Pinterest Facebook Instagram
backpackerboard
Travellers Backpacker
New Zealand Travel Tips & Questions

Where can I surf in New Zealand?

Anywhere and everywhere – New Zealand is a swell magnet for surf and its isolated position means no other land mass blocks it. Generally speaking the east coast has mellower waves while the west coast's beaches are a little wilder and the waves more powerful.

There are some world class surf breaks such as Raglan on the west coast of the North Island and the whole of the Taranaki area, also on the North Island is known as the Surf Highway. Route 45 from New Plymouth to Hawera, follows the coast and offers a host of high quality breaks, many of them reefs. Elsewhere there are a host of beach breaks, reefs, point breaks and river mouths to be discovered.

Once you get south of Christchurch on the South Island the water turns decidedly chilly and the Dunedin and south coast areas are home to big wave, tow-in surfing.

In many cases you will need your own transport to get to many of the breaks especially if you are looking for a wave all to yourself.