Papa Tangaroa Surf Break

Lat Long: 27.17° S 109.38° W

Papa Tangaroa Surf Forecast and Surf Report

Issued: 11 pm 15 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 16 Jul 2026:

  • Best quality surf: Tuesday 21 Jul, 3PM (local time) - 5ft (1.6m), 22s period, SW swell with cross-offshore winds.
  • Most powerful swell: Thursday 23 Jul, 3AM (local time) - 10ft (3.0m), 17s period, SW swell with 5,378 kJ wave energy.
  • Next surfable swell (1★+): Saturday 18 Jul, 9AM (local time) - 5ft (1.6m), 9s 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 (Jul 18) at 9AM. The primary swell is predicted to be 1.6m and 9s period with a secondary swell of 0.6m and 11s. The wind is predicted to be glassy as the swell arrives.

The most powerful waves expected at Papa Tangaroa in the next 16 days are 3.0m 17s and forecast to arrive on Thursday (Jul 23) at 3AM. Winds are predicted to be cross-shore at the time the swell arrives. The largest open ocean swell (not directed at the beach) is 1.5m 6s period and expected on Tuesday (Jul 21) at 6AM.

Wave TypeTime (-06) & Date Wave Height & Period
Next good surf (1 star+) 9AM (Sat 18th Jul)5ft (1.6m) 9s
Best Surf 3PM (Tue 21st Jul)5ft (1.6m) 22s
Most Powerful 3AM (Thu 23rd Jul)10ft (3.0m) 17s

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


The Lowdown

Right, let's have a look at what's on the menu for the next couple of weeks. We're focusing on one spot here, and it's a proper reef setup that's gonna keep things interesting if you know what you're doing.

The week kicks off with a bit of a frustrating wait, to be honest. Thursday the 16th and Friday the 17th have some swell around, but the wind's just not playing ball. It's a cross-off or cross-on, and it's lumpy. Not worth getting wet for.

Alright, now we're talking. Saturday the 18th is where it's at. We've got a glassy start to the morning at Papa Tangaroa, with the wind dropping right out – just a slight air. Swell's a solid 5 ft from the SW. The combined energy is moderate (565). It's not huge, but it'll be clean and fun for those who are comfortable on a reef. The afternoon stays clean with a light cross-off breeze.

Sunday the 19th is a write-off – onshore wind's gonna make a mess of it. That pattern holds through the early part of the week with onshore or cross-off winds and not much to get excited about.

But then, keep your eyes on Tuesday the 21st and Wednesday the 22nd. Tuesday afternoon brings a pulse of very long-period groundswell. We're talking 5 ft from the SW with a period of 22 seconds – that's proper energy, strong wave energy (2934). That kind of period is a dream for a reef like Papa Tangaroa, giving long, lined-up waves. The wind is a gentle cross-off, keeping it clean. Wednesday afternoon pushes up to 7 ft from the SW with a 19-second period, and the combined energy is strong again (4255). The wind's a bit stronger, a moderate cross-off, but still clean. This is top-tier for experienced surfers.

Now, we hit a wall of pure power. From Thursday the 23rd through Saturday the 25th, the swell goes ballistic – up to 18 ft – but it's going to be a complete mess. Strong cross-off and cross-on winds, combined with that much energy, will make those waves treacherous. This is for experts only, and even then, conditions are poor. Actually, with these winds and that size, the setup looks more interesting for kite surfing than paddle surfing.

Sunday the 26th offers some relief. The swell drops to a still-chunky 10 ft from the SW, but more importantly, the wind swings to a gentle cross-off. The energy is strong (3151). This is another standout window for experienced surfers who can handle a powerful, clean reef.

The following week from Monday the 28th onwards is a mixed bag. Monday the 28th has the right size (7 ft from the SW) and clean conditions, but that near-gale offshore wind at 31 mph will make paddling out a proper battle. Later in the week, Wednesday the 29th looks tidy again with a clean 7 ft SW swell and moderate offshore winds, perfect for a finetune session. It all starts to fade out after that, with smaller, choppier energy on the last few days of the month.

