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Vanimo Reef, Papua New Guinea

Stay in Vanimo: see the trip Its beds, the way there and every spot near it.

Also within 20 km of Vanimo

Watch this spot We email you when Vanimo Reef is worth the trip.

About Vanimo Reef

Facing, offshore wind, exposure, level and swell range are estimated. Facts: verified, surf details estimated.

The spot faces NE (24°), so it takes swell from the NE. The wind blows offshore from the SW (204°). It is exposed to the open swell. It suits intermediate surfers and up, because of a steep sea floor. It works in 2–8 ft of swell. The sea floor shelves very steeply: 10 m deep about 50 m out (1 in 7). On a typical 5 ft, 11 s swell the waves here would break hollow. The sea is about 29°C in February, its coldest month (no wetsuit), and 30°C in January, its warmest (no wetsuit). For intermediate surfers the best month is usually December, with about 6 good days in 7; in June, July and August, about 0. From the weather of past years. The town to stay in is Vanimo, 2 km away (about 5 min by car). Within 5 km we also list 2 surf spots.

Water about 30°C: no wetsuit. Typical sea temperature for the time of year, not a forecast.

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Book the trip

From Chicago: about 38 h 20 door to door, one way. An estimate; the journey never changes the score.

  1. Fly. Chicago O'Hare International Airport (ORD) to DJJ, changing at Hong Kong International Airport (HKG) and Soekarno-Hatta International Airport (CGK).

    See flights ORD → DJJ · Skyscanner from about £755 returnAd

  2. Getting there. 1 h 50 from the airport to Vanimo Reef.

    Car hire · Discover CarsAd

  3. Accommodation.

    Stay in VanimoAd

    Typical prices for a double room that month, not a quote.

    Room photos are examples, not these hotels (credits).

    See all places to stay on Booking.com →

    Closest towns to stay in

    Typical prices for a double room that month, not a quote. Drives are estimates.

  4. Hire and lessons.

    Surf lessons in Vanimo · GetYourGuideAdBoard and wetsuit hire in Vanimo · GetYourGuideAd

Everything else for the trip

Where it is

Vanimo Reef on Google Maps · Directions

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Forecast

Vanimo Reef does not suit beginners. This is the forecast for intermediates, so you can see what it does.

The score for intermediates, coloured as on the area pages:GoodFairPoorToo bigToo small

DayScoreInter­mediateSwellEnergyWindTemp
Sun 18Oct162 ft8 shollow37kJ28°C
Mon 19Oct152 ft9 shollow50kJ28°C
Tue 20Oct192 ft3 shollow11kJ28°C
Wed 21Oct222 ft9 shollow69kJ28°C
Thu 22Oct262 ft10 shollow103kJ28°C
Fri 23Oct433 ft10 shollow144kJ28°C
Sat 24Oct252 ft11 shollow131kJ29°C
Sun 25Oct453 ft11 shollow223kJ28°C
Mon 26Oct433 ft11 shollow205kJ28°C
Tue 27Oct182 ft8 shollow38kJ28°C
Wed 28Oct0––––

Day scores here are the conditions out of 80; a trip's score on the results is the same conditions out of 100. The journey never scores. The forecast reaches about 10 days. Energy is the swell's power in kJ per metre of wave, from its height and interval: it grows with the square of each, so a long-period swell hits far harder than a short one the same size. The word under the swell is the wave's shape, our estimate from the sea floor. Wind is in knots: 10 kn is about 19 km/h. The arrow points where the wind blows to; offshore wind, blowing from the land out to sea, is green and says so.

Your trip, day by day

6 nights from Mon 19 Oct, leaving from Chicago, for intermediate surfers. Change dates

  1. Mon 19 Oct
    Travel out

    Fly ORD to DJJ, changing at HKG and CGK, then 1h 50 by road. About 38h 20 door to door

  2. Tue 20 Oct
    Rest day

    Too small: 2 ft at best.

  3. Wed 21 Oct
    Rest day

    Too small: 2 ft at best.

  4. Thu 22 Oct
    Rest day

    Nothing worth paddling out for: the best window scores 33 of 80.

  5. Fri 23 Oct
    Surf Vanimo Reef

    Best 09:00 to 12:00 local time: 3 ft at 10 s, wind 4 kn (8 km/h).

  6. Sat 24 Oct
    Rest day

    Nothing worth paddling out for: the best window scores 30 of 80.

  7. Sun 25 Oct
    Travel home

    Fly ORD to DJJ, changing at HKG and CGK, then 1h 50 by road. About 38h 20 door to door

The plan picks the best of 3 spots near Vanimo each day: Vanimo Reef, Vanimo, Twin Rocks Reef, Vanimo Village Reef.

The trip from Vanimo, with every spot near it

Rough cost

About £1,245–£2,420 each for 6 nights, 2 people sharing a room. A guide from typical prices, not a quote: check the real prices before you book.

WhatHow we worked it outEach
Flightsreturn ORD to DJJ, estimated from distance and season, changing at HKG and CGK, full-service airlines, with a hold bag£755–£1,565
To the UK airportparking or the train, there and back£35–£65
Hire car6 days, shared£70–£115
Stay6 nights, a mid-range double, shared£165–£280
Food7 days eating out£155–£290
Board and wetsuit5 days, or about £85 to fly your own£65–£105
Total£1,245–£2,420

Prices from public sources, checked in 2026: where they come from. Lessons, lift-pass deals and insurance are extra.

Book the trip

Getting thereAd

Flights · Skyscanner Car hire · Discover Cars

Where to stayAd

Places to stay · Booking.com

In the waterAd

Surf lessons · GetYourGuide Board and wetsuit hire · GetYourGuide

Links marked Ad may pay us a small commission if you book. You pay the same price, and it never changes a score.