Surf spot guide · Coral Coast, Fiji
A fast, hollow left over shallow reef on Fiji's Coral Coast, reached only by boat from Waidroka Bay Resort and best left to advanced surfers on a rising or high tide.
Pipes is a fast, hollow left that breaks over a shallow reef off Viti Levu's south coast, on Fiji's Coral Coast. Rides usually run somewhere between 50 and 100 metres. The rainforest behind it makes for a beautiful backdrop. A moderate swell from the SSE is what lights it up, as the wave hits the bend in the reef, sucks hard and pitches into fast barrels. Swell from anywhere between SE and SW will reach it, with SE being the pick. Aim for the rising or high tide, ideally with an easterly wind. Because it copes well with the east trades, it breaks on a very regular basis. Expect waves from roughly 0.9 up to 3 metres. This is a wave for advanced surfers only. The drop is thick and near vertical, and the barrel takes real technique to read. Things get harder still when the swell carries too much west or the tide is going out. Bodyboarders are big fans of it. On its day it can be genuinely excellent, though most sessions are simply quick and a lot of fun. The only way out is by boat from Waidroka Bay Resort. The reef around the resort holds about five breaks, and Pipes ranks among the best of them. The resort boat also runs surfers out to Frigates. The bigger, more reliable swells arrive between April and October.
A fast, hollow reef left you can only reach by boat.
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Coral Coast
A reef pass on Fiji's Coral Coast with two rights: Shifties, a long and powerful outside peak, and Jays, a smaller, hollow inside wave for experts.
Coral Coast
A consistent, fun reef left on Fiji's Coral Coast, breaking in the channel into Waidroka resort, mellow enough for longboarders when small and hollow once the swell fills in.
Coral Coast
A long, hollow right over reef on Fiji's Coral Coast, reached by boat, that starts with an angled roll-in, gives you shoulders to cut back on through the middle, then turns sucky over the shallow inside reef.
+6 MORE →Fast, hollow reef left with a rainforest backdrop
Base yourself at Waidroka Bay Resort, since its boat is your ride to the break.
Time your session for the push of the tide toward high.
Watch for a SE swell paired with east winds.
From the same resort you can also reach Frigates and the other reefs nearby.
HAZARDS · KNOW BEFORE YOU PADDLE
Fast, hollow reef left with a rainforest backdrop
Getting out there means a boat ride from Waidroka Bay Resort, on Viti Levu's southern shore. Reaching the break takes some effort, as there is no way in from land.
Open in MapsThis spot typically requires a boat.
