Kauai is one of the most lovely spots on this plant and Maui is nice if you get away from the tourist areas I also recommend the hikes and other info but as far a surfing the waves in the winter can be very extreme in fact during the 2 years I lived on Oahu from 1985-87 there were about 20 days each winter when there closed the north shore beaches which they only did when the waves averaged over 50 feet and one day while I was there they were averaging over 80 feet so if you did want to try and get some lesions there I recommend the south shore of leeward side of the island which still get good waves but not the extreme waves