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Teahupoo surf forecast
Teahupo'o is a left-hand reef break in Tahiti that picks up distant groundswells and is known for very reliable surf. It breaks heavy and hollow over very shallow, sharp reef, so it is a wave for advanced surfers only.
Teahupoo surf forecast, hour by hour
The table shows swell, wind and tide for each hour at Teahupoo. The reef faces south and takes swell from the south round to the west. Forecasts like this are for open water near the shore, so waves at more sheltered spots can be smaller.
Updated 21:58next run 02:40Open-Meteo wave and wind models
05:00–09:00 · cross-shore
Today 2 Nov
Go 11-13, clean well overhead, cross-offshore E (experts).
Best window: 11:00–13:00
Tide and daylight
- High
- 07:00
- Low
- 14:00
- High
- 20:30
- Sunrise
- 05:17
- Sunset
- 18:04
Every hour, 05–21
Tomorrow 3 Nov
Marginal 05-09: average, well overhead, cross-shore SE.
Kiwi's best shot: 05:00–09:00
Tide and daylight
- Low
- 02:00
- High
- 08:30
- Low
- 15:00
- High
- 20:50
- Sunrise
- 05:16
- Sunset
- 18:04
Every hour, 05–21
Wednesday 4 Nov
Skip: the wind spoils it, well overhead, cross-shore SE.
Tide and daylight
- Low
- 02:50
- High
- 09:30
- Low
- 15:15
- High
- 21:30
- Sunrise
- 05:16
- Sunset
- 18:04
Every 3 hours
Thursday 5 Nov
Marginal 10-14: average, well overhead, cross-shore SE.
Best window: 10:00–14:00
Tide and daylight
- Low
- 03:42
- High
- 09:50
- Low
- 16:00
- High
- 21:50
- Sunrise
- 05:16
- Sunset
- 18:05
Every 3 hours
Forecast point: Teahupoo (-17.870, -149.256). Waves = estimated breaking height at the beach. Data: Open-Meteo wave and weather models (CC BY 4.0). Generated using E.U. Copernicus Marine Service Information. Surf at your own risk.
Watch the wind first. The reef is offshore in a wind from the north-east, and those hours are the ones to aim for. Then check the size: our model rates 1.5–3.5 m as ideal here.
Surfing Teahupoo: the wave and the reefs nearby
Teahupoo sits in Taiarapu-Ouest, in the Îles du Vent of French Polynesia. It is an exposed left-hand reef break with very consistent surf. A few other reefs and beaches nearby also have surf guides.
Teahupo'o
Left reef breakAdvanced onlyThis is a left-hand reef break that works best on a south swell with an offshore wind from the north-north-east. The barrels are heavy and the reef underneath is very shallow and sharp.
You reach the wave by boat. It is often crowded. Sources: surf-forecast.com
Vairao Reef
Reef break9 km awayVairao Reef lies about 9 km from Teahupoo and is listed as very consistent. Sources: surf-forecast.com
Papara Beach
Beach and reef28 km awayPapara Beach is a beach and reef break about 28 km away, rated fairly consistent. Sources: surf-forecast.com
Maraa Reef
Reef break35 km awayMaraa Reef is about 35 km from Teahupoo and is listed as consistent. Sources: surf-forecast.com
What Teahupoo needs to fire
These are the exact rules behind Kiwi's rating for this spot. Every hour of the forecast is scored on all four, then turned into a rating of 1 to 5 stars.
Swell
South to west swell
The break faces south and opens to swell from 170° to 250°, so from the south round to the west.
Wind
North-east wind is offshore
A wind from the north-east blows offshore here.
Tide
Mid tide is best
Our model favours mid tide at Teahupoo.
Size
Ideal from 1.5 to 3.5 m
Below 1 m it is usually too small, 1.5–3.5 m is ideal, and our model treats 6 m and up as too big.
Shortcut: look for a south to west swell of 1.5–3.5 m with a north-east wind around mid tide.
The best months to surf Teahupoo
We replayed Kiwi's rating on every day of the last year and counted how often Teahupoo's best window reached 4 or 5 stars.
Feb–AprThe most good days
In February to April, 53–65% of days rate good and 79–84% rate fair or better, with typical waves around 1.9–2.4 m. Another guide also names April as the month with the most clean waves.
May–SepBigger, less often clean
Typical waves grow to about 2.6–3.1 m, but only 26–42% of days rate good. Another guide calls winter the optimum time of year here.
OctThe weakest month
October is the weakest month in our model, with only 3% of days rating good.
Nov–JanMixed, often fun-sized
Typical waves sit around 1.6–2.0 m, and 23–39% of days rate good.
Before you go
Hazards
The reef is very shallow and sharp, and the barrels are heavy. Watch out for rocks, urchins and sharks.
This is a wave for advanced surfers only. Sources: surf-forecast.com
Getting out to the wave
You reach the break by boat.
Getting there
The nearest passenger airport listed is Temae (Moorea) Airport, about 68 km away in a straight line. Huahine Airport is the next closest, about 229 km away. Sources: surf-forecast.com
Crowds
Teahupoo is often crowded. Sources: surf-forecast.com
Water temperature and wetsuit
The water stays warm all year, from about 26.0 °C in September and October to 28.9 °C in February and April. Another guide says the water is warm enough for board shorts and a rash vest. Sources: surf-forecast.com
Tide
Our model favours mid tide. Another guide says the wave can work at all stages of the tide. Sources: surf-forecast.com
Where the numbers come from
The method
Kiwi takes Open-Meteo's wave and wind models (ECMWF WAM, Météo-France, NOAA GFS and Open-Meteo's best-match blend) at a point about 5 km off Teahupoo. There is no buoy correction here yet: these are the models as they come.
Each hour is scored on the four rules above (swell, wind, tide, size). The stars are calibrated on a full year of data for Australia, so 4 stars at Teahupoo is a genuinely good day by that country's standard.
What we can say
The season chart and the stars use the same rules, replayed on the archive: a month marked good was good by these rules, not by a surf report.
Without a buoy nearby, the size at the beach is our model's estimate, not a measurement.
Teahupoo surf questions
Is Teahupoo good for beginners?
No. Teahupoo breaks heavy and hollow over very shallow, sharp reef, and it suits advanced surfers only.
When is the best time to surf Teahupoo?
In our model, February to April have the most good days, at 53–65%. Winter brings bigger swells, with typical waves around 3 m, but fewer days rate good.
How cold is the water in Teahupoo in December?
The sea is about 28.0 °C in December. Another guide says the water is warm enough for board shorts and a rash vest.
What wind is offshore at Teahupoo?
A north-east wind is offshore. Another guide names north-north-east as the best direction.
How were the waves at Teahupoo last December?
Last December, 39% of days rated good and 68% rated fair or better, with waves around 1.9 m. The wind was offshore on 87% of days.
How do you get to the wave at Teahupoo?
You reach the break by boat. The nearest passenger airport listed is Temae on Moorea, about 68 km away in a straight line.
Check the Teahupoo surf forecast before you go
Look for south swell, a north-east wind and mid tide in the hourly table, and plan your boat trip around them.