While not the swell magnet that fellow west coast harbor break Lahaina is Ma'alaea is one of Maui's most famous waves. This is in part for the rifling perfect right-hand tubes it creates on just the right South or South-West swell in another part for the decades-long fight to preserve Ma'alaea's existence as a world-class albeit rare surf spot. Fortunately in May of 2012 federal and state agencies ended the project that would have expanded a portion of the Ma'alaea Harbor and effectively destroyed the wave thus ensuring Ma'alaea will remain a jewel in Hawaii's pantheon of incredible surf breaks. Once considered the "fastest wave on earth" Ma'alaea has attracted brave barrel riders from within Maui and abroad for decades thus the crowd can become as intense as the wave itself. Because of its size the crowd and the reef bottom Ma'alaea is considered an expert-only spot though there are more manageable peaks nearby during smaller South swells.

More Details

Best Tide: Mid
Best Swell Direction: South, South-West
Best Size: Overhead and above
Best Wind: North-West
Perfect-O-Meter: 8. But rare (1=Lake Erie; 10=Jeffreys Bay)
Bottom: Reef
Ability Level: Expert only when it's on, beginner-to-intermediate on smaller South swells
Bring Your: Barrel shortboard when good
Best Season: Summer
Crowd Factor: Intense when it's good, manageable when it's small
Local Vibe: Usually mellow unless its firing.
Poo Patrol: Pollution can be a problem, as Ma'alaea is a harbor (1=clean; 10=turds in the lineup)
Shark Danger: 3. (1=none; 10=bring an iron cage)
Hazards: Shallow reef

Surf Report
Maui West Expert Surf Forecast By Kevin Noonan

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