No one would put Diamond Head on their list of highest quality surf breaks in the world, let alone on the South Shore of Oahu. But this still makes our list for a couple of simple reasons. First, there are consistently waves to surf here, year in, year out, no matter what. From slightly sloppy but rideable windswells to serious Southern Hemis barreling in from Tahiti that light up the outer reefs and close out the channels, Diamond Head will never force you to put the boards back up on the roofracks. Second, Diamond Head has a nice diversity of wave levels, from more steep rides over towards Lighthouses to the mellower roller further down the beach where lots of beginners get wet without fear. You can see a lone surfer taking off on a mellow wave in this pic. So if you want to definitely surf, positively, no matter what – this is probably the best place on the South Shore (except for Waikiki). Got it? And here’s the Surfline Report.

Diamond Head Beach Park
3451 Diamond Head Rd
Honolulu, HI 96816

(Image courtesy of @nadianiakossary)