Papa Tangaroa Surf Break

Lat Long: 27.17° S 109.38° W

Papa Tangaroa Surf Forecast and Surf Report

Issued: 5 am 20 Jul 2026 (local time)

Forecast update in  hr  min

Today's Papa Tangaroa sea temperature is
21.0° C
0.5° 

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


Papa Tangaroa surf forecast from 20 Jul 2026:

  • Best quality surf: Friday 24 Jul, 6PM (local time) - 16ft (5.0m), 16s period, SW swell with cross-shore winds.
  • Most powerful swell: Friday 24 Jul, 6AM (local time) - 15ft (4.5m), 17s period, SW swell with 11,787 kJ wave energy.
  • Next surfable swell (1★+): Monday 20 Jul, 12PM (local time) - 4ft (1.2m), 11s period with WSW swell.

Best Forecast Surf Conditions for Papa Tangaroa this week:

The surf forecast for Papa Tangaroa over the next 16 days: The first swell (rated 1 star or higher) is forecast to arrive on Monday (Jul 20) at 12PM. The primary swell is predicted to be 1.2m and 11s period with a secondary swell of 0.8m and 16s. The wind is predicted to be offshore as the swell arrives.

The most powerful waves expected at Papa Tangaroa in the next 16 days are 4.5m 17s and forecast to arrive on Friday (Jul 24) at 6AM. Winds are predicted to be cross-shore at the time the swell arrives. The largest open ocean swell (not directed at the beach) is 2.0m 6s period and expected on Tuesday (Jul 21) at 12AM.

Wave TypeTime (-06) & Date Wave Height & Period
Next good surf (1 star+)12PM (Mon 20th Jul)4ft (1.2m) 11s
Best Surf 6PM (Fri 24th Jul)16ft (5.0m) 16s
Most Powerful 6AM (Fri 24th Jul)15ft (4.5m) 17s

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


The Lowdown

G'day, I'm Rusty. Let's get into it. We've got a solid 16-day window ahead for Papa Tangaroa, a reef break that's a consistent performer but can get very serious. The water’s sitting at 21°, which is right on the money for this time of year, so no surprises there.

The outlook kicks off on Monday the 20th of July with a morning session that's looking alright. We've got a 4ft swell from the WSW, with a moderate 12 mph offshore NNE breeze. It's clean, but the energy is only moderate (616) and the period is short at 11 seconds, so it won't be the standout. The afternoon goes downhill fast with a stronger 22 mph offshore wind and a drop in size to 3ft.

Tuesday the 21st starts with a bit of a cross-off wind and a 3ft SW swell, but the real story is the energy it's packing – those 24-second periods on a 3ft wave are insane, pushing the combined energy to 1986. That's a very long period groundswell, which will groove beautifully on this reef, but it won't be a big wave. The afternoon turns into a choppy mess.

Now, the real highlight is Wednesday the 22nd of July. The morning session is a standout. We’ve got a 7ft SW swell – that's a solid expert wave – blowing over your head, with a 9 mph cross-off wind from the WNW. The combined energy is a beastly 5337, and the period is a long 19 seconds. This is proper groundswell, the kind that barrels on a reef like this. The wind is light, the conditions are clean, and it's set up for a serious session. The afternoon pumps up to 10ft, but the wind picks up a bit – still clean, but that's a proper heavy wave.

Thursday the 23rd and Friday the 24th are a write-off. The wind swings onshore or cross-shore with strong breezes, and the swell size jumps up to 15ft. That's massive, but the wind is just ruining it. The setup looks more interesting for kite surfing than paddle surfing.

We get a bit of a reprieve on Sunday the 26th with a big 12ft SSW swell and a light offshore SSE wind in the morning, but the period is a bit shorter and the wind is tricky. It's marginal.

The next real standout is Wednesday the 29th of July. The afternoon session is glassy. Absolutely glassy. A 3 mph wind from the ENE, with a 6ft SW swell and a 14-second period. The combined energy is 1451. That's a clean, long-period wave with no wind ripple. Perfect conditions for experienced surfers.

The final standout is Monday the 3rd of August. The morning is also glassy, with a 3ft SW swell and a 20-second period. The energy is moderate (2240), but the period is incredibly long. That wave will stand up perfectly on this reef. The afternoon keeps it clean with a 4ft SW swell and a light offshore. The next day, Tuesday the 4th of August, is very similar with clean, cross-off conditions and 4ft waves.

So, the best on offer is the morning of Wednesday the 22nd for the size and power, and the glassy sessions on Wednesday the 29th of July and Monday the 3rd of August for the absolute perfection when the wind drops.

