-easterly trade wind is offshore. Best at mid to high tide. The 6-12ft range is where it produces world-class barrels. Does not work in summer.
The take-off is at the top of the point where the swell hits the reef. The right peels along the bay for up to 200 metres. Multiple sections offer different take-off options. The cave section produces the deepest barrels.
Powerful Hawaiian waves over shallow reef. Coral and rocks. Strong currents on bigger swells. Sea turtles in the lineup. The wave is fast and powerful at size. Getting caught inside is consequential. Experienced surfers only on solid days.
Park on the road above the bay. Trail through the jungle to the cliff viewing point and down to the water. The hike (10 minutes) limits casual visitors. Entry from the rocks at the bay edge.
Crowded when it works. Maui's surf community converges on Honolua during north swells. 20-40 people on a classic day. The locals have deep history with this wave and expect respect. The take-off is competitive.
Honolua is sacred to the local Hawaiian community. Respect the place, do not litter, and be humble in the lineup. The cliff viewpoint above gives an excellent perspective on the wave and crowd. If it is too crowded or heavy, Fleming Beach (nearby) offers a mellow beach break alternative.
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Combining historical conditions with school holiday crowd pressure to find the sweet spot.
The timing score combines two signals: historical conditions quality (how good the skiing or surfing typically is in a given week, based on 5 years of weather data) and crowd pressure (how many of this destination's feeder markets have school holidays that week).
Crowd pressure is weighted by each feeder country's share of visitors. If 40% of a resort's visitors come from France and France is on holiday, that contributes 0.40 to the crowd pressure score. Crowds can reduce the timing score by up to 35%, ensuring conditions still matter most.
Scores: 5 = great conditions with low crowds (the sweet spot). 4 = great conditions with moderate crowds, or good conditions with low crowds. 3 = average. 2 = below average conditions or very crowded. 1 = poor conditions or peak holiday chaos.
Last 30 days of logged conditions.
Based on historical weekly averages
Conditions at Honolua Bay tend to be best between 06:00 to 09:00 in July.
Average score during this window: 18/100
See timing scores, school holiday busyness, and lift pass pricing to find the best time to book.
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