North Shore, Oahu, Hawaii, United States
Sunset Beach Surf Guide
Sunset Beach is a big, shifting reef break on Oahu’s North Shore, known for powerful walls and long, challenging paddles. It handles serious size and rewards surfers who can read a moving peak.
Best conditions
Best swell directionWNW (300°)
Offshore windESE (120°)
Swell exposureBroad exposure
Break typeReef break
Best seasonWinter (November to February)
Skill levelAdvanced
Direction and exposure values come from SwellChaser’s calibrated forecast model. Always check a live forecast and local conditions before you paddle out.
About Sunset Beach
Sunset breaks over a broad reef that produces large, shifting peaks. It holds swell from a wide window and is one of the North Shore’s premier big-wave venues, with a long history as a contest site.
The wave is powerful and the lineup moves around, so positioning and experience matter. It is best on solid NNW to NW groundswell with light trade winds.