Surf spots in Tofino

5 spots within 13 km of Tofino: 5 beach breaks. 1 suit beginners.

Best spots today in Tofino

Intermediate: Cox Bay (Good, 1.3 m, offshore around 08:00), Wickaninnish Beach (Good, 1.3 m, offshore around 08:00), Rosie's Bay (Good, 1.3 m, offshore around 09:00)
Beginners: Chesterman Beach (Fair, 1.3 m, offshore around 09:00), Florencia Bay (Fair, 1.1 m, onshore around 13:00)
Advanced: Wickaninnish Beach (Fair, 1.3 m, offshore around 08:00), Cox Bay (Fair, 1.3 m, offshore around 08:00)

Forecast updated 20 Oct, 01:03 UTC.

The spots

Cox Bay · beach break, intermediate, best on W swell with NE/E wind, all tides. An exposed beach with strong, fast peaks and a rocky point at one end, south of Tofino. It picks up more swell than Chesterman and is regularly used for competitions.
Rosie's Bay · beach break, intermediate, best on WSW/W/WNW swell with NNE/NE/ENE wind, all tides. Tofino beach with all lefts on west groundswell and northeast wind, at any tide. Crowded when working; rocks.
Chesterman Beach · beach break, beginner, best on W/WSW swell with NE wind, all tides. A long sandy beach south of Tofino that is the heart of Canada's surf scene and a popular lesson spot. Surfable all year, with the biggest swell in autumn and winter.
Wickaninnish Beach · beach break, intermediate, best on SW/WSW/W swell with ENE/E/ESE wind, all tides. Sandbar at Pacific Rim Park that likes west-southwest swell with an easterly wind. Gets busy.
Florencia Bay · beach break, intermediate, best on W/WNW/NW swell with NNE/NE/ENE wind, all tides. A secluded beach break within Pacific Rim National Park Reserve, reached by trail. It tends to hold waves when nearby Long Beach is crowded.

When to surf in Tofino

Best months for intermediate surfers: September to June. For beginners: April to June, September to October. The water goes from about 8 °C in February (6/5 mm hooded) to 16 °C in August (4/3 mm fullsuit). 1 of the 5 spots suit beginners, such as Chesterman Beach.

Month	Rideable days	Good days	Beginner days	Water
Jan	23	12	10	9 °C
Feb	22	11	8	8 °C
Mar	25	8	8	9 °C
Apr	21	7	17	10 °C
May	24	7	16	13 °C
Jun	20	6	17	14 °C
Jul	8	1	11	15 °C
Aug	11	4	12	16 °C
Sep	22	8	15	15 °C
Oct	19	7	13	12 °C
Nov	19	10	7	11 °C
Dec	20	11	7	10 °C

Days per month at the best third of the 5 spots for each level, from three years of wave and wind model data.

Questions

What are the best surf spots in Tofino?

The best-known are Cox Bay, Rosie's Bay, Wickaninnish Beach, Chesterman Beach. In all, 5 spots lie within 13 km: 5 beach breaks.

Where can beginners surf in Tofino?

Chesterman Beach: 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 Tofino?

For intermediate surfers September to June. For beginners April to June, September to October.

What wetsuit do I need to surf in Tofino?

The sea goes from about 8 °C in February (6/5 mm hooded) to 16 °C in August (4/3 mm fullsuit).

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