Rest Bay
Rest Bay is the most consistent break in Porthcawl's varied lineup--a broad sandy beach that picks up SW swells.
Rest Bay surf forecast
Model forecast for swell, wind and tide.
Today's Conditions
Find FlightsLocation & Conditions
Hourly Forecast, Tide & Strike Windows
Tide times today
Strike Score Breakdown
Plan Your Strike
Return flights to CWL, departing today with a 5-day trip window.
Search Flights on SkyscannerLocation & Conditions
Know when Europe is about to fire
Get the best strike windows in Europe — and worldwide — in your inbox every Monday & Thursday. Live Strike Scores, the swell behind them, zero fluff.
Get the full Rest Bay 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.
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 spotSwell Requirements
- Optimal direction
- SW (225°)
- Direction range
- 200° - 270°
- Size range
- 0.8m - 2.5m
- Ideal size
- 1.6m - 2.1m
- Height multiplier
- 0.97×
- Ideal period
- 12s+
Wind Requirements
- Optimal direction
- NE (45°)
- Offshore range
- 20° - 80°
Tide Requirements
- Optimal tide
- low to mid
Water temp
11°C
Wetsuit
5/4mm + boots
Difficulty
3/10
Crowd level
7/10
Frequently Asked Questions
What tide is best at Rest Bay?
The Rest Bay profile favors low to mid tide. Compare this preference with the forecast tide and local conditions before choosing a session.
What wind direction is offshore at Rest Bay?
The Rest Bay profile uses wind from NE (45°) as its preferred direction, with an offshore range of 20° to 80°. Wind speed matters too: light winds outside that range can still produce surfable conditions, while strong offshore winds can make takeoffs difficult.
What swell size and direction work best at Rest Bay?
The Rest Bay scoring profile favors swell from SW (200° to 270°), a swell-height range of 0.8m to 2.5m, and a reference period of 12s. These are model inputs, not guaranteed breaking-wave heights or a promise that the surf will suit every ability.
When is the best time of year to surf Rest Bay?
The main season at Rest Bay is Sep, Oct, Nov, Dec, Jan, Feb. A secondary window runs Mar-May.
How do I get to Rest Bay?
The spot profile lists CWL as a nearby airport. The estimated road transfer is 35 minutes.
What kind of wave is Rest Bay?
Rest Bay is a beach break, a peak with lefts and rights. Difficulty is rated 3/10.
Best Season
Peak: Sep, Oct, Nov, Dec, Jan, Feb
Secondary: Mar-May
Getting There
Nearby Spots
Porthcawl Point
South Wales' most popular - High tide specialist - Sea wall barrels
Sandy Bay
Welsh wedge • Bristol Channel pulse • Tide-critical bodyboard wave
Three Peaks
Gower's powerful reef - A-frame peaks - Best at high tide
Crab Island
Gower reef break - Needs size to fire - Sharp reef
Pete's Reef
Gower's shallow reef - Low tide specialist - Sharp and technical
Lynmouth
Devon's fickle left point - Cliff access only - Needs size to fire