Beach

both

Level 5/10

Papenoo

Tahiti, French Polynesia

🌀Strong rips🪨Rocks

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Papenoo sits on Tahiti's north coast where a mountain river meets the sea—a rare spot that catches North Pacific energy during the summer hemisphere winter. This rivermouth setup creates shifting sandbars and reef sections that offer variety depending on conditions and swell direction. When north swells pulse through, Papenoo provides an alternative to the island's south-facing waves, extending the surf season for those based in Tahiti. The black sand beach, mountain backdrop, and less-crowded lineup make it feel more remote than its proximity to Papeete suggests.

Papenoo surf forecast

Model forecast for swell, wind and tide.

10-Day Forecast

Today4

Poor

1.1mESE@15s

23km/h

1.1m@15s

23km/h

Thu5

Poor

1.1mE@17s

19km/h

1.1m@17s

19km/h

Fri6

Fair

0.7mN@15s

10km/h

0.7m@15s

10km/h

Sat7

Poor

0.7mE@13s

11km/h

0.7m@13s

11km/h

Sun8

Poor

0.9mSE@14s

13km/h

0.9m@14s

13km/h

Mon9

Poor

1.0mESE@15s

12km/h

1.0m@15s

12km/h

Tue10

Poor

0.8mSE@14s

13km/h

0.8m@14s

13km/h

Wed11

Poor

0.7mSE@14s

22km/h

0.7m@14s

22km/h

Thu12

Poor

0.7mENE@14s

28km/h

0.7m@14s

28km/h

Fri13

Poor

1.1mENE@12s

24km/h

1.1m@12s

24km/h

5+ days out, less certain

View 2-year historical scores →

Today's ConditionsToday's Conditions

Find Flights

Best session: MorningAM 21 km/h · PM 23 km/h · Mid tide at 10am (0.3m)

Swell

1.1m

ESE(107°)

Score: 14/25

Period

15s

Groundswell

Score: 25/25

Wind

23km/h

SE(130°)

Score: 1/25

Weather

26°C

0.0mm79%

First light 4:47amSunrise 5:17amSunset 6:05pmLast light 6:35pm

Windswell

1.1m@4s

Secondary

0.4m

Confidence

100%

Location & Conditions

Loading map...

