Telo Island Lefts surf

Telo Island Lefts

Intermediate
Reef break · Moderate · Best: May–October · All tides
Working best in Nias now Lagundri Bay / The Point Good · 1.7m @ 10s View →
Conditions right now
Fair
Wave
1.2m
Swell
1.0m
8s · S
Period
8s
Wind
7 km/h
SE · gust 26
Onshore
Water
31°C
Air
26°C

Surf report

Tide rising · High 5:00 PM 0.7m
Time Surf Swell Wind Tide
6 AM 1.2 m
1.1m 8s S
1 km/h off
0.8m
9 AM 1.2 m
1.1m 8s S
6 km/h cross
0.3m
12 PM 1.1 m
1.0m 7s S
6 km/h on
0.1m
3 PM 1.1 m
1.0m 9s S
6 km/h on
0.5m
6 PM 1.1 m
1.0m 8s S
3 km/h cross
0.7m
Best session today
6 PM–7 AM
Cross-shore 1.1m swell @ 11s

Next 24 hours

Wave Swell
0.0 0.8 1.5 11 AM2 PM5 PM8 PM11 PM2 AM5 AM8 AM

Wind

Speed Gusts (km/h)
0 15 30 11 AM2 PM5 PM8 PM11 PM2 AM5 AM8 AM

Tide

High 5:00 PM · 0.7m Low 11:00 PM · 0.1m High 5:00 AM · 0.9m Low 12:00 PM · 0.0m
H 5 PM L 11 PM H 5 AM L 12 PM H 6 PM L 12 AM H 6 AM 11 AM5 PM11 PM5 AM11 AM5 PM11 PM5 AM

7-day outlook

Best days
Thu, Sep 10
1.1–1.2m
Fri, Sep 11
1.2–1.3m
Sat, Sep 12
1.3–1.6m
Sun, Sep 13 Best
1.5–1.7m
Mon, Sep 14
1.4–1.5m
Tue, Sep 15
1.3–1.4m
Wed, Sep 16
1.2–1.3m

Hourly detail

Show next 24h
Time Wave Swell Period Wind Tide
11 AM 1.2m 1.0m S 8s 7 SE on 0.0m
12 PM 1.1m 1.0m S 7s 6 SE on 0.1m
1 PM 1.1m 1.0m S 7s 6 ESE cross 0.1m
2 PM 1.1m 1.0m S 8s 5 ESE cross 0.3m
3 PM 1.1m 1.0m S 9s 6 SSE on 0.5m
4 PM 1.1m 1.0m S 9s 6 S on 0.7m
5 PM 1.1m 1.0m S 9s 6 S on 0.7m
6 PM 1.1m 1.0m S 8s 3 WNW cross 0.7m
7 PM 1.1m 1.0m S 8s 3 SE on 0.6m
8 PM 1.1m 1.0m S 8s 7 SE on 0.5m
9 PM 1.2m 0.9m S 9s 6 SE on 0.3m
10 PM 1.2m 0.9m S 9s 7 SE on 0.1m
11 PM 1.2m 1.0m S 10s 8 SE on 0.1m
12 AM 1.2m 1.0m SSW 10s 9 SE on 0.1m
1 AM 1.2m 1.1m SSW 11s 8 SE on 0.2m
2 AM 1.2m 1.1m SSW 11s 9 SSE on 0.4m
3 AM 1.2m 1.1m SSW 11s 10 SE on 0.6m
4 AM 1.2m 1.1m SSW 11s 10 SE on 0.8m
5 AM 1.2m 1.1m SSW 11s 8 SE cross 0.9m
6 AM 1.2m 1.1m SSW 11s 11 ESE cross 0.9m
7 AM 1.2m 1.1m SSW 10s 11 ESE cross 0.8m
8 AM 1.2m 1.1m SSW 10s 13 ESE cross 0.6m
9 AM 1.2m 1.1m SSW 10s 12 SE cross 0.4m
10 AM 1.2m 1.1m SSW 10s 11 ESE cross 0.2m

About Telo Island Lefts

Telo Island Lefts peels in the opposite direction to its neighbour, offering a fun left-hander across a shallow reef in the Telo group. The wave is playful and consistent during the right swell, with enough length to link turns and enjoy the ride. Intermediate surfers will find it a rewarding complement to the rights nearby.

Local knowledge

Hazards

The reef is shallow and sharp — at lower tides the coral comes up fast off the bottom, so wipeouts can result in reef rash or lacerations. Sea urchins are common in the reef crevices, so booties are worth considering, especially for entry and exit. Boat traffic from passing bangkas can be an issue in the channel, so stay alert when paddling out.

