The North Shore

Famous for: Pipeline Masters & The Eddie
Main Surf season: November to March
Surf Standard: Experts! 

Location: On Oahu, the third largest of the Hawaiian Islands.   

The famous North Shore's surf spots:

First watch this amazing drone footage of Pipeline:

Throughout the year Hawaiian surf will appear in surf magazines, films, photos and stories.  The incredible images and tales show the very best of the surfing world. In the photos and stories professional and free surfer names are mentioned by the dozen and surf spots are named one after another.   To help you find out what the fuss is about, we take a quick look at the top 7 surf spots along the North Shore:

Spot no1: Haleiwa

Home to the Hawaiian Pro and a hefty shore break, Haleiwa begins the journey along the infamous North Shore. Haleiwa itself is the main town and is the place that everyone shops, eats and drinks on the North Shore.

Spot no2: Waimea

Where the big waves are... and when we say big, we mean big. Waimea bay is held sacred in the surf community, as it is one of the few bays that can hold up to 50ft waves that are still rideable.  It is the break that The Eddie contest is held when the waves reach epic proportions as it did last December 2009.

Spot no3: Off the Wall

Following the coastline North, just before you reach the legendary Ehukai Beach Park, lies Off the Wall.  It's a right-hander wave that provides a great spot for capturing stunning surf photos.  Here it is all about the pro surfers tearing it up in its hollow waves.

Spot no4: Pipeline

If ever there was an ultimate wave in the world Pipeline could be it. Still one of the most dangerous, yet most impressive rides on the planet, Pipeline is an immense barreling wave that reaches heights of 25ft, with underwater caves formed of razor sharp reef. 

Pipeline has claimed more lives than any other surf break, yet continues to be the site for the Billabong Pipeline masters each December, where the Vans Triple Crown is decided.

Spot no5: Backdoor

Think of Pipeline, you would ride right (if looking from the beach). However, some crazy surfer once decided to go left at Pipe and so Backdoor was created.  Both Pipeline and Backdoor are found in Banzai Ehukai Beach Park, home to every professional surfer during the winter contest season.

Spot no6: Rocky Point

This is one of the most sort after waves later in the Hawaiian winter. Why?  It is because it offers all sorts of fun, rip-able waves that are a surfer's and surf photographer's dream.  Pro surfers come here to not only have fun in the varied sand-bottomed waves, but to clinch that all important surf mag shot.

Spot no7: Sunset

Lying within a mile of Pipeline and Rocky's is yet another legendary surf spot, Sunset beach offers around 200ft of breaking waves, can hold small and large sets, and is the home to the O'Neill World Cup of Surfing each year.  It's here that the Vans Triple Crown of Surfing starts to take more shape as Sunset is the 2nd stop of the Crown.