Surf spot

Papenoo

Forecast conditions and map view for Papenoo in French Polynesia, Tahiti. Open the interactive surf map to inspect wind, waves, and nearby spots.

Country: French Polynesia, Tahiti
Coordinates: -17.5088, -149.4313

Metric
Metric	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	15:00	18:00	21:00	00:00	03:00	06:00	09:00
Wave height (m)	0.7	0.6	0.6	0.6	0.5	0.8	0.9	0.9	0.9	0.8	0.8	0.8	0.7	0.7	0.7	0.6	0.6	0.5	0.4	0.5	0.5	0.5	0.5	0.4	0.4	0.4	0.4	0.4	0.4	0.4	0.3	0.3	0.3	0.3	0.3	0.3	0.3	0.3	0.3	0.2	0.2	0.2	0.2	0.3	0.2	0.4	0.2	0.3	0.3	0.4	0.4	0.4	0.3	0.3	0.4	0.5
Wave direction	ESE	ESE	ESE	ESE	ESE	ENE	ENE	ENE	ENE	ENE	ENE	ENE	ENE	ENE	ENE	ENE	ENE	ENE	ESE	E	ENE	E	E	ENE	E	E	E	E	E	E	E	E	E	E	E	E	E	E	E	E	E	E	E	N	N	NW	SE	SSE	SSE	SE	ESE	ESE	ESE	SSE	NNE	E
Wave period (s)	7.8	7.8	7.7	7.7	7.7	4.1	4.3	4.5	4.5	4.6	4.6	4.5	4.4	4.4	4.5	4.5	4.5	4.5	5.2	5	6.7	6.7	5.4	6.7	5.4	5.5	5.4	5.4	5.5	5.4	6.7	6.8	6.7	5.7	6.7	6.8	6.8	6.7	6.7	6.5	5.8	7.7	6.6	8.7	6.2	2.9	9.6	6.8	6.7	6.3	6.3	5.1	5.3	7.5	7.2	4.2
Wave energy (kJ)	52	46	40	37	32	23	29	33	32	30	28	25	21	20	18	16	12	11	10	11	22	21	13	17	10	10	9	9	8	8	10	9	9	6	8	8	7	6	6	5	3	6	4	10	4	2	6	7	9	12	10	7	6	13	13	8
Wind speed (km/h)	24.9	23.6	22.7	22.7	24.6	22.6	22.3	20.2	21.5	23	23	22.3	19.7	18.4	17.5	17.1	13	9.7	8.7	2.5	2.5	1.1	1.8	1.8	1.8	8.3	13.7	14.8	14.3	15.5	24.2	24.5	23.8	21.6	20.3	18.2	16.2	14.3	27.4	29.4	34.1	35.2	40	39.3	29.1	31	34	26	24.4	27.8	29.2	35.9	34	33.4	34.9	30.8
Wind direction	ECross	ECross	ECross	ECross	ECross	ECross	ECross	ECross	ESECross-off	ESECross-off	ECross	ECross	ECross	ESECross-off	ESECross	ECross	ECross	ECross	ECross	EGlassy	NGlassy	NNWGlassy	EGlassy	NGlassy	WGlassy	SSEOffshore	SECross-off	SECross-off	SSEOffshore	SECross-off	SECross-off	SECross-off	SECross-off	ESECross-off	SECross-off	ESECross-off	SECross-off	ESECross-off	SECross-off	SECross-off	SECross-off	SEBlown out	SSEBlown out	SEBlown out	SECross-off	SSECross-off	SSEOffshore	SSEOffshore	SOffshore	SOffshore	SSEOffshore	SSEBlown out	SSECross-off	SECross-off	SECross-off	ESECross-off

Papenoo, Tahiti (French Polynesia) is one of the most famous surf breaks on the island, set on Tahiti’s wild east coast. It’s known for its heavy reef waves, long walls, and powerful barrels, especially when a solid south or southwest swell wraps into the bay.

What it’s like

Wave quality: Fast, powerful, and hollow at times
Break type: Reef break
Best conditions: Mid to big swells, with clean offshore winds
Skill level: Advanced to expert — this is not a beginner spot
Main hazards: Shallow reef, strong currents, and serious hold-down potential on larger days

Spot character

Papenoo has a more remote, rugged feel compared with other Tahiti surf zones. The setting is lush and dramatic, with volcanic mountains and a tropical river valley nearby, which adds to its appeal. The wave can be extremely rewarding when it aligns, but it demands respect because the reef is shallow and the surf can be heavy.

Best for

Experienced reef surfers
Barrel hunters
Surfers looking for a powerful Tahiti-style wave away from the more famous Teahupo’o crowd