Tahiti surf forecast and spots
Teahupo'o's heavy left on the south-west tip, the passes of the west coast (Taapuna, Sapinus, Maraa) and black-sand beach breaks on the north shore at Papenoo and Point Venus. 9 spots within 33 km of Tahiti: 2 beach breaks, 6 reef breaks, 1 point break. 1 suit beginners.
Live forecasts for every spot →
Best spots today in Tahiti
- Intermediate: Taapuna (Fair, 1.2–1.8 m, cross-offshore around 06:00)
- Advanced: Teahupo'o (Good, 1.8–2.8 m, cross-offshore around 06:00), Sapinus (Good, 1.6–2.4 m, cross-offshore around 06:00)
Tomorrow, Wednesday 4 November
- Advanced: Teahupo'o (Good, 1.8–2.8 m, cross-offshore around 06:00), Maraa (Good, 1.7–2.5 m, cross-offshore around 06:00)
This weekend near Tahiti
Saturday 7 November
- Intermediate: Papara (Taharuu) (Good, 1.5–2.3 m, cross-offshore around 06:00), Vairao (Tapuaeraha pass) (Fair, 1–1.6 m, offshore around 06:00)
- Advanced: Teahupo'o (Epic, 1.5–2.3 m, offshore around 06:00), Papara (Taharuu) (Good, 1.5–2.3 m, cross-offshore around 06:00)
Sunday 8 November
- Intermediate: Papara (Taharuu) (Good, 1.4–2.2 m, cross-offshore around 18:00), Vairao (Tapuaeraha pass) (Fair, 1–1.4 m, offshore around 06:00)
- Advanced: Teahupo'o (Good, 1.5–2.3 m, offshore around 06:00), Papara (Taharuu) (Good, 1.4–2.2 m, cross-offshore around 18:00)
The best daylight hour of each spot, rated for each level. Model forecast updated 3 Nov, 15:51 UTC; it changes every few hours, so check the live forecast before you go.
The spots
- Papara (Taharuu) · beach break, beginner, best on S/SW swell with N/NE wind, low to mid tide. Black-sand beach break at Taharuu, Papara, the island's main beach break with peaks both ways and surf schools on the beach. Mellow on small days, punchy and tubing on…
- Maraa · reef break, advanced, best on S/SW/W swell with NE/E wind, mid to high tide. Thick, fast left breaking into the Maraa pass (Te Ava Rua) on Tahiti's south-west coast, about 1 km out; long paddle across the lagoon or boat. Very shallow coral, so…
- Sapinus · reef break, advanced, best on SW/S/W swell with E/NE wind, mid to high tide. Hollow, powerful left on the outer reef at the Nuuroa pass off Pointe des Pêcheurs, south of Taapuna; paddle out from the point. A strong current pulls out through the…
- Taapuna · reef break, advanced, best on SSW/SW/S swell with E/NE/ENE wind, mid to high tide. Taapuna is a left on the south side of the Taapuna pass, about 800 m off Punaauia on Tahiti's west coast and visible from the coast road. A S to SSW groundswell from…
- Orofara · point break, intermediate, best on N/NE/NW swell with S/SE/SW wind, all tides. Fun right point break off the black-sand beach at Orofara on the north coast, easy to reach from the road. Works on north and north-east swells, often with something to…
- Papenoo (river mouth) · beach break, intermediate, best on N/NE/NW swell with S/SW/SE wind, low to mid tide. Sand-bottom peaks at the mouth of the Papenoo River on the north-east coast, with lefts and rights that can barrel on a north swell. Avoid it after heavy rain, when the…
- Point Venus · reef break, advanced, best on NE/N swell with S/SE/SW wind, mid tide. Fast, hollow right over a shallow coral reef off Pointe Vénus at the entrance to Matavai Bay; short paddle from the beach. Needs a north-east swell, so it only breaks…
- Vairao (Tapuaeraha pass) · reef break, advanced, best on S/SW swell with NE/N/E wind, all tides. Long, hollow left at the Tapuaeraha pass off Vairao on Tahiti Iti's west coast, about 1.5 km from shore; a boat is the usual way out. Often bigger than Taapuna and…
- Teahupo'o · reef break, advanced, best on S/SSW/SW swell with NE/E wind, all tides. World-famous left that throws a thick, hollow barrel onto a shallow coral reef at the end of the road on Tahiti's south-east coast. Works on south and south-west swells.
Best time to surf in Tahiti
Good days per month for intermediate surfers; tap a month for where else to surf then.
Best months for intermediate surfers: February to June, August to November. For beginners: December to February. The water goes from about 27 °C in August (Boardshorts / rash vest) to 29 °C in March (Boardshorts / rash vest). 1 of the 9 spots suit beginners, such as Papara (Taharuu).
| Month | Rideable days | Good days | Beginner days | Water |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Jan | 10 | 1 | 10 | 28 °C |
| Feb | 20 | 5 | 10 | 29 °C |
| Mar | 21 | 4 | 7 | 29 °C |
| Apr | 19 | 4 | 4 | 29 °C |
| May | 22 | 4 | 3 | 29 °C |
| Jun | 17 | 2 | 2 | 28 °C |
| Jul | 14 | 2 | 4 | 27 °C |
| Aug | 20 | 2 | 2 | 27 °C |
| Sep | 18 | 2 | 4 | 27 °C |
| Oct | 17 | 1 | 4 | 27 °C |
| Nov | 18 | 2 | 7 | 27 °C |
| Dec | 14 | 2 | 8 | 28 °C |
Days per month at the best third of the 9 spots for each level, from two years of wave and wind model data.
Questions
What are the best surf spots in Tahiti?
The best-known are Taapuna, Papara (Taharuu), Sapinus, Orofara. In all, 9 spots lie within 33 km: 2 beach breaks, 6 reef breaks, 1 point break.
Where can beginners surf in Tahiti?
Papara (Taharuu): sandy, more forgiving spots. Surf them on small days, ideally with a lesson or near the lifeguards.
When is the best time to surf in Tahiti?
For intermediate surfers February to June, August to November. For beginners December to February.
What wetsuit do I need to surf in Tahiti?
The sea goes from about 27 °C in August (Boardshorts / rash vest) to 29 °C in March (Boardshorts / rash vest).
Also: surf spots in Tahiti · best time to surf in French Polynesia · French Polynesia surf forecast this week. Reading the forecast: the forecast and the lineup together, wind and tide.