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Hanalei Bay, United States

Stay in Hanalei: see the trip Its beds, the way there and every spot near it.

Also within 20 km of Hanalei

All 11 on Hanalei's map

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Hanalei Bay from Wai'oli Beach Park
Hanalei Bay. Photo: Goshea at English Wikipedia, CC BY 2.5, Wikimedia Commons

About Hanalei Bay

Facing, offshore wind, exposure, level and swell range are estimated. Facts: verified, surf details estimated.

The spot faces N (345°), so it takes swell from the N. The wind blows offshore from the S (165°). It is exposed to the open swell. It suits intermediate surfers and up. It works in 2–10 ft of swell. The sea floor shelves gently: 10 m deep about 700 m out (1 in 72). On a typical 5 ft, 11 s swell the waves here would spill softly. The sea is about 24°C in February, its coldest month (no wetsuit), and 27°C in August, its warmest (no wetsuit). For intermediate surfers the best months are usually April, May, June and September, with about 1 good days in 7. From the weather of past years. The town to stay in is Hanalei, 1.6 km away (about 5 min by car). Within 5 km we also list 2 surf spots and 1 wind sports spot.

Water about 27°C: no wetsuit. Typical sea temperature for the time of year, not a forecast.

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From Chicago: about 15 h 10 door to door, one way. An estimate; the journey never changes the score.

  1. Fly. Chicago O'Hare International Airport (ORD) to Daniel K. Inouye International Airport (HNL), direct.

    See flights ORD → HNL · Skyscanner from about £420 returnAd

  2. Getting there. 3 h 35 from the airport to Hanalei Bay.

    Car hire · Discover CarsAd

  3. Accommodation.

    Stay in HanaleiAd

    Typical prices for a double room that month, not a quote.

    Room photos are examples, not these hotels (credits).

    See all places to stay on Booking.com →

    Closest towns to stay in

    Typical prices for a double room that month, not a quote. Drives are estimates.

  4. Hire and lessons.

    Surf lessons in Hanalei · GetYourGuideAdBoard and wetsuit hire in Hanalei · GetYourGuideAd

Everything else for the trip

Where it is

Hanalei Bay on Google Maps · Directions

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Forecast

Hanalei Bay does not suit beginners. This is the forecast for intermediates, so you can see what it does.

The score for intermediates, coloured as on the area pages:GoodFairPoorToo bigToo small

DayScoreInter­mediateSwellEnergyWindTemp
Mon 19Oct474 ft7 smushy127kJ22°C
Tue 20Oct484 ft6 smushy132kJ22°C
Wed 21Oct435 ft6 smushy146kJ23°C
Thu 22Oct544 ft6 smushy101kJ24°C
Fri 23Oct433 ft6 smushy72kJ25°C
Sat 24Oct352 ft9 ssoft79kJ24°C
Sun 25Oct634 ft8 ssoft173kJ23°C
Mon 26Oct634 ft13 ssoft429kJ25°C
Tue 27Oct684 ft11 ssoft455kJ23°C

Day scores here are the conditions out of 80; a trip's score on the results is the same conditions out of 100. The journey never scores. The forecast reaches about 10 days. Energy is the swell's power in kJ per metre of wave, from its height and interval: it grows with the square of each, so a long-period swell hits far harder than a short one the same size. The word under the swell is the wave's shape, our estimate from the sea floor. Wind is in knots: 10 kn is about 19 km/h. The arrow points where the wind blows to; offshore wind, blowing from the land out to sea, is green and says so.

Your trip, day by day

6 nights from Tue 20 Oct, leaving from Chicago, for intermediate surfers. Change dates

  1. Tue 20 Oct
    Travel out

    Direct flight ORD to HNL, then 3h 35 by road. About 15h 10 door to door

  2. Wed 21 Oct
    Surf Hanalei Bay

    Best 17:00 to 20:00 local time: 5 ft at 6 s, wind 7 kn (12 km/h).

  3. Thu 22 Oct
    Surf Pu`u poa

    Best 08:00 to 11:00 local time: 4 ft at 6 s, offshore wind.

  4. Fri 23 Oct
    Surf Anini Beach- Wires

    Best 08:00 to 11:00 local time: 3 ft at 6 s, offshore wind.

  5. Sat 24 Oct
    Surf Waikokos

    Best 08:00 to 11:00 local time: 3 ft at 6 s, wind 8 kn (15 km/h).

  6. Sun 25 Oct
    Surf Hanalei Bay

    Best 08:00 to 11:00 local time: 4 ft at 8 s, wind 5 kn (10 km/h).

  7. Mon 26 Oct
    Travel home

    Direct flight ORD to HNL, then 3h 35 by road. About 15h 10 door to door

The plan picks the best of 7 spots near Hanalei each day: Anini Beach- Wires, Bobo's Haena, Cannons, Hanalei Bay, Pu`u poa, Tunnels, Waikokos.

The trip from Hanalei, with every spot near it

Rough cost

About £1,215–£2,250 each for 6 nights, 2 people sharing a room. A guide from typical prices, not a quote: check the real prices before you book.

WhatHow we worked it outEach
Flightsreturn ORD to HNL, estimated from distance and season, 2 airlines on the route, with a hold bag£420–£870
To the UK airportparking or the train, there and back£35–£65
Hire car6 days, shared£115–£190
Stay6 nights, a mid-range double, shared£270–£455
Food7 days eating out£260–£480
Board and wetsuit5 days, or about £85 to fly your own£115–£190
Total£1,215–£2,250

Prices from public sources, checked in 2026: where they come from. Lessons, lift-pass deals and insurance are extra.

Places to eat near Hanalei

Within 2 km of the town centre, listed by how complete the listing is (website, opening hours, cuisine) and whether two sources name it. Not a judgement of the food: we have no reviews. Listings © OpenStreetMap contributors (ODbL) and Overture Maps Foundation. Credits

Book the trip

Getting thereAd

Flights · Skyscanner Car hire · Discover Cars

Where to stayAd

Places to stay · Booking.com

In the waterAd

Surf lessons · GetYourGuide Board and wetsuit hire · GetYourGuide

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