Surf spot

Port Douglas

Forecast conditions and map view for Port Douglas in Australia, QLD, Far North West. Open the interactive surf map to inspect wind, waves, and nearby spots.

Country: Australia, QLD, Far North West
Coordinates: -16.4796, 145.4602

Metric
Metric	15:00	18:00	21:00	00:00	03:00	06:00	09:00	12:00	15:00	18:00	21:00	00:00	03:00	06:00	09:00	12:00	15:00	18:00	21:00	00:00	03:00	06:00	09:00	12:00	15:00	18:00	21:00	00:00	03:00	06:00	09:00	12:00	15:00	18:00	21:00	00:00	03:00	06:00	09:00	12:00	15:00	18:00	21:00	00:00	03:00	06:00	09:00	12:00	15:00	18:00	21:00	00:00	03:00	06:00	09:00	12:00
Wave height (m)	0.7	0.7	0.7	0.6	0.5	0.3	0.5	0.6	0.7	0.7	0.7	0.7	0.6	0.5	0.6	0.6	0.6	0.5	0.5	0.6	0.5	0.5	0.6	0.6	0.6	0.6	0.6	0.6	0.5	0.5	0.5	0.5	0.6	0.6	0.5	0.5	0.5	0.4	0.5	0.5	0.7	0.5	0.5	0.4	0.4	0.4	0.5	0.6	0.6	0.6	0.5	0.4	0.5	0.5	0.6	0.6
Wave direction	E	E	E	E	E	E	E	E	E	E	E	E	E	E	E	E	E	E	E	E	E	ENE	E	E	E	E	E	E	E	E	E	E	E	E	E	E	E	E	E	E	ESE	E	E	E	E	E	E	E	E	E	ENE	ENE	ENE	E	E	E
Wave period (s)	6	6.7	6.8	6.9	7	7.8	6.5	6.7	6.3	6.3	6.7	6.8	7.1	7.2	6.5	6.7	6.5	6.8	6.6	6.2	7.3	7.2	6.3	6.5	6.2	6.6	4.5	6.6	7	7	6.7	6.5	6.3	6.3	6.3	6.1	6.8	6.8	6.4	6.2	3.6	6	6.3	6.4	6.8	6.5	5.5	6.1	5.9	6.5	7.1	7.8	7.9	8.7	8.1	8.2
Wave energy (kJ)	33	41	40	37	20	12	24	32	34	35	39	40	34	30	29	30	29	21	25	25	24	22	27	28	30	31	17	36	29	25	24	23	27	25	23	20	21	17	19	18	11	15	18	16	13	14	14	25	25	32	27	19	34	40	53	45
Wind speed (km/h)	23.7	21.5	18.4	23.9	25.3	25	19.3	17.4	17.4	19	20.9	25.3	22.4	22.4	17.8	14.2	12.2	10.5	12.8	21.8	23.8	21.1	18.6	15.8	15.5	16.6	19.8	23.2	23.6	22.3	19.4	12.6	20.3	16.5	16.3	20.5	19.9	17.1	12.3	7.9	5.9	6.5	5.1	12.2	18.2	19.7	17.1	18.6	26.3	29.6	33.3	30.3	30.4	28.6	24.8	26.5
Wind direction	SEOffshore	SECross-off	SSECross-off	SEOffshore	ESEOffshore	ESEOffshore	SEOffshore	SECross-off	SEOffshore	SECross-off	SEOffshore	ESEOffshore	ESEOffshore	ESEOffshore	SEOffshore	SSECross-off	SSECross-off	SCross-off	SSECross-off	SEOffshore	ESEOffshore	ESEOffshore	SEOffshore	SECross-off	SECross-off	ESEOffshore	ESEOffshore	ESEOffshore	ESEOffshore	ESEOffshore	SEOffshore	SSECross-off	ESEOffshore	SEOffshore	SEOffshore	SEOffshore	ESEOffshore	ESEOffshore	SEOffshore	SSECross-off	SCross	SWCross	SWCross-on	SEOffshore	ESEOffshore	ESEOffshore	SEOffshore	SEOffshore	ESEOffshore	SEOffshore	SEOffshore	SEOffshore	ESEOffshore	ESEOffshore	SEOffshore	SEOffshore

Port Douglas, Queensland, Australia is a tropical surf destination in the Far North of Queensland, but it’s not a major consistent surf town compared with places further south. The coastline around Port Douglas is beautiful and remote-feeling, with warm water, tropical weather, and reef-fringed beaches.

Surf description

Wave type: Mostly beach breaks and some reef-influenced waves depending on conditions.
Consistency: Unreliable — surf is highly dependent on swell direction, cyclone activity, and local wind.
Best season: Often summer to autumn when cyclone swells can produce surf.
Wind/conditions: Can be affected by trade winds and onshore winds, so clean surf windows can be short.
Water: Warm tropical water year-round; boardshorts or a spring suit is usually enough.

What to expect

When it’s working, waves can be fun and punchy, especially during cyclone swell events.
Many days are better for swimming, snorkeling, or exploring the reef than surfing.
Because of the tropical environment, check for reef, rocks, marine hazards, and local conditions before paddling out.

Overall

Port Douglas is more of a beautiful tropical coastal destination with occasional surf than a reliable surf mecca. If you’re planning a surf trip, it’s best to treat it as a bonus surf stop and check local forecasts carefully.