guide-to-surfing-in-fiji© Tourism Fiji
guide-to-surfing-in-fiji

Fiji Surf Guide 🏄 The Complete Guide to Surfing in Fiji [2024]

© Tourism Fiji

Does Fiji Have Good Surfing?

Surf legendary breaks atop vibrant reefs and be back in time for happy hour at your surf resort. Doesn’t that sound like the dream? That’s why surfers flock to the islands of Fiji to enjoy some of the best tropical surfing out there. Either make it your holiday destination to learn how to surf or experienced surfers can get on the waves of the powerful and fun reef breaks that Fiji has to offer. So get ready for surfing in paradise with this complete guide to surfing in Fiji. We’ve got everything covered, from when to surf in Fiji to what resorts are going to give you the best surf experience.

An Overview of Surfing in Fiji + Fiji Surf Tips

  • Beach breaks are super limited in Fiji. Know that you will be taking short boat rides out to reef breaks
  • It’s definitely worth waking up early for a morning surf before the wind picks up in the afternoon
  • Keen surfers might want to pack a couple of different boards as to not get caught out with the ever-changing swell. We’re thinking of a shortboard, fish or longboard for the small to medium days, and a larger semi-gun for the big days (usually for winter surf)
  • As well as covering up, layer on the sunscreen. Nobody’s got time for sunburn! Keep it coral-friendly too with these Fiji-friendly sunscreens
  • Booties are a good idea to protect your feet from the reefs, included in our Complete Fiji Packing List
  • Fiji might have a reputation for being an advanced surf spot, but there are plenty of surf schools and lessons to help people of all ages and abilities to learn how to surf in Fiji!

Dive deeper into the details of each point in the 10 Fiji Surf Tips for Your First Time Surfing in Fiji.

surfing in fiji© Pixabay

The Best Seasons to Surf in Fiji

Let’s get straight to the point: it’s warm in Fiji all year round. The water and air temperature stay around 25-27°C (77-81°F) throughout the year, so surfing in Fiji is nothing less than a comfortable and refreshing tropical experience. However, if you are targeting certain conditions for your surf holiday, then you’ll need to choose the right month for you.

Winter Surfing in Fiji – The Best Time to Surf in Fiji

Fiji’s so-called winter season runs between April and October, which is the time of the year that brings the biggest swells to Fiji.

March to April is when the swells start to get bigger, giving surfers decent-sized waves without verging too much on the insane. These two months are usually considered a good time to surf in Fiji for intermediate to advanced surfers where breaks aren’t too busy, but big enough to still have an epic time.

May to August is the high season for surfing where the breaks are at their most crowded, but the waves are at their biggest! If you have a go-big-or-go-home mantra then surfing in Fiji from May to August is the best time for you.

September to October brings Fiji to the end of its high surf season, but that doesn’t mean there aren’t still awesome waves to be had. Although a little smaller than May to August, the waves often reach decent and fun sizes without being too intimidating. With the crowds dying down and the weather being super warm and comfortable, personally, we think September to October are some of the best months for a surf vacation in Fiji.

Summer Surfing in Fiji – The Best Time to Surf in Fiji for Beginners

Fiji’s summer runs from November to March, where the swells are smaller, the waves are cleaner, and Fiji as a whole is less crowded with tourists. This is an ideal time for beginners to learn how to surf with instructors on Fiji’s reef breaks, as well as vacationers who want to do a bit of surfing along with some other amazing activities that Fiji has to offer. You can still find your dose of adventures with this list of 10 Epic Adrenaline Activities in Fiji.

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Where to Surf in Fiji: The Best Surfing in Fiji

It might be cliché to say, but you are spoiled for choice when it comes to surf breaks in Fiji! Picking a spot might be the hardest decision you’ll have to make for a surf holiday in Fiji. But in short, the Mamanuca Islands are the most popular surf destination for intermediates and above. Adventurous surfers who don’t mind a bit of further travel once they arrive in Fiji might want to check out the Pacific Harbour or Taveuni. The Coral Coast is a great go-to for beginners to intermediates. Finally, the Kadavu Group is epic for seasoned surfers looking for a new adventure in Fiji. We’ll go through some of the popular surf breaks in each surf destination in Fiji.

Tip: you can skip this whole part by jumping to the 10 Best Surf Resorts in Fiji.

