Turtles - surf spot statistics

Best Surf Season (May - September)

The heart of the dry season brings the Indian Ocean to life with a powerful pulse of long-period groundswell. During these months, the trade winds lock in from the east-northeast quadrant, blowing strong and consistently offshore – grooming the waves into pristine, hollow walls. Average swell heights climb to 2.0-2.2m with periods of 14s, originating mostly from the S-SSW direction. While the ideal swell angle for Turtles is SW-W, the sheer size and energy of these southerly pulses, combined with glassy conditions, deliver some of the most surfable and exciting waves of the year. Consistent offshore winds dominate 56 to 82 percent of the time, making this the prime window for dedicated surf trips.

Fair Surf Season (March, April, October, November)

These transition months straddle the shift between monsoon regimes and offer a mixed bag of conditions. March and December see the tail end of the wet season, with onshore westerly winds still frequent, but the swell direction often swings into the optimal SW-W band, giving high-quality, if less frequent, clean waves. April, October, and November are characterized by a strengthening or fading easterly flow, creating many days of offshore wind – especially in November – but the swell direction tends to favor S-SSW, which is less direct. Wave heights average 1.6-1.9m with long periods, so when the swell angle lines up with a clear wind window, the surf can be world-class.

Low Surf Season (December - February)

The northwest monsoon season sets up a challenging environment for Turtles. Persistent onshore winds from the NW-WNW dominate the wind rose, blowing over 60% of the time, which chops up the wave faces. Swell is still present – mostly from the SSW-SW range with average heights of 1.6-1.7m and periods of 12s – but the wind-ruined conditions severely limit quality. Ideal offshore days account for only 17-19% of the time. This is the quietest period for surf, best suited for those chasing the rare clean window or happy with marginal, windy waves.

April: Easterly Trade Season Begins

April sees a dramatic shift as the southeast trades establish themselves. Winds blow offshore from ESE (22.4%), SE (16.4%), and E (10.0%) a combined 48.8% of the time, pushing the ideal wind percentage to 66%. Onshore westerlies are much reduced. Swell height averages 1.7m with a long period of 13.7s, and the dominant direction is SSW (50.3%) and S (34.9%). While this south-southwest swell is not perfectly aligned with the optimal west window, the consistent offshore winds groom the waves into clean, lined-up sets. Wave heights in the 1.5-2.5m range make for pumping, hollow waves on the best days. April offers a solid step up in surfing quality.