Taapuna Surf Break

Lat Long: 17.59° S 149.60° W

Taapuna Surf Forecast and Surf Report

Issued: 7 am 19 Jul 2026 (local time)

Forecast update in  hr  min

Today's Taapuna sea temperature is
26.3° C
0.2° 

Taapuna surf forecast is for near shore open water. Breaking waves will often be smaller at less exposed spots.


Taapuna surf forecast from 19 Jul 2026:

  • Best quality surf: Friday 24 Jul, 8PM (local time) - 4.5ft (1.3m), 14s period, SSW swell with cross-offshore winds.
  • Most powerful swell: Tuesday 21 Jul, 2AM (local time) - 10ft (3.0m), 19s period, SSW swell with 6,513 kJ wave energy.
  • Next surfable swell (1★+): Friday 24 Jul, 8PM (local time) - 4.5ft (1.3m), 14s period with SSW swell.

Best Forecast Surf Conditions for Taapuna this week:

The surf forecast for Taapuna over the next 16 days: The first swell (rated 1 star or higher) is forecast to arrive on Friday (Jul 24) at 8PM. The primary swell is predicted to be 1.3m and 14s period. The wind is predicted to be cross-offshore as the swell arrives.

The most powerful waves expected at Taapuna in the next 16 days are 3.0m 19s and forecast to arrive on Tuesday (Jul 21) at 2AM. Winds are predicted to be cross-offshore at the time the swell arrives. The largest open ocean swell (not directed at the beach) is 1.4m 7s period and expected on Thursday (Jul 23) at 8PM.

Wave TypeTime (-10) & Date Wave Height & Period
Next good surf (1 star+) 8PM (Fri 24th Jul)4.5ft (1.3m) 14s
Best Surf 8PM (Fri 24th Jul)4.5ft (1.3m) 14s
Most Powerful 2AM (Tue 21st Jul)10ft (3.0m) 19s

Table - best surf conditions forecast for Taapuna over the next 16 days.


The Lowdown

Alright folks, it’s Rusty here, and I’ve been staring at the charts for the next couple of weeks. We’ve got one break on the menu, and it’s a proper reef setup that’s going to be a bit of a mixed bag, but with some serious potential for the crew who know what they’re doing.

The main event is Taapuna (reef). This is an advanced-only wave, and it’s "very consistent," so you know it’s going to be there. The water is sitting at a warm 79°, which is bang on average for this time of year – nothing unusual there. The swell direction is coming from the SSW, which is exactly what this spot is looking for, so that’s a big tick. The energy is going to be massive, with readings well into four digits (2613 on Sunday morning), so we’re talking strong to very strong wave energy right from the start.

Sunday the 19th is a bit of a write-off. The wind is a cross-shore SE breeze at 16 mph, and the forecast is calling it "marginal." The swell is a solid 10 ft from the SSW, but with that wind and a cross-chop, it’s going to be a messy, lumpy affair. Not one to rush for.

Monday the 20th is where things start to get spicy. The wind swings to a cross-offshore ESE breeze, and the swell drops slightly to 7 ft in the morning, bumping to 8 ft in the afternoon. The period is insane – 22 seconds in the morning and 21 seconds in the afternoon. That’s a very long-period groundswell. The energy is through the roof (5639 and 6395), and the conditions are described as "clean." This is going to be a standout day. The waves will be powerful, long lines, but with such a long period at a reef, expect them to wall up. For a reef break, this is absolute gold. The best on offer is the Monday afternoon session.

Tuesday the 21st and Wednesday the 22nd are still very good, with 8 ft SSW swell, clean conditions, and cross-off winds. The energy stays high (around 4600-5200). The period is still long (17-19 seconds), so it’s game on for experienced surfers. This is a solid run of quality.

Thursday the 23rd sees the wind switch to a true offshore from the ENE, which is a major positive. The swell is a bit smaller at 7 ft to 8 ft, but the period is still a solid 16 seconds. The energy is dropping (around 2114-2679) but still moderate. These are clean, offshore conditions.

Friday the 24th and Saturday the 25th, the swell starts to ease. Friday morning has 5 ft swell with a fresh offshore, but the energy drops to 906. Saturday has a smaller 4 ft to 5 ft SW swell, but with light winds and glassy conditions, it’ll be clean. The period drops to 13-14 seconds, so it’s a bit more of a friendly swell.

Sunday the 26th and Monday the 27th bring a bit more size back, around 5 ft to 6 ft, but the wind becomes a bit more variable. Monday looks good again with a moderate offshore NNE wind, offering clean conditions.

Tuesday the 28th is a sleeper. The swell is small, only 3 ft to 3 ft, but the period is a very long 17 seconds in the morning and 16 seconds in the afternoon. The wind is light and the afternoon is glassy. The energy is low (581-625), but for a reef, a small, long-period swell with no wind is a beautiful thing. It’ll be clean and lined up, perfect for a quiet session.

The real standout, however, is Wednesday the 29th and Thursday the 30th. This is the best run of the forecast. The swell builds back to 5 ft in the morning on Wednesday, then 7 ft in the afternoon, and 8 ft on Thursday morning. The period is a solid 16 seconds in the morning, dropping to 14 seconds. The wind is offshore or light, and the energy is strong (1501 to 2604). The forecast specifically calls it "excellent surf conditions for experienced surfers." This is the window for the crew who want to get their fill of proper Taapuna.

After Thursday, things drop off. The first week of August sees the swell shrink and the wind turning onshore from the west, creating choppy, unappealing conditions. The surf more or less goes to sleep for the end of the run.

