Occy's Left / Nihiwatu surf

Occy's Left / Nihiwatu

Intermediate
Reef break · Moderate · Best: May–October · All tides
Occy's Left / Nihiwatu is the best spot in Sumba right now Good
Conditions right now
Good
Wave
1.8m
Swell
1.5m
6s · SSE
Period
6s
Wind
8 km/h
ENE · gust 16
Cross-shore
Water
26°C
Air
22°C

Surf report

Tide falling · Low 1:00 AM 0.2m
Time Surf Swell Wind Tide
6 AM 1.7 m
1.6m 6s SSE
10 km/h cross
0.9m
9 AM 1.8 m
1.6m 6s SSE
13 km/h on
0.9m
12 PM 1.8 m
1.4m 6s SSE
16 km/h on
0.0m
3 PM 1.9 m
1.1m 7s SSE
21 km/h on
-0.4m
6 PM 2.0 m
1.2m 6s SSE
16 km/h on
0.2m
Best session today
6 AM–8 AM
Cross-shore 1.6m swell @ 6s

Next 24 hours

Wave Swell
0.0 1.3 2.5 12 AM3 AM6 AM9 AM12 PM3 PM6 PM9 PM

Wind

Speed Gusts (km/h)
0 25 50 12 AM3 AM6 AM9 AM12 PM3 PM6 PM9 PM

Tide

Low 1:00 AM · 0.2m High 7:00 AM · 1.0m Low 3:00 PM · -0.4m High 9:00 PM · 0.7m
L 1 AM H 7 AM L 3 PM H 9 PM L 2 AM H 8 AM L 3 PM H 10 PM 12 AM6 AM12 PM6 PM12 AM6 AM12 PM6 PM

7-day outlook

Best days
Sun, Jul 26
1.7–2.0m
Mon, Jul 27
1.6–1.9m
Tue, Jul 28
1.2–1.7m
Wed, Jul 29
1.2–1.6m
Thu, Jul 30 Best
1.2–1.5m
Fri, Jul 31 Best
1.1–1.3m
Sat, Aug 1 Best
1.2–1.3m

Hourly detail

Show next 24h
Time Wave Swell Period Wind Tide
12 AM 1.8m 1.5m SSE 6s 8 ENE cross 0.2m
1 AM 1.7m 1.5m SSE 6s 8 ENE cross 0.2m
2 AM 1.7m 1.6m SSE 6s 7 ENE cross 0.3m
3 AM 1.7m 1.6m SSE 6s 7 ENE cross 0.4m
4 AM 1.7m 1.6m SSE 6s 8 ENE cross 0.6m
5 AM 1.7m 1.6m SSE 6s 9 E cross 0.8m
6 AM 1.7m 1.6m SSE 6s 10 E cross 0.9m
7 AM 1.8m 1.6m SSE 6s 11 E cross 1.0m
8 AM 1.8m 1.7m SSE 6s 12 E on 1.0m
9 AM 1.8m 1.6m SSE 6s 13 SE on 0.9m
10 AM 1.8m 1.6m SSE 6s 14 SE on 0.6m
11 AM 1.8m 1.6m SSE 6s 16 SE on 0.3m
12 PM 1.8m 1.4m SSE 6s 16 SE on 0.0m
1 PM 1.9m 1.3m SSE 6s 14 SE on -0.2m
2 PM 1.9m 1.1m SSE 7s 21 SE on -0.4m
3 PM 1.9m 1.1m SSE 7s 21 SE on -0.4m
4 PM 2.0m 1.1m SSE 7s 21 ESE on -0.3m
5 PM 2.0m 1.2m SSE 6s 20 ESE on -0.1m
6 PM 2.0m 1.2m SSE 6s 16 ESE on 0.2m
7 PM 1.9m 1.3m SSE 6s 13 ESE on 0.4m
8 PM 1.9m 1.4m SSE 6s 10 E on 0.6m
9 PM 1.8m 1.4m SSE 6s 11 E cross 0.7m
10 PM 1.8m 1.4m SSE 6s 11 E cross 0.6m
11 PM 1.7m 1.5m SSE 6s 10 E cross 0.5m

About Occy's Left / Nihiwatu

Occy's Left, famously fronting the Nihiwatu resort on Sumba's west coast, is a long, peeling left-hander that has captured the imagination of surfers worldwide. The reef delivers consistent, well-shaped walls ideal for intermediate surfers to carve and cruise, with bigger swells adding more punch and barrel sections. Access has historically been tied to the resort, so check current arrangements before planning your trip. The dramatic Sumba coastline makes every session feel like a genuine adventure.

Local knowledge

Hazards

The reef is shallow, sharp coral that can deliver serious lacerations on a wipeout, particularly at lower tides when the slab sections expose themselves — booties are strongly recommended. A persistent rip runs along the reef's edge and can push you into the channel if you lose your board after a set; know where the channel is before paddling out. Sea urchins colonise the reef shelf near the entry zone, so avoid putting your feet down anywhere but the designated sandy channel.

Getting there

Occy's Left breaks directly in front of Nihiwatu Resort (now Nihi Sumba Island) and access has traditionally been tightly controlled — resort guests get priority, and day passes or surf packages have been sold in limited numbers, so book well in advance and confirm current arrangements before the trip. Fly into Tambolaka (TMC) or Waingapu and transfer by road roughly 30–40 minutes to the resort on Sumba's southwest coast. Paddle-out is via a sand-bottomed channel on the north side of the break, which also serves as the safest exit point.

Board

A versatile shortboard or mid-length in the 6'2"–6'8" range handles the long, peeling walls best on average swell; step up to a performance shortboard or small step-up (6'8"–7'2") when the swell hits overhead-plus and the barrel sections kick in. Avoid wide, flat-rockered fish designs — the wave rewards rail surfing and drawn-out turns rather than skate-style pivots.

Localism

moderate — be polite, wait your turn.

Where to go now

Occy's Left / Nihiwatu vs. nearby, live
Spot Surf Swell Wind Now
Occy's Left / Nihiwatu Best now
this spot
1.8m
1.5m 6s
8 cross
Good
1 km away
1.8m
1.5m 6s
8 cross
Good
4 km away
1.8m
1.5m 6s
8 cross
Good
6 km away
1.8m
1.5m 6s
12 cross
Fair

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Surfing in Sumba

Full Sumba surf guide →

Sumba feels like a slip back in time — a wild, low-key island southeast of Bali that has so far escaped the development that reshaped its neighbours. Vast savannah plains, rolling hills, megalithic villages and empty golden beaches define a landscape that surfers describe as the Indonesia they were chasing all along.

✈️Getting there

Most travellers fly in via Bali (Denpasar). Sumba has two airports: Tambolaka (Waikabubak) in the west and Waingapu in the east, both served by short domestic flights from Denpasar, with some connections via Kupang or Bali several times daily.

🛵Getting around

Sumba is large and spread out, and the surf zones are far apart, so transport planning matters. Scooter rental is possible in the bigger towns, fine for short hops but tiring and exposed for long cross-island runs — and roads vary from decent asphalt to rough, potholed stretches.

🌤️Climate & season

Sumba has a pronounced dry and wet season. The dry season, roughly April to October, is prime time: cleaner conditions, dependable groundswell and the prevailing trade winds that groom the swell-exposed coasts. This is the core surf window.