Tonga

– Ha’atafu Beach Resort

Surf all year – Summer rights / Winter lefts
Bottom Type:  Reef – Variety – majority of waves are hollow 

Tonga enjoys world class surfing year round with two very distinct seasons.  

The North Pacific Winter Swell (the same stuff that hits Hawaii) sees Tonga firing November to March. The Southern Hemisphere winter swell season runs from April to October, with waves generated by storm activity off Australia and New Zealand.

There are 4 rights and 1 left at Ha’atafu as well as a chain of off-shore reefs which fire during this period.

“E.T.’s”, “Loonies”, “Sharkies”, Lighthouse”, Pass Right” and “Razors” are just a few of the smorgasbord of surf-spots to choose from.  Some can be mindlessly perfect.  East to South East trade winds prevail during the summer months but winds can be variable during passing storms (cyclone season).  However, with such a selection of off-shore locations there is almost always one of the breaks offering clean, off-shore conditions.  Resort boats are used to access off-shore surf spots.  The Winter South Swell Season (April to October) Winter lows in the Tasman Sea and around New Zealand as well as Antarctic lows generate strong, clean groundswells which sweep the Ha’atafu coast turning on 5 excellent lefts – “The Pass”, “Motels”, “Corners”, “The Bowl” and “Fishtraps”.  South East trade winds are directly off-shore at Ha’atafu and predominate during winter, brushing these waves to perfection.  All surf spots are either directly in front of the Resort or within a short walking distance and 100 metre paddle across the lagoon.

No beach breaks in Tonga
All surf spots break over coral reefs, some are dangerously shallow, and for this reason we recommend that visiting surfers possess intermediate to advanced skill levels.  There are reforms inside the lagoon which are ideal for supervised children or beginners.