Rusty.

Short Range Forecast

Moderate rain (total 16mm), heaviest on Mon night. Warm (max 21°C on Mon night, min 19°C on Mon morning). Winds decreasing (fresh winds from the NW on Mon night, light winds from the WNW by Wed morning).

Days 4-6 Weather Summary

Light rain (total 5mm), mostly falling on Thu morning. Warm (max 20°C on Thu morning, min 17°C on Sat afternoon). Winds decreasing (strong winds from the WSW on Fri afternoon, light winds from the SSW by Sat night).

Monday
20
Tuesday
21
Wednesday
22
Thursday
23
Friday
24
Saturday
25
Sunday
26
AM
PM
Night
AM
PM
Night
AM
PM
Night
AM
PM
Night
AM
PM
Night
AM
PM
Night
AM
PM
Night
Rating
(10 max)
3
2
0
3
0
3
6
5
3
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
2
3
4
Swell
Height Map
Height Map
Height Map
Height Map
Height Map
Height Map
Height Map
Height Map
Wave
Height (m)
Direction
Period (s)
1.3
WSW
11
0.8
SW
16
0.6
SW
26
1
SW
24
1.5
SW
22
1.8
SW
20
2.2
SW
19
3
SW
18
2.1
SW
17
3
WSW
16
3
SW
15
2.3
SW
18
4.5
SW
16
4.5
SW
16
4.5
SW
15
4
SW
14
4
SW
14
4
SW
13
3.5
SSW
13
3.5
SSW
13
3
SSW
13
Wave Graph
Metric surfscale
Energy kJ
366
302
527
1083
2039
2640
3441
6005
2442
4377
4462
3424
11372
10955
8994
7117
6495
4862
3994
3635
2672
Wind (km/h)
20
NNE
35
N
35
WNW
25
NW
25
WSW
15
WSW
15
WNW
25
WNW
30
W
40
W
35
WSW
35
W
35
W
40
W
40
WSW
40
SW
35
SSW
20
S
15
SSE
10
SSE
5
N
Wind State
off
off
cross-off
cross-off
cross-on
cross-on
cross-off
cross-off
cross-off
cross
cross-on
cross
cross
cross
cross-on
cross-on
cross-on
on
on
cross-on
off
High Tide
12:25PM0.69m
1:13AM0.77m
1:14PM0.66m
1:55AM0.80m
1:55PM0.63m
2:31AM0.81m
2:30PM0.59m
3:04AM0.82m
3:00PM0.56m
3:34AM0.81m
3:28PM0.54m
4:03AM0.80m
3:55PM0.52m
Low Tide
6:41PM0.14m
7:27AM0.23m
7:20PM0.15m
8:16AM0.23m
7:53PM0.16m
8:58AM0.23m
8:22PM0.17m
9:35AM0.24m
8:47PM0.18m
10:09AM0.26m
9:11PM0.20m
10:43AM0.27m
9:36PM0.21m
clear
part cloud
heavy rain
rain showers
rain showers
clear
part cloud
part cloud
light rain
light rain
light rain
rain showers
rain showers
part cloud
rain showers
cloud
cloud
cloud
clear
clear
part cloud
<span class="translation_missing" title="translation missing: en.weather_tables.sunrise">Sunrise</span>
8:03
8:03
8:03
8:03
8:02
8:02
8:00
<span class="translation_missing" title="translation missing: en.weather_tables.sunset">Sunset</span>
6:43
6:44
6:44
6:45
6:45
6:45
6:45
 mm
11
3
1
1
1
1
1
1
1
Temp °C
19
20
21
20
20
20
20
20
20
20
20
19
19
19
19
18
17
18
17
17
18
Feels °C
17
16
16
19
18
19
17
16
16
14
14
12
13
11
11
10
10
12
14
14
15
  • 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 Papa Tangaroa Surf forecast

The above surf forecast table for Papa Tangaroa provides essential information for determining whether the surfing conditions will be good over the next 16 days. A general guide to surfing at Papa Tangaroa can be found by selecting the local surf guide option on the grey menu. Our Papa Tangaroa 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 (Papa Tangaroa) 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 Papa Tangaroa 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.

Are you planning a holiday in Easter Island? If you are looking for accommodation near Tanga Roa, camping, hotels and holiday cottages in Easter Island, consider staying in Caleton which is 7 km (4 miles) away. Alternatively, find information about places to stay and car hire in Easter Island which is 11 km (7 miles) away

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