Surf: General: If you're a normal surfer who's looking to ride some normal waves in Tahiti without worrying about dying, Papara is one place for you. A beautiful black-sand beachbreak, Papara is on the south shore of Tahiti Nui, and since it is user-friendly, it's the most popular place to surf. The waves are standard beachbreak, with lots of closeouts, but also lots of good, peaky, punchy, hollow ones -- longboards don't work too well out here. There can be a bit of backwash at high tide. Tides: Low to medium. Size: Waist high to a bit overhead Wind: Glassy or N Swell: S, SW Bottom: Sand. Paddling: Light Spot Rating: Very fun. Access: Straight off the beach. Crowds: Crowd Factor: Crowded. Local Vibe: Can be tense. Environment: Clean Hazards: Turning your back to the ocean. Season: April-October