So, to wrap it up: Forget the first couple of days. The real action starts Monday the 20th through Thursday the 30th, with the absolute peak being Wednesday the 29th and Thursday the 30th. This is a reef break, so it’s not for beginners. If you’re an advanced surfer, this is a fantastic run of long-period, clean groundswell. The crowds are listed as "sometimes," so you might have some company, but the quality will be worth it.

Stay safe, and paddle hard.

Rusty

Short Range Forecast

Mostly dry. Warm (max 24°C on Tue morning, min 22°C on Sun night). Mainly fresh winds.

Days 4-6 Weather Summary

Light rain (total 4mm), mostly falling on Fri afternoon. Warm (max 26°C on Thu afternoon, min 24°C on Wed morning). Winds decreasing (fresh winds from the E on Wed afternoon, light winds from the N by Fri night).

Sunday
19
Monday
20
Tuesday
21
Wednesday
22
Thursday
23
Friday
24
Saturday
25
AM
PM
Night
AM
PM
Night
AM
PM
Night
AM
PM
Night
AM
PM
Night
AM
PM
Night
AM
PM
Night
Rating
(10 max)
2
1
3
4
5
6
4
3
3
4
2
3
3
3
3
2
2
3
3
3
2
Swell
Height Map
Height Map
Height Map
Height Map
Height Map
Height Map
Height Map
Height Map
Wave
Height (m)
Direction
Period (s)
3
SSW
12
3
SSW
12
1.4
SSW
24
2.1
SSW
22
2.5
SSW
21
3
SSW
19
2.5
SSW
18
2.5
SSW
17
2.3
SSW
16
2.5
SSW
19
3
SSW
17
2.5
SSW
16
2.3
SSW
16
2.1
SSW
16
1.8
SSW
15
1.5
SSW
15
1.3
SSW
14
1.3
SSW
14
1.1
SW
14
1.4
SW
13
1.6
SW
13
Wave Graph
Metric surfscale
Energy kJ
2548
2171
2144
4178
5433
6513
4239
3876
2748
5043
4565
3721
2588
2054
1385
886
687
659
434
711
851
Wind (km/h)
25
SE
30
SE
30
ESE
35
ESE
30
ESE
30
ESE
25
SE
30
ESE
30
ESE
35
E
35
E
30
E
25
ENE
30
NE
25
NE
30
NNE
20
NNE
10
NNE
10
NNE
5
NNW
10
SSW
Wind State
cross
cross
cross-off
cross-off
cross-off
cross-off
cross-off
cross-off
cross-off
cross-off
cross-off
cross-off
off
off
off
off
cross-off
cross-off
cross-off
cross-off
on
High Tide
3:40PM0.25m
3:23AM0.23m
4:14PM0.22m
3:33AM0.21m
5:26PM0.18m
2:48AM0.19m
1:38PM0.14m
11:20PM0.19m
9:52AM0.17m
11:18PM0.20m
10:42AM0.20m
11:35PM0.22m
11:13AM0.22m
11:54PM0.23m
Low Tide
9:21AM0.07m
9:42PM0.12m
9:53AM0.10m
10:04PM0.14m
10:31AM0.12m
10:20PM0.17m
12:36PM0.14m
4:08PM0.14m
5:34AM0.15m
4:58PM0.11m
5:35AM0.12m
5:24PM0.08m
5:47AM0.10m
5:47PM0.05m
part cloud
part cloud
part cloud
clear
clear
part cloud
clear
clear
clear
clear
clear
clear
clear
clear
part cloud
part cloud
thunderstorm
thunderstorm
thunderstorm
thunderstorm
thunderstorm
<span class="translation_missing" title="translation missing: en.weather_tables.sunrise">Sunrise</span>
6:28
6:28
6:28
6:28
6:26
6:26
6:26
<span class="translation_missing" title="translation missing: en.weather_tables.sunset">Sunset</span>
5:39
5:40
5:40
5:40
5:42
5:42
5:42
 mm
2
2
1
2
3
Temp °C
23
23
23
23
23
23
24
24
24
24
25
25
25
26
26
26
26
26
26
26
26
Feels °C
19
18
18
18
19
18
21
21
19
20
21
21
24
25
25
26
26
28
29
29
29
  • Map Icons:
  • Break
  • Live Wave Height (m)
  • Live Wind Speed (km/h)
  • Surf Rating (10 Max)
  • Ocean Swells (m)
  • Wind Speed (km/h)
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Information about the Taapuna Surf forecast

The above surf forecast table for Taapuna provides essential information for determining whether the surfing conditions will be good over the next 16 days. A general guide to surfing at Taapuna can be found by selecting the local surf guide option on the grey menu. Our Taapuna surf forecast is unique since it includes wave energy (power) that defines the real feel of the surf rather than just the height or the period. If you surf the same spot (Taapuna) regularly then make a mental note of the wave energy from the surf forecast table each time you go. Very soon you may start to choose your surf days based on the wave energy alone combined with our forecast of favourable offshore wind conditions. Our star ratings will help here and of course you will also find the usual wave height and period predictions on our surf forecasts as well as a full break down of the swell components under our advanced users option (to reveal that, click the little Einstein character under the tide times).

Further information to help with frequently asked questions about our surf forecast for Taapuna may be found under the help tab on the top menu and also by moving your mouse over the question marks on the surf forecast table itself. Please always bear in mind that the forecast is for near-shore open water and local factors at each surf break influence the actual breaking wave height, such as the beach / reef profile, water depths offshore and shelter.

Taapuna is 4 km (2 miles) from Papeete. If you plan a holiday in Tahiti, look for hotels and other accommodation in Papeete. Papeete has rooms for a wide range of budgets as well as car hire and transport links.

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