Once a year, when the winter starts, North Shore of Oahu (especially the 7 mile miracle) becomes the epicenter of worlds surfing. Not that the North Shore is not the epicenter of surfing the other 11 months, but during late November early December everybody that have at least something to do with contest surfing go to North Shore. It is the end of the contest surf season and Vans Triple Crown and Pipe Masters usually decide who will be on world tour the next year and who will be world champion. Because of the surf contest and mingling with pro surfers this is also a very popular time to visit Hawaii for a vacation. Time to enjoy what Hawaii have to offer and spice it up with watching pros get tubed at surfing contests. If you’re new to Hawaii and this will be your first time, you may not be familiar with different locations and the area, so these tips will guide you as you visit Hawaii.
What to Expect
First, if you will visit Oahu North Shore during Vans Triple Crown and Pipe Masters you can expect lots of other people will want to do the same :)! Expect crowds. So if you wan’t to watch the contest make sure to show up super early so that you can find a good spot to watch the surfers and even more to park your car.
If you are not that into surfing then WSL (World Surf League) website is the place to check to find out when contests are scheduled (they have a waiting period) and if contest will be running on certain day. This depends on the surf conditions. Strong wind or lack of waves for instance can cause the contest to be on pause for the day. A promising very good conditions for next days can also be a reason that organizers wait and don’t run the contest on certain day.
Where to Stay
Oahu has many places that you can stay at while you’re on the island. You will find small motels and large resorts, such as the Marriott, where you can rest and enjoy yourself. Depending on your budget you will have to either looks really hard to find something within your budget or just go with some luxury rentals in Hawaii for a more opulent and private stay. If you are on a tight budget you have to know that Hawaii aren’t cheap. And they are especially not cheap during the contest season when even the smallest cheapest rooms rise prices and are usually fully booked. So plan you trip way in advance if you want to save some money.
The best option would be of course if you know someone on Oahu, and you sleep at their place a few days. One of the benefits of the island is that it only takes one hour to get from one side to the other. This means that you could stay with someone at the south part of the island without worrying about missing any surfing on the North Shore.
Places to Visit
Surf contests usually run at Haleiwa, Sunset beach and Pipeline. But since you are on Oahu, the island has multiple places that you can visit in between the contest. It would be a huge wast of time if you don’t. Because Oahu and Hawaii are a beautiful place. So what to do apart from surfing? You can go on many hikes and enjoy Hawaii’s nature. If you want to learn about Hawaiian culture, go to the Polynesian Cultural Center so that you can see excellent shows and enjoy the culture of these different islanders.
You can also visit different Buddhist temples. These temples are wonderful pieces of architecture and great to look at if you enjoy the humanities. Pearl Harbor stands out as an important piece of American History, allowing you to go to the memorial and respect those who died.
As always, you can visit beaches and enjoy the ocean even if you’re not watching surfers. Plenty of beaches provide a beautiful sight for you to enjoy, rays to soak in and water to swim around in. This might also be the perfect moment to rent a beginner surfboard and learn how to surf. This allows you to enjoy the clear water of the ocean and the fun that you can have at the beach.
Places to Eat
Hawaii has many places that provide wonderful food. If you enjoy hole-in-the-wall restaurants, you’re going to love Hawaii. There’s so many restaurants and cultures, allowing you to try different foods from around the world. You can find these at various hole-in-the-wall restaurants.
Hawaii also has a delicacy known as spam musubi. Spam musubi is rice and spam wrapped in seaweed. To add to it, there’s a special sauce they place on the spam to give it more flavor and a wonderful taste. You should try it at least once while you’re in the area.
Also go to L&L to enjoy some Hawaiian food. From chicken katsu to loco moco, you can find this food at L&L. Try out these restaurants and enjoy the unique food available in Hawaii.
Again, eating out is not cheap in Hawaii, if you are on a budget the best places to grab something to eat are usually food trucks.
As you visit the North Shore for surf competitions, you can experience different parts of Hawaii. Take advantage of your time there to enjoy the weather, watch some surfing competitions and experience Hawaiian culture.