Strike Mission
Reef
left
Level 4/10

Motels

Tongatapu, Tonga
🪸Sharp reef
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Motels is a dependable left-hander on Tongatapu's west coast, part of the Ha'atafu reef system that includes five excellent breaks. Near Ha'atafu Beach Resort, it's one of the more forgiving waves in the lineup, making it ideal for intermediate surfers. SW groundswells from Tasman Sea lows light it up from May through October.

10-Day Forecast
Thu6
60
Fair
2.0m@16s
29km/h
Fri7
38
Poor
3.7m@13s
35km/h
Sat8
54
Fair
3.0m@13s
34km/h
Sun9
24
Poor
3.1m@14s
36km/h
Mon10
20
Poor
2.5m@15s
36km/h
Tue11
18
Poor
1.7m@14s
30km/h
Wed12
7
Poor
1.1m@15s
25km/h
Thu13
2
Poor
0.8m@16s
25km/h
Fri14
35
Poor
1.0m@15s
17km/h
Sat15
53
Fair
1.0m@13s
10km/h
Groomed Choppy 5+ days out, less certain
View 2-year historical scores →

Today's Conditions

Find Flights
Best session: MorningAM 25 km/h · PM 34 km/h · Tide at 6am (0.2m)
Swell
2.0m
S(189°)
Score: 23/25
Period
16s
Long period groundswell
Score: 25/25
Wind
29km/h
SSE(153°)
Score: 17/25
Weather
20°C
0.0mm100%
First light 6:39amSunrise 7:09amSunset 6:24pmLast light 6:54pm
Windswell1.4m@4sSecondary1.0mConfidence
100%

Location & Conditions

Loading map...
0°45°90°135°180°225°270°315°NESW
Swell
Wind
Showing forecast for today

Hourly Forecast, Tide & Strike Windows

Strike window: 9:00am–4:26pm · through highIdeal tide: 0.5–1.5m
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
21°
20°
20°
20°
20°
19°
20°
21°
20°
20°
20°
20°
21°
20°
20°
20°
20°
21°
21°
20°
21°
22°
22°
22°
22°
22°
23°
23°
23°
23°
22°
23°
23°
23°
23°
22°
23°
23°
23°
23°
23°
23°
24°
24°
24°
23°
23°
24°
23°
23°
4m2.0
sec
16s
16s
16s
16s
16s
13s
13s
13s
13s
13s
13s
13s
13s
13s
13s
14s
14s
14s
14s
14s
15s
15s
15s
15s
15s
14s
14s
14s
14s
14s
15s
15s
15s
15s
15s
16s
16s
16s
16s
16s
15s
15s
15s
15s
15s
13s
13s
13s
13s
13s
swell
windkm/h
23g31
27g36
29g40
35g46
34g45
33g44
35g49
36g49
36g49
35g49
32g43
34g46
37g50
34g46
32g47
33g44
36g49
36g50
37g50
36g50
37g52
39g52
36g52
34g49
34g47
27g41
31g41
31g43
32g42
30g42
26g35
26g35
26g38
25g37
22g34
22g30
23g31
26g33
27g35
26g36
22g31
20g30
19g28
15g26
9g24
12g16
7g17
8g18
11g22
16g26
tidem
6:35am0.2m
12:43pm1.1m
6:45pm0.2m
1:02am1.2m
7:30am0.1m
1:45pm1.1m
7:40pm0.2m
2:02am1.3m
8:30am0.1m
2:45pm1.1m
8:39pm0.2m
3:00am1.3m
9:34am0.1m
3:45pm1.1m
9:38pm0.2m
4:00am1.4m
10:30am0.1m
4:47pm1.2m
5:00am1.4m
11:30am0.0m
5:47pm1.2m
5:58am1.4m
12:30pm0.0m
6:45pm1.3m
12:42am0.2m
6:54am1.5m
1:20pm0.0m
7:37pm1.4m
1:37am0.2m
7:47am1.5m
2:12pm0.0m
8:26pm1.4m
2:33am0.2m
8:44am1.5m
Ideal tideStrike windowNight

Tide times today

6:35 am
Low tide - 0.18m
12:43 pm
High tide - 1.10m
6:45 pm
Low tide - 0.22m
Times shown in spot-local time.

Strike Score Breakdown

60
Fair
Components
Swell Direction8/25
Swell Size23/25
Swell Period25/25
Wind17/25
Raw Score73/100
Adjustments
🤢 Wind History-11
🌊💨 Windswell-3
🌊 Tide+1
Adjusted Score60/100
Confidence
Multiplier×1.00
Final Score60
🤢 Morning Sickness🌊 Partly in the tide window

Plan Your Strike

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

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Spot Details

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Swell Requirements

Optimal direction
SW (225°)
Direction range
190° - 260°
Size range
0.6m - 2.5m
Ideal size
1.9m
Height multiplier
0.97×
Ideal period
14s+

Wind Requirements

Optimal direction
SE (135°)
Offshore range
100° - 170°

Tide Requirements

Optimal tide
mid
Optimal range
0.5m - 1.5m

Water temp

25°C

Wetsuit

Boardshorts / Rashguard

Difficulty

4/10

Crowd level

3/10

Access: Near Ha'atafu Beach Resort. Short drive from west coast.

Frequently Asked Questions

What tide is best at Motels?

Motels works best on a mid tide, ideally between 0.5m and 1.5m on the local tide chart. The tide chart above shows today’s strike window.

What wind direction is offshore at Motels?

Offshore wind at Motels blows from the SE (135°). Anything in the 100° to 170° range grooms the faces; outside it, expect chop or bumpy conditions.

What swell size and direction work best at Motels?

Motels wants SW swell (190° to 260°) between 0.6m and 2.5m, with a period of 14s or more for quality waves.

When is the best time of year to surf Motels?

The main season at Motels is May-Oct. Austral winter. SW groundswells from Tasman Sea / Antarctic lows.

How do I get to Motels?

Fly into TBU, then allow about 40 minutes by road. Near Ha'atafu Beach Resort. Short drive from west coast.

What kind of wave is Motels?

Motels is a reef break, a left-hander. Difficulty is rated 4/10.

Best Season

Peak: May-Oct

Austral winter. SW groundswells from Tasman Sea / Antarctic lows.

Getting There

Airport
TBU
Drive time
40 min
Data quality
unverified

Nearby Spots

Ha'atafu Beach

Tongatapu, Tonga
1.9km
Reef
Lvl 6/10

🇹🇴 Tonga's premier break • Tasman Sea power • Kingdom of waves

The Peak (Tonga)

Tongatapu, Tonga
4.5km
Reef
Lvl 6/10

🎯 Ha'atafu's right twin • Lower intensity • Uncrowded alternative

Strike Log

Community Discussion