Map › New Caledonia › Ouano Beach
Province Sud · La Foa - West Coast · South Province · La Foa
Ouano Beach
also known as Les plages de Ouano, Plage de Ouano
Nearby Ilot Tenia 25 km · straight-line distance
When it fills in
No onset time is published for this spot.
The wind
locals call it alizés / trade winds
Direction
Kite sizes
metres · typical quiver highlighted
Character
mixed
Typical strength
15-25 through the trade-wind season. That is the regional Alizé range, not a measurement at Ouano, and the spot bends it two ways: on southerly days it runs about 5 knots above Nouméa, and in easterly it goes devented.
Also on record
15-22
The quiver, in words
Indicative for a 75-85 kg rider, worked from the 15-25 knot trade range rather than from any local measurement: a 12 m for the light end, a 9 m for the middle of the season, a 7 m only on the strong southerly days. Bring a 14 m if you are travelling in the shoulder months, when the trades soften.
Direction to shore
Onshore to side-onshore.
Dominant direction
trade-wind flow; southerly wind also noted locally; exact dominant bearing unconfirmed
Forecast
Month by month
- Jan, riders' month24
- Feb, riders' month47
- Mar, riders' month47
- Apr28
- May39
- Jun35
- Jul45
- Aug56
- Sep53
- Oct48
- Nov, riders' month73
- Dec, riders' month45
windy days per month (3 h+ at 12 kn+)
Ringed months are the ones riders and schools name: Jan, Feb, Mar, Nov, Dec.
- 24%Jan30°
- 47%Feb30°
- 47%Mar29°
- 28%Apr28°
- 39%May25°
- 35%Jun23°
- 45%Jul22°
- 56%Aug22°
- 53%Sep24°
- 48%Oct25°
- 73%Nov26°
- 45%Dec29°
windy days per month (3 h+ at 12 kn+) · water °C below · season highlighted
| Month | Windy days | Force 4+ | 12 kn or more | Knots | From | Peaks at | Air | Water | Readings |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Jan | 24% | 45% | 34% | 11.1 kt | S | 13:00 | 24.8°C | 30.2°C | 62 |
| Feb | 47% | 67% | 60% | 13.7 kt | SE | 14:00 | 24.9°C | 29.5°C | 57 |
| Mar | 47% | 79% | 68% | 14.1 kt | SE | 14:00 | 24.4°C | 28.5°C | 62 |
| Apr | 28% | 53% | 37% | 11.9 kt | SE | 14:00 | 23°C | 27.8°C | 60 |
| May | 39% | 63% | 52% | 12.3 kt | SE | 14:00 | 20.9°C | 24.7°C | 62 |
| Jun | 35% | 65% | 53% | 12.2 kt | SE | 14:00 | 19.7°C | 23.2°C | 60 |
| Jul | 45% | 61% | 53% | 13.1 kt | SE | 15:00 | 19.3°C | 22.3°C | 62 |
| Aug | 56% | 71% | 65% | 14.1 kt | SE | 15:00 | 18.7°C | 22.2°C | 62 |
| Sep | 53% | 77% | 70% | 14.3 kt | SSE | 14:00 | 20.4°C | 23.7°C | 60 |
| Oct | 48% | 76% | 61% | 13.1 kt | SSE | 14:00 | 21.2°C | 24.9°C | 62 |
| Nov | 73% | 95% | 88% | 15.6 kt | SSE | 14:00 | 22.8°C | 26.3°C | 60 |
| Dec | 45% | 76% | 63% | 13.3 kt | SSE | 13:00 | 24.7°C | 28.9°C | 62 |
modelled
A weather model's cell over this place, not a station on it. Good for comparing places, weaker for one beach.
Modelled from the operational forecast archive at 1.5–7 km (2023-2024), daylight hours only, not a ground station: it resolves thermal, lake and valley winds far better than coarse reanalysis but still tends to understate a strong local thermal. A windy day has at least three consecutive daylight hours at 12 knots or more. The typical daily max and the direction are columns of the table above, month by month. Highlighted months are the riding season from the spot record.
High-resolution weather model (modelled) · Open-Meteo historical forecast archive — best-match operational model (ICON-D2 / AROME / ICON-EU / GFS by region), not a ground station · 2023-2024
The water
Type
flat lagoon over reef flat with reef-pass waves offshore
Standing depth
yes in the lagoon/reef-flat area; official tourism says depth is generally low and varies strongly with tide
Tides
best at high tide; beginners should avoid low tide; reef flat can require a long walk to the drop-off
Temperature
27°C summer · 22°C winter
Wetsuit
boardshorts/lycra in summer; shorty or light wetsuit may be useful in the coolest months
Your level
The scene
What riders come here for
Launch and rules
three ways on to the water, and what each one asks of you
With a school or a boat
3 schools name this spot
On your own
Room to launch: Not precisely documented; multiple beaches/coves and a reef flat, with picnic and camping use on site.
Somewhere else
Ilot Tenia, 25 km
Every spot within 40 km is on the map at the top of this page, with its distance under it.
Rescue
Launch
Sandy/mangrove beach area at Les plages de Ouano near La Foa, with public picnic facilities and a wharf used as a departure point for activities.
Space
Not precisely documented; multiple beaches/coves and a reef flat, with picnic and camping use on site.
Rules & access
Access rules drift faster than anything else we hold — check locally, and propose an edit if this has changed.
Rider tips
- Ride high tide, beginners especially; at low water the reef flat is a long walk before it is deep enough.
- Skip easterly days, when Ouano goes devented.
- Take the local surf taxi to reach the reef pass; the left sits about 5 km out and is expert-only.
- Bring insect protection if you camp or stay near the mangroves.
- On southerly days check Ouano against Nouméa, because it often runs about 5 knots stronger.
- Rig at Les plages de Ouano near the picnic tables and the wharf; the wharf is where the boats leave from.
- Keep your eyes down when you are foiling. Turtles feed on the flat here and they are the ones getting hurt.
- There is no rescue on the lagoon and no boat on standby. An FFVL licence is the practical cover, and it is what the province itself recommends.
Getting there
Airport
Nouméa-La Tontouta International Airport (NOU)
Route
From Nouméa, drive north-west on RT1 toward La Foa; at about 100 km from Nouméa, shortly after Camp Brun, turn left onto RM22 and follow it about 10 km toward the end of the Ouano peninsula.
Transfer
90 min
Cost level
high
Staying
Camping is possible at Ouano; nearby options include Caledonian Wake Park camping/bungalows and accommodation around La Foa.
No-wind days
Ouano mangrove walking trails, picnic/barbecue, Caledonian Wake Park, horseback rides, swimming, snorkeling, and West Coast sightseeing
FAQ
Is Ouano Beach suitable for beginners?
Local sources list the flat lagoon as suitable for beginners through advanced, but recommend high tide for beginner sessions since the reef flat depth varies strongly with tide.
What is the wind like at Ouano Beach?
Trade winds of about 15-22 knots are typical, but the spot is reported to be devented in easterly wind.
Is there a wave at Ouano Beach?
Yes, a well-known left-hand reef wave breaks about 5 km offshore, but it is described as expert-only and requires boat access.
When is the best time to kite Ouano Beach?
November to March is the strongest trade-wind period, though February-March fall within the cyclone-risk part of the wet season.
Last updated: August 2026