Lagundri Bay (The Point, Nias) is one of the world's most celebrated right-hand barrels—a mechanical reef point that produces tube rides of up to 9 seconds when solid SW swells wrap into the bay. The 2004 earthquake actually improved the wave by lifting the reef, making it even hollower. The takeoff is vertical, the tube is cylindrical, and the rides are long. The setting on Nias Island is remote and culturally rich. Getting there requires effort, but the potential for perfect barrels makes it worth every mile.
Model forecast for swell, wind and tide.
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Water temp
28°C
Wetsuit
Boardshorts / Rashguard
Difficulty
8/10
Crowd level
4/10
Access: Fly to Gunungsitoli, drive to Sorake Beach.
Lagundri Bay is a reef break in Nias, Indonesia, that mostly breaks right. It's on our list of the world's 100 best waves.
Australian surfers Kevin Lovett, John Geisel and Peter Troy first found the wave in 1975. Erik Aeder shot an epic photo here in 1978: a perfect right-hander with a fisherman perched in the channel.
Lagundri Bay picks up swell from the SSW round to the W, and it's best when it's coming straight out of the SW. It starts working at around 1m and handles up to about 4.5m, with the sweet spot around 2.6 to 3.6m. Period matters too: aim for 18s or longer, as anything under 12s tends to be weak. These are the numbers our scoring uses, so treat them as a guide rather than a promise.
A WNW wind is dead offshore at Lagundri Bay, and anything from the W round to the NNW keeps it clean. The morning is typically the best window, roughly 6am to 11am. Light winds from other directions can still be fine; strong offshores can make it hard to get into waves.
Lagundri Bay is at its best around the mid to high tide, roughly 0.6m to 1.5m on the local chart. Below 0.3m it gets dangerously shallow.
The most reliable run of swell at Lagundri Bay comes May to Aug. There's a second window in Apr and Sep to Oct too. May-Oct dry season. 2004 earthquake improved the wave.
The water at Lagundri Bay 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.
Not really. It's rated 8/10 for difficulty and suits experienced surfers. Expect a moderate crowd (4/10) when it's on. Shallow seaweed-covered reef. Vertical drops. Post-earthquake reef is shallower.
The nearest airport on our list is GNS, then it's roughly a 2.5-hour drive. Fly to Gunungsitoli, drive to Sorake Beach.
The closest breaks we track are Sebatu (0.5 km), Indicators (0.6 km) and Walo Hiu (3.1 km), handy when Lagundri Bay isn't working.
Peak: May-Aug
Secondary: Apr, Sep, Oct
May-Oct dry season. 2004 earthquake improved the wave.
🌋 Nias big wave • Outside the bay • Heavy and hollow
🌊 Nias barrel right • High tide perfection • Dangerous low tide reef
🌊 Nias's heaviest left • 10-second barrels • 30min jungle walk
🌊 East Nias tube right • Near Hilistaro • Less-visited quality
🌊 East Nias right • Fun alternative • 25km from Lagundri
🏝️ Hinako left reef • Remote perfection • Adventure required
Compare this break with other destinations in these surf guides.