Tahiti and Moorea
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Positives
- Powerful barrelling waves
- Year-round consistency
- Beautiful landscapes
- Chilled-out island lifestyle
Negatives
- Very expensive
- Difficult access
- Localism at some spots
- Sharp coral reefs
Tahiti and Moorea surf travel guide
Tahiti sits at the centre of French Polynesia and now, thanks to the relatively recent discovery of Teahupoo, has become an undeniable focus for the surf world as the most challenging of playgrounds. However it's not all scary square barrels, there are some fun walls at various passes and even the odd beachbreak style wave to be found. On the whole, the quality of the spots is exceptional and the waves are varied, as swells arrive from both hemispheres, lighting up the coastlines of Moorea and Tahiti. There is also the occasional opportunity to ride fun reef, point and black sand beachbreak type waves on the windward coast at little bays like Tiarei and Faaone, while the offshore motus could be holding for those with a boat and the right angles of swell and wind.
Surf spots in Tahiti and Moorea
Research the 13 surf breaks in Tahiti and Moorea and discover what spots suit the current conditions.
Break lowdown
We’ve collated the wave data giving you a unique insight into the 13 breaks in Tahiti and Moorea.
When to go
Surf and weather statistics to help plan your surf trip to Tahiti and Moorea
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Library
Helpful surf travel videos and articles featuring Tahiti and Moorea.
We Had The Cameras Rolling In Tahiti As The World Tour Faced Massive Teahupo'o | No Contest Ep7
- TravelSurf
See Through the Lens of the World's Best Underwater Surf Photographer | Ben Thouard in “Surface"
- Surf
Travel Information
General
- Current Time
- Tourists
- 216,300
- Population
- 280,908
- Tourist Info
- Tourist Info
Security
Health
Money
- Currency
- XPF
Cost of living
Communication
- Dialing in
- +689
- Dialing out
- 00
- Emergencies
- 112
- Language
- French, Tahitian
Electricity
- Plug Type
- abe
Visas
Most European countries plus USA, Australia, Canada, New Zealand, japan and some others can visit visa free for stays up to 90 days. All other nationalities should check at the time of travel what the latest visa requirements are.
Getting There
Fly to Papeete (PPT) with Air New Zealand, Air France, Corsair from Paris/LAX, Hawaiian from Honolulu or Qantas from Oz. The ferry to Moorea Island costs $33/rtn/p and $94/rtn/car on the Aremiti 5 and takes 30mins. The up-and-down domestic flight takes only 10mins!
Getting Around
Tahiti and Moorea local trucks (Le Truck) provide good cheap transport around the island. Getting from the shore to the waves usually involves paddling for 30-45 min across the lagoon or more sensibly renting a dugout for $10rtn. A rental car costs about $65-75/d.
Accommodation
At the bottom of the accommodation range are the dorm beds at Teamo (Papeete Youth Hostel), which charges at least $36/n. A mid-range favourite is Taharuu Surf Lodge in Papara (fr $85/n). In Teahupoo try Tauhanihani Village Lodge ($100/n), Vanira Lodge (fr$140/n), Te Pari Village or one of the other local 'Faré' from $90/n. Moorea Surf Bed & Breakfast at Haapiti have private rooms with breakfast starting from $135. Board rental is $45 per day. There's plenty of motu style high end hotels and also Camping Nelson from $15/n. Eat from the roulottes (rolling food trucks) where locals eat simple island meals from $10, but more frequently you'll spend around $20-30 on a meal.
Activities
Head up into the beautiful mountains, visit some of the caves, go fishing, diving and snorkelling or just chill out amongst the lush landscape. Occasional dugout races are worth watching.
Hazards & hassles
Respect the local's deep feeling of pride. The waves are super-heavy and the reefs are shallow and full of fire coral. Currents at the mouth of reef passes can be very strong. Teahupoo is one of the most dangerous waves in the world and should only be tackled by the most advanced of surfers. It has already seen one surf-related death. Sharks although common, pose no real threat. Don't eat poorly cooked fish, as there is a chance of catching ciguatera, a type of food poisoning. There are lots of mosquitoes, but no malaria.
Handy Hints
Equipment is very expensive in the Papeete and Maharepa surf shops. Bring at least two boards, including a longer pintail made especially for local conditions (heavy barrels!), reef boots, sun cream and possibly a helmet. Tahiti is a French speaking destination. New live HD webcams for numerous spots on tahiti-webcam.com.
Due to global pandemic, Visas, Getting There, Getting Around or Accommodation information and pricing may have changed. Always check Government Travel Advice before travelling.