amazing place to be and a wave that always challenges you . '' The vibe : Surfers compare this event to professional golf 's Master 's tournament . Since the 1950s and '60s , mobs of fans have traveled to view one of the sport 's great venues to watch competing surfers . How to get there : To find this quarter-mile long treasure trove of breaking waves , drive southwest of Ehukai Beach Park along the Kamehameha Highway , about seven miles northeast of Haleiwa . During competition season -- in November and December -- visitors can soak up a lot of action on the beach , said Scott Bass , editor at Surfer Magazine . `` It 's a unique spot because a large , crazy death-defying surf breaks only 100 yards from shore . It 's very accessible as a viewer , '' said Bass . See map and more photos of Slater 's surfing spots '' Where to stay : Keiki Beach Bungalows offers tourists the best of both worlds : proximity to the Pipeline and a break from the crowds . Located on the beach about a mile away from Pipeline , the quiet bungalows
-LRB- CNN -RRB- -- For pro-surfers like nine-time world champion Kelly Slater , flying from continent to continent looking for the perfect wave seems like a freewheeling lifestyle , but for amateurs , it requires careful planning . Surfing champ Kelly Slater gains altitude at Hossegor , France , in 2002 . Surfers checking out unique vibes at sites in Australia , Fiji , Tahiti , Hawaii and France are driven by the buzz that comes from exhilarating swells , breaking waves and amazing barrel tubes created by truly awesome forces of nature . Unlike other travelers , surfers are interested in surfer-friendly places to crash , snagging the best airline rates for surfboards and where to hang out . Here 's Slater 's list of five great surfing meccas along with some hints about how to fully enjoy your search for the proverbial endless summer . See photos of Slater surfing his five great sites '' BANZAI PIPELINE , Oahu , Hawaii Event : Billabong Pipeline Masters , December 8 to December 20 , 2009 `` I grew up mesmerized by it , and it never lets you down , '' Slater said . `` It 's just an