Air Cina surf

Air Cina

Intermediate
Reef break · Moderate · Best: May–October · All tides
Working best in Timor now Savu Island Reefs Good · 0.9m @ 11s View →
Conditions right now
Poor
Wave
0.6m
Swell
0.3m
4s · SE
Period
4s
Wind
16 km/h
E · gust 30
Onshore
Water
28°C
Air
25°C

Surf report

Tide falling · Low 12:00 PM 0.0m
Time Surf Swell Wind Tide
6 AM 0.6 m
0.3m 4s SE
17 km/h on
1.2m
9 AM 0.7 m
0.2m 6s SE
24 km/h on
0.5m
12 PM 0.8 m
0.2m 5s SSE
25 km/h on
0.0m
3 PM 0.9 m
0.2m 6s SSE
27 km/h on
0.5m
6 PM 0.9 m
0.2m 6s SSE
23 km/h on
0.9m
Best session today
6 AM–8 AM
Onshore 0.3m swell @ 5s

Next 24 hours

Wave Swell
0.0 0.8 1.5 5 AM8 AM11 AM2 PM5 PM8 PM11 PM2 AM

Wind

Speed Gusts (km/h)
0 30 60 5 AM8 AM11 AM2 PM5 PM8 PM11 PM2 AM

Tide

Low 12:00 PM · 0.0m High 6:00 PM · 0.9m Low 12:00 AM · 0.0m High 6:00 AM · 1.4m
L 12 PM H 6 PM L 12 AM H 6 AM L 1 PM H 7 PM L 1 AM 5 AM11 AM5 PM11 PM5 AM11 AM5 PM11 PM

7-day outlook

Wed, Jun 10
0.5–0.9m
Thu, Jun 11
0.9–1.2m
Fri, Jun 12
0.9–1.0m
Sat, Jun 13
0.8–0.9m
Sun, Jun 14
0.8–0.9m
Mon, Jun 15
0.7–0.8m
Tue, Jun 16
0.7–0.7m

Hourly detail

Show next 24h
Time Wave Swell Period Wind Tide
5 AM 0.6m 0.3m SE 4s 16 E on 1.3m
6 AM 0.6m 0.3m SE 4s 17 ESE on 1.2m
7 AM 0.7m 0.3m SE 5s 19 ESE on 1.1m
8 AM 0.7m 0.2m SE 5s 22 ESE on 0.8m
9 AM 0.7m 0.2m SE 6s 24 ESE on 0.5m
10 AM 0.8m 0.2m SE 5s 23 ESE on 0.3m
11 AM 0.8m 0.2m SSE 5s 24 ESE on 0.1m
12 PM 0.8m 0.2m SSE 5s 25 ESE on 0.0m
1 PM 0.8m 0.2m SSE 6s 28 ESE on 0.1m
2 PM 0.8m 0.2m SSE 6s 27 ESE on 0.3m
3 PM 0.9m 0.2m SSE 6s 27 ESE on 0.5m
4 PM 0.9m 0.1m SSE 6s 26 ESE on 0.7m
5 PM 0.9m 0.1m SSE 6s 25 ESE on 0.9m
6 PM 0.9m 0.2m SSE 6s 23 ESE on 0.9m
7 PM 0.9m 0.3m SSE 6s 23 ESE on 0.8m
8 PM 0.9m 0.3m SE 5s 24 ESE on 0.6m
9 PM 0.9m 0.4m SE 5s 22 ESE on 0.4m
10 PM 0.9m 0.4m SE 5s 21 ESE on 0.2m
11 PM 0.9m 0.4m SE 5s 23 ESE on 0.1m
12 AM 0.9m 0.4m SE 5s 21 ESE on 0.0m
1 AM 0.9m 0.5m SE 5s 19 ESE on 0.1m
2 AM 0.9m 0.5m SE 5s 19 ESE on 0.4m
3 AM 0.9m 0.5m SE 5s 20 ESE on 0.7m
4 AM 0.9m 0.5m SE 5s 21 ESE on 1.0m

About Air Cina

Air Cina is a fun intermediate reef break on Timor that offers a more relaxed introduction to the island's surf. The wave has enough punch to keep things interesting while remaining approachable for surfers still sharpening their reef skills. Its relative accessibility makes it a good warm-up spot before tackling Timor's more demanding breaks.

Local knowledge

Hazards

The reef is shallow at low tide and sharp enough to do real damage on a wipeout — booties are worth considering, especially for beginners to reef breaks. Sea urchins lurk in the shallower sections near the entry and exit, so take your time picking your line in and out. A moderate rip runs along the reef on bigger swells; use it to paddle out rather than fight it, but stay aware of where it pushes you.

Getting there

Air Cina is reachable by road from Kupang — head east along the north coast and look for the break near the village of the same name; a handful of local warungs near the shoreline make it easy to orient yourself. Park at the roadside and pick your way down the rocky shoreline to the channel entry point, which keeps you off the worst of the reef on the way out. Exit via the same channel; avoid scrambling straight over the reef flat when the tide is dropping.

Board

A versatile shortboard or a mid-length funboard in the 7'0"–7'6" range suits most conditions here and gives you enough paddle power for the reef's sometimes inconsistent sets. On small, gutless days bring a fish or a hybrid to keep the fun going; if a solid swell pushes through, step up to a slightly thicker, performance shortboard for extra hold on the reef sections.

Localism

mellow — relaxed vibe.

Where to go now

Air Cina vs. nearby, live
Spot Surf Swell Wind Now
Air Cina
this spot
 0.6m
0.3m 4s
16 on
Poor
Tablolong
8 km away
 0.6m
0.4m 5s
18 on
Poor
Teddy's Best now
9 km away
 0.6m
0.4m 6s
14 on
Poor–Fair
Semau Island
10 km away
 0.5m
0.3m 7s
18 on
Poor–Fair

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Nearest spots

Closest breaks to Air Cina
Tablolong
Timor
8 km
Intermediate Reef break
0.6 m 5s
Poor
Teddy's
Timor
9 km
Advanced Reef break
0.6 m 6s
Poor–Fair
Semau Island
Timor
10 km
Intermediate Reef break
0.5 m 7s
Poor–Fair
Kupang Beach Peaks
Timor
16 km
Beginner Beach break
0.4 m 7s
Poor–Fair

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Surfing in Timor

Full Timor surf guide →

Timor sits at the far southeastern end of the Indonesian archipelago, in the province of Nusa Tenggara Timur (NTT), sharing the island with the independent nation of Timor-Leste. For surfers, it's the gritty, frontier alternative to Bali's polish — a place where you trade comfort and crowds for empty line-ups, raw landscapes and genuine exploration.

✈️Getting there

The gateway is Kupang's El Tari Airport (KOE), with regular domestic flights from Bali (Denpasar) — around 1.5 hours — and connections via Jakarta, Surabaya and Labuan Bajo. Some smaller carriers link Kupang to the outer islands.

🛵Getting around

On Timor itself, scooter and motorbike rental is the most flexible way to reach spots like Tablolong, Oetune and Kolbano — though Kolbano is a serious drive (several hours east of Kupang). Cars with a driver are widely available in Kupang and worth it for longer hauls or if you're hauling boards and gear.

🌤️Climate & season

Timor has one of the most pronounced dry seasons in Indonesia, sitting in a rain-shadowed, savanna-like corner of NTT. The dry season runs roughly May to October — and this is also prime surf time, when consistent southeast trade winds groom the swells and rainfall is minimal.