Getting there

Telo Islands are boat-access only — most surfers arrive via a live-aboard or charter boat out of Sibolga or Teluk Dalam (Nias), with the crossing taking anywhere from several hours to overnight depending on your departure point. Your boat anchors in the channel and you paddle directly to the lineup; there's no beach walk or road access. Check with your skipper on the best channel entry to avoid the shallowest sections of reef, particularly on the push inside.

Board

A fun all-rounder or a fish (5'8"–6'2") works well when the wave is small to moderate and playful, letting you take full advantage of the length and turns on offer. If a solid swell pushes through, step up to a performance shortboard or rounded-pin with a bit more volume to handle the extra punch off the reef.

Localism

mellow — relaxed vibe.

Where to go now

Telo Island Lefts vs. nearby, live
Spot Surf Swell Wind Now
Telo Island Lefts
this spot
1.2m
1.0m 8s
7 on
Fair
2 km away
1.2m
1.0m 8s
8 on
Good
GTs
4 km away
0.8m
0.6m 5s
8 on
Poor–Fair
6 km away
0.4m
0.3m 4s
8 cross
Poor–Fair

Community photos

Shots from surfers at Telo Island Lefts. Got one? Share it below.

No community photos yet — be the first to share one of Telo Island Lefts!

Nearest spots

Closest breaks to Telo Island Lefts

Surf schools & local guides near Telo Island Lefts

Learn or level up with established local instructors.

List your school →
Kapowui Surf Lessons Santa Monica / Venice

Kapowui Surf Lessons Santa Monica / Venice

★ 5.0

2701 Barnard Way, Parking lot, 5 south, Santa Monica, CA 90405, USA

4101 Google reviews

Pacific Surf School

Pacific Surf School

★ 5.0

707 Pacific Beach Dr, San Diego, CA 92109, USA

1715 Google reviews

Telos101 Surf Resort

Telos101 Surf Resort

★ 5.0

Pulau Sipika. South Nias Regency, Bawolawinda, Kec. Pulau-pulau Batu Barat, North Sumatra, Sumatera Utara 22881, Indonesia

22 Google reviews

Alfred Zagoto surf lessons

Alfred Zagoto surf lessons

★ 5.0

Jl. Sorake Beach, Botohilitano, Kec. Fanayama, Nias, Sumatera Utara 22865, Indonesia

12 Google reviews

NIAS SURFING EXPERIENCE SCHOOL OF SURFING

NIAS SURFING EXPERIENCE SCHOOL OF SURFING

★ 5.0

Jl.pantai Jl. Sorake, Botohilitano, Kec. Tlk. Dalam, Kabupaten Nias Selatan, Sumatera Utara 22865, Indonesia

5 Google reviews

Telo Surf Camp

★ 5.0

V87R+2XF, Jln Raya, Bawolawinda, Kec. Pulau-Pulau Batu, Kabupaten Nias Selatan, Sumatera Utara 22881, Indonesia

3 Google reviews

Surf camps & retreats

Stay at a surf camp near Telo Island Lefts

All-inclusive surf camps, coaching weeks and retreats — meals, lessons and accommodation sorted. Compare 1,500+ verified camps with reviews and instant booking.

  • ✓ Free cancellation options
  • ✓ Best price guarantee
  • ✓ All levels, beginner to pro
Browse surf camps →

We may earn a commission from bookings made through this link, at no extra cost to you.

Surfing in Nias

Full Nias surf guide →

Off the west coast of North Sumatra, Nias is one of Indonesia's true surf landmarks — home to Lagundri Bay, the right-hand point at the island's southern tip that put the country on the world surf map back in the 1970s. It's a place of pilgrimage, where a single peeling wall over coral has drawn travelling surfers for decades.

✈️Getting there

Most surfers fly into Binaka Airport (GNS) at Gunungsitoli in the north of Nias, usually via Medan (Kualanamu, KNO) on a short domestic hop with Wings Air or similar. From Bali or Jakarta you'll connect through Medan.

🛵Getting around

At Lagundri Bay everything is walkable — the losmen sit right along the point, and you can paddle out from the steps. Many guests don't need transport at all once settled.

🌤️Climate & season

Nias has a tropical equatorial climate — warm and humid year-round, with water temperatures sitting around 27–29°C, so boardshorts and a rash guard are plenty (boots for the reef, not warmth).