Beacons - surf spot statistics

Best Surf Season (December - March)

The North East Monsoon takes a firm hold over the Maldives during these months, driving consistent offshore winds from the northern quadrants that groom the swell to perfection. February and March stand out with the highest percentages of ideal wind (up to 72%) and a notable shift in swell direction toward the south, directly lighting up Beacons' south-facing reef. Expect clean, lined-up waves in the 1-1.5m range with long periods around 10-11 seconds, making for fun, rippable conditions that can turn firing when the right swell fills in. January and December also deliver excellent quality, though with slightly more easterly swell angles that still wrap in nicely under the offshore breeze. This is prime time for a Maldives surf trip.

Fair Surf Season (April & November)

These transitional months see the monsoon shifting gears, with the trade winds weakening and the onshore SW winds beginning to dominate. In April, the percentage of offshore wind drops to 28%, but the swell direction becomes almost ideal with a strong S to SSW component, averaging 1.3m and a long 11.6s period. November shows similar patterns with offshore wind returning to 29% as the NE monsoon starts to re-establish. Both months offer windows of opportunity when the right synoptic setup aligns – a passing high-pressure ridge can deliver a day or two of clean northerly winds, allowing the powerful, long-period groundswell to break in pristine form. Expect a mix of clean mornings and bumped-up afternoons; pick your sessions wisely.

Low Surf Season (May - October)

The South West Monsoon dominates from May through October, bringing persistent onshore winds from the W/SW quadrant that significantly degrade wave quality at Beacons. Ideal wind percentages hover between 9-18%, while average swell heights actually increase to 1.5-1.7m with periods of 11-12 seconds – all from the very directions that cause onshore conditions. The result is consistently choppy, messy surf with occasional moments of relief during rare light wind days or when a lull in the trades allows a brief offshore window. July and August are the thick of the monsoon, with swell often exceeding 1.5m but blown out by strong westerlies. October sees a slight uptick in ideal wind (16%) as the monsoon begins to relax, but consistent quality remains elusive until the NE monsoon fully returns in December. For the dedicated surfer, this period is best suited for testing the limits of windswell or seeking shelter, but expect very few clean sessions at Beacons.

October: Shifting Winds

October brings a more noticeable change as the NE monsoon begins to reassert itself across the region. Ideal wind creeps up to 16%, but more importantly, the wind rose shows increasing contributions from the northern quadrants – N (0.5%), NW (4.1%), and even NNW (1.4%). The dominant winds are still from W (23.7%) and WSW (22.5%), but the mix is shifting. Swell averages 1.5m at 10.5s, with direction spread across S (32.0%), SSW (18.0%), and SW (13.5%) – a good spread of optimal angles. The wave height and period are down slightly from the peak monsoon months, but the prospect of cleaner conditions improves. The transition can be fickle, with some days offering pure NE offshore winds and others reverting to SW. For the traveling surfer, October offers a decent chance of scoring clean waves if you're flexible and can wait out the onshore spells. The first solid NE monsoon pulses usually arrive late in the month.