Bodysurfing -- riding the waves without a board, becoming one with the rolling water -- is a way of life in Hawaii. Some bodysurfers just rely on their hands to ride the waves; others use hand boards (flat, paddlelike gloves). For additional maneuverability, try a Boogie Board or body board (also known as belly boards or paipo boards). These 3-foot-long boards support the upper part of your body, and are easy to carry and very maneuverable in the water. Both bodysurfing and body boarding require a pair of open-heeled swim fins to help propel you through the water. Both kinds of wave riding are very popular in the islands because the equipment is inexpensive and easy to carry, and both sports can be practiced in the small, gentle waves.

Baldwin Beach, just outside of Paia, has great bodysurfing waves nearly year-round. In winter, Maui's best bodysurfing spot is Mokuleia Beach, known locally as Slaughterhouse because of the cattle slaughterhouse that once stood here, not because of the waves -- although they are definitely for expert bodysurfers only. To get to Mokuleia, take Honoapiilani Highway just past Kapalua Bay Resort; various hiking trails will take you down to the pocket beach. Storms from the south bring fair bodysurfing conditions and great Boogie Boarding to the lee side of Maui: Oneloa (Big Beach) in Makena, Ulua and Kamaole III in Kihei, and Kapalua beaches are all good choices.