Sunset Beach - Hawaii's Finest
Places to visit > Sunset Beach - More in this category > Honolulu > Haleiwa > Hanauma Bay > Kailua > Kaneohe > North Shore > Pearl City > Pearl Harbor > Wahiawa > Waikiki > Sea Park > Honolulu Zoo > WaterfallsSunset Beach is Hawaii's postcard beach. Miles of seemingly untouched yellow sand, framed by gently swaying palm trees and the glittering Pacific, make Sunset Beach a must for all Oahu visitors. Sunset Beach is aptly named after its gorgeous sunsets and is located northeast of Pupukoa on Oahu's North Shore. Though the scenery itself is enough to attract tourists to this area, it is the surfing that keeps them here.
This is the home of the island's surfing. In the early 1950's Sunset Beach was the place where North Shore surfing really took off. It quickly became home to some of the greatest surfing contests in the world such as the World Surfing Cup.
Sunset Beach is hailed as one of Hawaii's best surfing spots. Streams of novices and pros alike gaze out into the untamed wilderness of the water, willing the perfect wave. Photographers wonder around the idyllic scenery snapping shots of some of the best surfing in the world, placing the results on glossy magazine covers. But don't be fooled by the beautiful setting, Sunset Beach can be a beast.
High surf generates dangerous water conditions, including powerful currents, rip currents, and backwashes sweeping across the foreshore. Riding any of the famous breaks in Sunset requires vast surfing experience and immense precision. Strong currents and huge waves can make surfing perilous and inexperienced surfing is not advised. Neither, for that matter, is swimming. In winter the waters off Sunset Beach Hawaii are far too treacherous to swim. In summer, however, there are a few who brave the waters. Lifeguards are on duty daily. Check with them before going in the water.
Each of the breaks has its own name. Probably the best known is the Banzai Pipeline in Ehukai Beach Park. The break was named in the late 1950s when a famous surf cinematographer shouted out "Banzai" while narrating the film "Surf Surfari" as a surfer dropped in on a particularly vicious wave. The experience is described as being fired like a bullet through the tubular break. Although the thrill is amazing, surfers are warned about the danger and to avoid being crushed into the sharp reef at the end.
Backyards is renowned as especially lethal. It is a popular windsurfing spot with the biggest waves for sailing. But windsurfers must contend with the shallow reef and strong currents; a deadly mix for novices.
The last break before Turtle Bay is Velzyland. The waves here are more reliable than and not as massive as the rest of the Sunset Beach breaks.
Sunset Beach truly is a surfer's paradise, yet you do not have to necessarily surf to enjoy the beauty of the land and astounding power of the ocean.
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