Teahupo'o is surfing's most feared and respected wave—a mutant left-hand slab that detonates over an impossibly shallow reef on Tahiti's southern coast. When S-SW swells push through the deep-water pass, they hit the reef shelf and transform into some of the thickest, heaviest barrels on the planet. The wave doesn't just break—it explodes, throwing cavernous tubes that seem to defy physics. Site of the 2024 Paris Olympics surf event, Teahupo'o represents the ultimate test: equal parts beauty and brutality. The French Polynesian setting, with lush green mountains rising behind crystal-clear lagoons, makes it as visually stunning as it is terrifying.
Return flights to PPT, departing today with a 5-day trip window.
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Water temp
27°C
Wetsuit
Boardshorts / Rashguard
Difficulty
10/10
Crowd level
5/10
👥 Summer Holidays (Jul 4 – Sep 1) — expect extra crowds
🏆 WSL Championship Tour: Shiseido Tahiti Pro (Aug 8 – Aug 18) — expect heavy crowds & restricted access
Teahupo'o works best on a low tide, ideally between 0.3m and 1m on the local tide chart. The tide chart above shows today’s strike window. Below 0.1m it gets dangerously shallow.
Offshore wind at Teahupo'o blows from the ENE (70°). Anything in the 30° to 98° range grooms the faces; outside it, expect chop or bumpy conditions.
Teahupo'o wants SSW swell (180° to 230°) between 1m and 4m, with a period of 20s or more for quality waves.
The main season at Teahupo'o is Apr-Sep. A secondary window runs Oct, Mar. April-September. Heavy water slabs.
Fly into PPT, then allow about 60 minutes by road.
Teahupo'o is a slab break, a left-hander. Difficulty is rated 10/10.
Peak: Apr-Sep
Secondary: Oct, Mar
April-September. Heavy water slabs.
🖤 Black sand beach break • Beginner-friendly • Mellow vibes
🇵🇫 Tahitian excellence • Reef pass power • World-class left
🏔️ North shore Tahiti • Rivermouth variety • North swell catcher
🦈 Moorea's fierce right • Shallow reef power • Paradise intensity
🏝️ Moorea's northwest gem • North swell catcher • Uncrowded paradise