Pakala, United States
Also within 20 km of Waimea
- Mana Crack Dive site · 10.5 km from Waimea
- Family Housing Surf spot · 11.7 km from Waimea
- Polihale State Park Surf spot · 16.5 km from Waimea
Watch this spot We email you when Pakala is worth the trip.

About Pakala
Facing, offshore wind, exposure, level and swell range are estimated. Facts: verified, surf details estimated.
The spot faces SW (223°), so it takes swell from the SW. The wind blows offshore from the NE (43°). It is sheltered to the open swell. It suits beginners and up. It works in 4–16 ft of swell. The sea floor shelves gently: 10 m deep about 900 m out (1 in 88). 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 July, its warmest (no wetsuit). The town to stay in is Waimea, 3.3 km away (about 10 min by car).
Water about 27°C: no wetsuit. Typical sea temperature for the time of year, not a forecast.
Saved: this link opens the same trip
The link holds the trip itself: nothing about you is kept. Check the forecast again before you book.
Book the trip
From Chicago: about 15 h 10 door to door, one way. An estimate; the journey never changes the score.
Fly. Chicago O'Hare International Airport (ORD) to Daniel K. Inouye International Airport (HNL), direct.
See flights ORD → HNL · Skyscanner from about £420 returnAdGetting there. 3 h 35 from the airport to Pakala.
Accommodation.
Stay in WaimeaAd
Typical prices for a double room that month, not a quote.
Room photos are examples, not these hotels (credits).
See all places to stay in Waimea (ad) on Booking.com →Closest towns to stay in
Waimea 6 min by car · rooms from £100 a night · 6 places to stay · where Pakala stays
Places to stay in Waimea · Booking.com AdHanalei 59 min by car · rooms from £100 a night · 16 places to stay
Places to stay in Hanalei · Booking.com Ad
Typical prices for a double room that month, not a quote. Drives are estimates.
Hire and lessons.
Surf lessons in Waimea · GetYourGuideAdBoard and wetsuit hire in Waimea · GetYourGuideAd
Where it is
Pakala on Google Maps · Directions
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Forecast
The score for intermediates, coloured as on the area pages:GoodFairPoorToo bigToo small
| Day | Score for intermediates | Swell | Energy | Wind | Temp |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Sun 18Oct | 30, too small | 3 ft6 smushy | 82kJ | offshorewind from the east-north-east, 8 knots, offshore | 25°C |
| Mon 19Oct | 31, poor | 5 ft6 smushy | 150kJ | offshorewind from the east-north-east, 6 knots, offshore | 25°C |
| Tue 20Oct | 28, poor | 5 ft6 smushy | 158kJ | offshorewind from the east, 5 knots, offshore | 26°C |
| Wed 21Oct | 32, poor | 4 ft6 smushy | 89kJ | offshorewind from the east-north-east, 4 knots, offshore | 25°C |
| Thu 22Oct | 21, too small | 3 ft6 smushy | 44kJ | offshorewind from the north-east, 3 knots, offshore | 25°C |
| Fri 23Oct | 20, too small | 2 ft11 ssoft | 78kJ | wind from the south, 2 knots | 26°C |
| Sat 24Oct | 30, too small | 2 ft11 ssoft | 115kJ | wind from the south-south-west, 1 knot | 26°C |
| Sun 25Oct | 27, too small | 3 ft9 ssoft | 104kJ | wind from the south-east, 2 knots | 26°C |
| Mon 26Oct | 36, fair | 3 ft12 ssoft | 163kJ | offshorewind from the east-north-east, 5 knots, offshore | 27°C |
| Tue 27Oct | 32, too small | 3 ft11 ssoft | 197kJ | wind from the east-south-east, 6 knots | 23°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 Mon 19 Oct, leaving from Chicago, for intermediate surfers. Change dates
- Mon 19 OctTravel out
Direct flight ORD to HNL, then 3h 35 by road. About 15h 10 door to door
- Tue 20 OctSurf Pakala
Best 08:00 to 11:00 local time: 5 ft at 6 s, offshore wind.
- Wed 21 OctSurf Pakala
Best 08:00 to 11:00 local time: 4 ft at 6 s, offshore wind.
- Thu 22 OctRest day
Too small: 3 ft at best.
- Fri 23 OctRest day
Too small: 2 ft at best.
- Sat 24 OctRest day
Too small: 2 ft at best.
- Sun 25 OctTravel home
Direct flight ORD to HNL, then 3h 35 by road. About 15h 10 door to door
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.
| What | How we worked it out | Each |
|---|---|---|
| Flights | return ORD to HNL, estimated from distance and season, 2 airlines on the route, with a hold bag | £420–£870 |
| To the UK airport | parking or the train, there and back | £35–£65 |
| Hire car | 6 days, shared | £115–£190 |
| Stay | 6 nights, a mid-range double, shared | £270–£455 |
| Food | 7 days eating out | £260–£480 |
| Board and wetsuit | 5 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 Waimea
- Island TacoTaco · 0.2 km from the centre
- The Shrimp StationSeafood · 0.2 km from the centre
- L & L Hawaiian BarbecueHawaiian · 0.4 km from the centre
- Chicken In a Barrel BBQBarbecue · 0.5 km from the centre
- The Saddle RoomBar and grill · 0.5 km from the centre
- Porky’s KauaiHawaiian · 0.6 km from the centre
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
Where to stayAd
Places to stay · Booking.com (ad)Links marked Ad may pay us a small commission if you book. You pay the same price, and it never changes a score.