Surf spot

Rainbow Beach

Forecast conditions and map view for Rainbow Beach in Australia, QLD, Sunshine Coast. Open the interactive surf map to inspect wind, waves, and nearby spots.

Country: Australia, QLD, Sunshine Coast
Coordinates: -25.9006, 153.0929

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)	1.5	1.2	1.3	1.1	1.1	1.1	1.1	1.1	1	0.9	0.9	0.9	1	1	0.9	0.7	0.9	0.9	0.9	1	1.1	1	1	0.9	0.8	0.8	0.8	0.8	0.8	0.8	0.8	0.8	0.8	0.8	0.7	0.7	0.7	0.6	0.5	0.5	0.7	1.7	2	1.7	1.1	0.8	0.8	1.1	1.6	1.8	1.7	1.4	1.4	1.5	1.4	1.2
Wave direction	SE	SE	SE	SE	SE	ESE	SE	SE	E	ESE	ESE	ESE	ESE	ESE	SE	SE	ESE	ESE	ESE	ESE	ESE	ESE	ESE	E	ESE	E	E	E	E	E	E	E	E	E	E	E	E	E	ENE	ENE	SE	SE	SE	SE	SE	SSE	SSE	SSE	SE	SE	SE	SE	SE	SE	SE	SE
Wave period (s)	6.5	6.6	6.4	6.3	6	5.8	5.5	5.5	5	5.5	5.3	5.5	5	5.3	6.6	6.5	5.7	4.7	4.8	5.3	5.1	5	4.8	4.8	4.8	4.8	4.9	5	5	5.1	5.2	5.2	5.2	5.3	5.4	5.5	5.7	5.8	5.6	5.8	8.7	7.6	7.2	7.5	8.3	9.3	9.7	8.6	7.8	7	7.1	7.5	7.2	6.7	6.5	7
Wave energy (kJ)	180	125	134	105	95	77	76	68	52	46	46	49	55	52	67	46	54	39	40	60	63	53	45	35	29	33	32	33	34	33	33	32	32	32	32	30	28	24	17	18	73	334	398	310	155	123	114	164	300	329	291	214	200	207	178	132
Wind speed (km/h)	8.2	16.1	15.6	17.3	14	16.4	10.7	8.5	8.7	9.4	10.1	16.3	17	14.8	11.4	10	8.4	8.6	7.6	16.9	15.2	12.8	8.2	6.2	3.6	4.9	4.1	9.1	12.4	13.4	11.3	7	5.6	6.1	10.5	6.6	26.2	27.1	27.6	27.2	28.6	20.9	15.5	18.8	24.5	23.5	27	22.5	20.8	22.1	16.1	20.2	17.8	14.5	8.9	6.4
Wind direction	SECross-on	SECross-on	SECross-on	ESEOnshore	SECross-on	SECross-on	SECross-on	SECross-on	SSECross-on	SCross	SCross	SECross-on	SECross-on	SECross-on	SSECross-on	SECross-on	SECross-on	SSECross-on	SCross	ESEOnshore	ESEOnshore	ESEOnshore	ESEOnshore	EOnshore	SEGlassy	SWGlassy	SWGlassy	ENEOnshore	ENEOnshore	NECross-on	NNECross-on	NWCross-off	WNWOffshore	WNWOffshore	WNWOffshore	SWCross-off	SECross-on	SSECross-on	SSECross-on	SSECross-on	SSECross-on	SCross	SCross	SCross	SSECross-on	SSECross-on	SSECross-on	SCross	SSECross-on	SSECross-on	SSECross-on	SECross-on	SECross-on	SECross-on	SECross-on	SECross-on

Rainbow Beach, Queensland (Sunshine Coast / Wide Bay region) is a beautiful, laid-back surf destination best known for its long sandy beach, scenic dunes, and relaxed coastal vibe. It’s not a super-consistent reef break, but when conditions line up it can offer fun beachbreak waves with a mellow, uncrowded feel compared with many more famous Australian surf towns.

Surf character

Wave type: Mostly beach breaks along a long open stretch of sand
Best conditions: Small to medium swell with favorable winds
Wave quality: Can be playful and fun, though often less powerful and less consistent than major surf destinations
Crowd factor: Usually relatively quiet, especially compared with more central Sunshine Coast surf spots

What it’s like to surf there

Rainbow Beach tends to suit surfers who enjoy a more relaxed session rather than chasing elite waves. The sandbanks can shift with storms and seasons, so conditions change frequently. When the banks are working, you can find clean peaks suitable for beginners through intermediate surfers, with some occasional faster sections when the swell is up.

Other highlights

Stunning scenery: Famous for its colored coastal cliffs and wide beach
Access to nature: Close to the Great Sandy National Park and Fraser Island / K’gari access routes
Alternative activities: Great for fishing, swimming, 4WD beach driving, and exploring the dunes

Best for

Beginner to intermediate surfers
Travelers wanting a scenic, uncrowded beach town
Surfers after a relaxed beachbreak rather than a heavy point or reef break