Surfing in the Mamanuca Islands

The home of internationally-renowned reef breaks, such as Cloudbreak, the Mamanuca Islands are the most popular go-to for wave warriors in Fiji. What’s more, the Mamanucas is the easiest island group to access once touching down at the Nadi International Airport. Just a quick ferry trip and you will arrive in paradise. Work out the logistics with our Guide to Mamanuca Islands and find a place to stay in the 8 Best Surf Resorts in the Mamanuca Islands.

Here are just some of the surf breaks that the Mamanuca Islands are famous for:

  • Cloudbreak – A break for the advanced with waves known to reach 20ft/6m. Find it 5km/3 miles south of Namotu Island
  • Restaurants – Advanced reef break known for its perfectly tubular waves. Find it just off Tavarua Island
  • Swimming Pools – Right-hander with consistent steep wall waves. Great for beginners in summer. Find it off Namotu Island
  • Wilkes – Great one to hit at high tide off Nomotu Island
  • Desperations – Reliable break to fall back on if the conditions are not right elsewhere. Left and right-handers are available. Find it south of Malolo Island
  • Mini’s – Left-hander barrel waves await when there’s a southwesterly wind at high tide. Find it left of the Navula Passage
  • Lighthouse – Fast and powerful waves for the experts. Find it south from Mini’s left of the Navula Passage
  • Namotu Lefts – Reasonably consistent break reliant on ground swells. Great for longboards. Find it off Namotu Island
  • Tavaura Rights – A challenging and fun right-hander in the right conditions. Find it off Tavarua Island.

Surfing on the Coral Coast

Running along the south coast of Fiji’s mainland, Viti Levu, the Coral Coast is another easy surf destination to get to from Nadi International Airport. There’s something for both beginners and advanced surfers, as it’s home to one of Fiji’s only beach breaks. Figure out how to get there and where to stay in our Guide to the Coral Coast.

Here are some surf breaks to aim for on the Coral Coast:

  • Natadola – Shore breaks for beginners and stand-up paddle surfers, as well as a fun inner-reef break for longboarders. Find it at Natadola Beach, just north of Sigatoka
  • Natadola Inside Left – Ideal for beginners to intermediates on a reef only 45m/50 yards away from the shore. Heavily reliant on conditions. Find it at Natadola Bay
  • Sigatoka Beach Break – Long left-handers and short rights are sometimes available. Find it at the Sigatoka Sand Dunes at the mouth of the Sigatoka River
  • Hideaway – Fun right-handers when the waves are at 3ft/1m. Any higher and its best for the advanced. Find it a 10-minute paddle away from the Hideaway Beach Resort near Tagaqe
  • Naviti – Fast barrelling waves only a 20-minute paddle from shore. Find it in front of the Naviti Resort near Votua
  • Beachouse – Similar waves to Hideaway that are better for intermediate and up surfers. Find it in front of the Beachouse Fiji Resort near Komave.

Surfing on the Pacific Harbour

On the southern coast of Viti Levu leading to Fiji’s capital, Suva, the Pacific Harbour is where you’ll find more big waves in Fiji! The Pacific Harbour is known for being the “adventure capital” of Fiji, so there’s plenty of epic things to do in between surf days. Check it all out in our Guide to the Pacific Harbour & Beqa.

For now, here are some surf breaks well worth targeting:

  • Frigates – This surf break picks up all swell making it a favourite choice for advanced surfers. Find it between Matanivusi Resort and Beqa Island
  • J’s – Fast hollow right-hand waves await at this reef break south of Vunaniu Bay
  • Fiji Pipe – Hollow left-hander with epic barrels during winter. Find it south of Vunaniu Bay
  • Shifties – Right-hander that can be surfed at all tides. Find it south of Vunaniu Bay
  • Vunaniu – Short and smaller right-hander which is better for beginners. Find it south of Vunaniu Bay.

Surfing in the Kavavu Group

For an off-the-beaten-track surfing experience in Fiji, head to the Kadavu Islands, a short flight south of Viti Levu. Ideal for advanced surfers who might have already been to the popular surf spots in Fiji, surfing in Kadavu is a great way to mix things up. Learn more about Kadavu in our Guide to the Kadavu Islands.

Here are a few popular surf breaks in the Kadavu Islands:

  • King Kong Left – Short consistent waves that can reach 8ft/2.5m high. Find it off Nagigia Island
  • Typhoon Ally – Although inconsistent, it produces great barreling right-handers on a good day. Find it off the east coast of Kadavu
  • Vesi Passage – A powerful left-hander that’s best left to the experts. Find it off the east coast of Kadavu
  • SoSo Passage – A comfortable left-hander that can be surfed in any wind direction. Find it off the east coast of Kadavu
  • Naigoro Passage – A good one for intermediates and up, break left and right and tends to work when the swell is not working at other nearby reef breaks.  Find it off the east coast of Kadavu.

