Populars surf guide
Surf: Further outside check Populars slightly less crowded and less localised rights that run down the reef nicely in SE-S swells. There’s a paddling channel to the right of the break and some shorter soft lefts.
Environment: When Pops gets overhead and pumping on a big S swell, loads of shredders appear to destroy the waves and the usual mellow vibe.
Surf: General: Just west of Canoes, and a hundred yards or so further out, lies the long, curving stretch of reef that's aptly named Populars (or Pop's). It's a peak with a decent right that peels and swings down the line with a few bowly sections towards the inside, and a shorter, fairly mushy left. Occasionally it fires, like on a big S swell.
Tides: Low to medium
Size: Waist high-well overhead
Wind: Calm or offshore from NW to E, with NE straight offshore.
Swell: Anything from the SE to SW, but usually from the S to SW.
Bottom: Reef
Paddling: Long paddles to and from beach, but not bad once you're out there.
Spot Rating: Usually a mellow and user friendly wave, but gets good when a solid swell is running.
Access: Easy. Located in front of the Sheraton Waikiki Hotel, across the channel and east of Canoes.
Crowds: Crowd Factor: All the spots through Waikiki are pretty much always crowded all the time.
Local Vibe: Mellow, except when there is a perfect SSE or S swell running, that's when all the heavies show up.
Environment: Clean for the most part, but most of Hawaii's population lives on the South Shore of Oahu. Tons of people.
Hazards: Reef, large crowds, boards. Many first-timers that get in the way.
Season: Summer. From around April through October.