So, to sum it up: the absolute best on offer is Tuesday afternoon the 21st and all of Wednesday the 22nd. That's your window for long-period, clean, punchy reef waves. The second standout is Sunday afternoon the 26th for a big, clean power session. Get on it.

Rusty.

Short Range Forecast

Light rain (total 4mm), mostly falling on Thu afternoon. Warm (max 21°C on Thu afternoon, min 18°C on Sat afternoon). Winds decreasing (strong winds from the W on Thu afternoon, calm by Sat morning).

Days 5-7 Weather Summary

Light rain (total 7mm), mostly falling on Sat night. Warm (max 20°C on Sat night, min 18°C on Sat night). Winds increasing (light winds from the ESE on Sun night, fresh winds from the NNW by Mon night).

Thursday
16
Friday
17
Saturday
18
Sunday
19
Monday
20
Tuesday
21
Night
AM
PM
Night
AM
PM
Night
AM
PM
Night
AM
PM
Night
AM
PM
Night
AM
PM
Night
Rating
(10 max)
0
3
2
1
0
0
0
3
3
1
0
0
1
3
3
3
3
4
3
Swell
Height Map
Height Map
Height Map
Height Map
Height Map
Height Map
Height Map
Height Map
Wave
Height (m)
Direction
Period (s)
1.7
W
12
1.9
WSW
11
1.7
WSW
12
2.1
WSW
8
1.8
WSW
8
2.1
WSW
12
1.9
SW
9
1.6
SW
9
1.5
WSW
9
1.6
WSW
10
1.6
WSW
10
1.3
WSW
10
1.4
WSW
11
1.3
WSW
11
0.8
SW
16
0.6
SW
26
1
SW
24
1.6
SW
22
1.9
SW
20
Wave Graph
Metric surfscale
Energy kJ
776
813
852
520
375
1195
525
388
395
520
500
353
495
366
302
527
1083
2438
2865
Wind (km/h)
25
WSW
20
WNW
30
WNW
30
W
30
WSW
30
WSW
20
SW
5
SW
10
NW
20
W
25
SSW
15
SSE
15
SE
10
E
15
N
25
N
20
NW
15
WNW
25
WNW
Wind State
cross-on
cross-off
cross-off
cross
cross-on
cross-on
cross-on
glassy
cross-off
cross
on
on
cross-on
cross-off
off
off
cross-off
cross-off
cross-off
High Tide
8:00AM0.82m
8:56PM0.56m
9:12AM0.78m
10:18PM0.61m
10:24AM0.74m
11:27PM0.67m
11:29AM0.71m
00:24AM0.73m
12:25PM0.69m
1:13AM0.77m
1:14PM0.66m
1:55AM0.80m
Low Tide
1:06AM0.22m
3:00PM0.20m
2:32AM0.26m
4:06PM0.18m
4:02AM0.27m
5:05PM0.16m
5:22AM0.26m
5:57PM0.15m
6:30AM0.24m
6:41PM0.14m
7:27AM0.23m
7:20PM0.15m
clear
clear
rain showers
rain showers
clear
cloud
cloud
cloud
light rain
rain showers
clear
clear
clear
part cloud
cloud
rain showers
rain showers
light rain
heavy rain
<span class="translation_missing" title="translation missing: en.weather_tables.sunrise">Sunrise</span>
8:04
8:04
8:04
8:03
8:03
8:03
<span class="translation_missing" title="translation missing: en.weather_tables.sunset">Sunset</span>
6:40
6:42
6:42
6:43
6:43
6:44
 mm
2
1
1
3
1
2
1
23
Temp °C
20
20
21
21
20
20
20
19
19
20
19
19
19
19
19
20
20
20
19
Feels °C
17
18
18
17
16
16
17
19
19
17
16
17
17
19
18
16
18
20
18
  • Map Icons:
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  • 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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