Reef

both

Level 8/10

Sebatu

South Nias, Indonesia

🪸Sharp reef😮‍💨Hold-downs

YouTubeWatch on YouTube CustomizeCustomize this spot

Sebatu sits outside Lagundri Bay in South Nias, facing the full Indian Ocean swell window and producing serious big-wave conditions. The wave is for committed big-wave chargers only, with heavy, hollow faces that can exceed 15 feet. Its open-ocean exposure means it picks up every swell that the bay misses, offering a completely different challenge to the point breaks inside Lagundri.

Sebatu surf forecast

Model forecast for swell, wind and tide.

10-Day Forecast

Today5

Poor

1.4mS@12s

7km/h

1.4m@12s

7km/h

Fri6

Poor

1.3mSSW@14s

6km/h

1.3m@14s

6km/h

Sat7

Fair

1.6mSSW@16s

6km/h

1.6m@16s

6km/h

Sun8

Fair

1.5mSSW@15s

6km/h

1.5m@15s

6km/h

Mon9

Poor

1.2mS@14s

6km/h

1.2m@14s

6km/h

Tue10

Poor

1.0mS@12s

5km/h

1.0m@12s

5km/h

Wed11

Poor

1.0mSSW@15s

3km/h

1.0m@15s

3km/h

Thu12

Poor

1.2mSSW@14s

3km/h

1.2m@14s

3km/h

Fri13

Poor

1.1mSSW@14s

4km/h

1.1m@14s

4km/h

Sat14

Poor

0.9mWSW@11s

4km/h

0.9m@11s

4km/h

5+ days out, less certain

View 2-year historical scores →

Today's ConditionsToday's Conditions

Find Flights

Best session: MorningAM 5 km/h · PM 8 km/h

Swell

1.4m

S(188°)

Score: 5/25

Period

12s

Mid-period swell

Score: 6/25

Wind

7km/h

SE(133°)

Score: 15/25

Weather

27°C

0.3mm97%

First light 5:39amSunrise 6:09amSunset 6:15pmLast light 6:45pm

Windswell

—

Secondary

0.7m

Confidence

100%

Location & Conditions

Loading map...

Swell1.4m @12s S in window

Wind7 km/h SE onshore

SwellWind: Offshore Cross Onshore

Showing forecast for today · all day

Hourly Forecast, Tide & Strike Windows

Strike window: 1:26–5:22pm · through highIdeal tide: high

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

25°

27°

30°

28°

26°

24°

27°

28°

29°

26°

24°

27°

29°

27°

24°

27°

29°

28°

26°

24°

25°

28°

26°

24°

25°

27°

28°

26°

25°

26°

29°

28°

26°

25°

26°

29°

27°

24°

26°

28°

26°

25°

27°

29°

27°

2m1.0

sec

12s

14s

16s

15s

14s

12s

15s

14s

11s

swell

windkm/h

6g14

3g15

5g20

11g27

6g23

8g17

2g13

4g22

8g25

5g16

4g8

2g15

5g19

11g27

6g19

3g8

3g14

4g18

10g23

9g26

5g12

3g16

5g21

10g28

6g26

4g11

4g14

5g19

6g19

6g21

4g13

1g14

3g19

2g20

5g18

4g11

3g13

4g19

2g21

5g19

4g11

0g15

6g21

4g22

5g13

4g14

5g20

3g22

5g23

tidem

2:30am0.7m

9:00am0.1m

3:21pm0.7m

9:40pm0.2m

3:15am0.6m

9:30am0.1m

4:00pm0.8m

10:22pm0.1m

4:03am0.6m

10:00am0.0m

4:30pm0.8m

4:38am0.5m

10:23am0.0m

5:03pm0.8m

5:21am0.5m

10:47am0.1m

5:36pm0.9m

5:55am0.5m

11:30am0.1m

6:07pm0.8m

12:52am0.0m

6:21am0.5m

11:50am0.1m

6:37pm0.8m

1:30am0.1m

6:54am0.4m

12:20pm0.1m

7:03pm0.8m

1:55am0.1m

7:30am0.4m

12:50pm0.1m

7:30pm0.8m

2:30am0.1m

Ideal tide (from tide preference)Strike windowNight

Tide times today

2:30 am

High · 0.65m

9:00 am

Low · 0.10m

3:21 pm

High · 0.72m

9:40 pm

Low · 0.18m

Times shown in spot-local time.

Strike Score Breakdown

Poor

Components

Swell Direction9/25

Swell Size5/25

Swell Period6/25

Wind15/25

Raw Score35/100

Adjustments

💨 Gusty Wind-3

📉 Undersized Swell-8

🚫 Undersized Capmax 64

Adjusted Score24/100

Confidence

Multiplier×1.00

Final Score24

Plan Your Strike

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

Search Flights on Skyscanner

Location & Conditions

Loading map...

Swell1.4m @12s S in window

Wind7 km/h SE onshore

SwellWind: Offshore Cross Onshore

Showing forecast for today · all day

See where's firing right nowToday's best waves worldwide, scored live

Free Strike Report

Know when Southeast Asia is about to fire

Get the best strike windows in Southeast Asia — and worldwide — in your inbox every Monday & Thursday. Live Strike Scores, the swell behind them, zero fluff.

For real surf travel

Get the full Sebatu trip window

Pro unlocks the 10-day forecast window, unlimited alerts, and custom spot tracking that help turn a good-looking surf report into a better travel decision.

See Pro Pricing Track Sebatu free

10-day window

See the trip window before flights get expensive.

Unlimited alerts

Let the app watch your score threshold for you.

Custom spots

Track the breaks that actually matter to your travel plans.

Spot Details

CustomizeCustomize this spot

Swell Requirements

Optimal direction: SW (220°)
Direction range: 180° - 260°
Size range: 1.5m - 4.6m
Ideal size: 2.9m - 3.8m
Height multiplier: 1.08×
Ideal period: 16s+

Wind Requirements

Optimal direction: N (0°)
Offshore range: 330° - 30°

Tide Requirements

Optimal tide: high
Optimal range: 1m - 2m

Water temp

28°C

Wetsuit

Boardshorts / Rashguard

Difficulty

8/10

Crowd level

5/10

Access: Fly to Gunungsitoli via Medan, drive to south coast

Frequently Asked Questions

What kind of wave is Sebatu?

Sebatu is a reef break in South Nias, Indonesia, with peaks that run both left and right.

What swell works best at Sebatu?

Sebatu picks up swell from the S round to the W, and it's best when it's coming straight out of the SW. It starts working at around 1.5m and handles up to about 4.6m, with the sweet spot around 2.9 to 3.8m. Period matters too: aim for 16s 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.

What wind is offshore at Sebatu?

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

What tide is best at Sebatu?

Sebatu is at its best around high tide, roughly 1m to 2m on the local chart.

When is the best time of year to surf Sebatu?

The most reliable run of swell at Sebatu comes Apr to Oct. SW swell season (Apr-Oct), SE trade winds offshore.

How cold is the water at Sebatu?

The water at Sebatu 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 Sebatu good for beginners?

Not really. It's rated 8/10 for difficulty and suits experienced surfers. Expect a moderate crowd (5/10) when it's on. Things to watch for: sharp, shallow reef (booties help) and long hold-downs.