Surf Forecasts:
Papa Tangaroa surf forecast from 27 Aug 2026:
- Best quality surf: Saturday 29 Aug, 9AM (local time) - 6ft (1.9m), 10s period, SW swell with cross-offshore winds.
- Most powerful swell: Monday 31 Aug, 12PM (local time) - 13ft (4.0m), 17s period, SW swell with 8,193 kJ wave energy.
- Next surfable swell (1★+): Saturday 29 Aug, 9AM (local time) - 6ft (1.9m), 10s period with SW 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 Saturday (Aug 29) at 9AM. The primary swell is predicted to be 1.9m and 10s period with a secondary swell of 1.1m and 17s. The wind is predicted to be cross-offshore as the swell arrives.
The most powerful waves expected at Papa Tangaroa in the next 16 days are 4.0m 17s and forecast to arrive on Monday (Aug 31) at 12PM. Winds are predicted to be cross-shore at the time the swell arrives. The largest open ocean swell (not directed at the beach) is 1.7m 6s period and expected on Sunday (Aug 30) at 3AM.
| Wave Type | Time (-06) & Date | Wave Height & Period |
|---|---|---|
| Next good surf (1 star+) | 9AM (Sat 29th Aug) | 6ft (1.9m) 10s |
| Best Surf | 9AM (Sat 29th Aug) | 6ft (1.9m) 10s |
| Most Powerful | 12PM (Mon 31st Aug) | 13ft (4.0m) 17s |
Table - best surf conditions forecast for Papa Tangaroa over the next 16 days.
The Lowdown
Alright, let’s break it down. Papa Tangaroa (Tanga-Roa) is the only reef in the game here, and it’s a solid one. Water temp is about 69°F, a little warmer than average for this time of year – nothing drastic, but it’s a nice change.
The first few days are a bust. Wednesday the 26th kicks off with 10ft SW swell, 12-second period, but the wind is cross-on and choppy – messy. The energy is strong (2303), but the wind is ruining the surface. Thursday and Friday are the same story: 8ft to 7ft swell, cross or cross-on wind, lumpy and poor. Not worth paddling out.
Saturday the 29th is where it starts to get good. Morning has 6ft SW swell, 10-second period, light ENE cross-off wind, and it’s clean. The energy is moderate (1597), but the glassy conditions make it a solid session for experienced surfers. Saturday afternoon is even better – 4ft SW swell, 15-second period, light offshore N breeze. That’s a proper groundswell, clean faces, and the reef will shine. The energy is still moderate (1502), but the wave quality is top notch. Best session of the first week.
Sunday the 30th the wind swings back to cross-on and fresh, so even though the swell is 4ft with a 16-second period, the surface is lumpy. Monday the 31st has a massive 13ft SW swell with a 16-second period – huge energy (7320) – but the wind is cross-shore and lumpy. That’s expert only, and only if you can handle the bump. The wave quality is marginal, but the power is there for the brave.
Second week, Thursday the 3rd of September brings 6ft SW swell, 12-second period, light ENE cross-off wind – clean again. The energy is moderate (1078), but the reef will be working well. Friday the 4th is also clean with a cross-off WNW breeze, 6ft swell, 13-second period. The energy jumps a bit (1890) and the wind stays clean – another good window for experienced surfers.
After that, the wind turns nasty from the 5th onward, with strong cross-on conditions and 10ft+ swell – more of a kitesurfing show than a paddle session. The 9th and 10th drop off in size and quality, with lumpy wind and poor conditions.
Bottom line: Saturday the 29th and Thursday the 3rd are the standout days. Clean, offshore or cross-off wind, solid groundswell, and the reef will be doing its thing. The long-period swell on Saturday afternoon is a special treat if you can get out there.
Rusty.
