A great place to learn to surf in the heart of downtown Honolulu. Rentals by the hour, by the day, and lessons also available. There are numerous rental shops on the beach and in the shopping centers. The waves are just big enough for beginners.
Learning to Surf
If you have never surfed before, it isn’t all that hard to get up and catch a wave if you take a lesson, especially at Waikiki Beach. You have to be in reasonably good shape to paddle the board out to the waves, and get up and keep your balance for a little while. They will typically give beginners really big boards that make the entire process much easier.
Catch a wave
If you time it just right, you don’t need to paddle very hard to catch a wave. The waves off of Waikiki are also really great for beginners. The seas are generally pretty calm, with short well defined waves that are easy to read. For those like me that learned to surf over sand bard, the hard rocks and coral reefs can be a little intimidating.
Watching Surfing Competitions in Waikiki
If you are looking for something a little different, watching a surfing competition was a fun new experience. I just happened to run into the event on my morning walk. It didn’t last very long, but watching real surfers carve it up was pretty sweet.
The crowds at Waikiki
The crowds of beginner surfers in the water can be a little much at Waikiki Beach. The area right in front of Dukes has the biggest crowd. It’s less crowded early in the morning. By by the time sunset hits, it is packed on the waves.
Boogie Boarding on Waikiki
There is one section a little past Dukes’s statue towards Diamond Head that is the hot spot for the Boogie Boarders. For those that just want to catch a wave you will also need a pair of small flippers for this. You could try to use a set of normal sized snorkel flippers I suppose but the little ones are what all the buggy boarders use.