Surfing in Taveuni

Taveuni is Fiji’s third-largest island with a few large islands surrounding it with some epic surf breaks offshore. The island might take a little longer to get to than the other destinations we’ve mentioned, but it’s somewhere you won’t want to leave in a hurry! Check out how to get there in our Guide to Taveuni.

Here are some breaks worth getting to in Taveuni:

  • Maqai – A long right-hander ideal at all tides. Find it south of Qamea Island
  • Kavas – A high wall left-hander for experienced surfers. Find it a few hundred metres from Maqai, south of Qamea Island
  • Bula Bowls – Small swells offer fun left-handers for intermediates and up, big swells offer epic barrels for the experts. Find it on the eastern side of the Maqai reef, south of Qamea Island
  • Purple Wall – A challenge for even the most experienced surfers. Find it between Taveuni and Qamea
  • Black Rock – A great one to hit when there are no winds producing short but straight waves. Find it between Taveuni and Qamea.
surfing-in-fiji© Tourism Fiji

Fiji Surf Resorts

For getting all the logistics of a surf holiday sorted, think about staying in one of Fiji’s dedicated surf resorts. With boat transport to the nearest reef breaks, board hire and sometimes surf lessons, surf resorts in Fiji work hard on making your trip to Fiji a surfer’s paradise.

Fiji’s Top Surf Resorts

  • Namotu Island Fiji – Surfing experts in the Mamanucas with close proximity to Fiji’s most popular breaks
  • Tavarua Island Resort – A premium resort on a heart-shaped island close to the Mamanucas’ surf action
  • Treasure Island Resort – Although not strictly a surf resort, the resort in the Mamanucas offers surf boat charters to your desired breaks
  • Plantation Island Resort – The Mamanuca Islands resort offers surf trips specially catered to your ability
  • Castaway Island – Another resort in the Mamanucas offers boat transfers to Wilkes, Cloudbreak, Desperations and Restaurants for those with their own board. They can organise board hire, plus boat transfers, with a local operator
  • DoubleTree by Hilton Fiji Sonaisali Island – The base of Fiji’s original surf school, Fiji Surf Co. Hop on a surf tour to the Mamanucas and around Viti Levu or learn to surf
  • Matanivusi Beach Eco Resort – Learn to surf or hop on a surf trip to the nearby Pacific Harbour surf breaks
  • Waidroka Bay Surf & Dive Resort – Hire the resorts’ surf guide/skipper aboard a catamaran to hit the waves of the Pacific Harbour
  • Maqai Beach Eco Surf Resort – Located on the southern shores of Qamea, Taveuni, this is the ultimate surfers’ getaway offering all inclusive surf holidays in Fiji
  • Matava Resort – Although not a surf resort, it’s one of the few resorts on Kadavu that offer boat trips to the Kadavu surf breaks.

For more information on these resorts and more, head to the 10 Best Surf Resorts in Fiji.

Fiji Surf Guide The Complete Guide to Surfing in Fiji © Chris McLennan - Tourism Fiji

Surfing in Fiji for Beginners

As we’ve touched on already, most of Fiji’s surf breaks are not beginner-friendly, so surf schools teaching how to surf are a rarity. That’s not to say there isn’t the odd hidden gem when it comes to surf lessons in Fiji. If you want to learn to surf, head to the Coral Coast, ask at the resorts for the local surf instructors (they come and go), or join our recommended surf school…

Surfing Lessons in Fiji

One of the most comprehensive surf camps in Fiji, Endless Summer Fiji, offers two-hour group surf lessons, as well as multi-day surf camps to learn how to surf. They operate out of their resort on the Coral Coast, just off the Queens Road near Colova village.

More About Surfing in Fiji

That’s it for this guide to surfing in Fiji. Check out more surf tips in the guides below:

Finally, find more epic experiences across the islands in our 101 Things to Do in Fiji: The Ultimate List. Plus, get even more tips from The Complete Travel Guide to Fiji.

Author

Laura S.

This article was reviewed and published by Laura, editor in chief and co-founder of Fiji Pocket Guide. Since arriving solo in the South Pacific over 10 years ago with nothing but a backpack and a background in journalism, her mission has been to show the world how easy (and awesome) it is to explore a paradise such as Fiji. She knows the islands inside-out and loves sharing tips on how best to experience Fiji’s must-dos and hidden gems. Laura is also editor of several other South Pacific travel guides.

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