Short Range ForecastLight rain (total 2mm), mostly falling on Fri morning. Very mild (max 18°C on Wed afternoon, min 17°C on Wed night). Winds decreasing (fresh winds from the WSW on Fri morning, light winds from the SE by Fri night). | Days 5-7 Weather SummaryLight rain (total 6mm), mostly falling on Sat night. Warm (max 20°C on Sat night, min 17°C on Sun night). Winds decreasing (strong winds from the NW on Sat night, light winds from the WSW by Mon morning). | |||||||||||||||||||
Wed 26 | Thursday 27 | Friday 28 | Saturday 29 | Sunday 30 | Monday 31 | Tuesday 1 | ||||||||||||||
PM | Night | AM | PM | Night | AM | PM | Night | AM | PM | Night | AM | PM | Night | AM | PM | Night | AM | PM | Night | |
Swell Height Map | ||||||||||||||||||||
Wave Height (m) Direction Period (s) | SW 12 | SW 12 | SW 11 | SW 12 | SW 12 | SW 12 | SW 12 | SW 11 | SW 10 | SW 15 | SW 16 | SW 16 | SW 17 | SW 14 | SW 17 | SW 16 | SW 16 | SW 15 | SW 14 | SW 14 |
Wave Graph | ||||||||||||||||||||
2297 | 1807 | 1562 | 1413 | 1591 | 1358 | 1213 | 954 | 768 | 705 | 942 | 931 | 1223 | 4641 | 7686 | 7263 | 5788 | 4135 | 3830 | 3761 | |
Wind (km/h) | ||||||||||||||||||||
Wind State on-shore cross-onshore cross-shore cross-offshore off-shore glassy | cross-on | cross-on | cross-on | cross | cross | cross | cross-on | on | cross-off | off | cross-off | cross-on | cross | cross-on | cross-on | cross | cross-on | cross | cross | cross-on |
High Tide | 4:14PM0.52m | 4:50AM0.70m | 4:56PM0.51m | 5:36AM0.65m | 5:59PM0.49m | 6:39AM0.59m | 7:38PM0.50m | 8:11AM0.55m | 9:21PM0.55m | 9:43AM0.54m | 10:29PM0.63m | 10:48AM0.55m | 11:18PM0.71m | |||||||
Low Tide | 10:02PM0.23m | 11:28AM0.30m | 10:44PM0.27m | 12:20PM0.32m | 11:48PM0.32m | 1:31PM0.34m | 1:38AM0.35m | 2:50PM0.32m | 3:39AM0.33m | 3:54PM0.29m | 4:58AM0.28m | 4:43PM0.25m | ||||||||
— | — | 7:35 | — | — | 7:33 | — | — | 7:33 | — | — | 7:31 | — | — | 7:31 | — | — | 7:30 | — | — | |
7:00 | — | — | 7:01 | — | — | 7:01 | — | — | 7:02 | — | — | 7:02 | — | — | 7:04 | — | — | 7:04 | — | |
mm | — | — | — | — | — | 1 | 1 | — | — | — | 4 | — | — | 2 | — | — | — | — | — | — |
Temp °C | 18 | 18 | 18 | 18 | 18 | 18 | 18 | 17 | 17 | 18 | 20 | 18 | 18 | 18 | 18 | 18 | 18 | 18 | 18 | 18 |
Feels °C | 14 | 14 | 14 | 14 | 13 | 13 | 13 | 13 | 15 | 14 | 14 | 13 | 11 | 11 | 14 | 14 | 13 | 15 | 14 | 15 |
Swell 1 Height (m) Direction Period (s) | SW 12 | SW 12 | SW 11 | SW 12 | SW 12 | SW 12 | SW 12 | SW 11 | SW 10 | SW 10 | SW 11 | WSW 10 | WSW 11 | SW 14 | SW 17 | SW 16 | SW 16 | SW 15 | SW 14 | SW 14 |
2297 | 1807 | 1562 | 1413 | 1591 | 1358 | 1213 | 954 | 768 | 694 | 524 | 698 | 1148 | 4641 | 7686 | 7263 | 5788 | 4135 | 3830 | 3761 | |
Swell 2 Height (m) Direction Period (s) | E 9 | E 9 | NW 12 | SSW 20 | SW 19 | SW 18 | SW 18 | SW 17 | SW 17 | SW 15 | SW 16 | SW 16 | SW 17 | S 11 | WSW 15 | S 11 | SSE 10 | SSE 10 | — | — |
6 | 6 | 6 | 37 | 59 | 112 | 201 | 330 | 717 | 705 | 942 | 931 | 1223 | 85 | 316 | 57 | 35 | 19 | — | — | |
Swell 3 Height (m) Direction Period (s) | — | — | SW 20 | NW 12 | N 12 | — | — | S 14 | S 13 | S 12 | S 11 | S 11 | S 11 | WSW 16 | S 11 | — | — | — | — | — |
— | — | 16 | 6 | 3 | — | — | 15 | 112 | 103 | 87 | 85 | 88 | 86 | 57 | — | — | — | — | — | |
Wind waves Height (m) Direction Period (s) | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | NW 5 | S 4 | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — |
— | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | 84 | 7 | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | |
Nearest Offshore or Glassy | ||||||||||||||||||||
Distance (km) | 12 | 12 | 12 | 3610 | 3602 | 3602 | 3588 | 6 | 0 | 0 | 3610 | 3562 | 3541 | 3541 | 12 | 3525 | 12 | 3541 | 3525 | 12 |
Best forecast wave conditions in Easter Island | ||||||||||||||||||||
Best forecast wave conditions in Chile | ||||||||||||||||||||
Header Global | ||||||||||||||||||||
- Map Icons:
Break
Live Wave Height (m)
Live Wind Speed (km/h)
Surf Rating (10 Max)
Ocean Swells (m)
Wind Speed (km/h)
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











