Wakte Island Right is an attractive right reef break near Kota Sarmi on the north coast of Papua, receiving NE swell during the short November-March season. This is true frontier territory—one of the least-explored surf zones in Indonesia, offering quality reef breaks with zero crowd pressure. The remoteness and short surf season make this a destination for dedicated surf explorers with flexible schedules.
Model forecast for swell, wind and tide.
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Water temp
28°C
Wetsuit
Boardshorts / Rashguard
Difficulty
6/10
Crowd level
4/10
Access: Boat charter from Sorong or nearby port
Wakte Island Right is a reef break in Papua (Sarmi), Indonesia, that mostly breaks right.
Wakte Island Right picks up swell from the NNE round to the ENE, and it's best when it's coming straight out of the NE. That's a tight window, so it needs the swell direction to line up. It starts working at around 0.9m and handles up to about 1.8m, with the sweet spot around 1.3 to 1.6m. 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.
A N wind is dead offshore at Wakte Island Right, 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.
Wakte Island Right is at its best around mid tide, roughly 0.5m to 1.5m on the local chart.
The most reliable run of swell at Wakte Island Right comes Nov to Mar. NW monsoon swell season (Nov-Mar).
The water at Wakte Island Right 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.
It's more of an intermediate wave, rated 6/10 for difficulty, so newer surfers are best off sticking to the smaller days. Expect a moderate crowd (4/10) when it's on. Things to watch for: sharp, shallow reef (booties help) and being a long way from help.
The nearest airport on our list is SOQ. From there you need a boat to reach the break (we estimate around $200 USD, but confirm with an operator). Boat charter from Sorong or nearby port.
Peak: Nov, Dec, Jan, Feb, Mar
NW monsoon swell season (Nov-Mar)