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The small town of Teahupoo lies at the end of the Tahiti south road at Tahiti-iti. Three hundred meters to the south of the offshore passage here lies the left hand break the world has come to know as Teahupoo pronounced cho-poo
The closest big city is papeete
Closest Int. airport faa'a
Le Truck , the local transport, costs around $2 to
Teahupoo
Takes about an hour.
Slight winds less than 5 knots and Teahupoo can be surfed. However a Southwest swell coupled with a wind that has some west in it and it's in its optimum.
Teahupoo is surfed throughout the year however most frequent surf days are between April to October. Other times the winds and rain are more frequent especially
Teahupoo faces the dominant southwest groundswell making it consistently the biggest wave in the area, and with a lack of continental shelf little refraction of the swell exists. The shallowness of the reef sees the that the lip ends up as thick as it is high.
Teahupoo breaks in the same spot no matter how big it gets. It's a heavy short lefthander and gives you the rush of facing death and surviving. It's probably best surfed at around six to eight feet. Any bigger than that and it really lives up to its title as the heaviest wave in the world.
The easiest entry into a Teahupoo barrel is going deep. It lets you in , well sometimes, but if you miss you are kissing coral. The outer shoulder allows you to say to your mates you have surfed Teahupoo, but you might get a wiggle or two in before your ride is over and you wont take home the memory of the barrel of your life. The shoulder section still closer to the peak section is the steeper of the two best take off points. Harder to negotiate the drop but it isn't so dangerous if you fall. If you try and go too deep the wave can bo
ttom out. As the break gets more attention, more frustration and more toe-ins, Teahupoo will claim more lives. It already has had a few sent to the after life.
When faced with a wave like Teahupoo you need paddling power. But forget the Indo gun or the sunset plank. You need a board with some meat in it, but hidden. No fat rails , hide the foam in the curve of the deck and a bit in the nose. Keep a good rocker throughout and not too much tail area.
The surfboard has to fit into the extreme curve of Teahupoo. So too much length is a no no. If you are riding a short board back home in the low six footers as most of us are, then a 6'9"x 18.1/4" with the hidden foam as said before is a good base. Take yourself 3 boards. Your shorty for other breaks a 6'9" and a 7 footer for backup.
Money, rashies, spare leggies- good and thick,
sunscreen, powder for reef cuts , spare undies and a
mate to take your photo.
coral cuts, Lip launches, Tiger sharks, running out of money
With the ever growing interest shown for Teahupoo where to stay whilst you share its waves. Here a few good run places in and around the area.
Pension Bonjouir (www.bonjouir.com)
4 km south of Teahupoo accesible only by boat or walk in from Teahupoo. Boat trips to eef passes for around $10-$15 U.S. Food is a bit expensive $20-$30 per meal but accomodation is reasonabley priced from $50 a night. vanira lodge (www.vaniralodge.com) Is situated right in Teahupoo. Not cheap on your own but good value if you have a group of people going with you so you can share the bungalows.
Tauhanihani Village Lodge (email kotyvaguebleue@mail.pf)
is right on the beach in Teahupoo. This is a good place to stay, comfortable and priced between $65 and $80u.s. a night. Teahupoo, Te Ava Ino, Te Ava Iti, and Vairao are all easily accesed here with Te Ava Ino right out in front.
Some surfers get homestays in Teahupoo. The best option if you want the local feel. Staying in a family run hostel or camping in someones yard can be very rewarding. You get to engage with the locals, help their income and make lifelong friends. NOTE: They don't take credit cards
Moana David has a camp also. Because he is a local surfer you can have a surfers point of view as you
drum him about spots around the islands.
MOANA SURF TOURS
PK. 8 , 3 Punaauia, P.O. Box 6734 Faaa- TAHITI
5 bed dorm. Telephone/ Fax - (689) 43.70.70
MEHERIO ITI
Telephone - (689) 57.74.31 Contact: Mrs. Maria MAITERE
3 bungalows on Tahiti -Iti peninsula
TE PARI VILLAGE
Teahupoo, Le Pari PO. Box 967 Papeete Telephone/ Fax
- (689) 53.46.22
3 overwater bungalows located on Tahiti- Iti
Peninsula.