ShouldISurf
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· Taiwan time · Beginner criteria (default)

Display settingsm · m/s
Wave height
Wind and gusts

Compare the estimated breaking-wave face with a roughly 170 cm adult.

Numeric wave heights are model significant wave height (Hs). The body scale estimates breaking-wave face height. Display settings do not change the assessment.

Tide m · Temperature °C · Distance km · Period s

Changes apply immediately and are remembered in this browser.

Tainan

Yuguangdao (Riding Ground) conditions on this date

Meets current criteria
Estimated face: about Shoulder-high1.1 mHs 0.8 m
Best window05:00–08:00
Wave Hs
0.8 m
Period
5 s
Wind
Offshore wind
Tide
Rising · High 08:48

How to read the two heights: Hs is the model's significant wave height; metres and feet are two units for that same Hs height (1 ft = 0.3048 m). Breaking-wave face height is an engineering estimate that applies a period-aware nearshore shoaling factor to Hs, so it is usually larger. It is not a unit conversion or an on-site measurement.

Beginner +Spot profile uses general settings

Shoulder-high, soft waves, Offshore wind, good for pop-ups.

This hour’s forecast

16:00 · Swell S

Wave Hs
0.7 m
Period
5.1 s
Wind
4.0 m/s NNW
Gust
9.7 m/s
Tide
0.2 mRising
Air
29°C
Sea
29°C
UV
2

Why we say this

This spot needs S, SW swell, E, NE offshore wind, Low to high tide. On this date, those conditions line up from 5:00 to 8:00. Meets current criteria (quality 91/100).

  • Swell directionS, SW ✓

    Needs S, SW · on this date S, SW ✓

    The swell sits in a direction this spot works on (S, SW), so it clears the gate.

  • Period5.1s soft

    Needs period over 5s · on this date 5.1s soft

    Period is on the short side, so the shape is average.

  • WindOffshore wind 1.2 m/s

    Needs E, NE (offshore) · on this date Offshore wind 1.2 m/s

    Offshore wind holds the face up and keeps it clean, and it's light.

  • Wave heightHs 0.8 m

    Estimated face: about Shoulder-high

    Needs Hs about 0.3–0.9 m (right for your level) · on this date Hs 0.8 m

    Wave height sits in the ideal range for your level (Hs about 0.3–0.9 m).

  • TideRising, mid tide

    Needs Low to high · on this date Rising, mid tide

    Rising tide pushes water in and fills out the shape.

Use the image for the scene and the forecast for the trend

Camera: Sunset · 1.2 km (NW) from this spot; not a head-on view of this break.

📐 Cameras compress wave scale. Use the image for visibility and set timing; judge height again from shore.

Footage from: National Academy of Marine Research · Government Open Data License

Spot specs

Type
Beach break
Seabed
Sand
Best tide
Low to High
Level
Beginner +

The compass on the map shows the selected date’s swell and wind directions (solid arrows) and this spot's ideal swell and wind windows (dashed arcs). See the Direction card above for the interpretation.

Next 7 days

Hourly forecast (Sun)

Shared time axis · shaded band is the best window to paddle out

Weather model
Best window to paddle out
Wave Hsm
0.8
Periods
5.0
Windm/s
0.9
Tidem
0.0
Time
0003060912151821
Swell dir
Wind dir

All four charts share one time axis · significant wave height Hs (m) · period (s) · wind (m/s) · tide (m) · arrows show where it comes from · the band marks the best window · tide uses CWA (unaffected by model) · slide or touch to read each hour.

Tide

漁港安平 station · CWA

Best window to paddle out05:00–08:00

Hourly raw values

Hourly forecast (Sun) · Daylight 5:00–18:00 is the surfable window

Hourly swell, wind, weather, tide, air/sea temperature, and UV for the selected day
Time000204060810121416182022
Wave Hsm0.80.80.80.80.80.80.70.70.70.70.70.8
Periods5.25.05.05.05.15.15.15.25.15.25.14.4
Swell dir173°173°173°173°174°175°175°176°177°177°177°287°
Windm/s1.41.50.71.41.80.33.73.74.03.83.12.2
Wind dir206°182°163°114°97°278°283°304°329°346°15°12°
Gustm/s2.63.01.62.64.33.99.19.29.78.07.94.5
WeatherClearClearClearClearClearCloudyRainRainClearClearClearClear
Tidem0.0-0.3-0.10.10.30.30.20.10.20.40.60.3
Air°C262625242731292929282625
Sea°C282828282828282929282828
UV000015752000

Significant wave height Hs (m) · period (s) · wind & gust (m/s) · arrows show where it comes from (green = suits, dim = unfavorable) · relative tide level (m) · air / sea temp (°C) · UV. Color is only a hint; numbers and arrows remain. Swipe to see all hours on mobile.

How we score it91/100

Quality = 0.32×period + 0.28×wind + 0.25×wave height + 0.15×tide

  • Period72 × 32% = 23
  • Wind100 × 28% = 28
  • Wave height100 × 25% = 25
  • Tide100 × 15% = 15

About Yuguangdao (Riding Ground)

Yuguangdao (Riding Ground) is a sand-bottom beach break in Tainan, facing southwest with peaks that run both left and right. It works best on south to southwest swell, east to northeast offshore winds, and anywhere from low to high tide. The forgiving sand and small waves make it a solid spot for beginners.

Frequently asked questions

Is Yuguangdao (Riding Ground) good for beginners?
Yes. Yuguangdao (Riding Ground) is a beginner spot and one of the friendlier ones in Tainan, Taiwan, for surfers just starting out. Conditions change daily, though, so check this page's daily conditions score before you paddle out.
When does Yuguangdao (Riding Ground) work best?
Yuguangdao (Riding Ground) is usually cleanest on a S/SW swell and an E/NE wind. How good it actually gets still comes down to the day's wave height and period, so go by the hourly forecast on this page.
How do I get to Yuguangdao (Riding Ground)?
Yuguangdao (Riding Ground) sits on the coast in Tainan, Taiwan. Open Google Maps navigation straight from the spot map on this page to get there.
Does Yuguangdao (Riding Ground) have a live cam?
Yes. This page embeds a live feed from National Academy of Marine Research at "Sunset" (about 1.2 km NW of Yuguangdao (Riding Ground)) (not a direct view of this spot, for reference only), so you can check it against the current conditions. Cameras can distort wave scale. Cross-check the forecast and footage, and defer to conditions on site, official warnings, and local professionals before entering the water. This page has 1 more camera you can switch to.

See all Taiwan West Coast surf spots →

No risk was flagged by the checks this model supports. Check local conditions, official notices and your ability before entering the water.

Sources: Open-Meteo Marine (spot), Open-Meteo Weather (spot), CWA tide (station)