Swell1.1m @15s ESE outside window

Wind23 km/h SE cross-shore

SwellWind: Offshore Cross Onshore

Showing forecast for today · all day

Hourly Forecast, Tide & Strike Windows

No ideal tide during daylight todayIdeal tide: 0.3–1.5m

6am

9am

12pm

3pm

6pm

6am

9am

12pm

3pm

6pm

6am

9am

12pm

3pm

6pm

6am

9am

12pm

3pm

6pm

6am

9am

12pm

3pm

6pm

6am

9am

12pm

3pm

6pm

6am

9am

12pm

3pm

6pm

6am

9am

12pm

3pm

6pm

6am

9am

12pm

3pm

6pm

6am

9am

12pm

3pm

6pm

°C

23°

26°

27°

26°

24°

27°

28°

26°

24°

27°

28°

27°

24°

28°

27°

26°

29°

28°

26°

25°

28°

26°

27°

29°

28°

26°

27°

28°

29°

28°

26°

27°

28°

26°

27°

25°

2m1.0

sec

15s

17s

15s

13s

14s

15s

14s

12s

swell

windkm/h

19g41

23g57

25g61

24g60

23g54

17g38

23g56

20g55

18g45

15g40

10g25

14g38

12g39

5g24

6g17

7g16

13g36

13g39

11g35

10g32

9g23

14g36

16g46

14g44

12g35

9g23

12g35

14g41

11g37

10g32

10g27

13g35

14g42

13g44

12g40

17g43

21g52

24g59

24g62

21g61

24g58

28g67

29g71

29g73

26g74

24g58

25g62

24g65

23g66

23g64

tidem

4:07am0.0m

10:22am0.3m

4:52pm0.0m

10:27pm0.2m

4:22am0.0m

10:45am0.3m

5:02pm0.0m

10:52pm0.2m

4:47am0.0m

11:15am0.3m

5:22pm0.0m

11:15pm0.3m

5:07am0.0m

11:37am0.3m

5:37pm0.0m

5:22am0.0m

12:02pm0.3m

5:52pm0.0m

5:47am0.0m

12:22pm0.3m

6:07pm0.0m

12:27am0.2m

6:07am0.0m

12:37pm0.2m

6:30pm0.0m

12:45am0.2m

6:32am0.0m

12:52pm0.2m

6:45pm0.0m

1:07am0.2m

7:00am0.0m

1:07pm0.2m

7:07pm0.0m

1:22am0.2m

7:22am0.0m

1:22pm0.2m

7:37pm0.1m

Ideal tideStrike windowNight

Tide times today

4:07 am

Low · 0.04m

10:22 am

High · 0.26m

4:52 pm

Low · 0.04m

10:27 pm

High · 0.22m

Times shown in spot-local time.

Strike Score Breakdown

Poor

Components

Swell Direction0/25

Swell Size14/25

Swell Period25/25

Wind1/25

Raw Score40/100

Adjustments

🌊💨 Windswell-5

🌊 Tide-1

💨 Gusty Wind-5

⚠️ Weak Component-15

Adjusted Score14/100

Confidence

Multiplier×1.00

Final Score14

🌊💨 Windswell🌊 Slightly below optimal tide

Plan Your Strike

Return flights to PPT, departing today with a 5-day trip window.

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Location & Conditions

Loading map...

Swell1.1m @15s ESE outside window

Wind23 km/h SE cross-shore

SwellWind: Offshore Cross Onshore

Showing forecast for today · all day

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Spot Details

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Swell Requirements

Optimal direction: NNW (340°)
Direction range: 300° - 20°
Size range: 0.8m - 3m
Ideal size: 1.8m - 2.5m
Height multiplier: 0.92×
Ideal period: 14s+

Wind Requirements

Optimal direction: S (180°)
Offshore range: 140° - 220°

Tide Requirements

Optimal tide: low to mid
Optimal range: 0.3m - 1.5m

Water temp

28°C

Wetsuit

Boardshorts / Rashguard

Difficulty

5/10

Crowd level

4/10

Access: Black sand beach access.

Frequently Asked Questions

What kind of wave is Papenoo?

Papenoo is a beach break in Tahiti, French Polynesia, with peaks that run both left and right.

What swell works best at Papenoo?

Papenoo picks up swell from the WNW round to the NNE, and it's best when it's coming straight out of the NNW. It starts working at around 0.8m and handles up to about 3m, with the sweet spot around 1.8 to 2.5m. Period matters too: aim for 14s or longer, as anything under 10s tends to be weak. These are the numbers our scoring uses, so treat them as a guide rather than a promise.

What wind is offshore at Papenoo?

A S wind is dead offshore at Papenoo, and anything from the SE round to the SW keeps it clean. The morning is typically the best window, roughly 6am to 10am. Light winds from other directions can still be fine; strong offshores can make it hard to get into waves.

What tide is best at Papenoo?

Papenoo is at its best around the low to mid tide, roughly 0.3m to 1.5m on the local chart.

When is the best time of year to surf Papenoo?

The most reliable run of swell at Papenoo comes Nov to Mar. Summer season (Nov-Mar). North Pacific swells.

How cold is the water at Papenoo?

The water at Papenoo averages around 28°C, so boardshorts or a rashguard will do. It shifts a few degrees through the year, so check the season before you pack.

Is Papenoo good for beginners?

It's more of an intermediate wave, rated 5/10 for difficulty, so newer surfers are best off sticking to the smaller days. Expect a moderate crowd (4/10) when it's on. Rivermouth with strong currents on bigger days.

How do I get to Papenoo?

The nearest airport on our list is PPT, then it's roughly a 25-minute drive. Black sand beach access.

What other surf spots are near Papenoo?

The closest breaks we track are Taapuna (28 km), Papara (33 km) and Temae (35 km), handy when Papenoo isn't working. We track 4 spots around Tahiti in total.