Experience surfing in New Zealand

New Zealand is a real surfers paradise with a huge coastline to explore offering numerous secret spots, and vast areas of wilderness where you’ll find beaches with nobody else in the water. The surfing near the main urban areas and the more famous spots such as Raglan and Piha can have crowds. New Zealand has two very different coastlines the West Coast and East Coast, each having their own different characteristics. The West is reputed to be rough and wild, the East calmer and more picturesque, however Piha can produce pristine clean surf and Gisborne is renowned for powerful heavy waves.

New Zealand has quality surf year round, however, there is a large difference between the seasons. During the summer months New Zealand experiences calmer conditions with predominant north easterly weather creating consistent north-east swell for the north-east coast and smaller offshore clean conditions for the west coast. Between the months of December through April, New Zealand also receives tropical storms from the Pacific producing epic cyclone swell lighting up many areas that lay dormant for the majority of the year. Winter is a different proposition alltogether, where huge southerly storms in Antarctica produce large long period ground swells that wrap into protected points and reefs along both east and west coasts.

All of the New Zealand Surfing Adventures are 100% customised to the clients’ wants that determine the type of waves and amount of travel involved. Ultimately, the direction of the surf trip is governed by the weather and the swell.

Base camp is at Piha Beach 50 minutes from Auckland International airport situated a 5-minute walk to one of the most consistent beach breaks in the world. The Piha eco-surf lodge is a refurbished simple but clean house with several sleep-outs situated in a pristine natural bush setting. Bedrooms and sleep-outs have shared bathrooms with hot water.

Shared kitchen and lounge area has cable TV and DVD as well as WI-FI internet. You can cruise down to the large garden pick some vegetables for the salad, get the organic chicken eggs and stroll backup to the lodge listening to the sound of beautiful native bird song. All other accommodation options booked in advance will be of high quality. There will be several exceptions due to remote locations of some of the surf breaks, in this situation your guides will always try for the best option. In remote areas one or two days may be spent in tents due to the geographic isolation, however all arrangements will be made to ensure you have a comfortable and pleasant sleep.

Options

7 Days / 6 Nights North Island Adventure will take you around the surf breaks in the North. After arrival in Auckland, you will start your adventure in Raglan, where you’ll score some world-class left points. A couple of days there until the heavy SW swell increases and Raglan is maxing out, so journey to the Far North and Shipwreck Bay is on fire! Later, you will go across to the deserted east coast beaches for an afternoon session. To close your journey, you might surf rippable beach breaks around Piha. Other options include isolated Mahia right-handers on the east coast and perfect barrelling beach breaks around Gisbourne.

To experience all that New Zealand has to offer, go for a 12 Days / 11 Nights North and South Island Adventure. Fly into Auckland spend 2-3 days surfing the west coast reefs and points of Raglan and Taranaki. Then over to the east coast of Gisborne’s pristine beach breaks and river mouths, or the remote Waiarapa! Then take the Interislander ferry across the Cook Strait to the South Island where Kaikoura glassy perfection waits. To finish off the experience, spend the remaining couple of days scoring Dunedin and even further south into the Catlins. Fly out of Dunedin.

Food and Accommodation

Base camp is at Piha Beach, 50 minutes from Auckland International airport situated a 5 minute walk to one of the most consistent beach breaks in the world. The Piha eco-surf lodge is a refurbished, simple but clean house with several sleep-outs situated in a pristine, natural bush setting. Bedrooms and sleep-outs have shared bathrooms with hot water. Shared kitchen and lounge area has cable TV and DVD as well as WI-FI internet. Guests can cruise down to the large garden pick some vegetables for the salad, get the organic chicken eggs and stroll back up to the lodge listening to the sound of beautiful native bird song. All other accommodation options booked in advance will be of high quality. There will be several exceptions due to remote locations of some of the surf breaks, but the best option will always be chosen. In remote areas one or two days may be spent in tents due to the geographic isolation, however, all arrangements will be made to ensure all guests have a comfortable and pleasant sleep.

There is no set menu on the surf adventures and the food is generally customised to the clients wishes. They try and keep meals comprised of fresh naturally grown produce full of both carbohydrates and protein to get you through a massive day of surfing.

Surf Breaks

North Island

Far North

The winterless north as it’s more commonly known is the ultimate surf destination offering New Zealand’s warmest and most humid climate, where boardshorts can easily be worn throughout the summer months. With the east and west coasts being only 15 minutes apart, you double your chances of scoring waves. If the Pacific coast is flat and onshore, jump in the truck and no doubt there will be offshore waves on the Tasman coast.

Piha beach

A 50-minute drive from Auckland international airport is Auckland’s west coast, a beautiful rugged coastline that offers consistent quality and often very hollow beach breaks. Winter brings constant south west storms that can last for a week, while summer offers smaller cleaner offshore conditions.

Raglan

This sleepy coastal town is home to three excellent left hand point break that peel mechanically over volcanic reef and boulders. Raglan is remarkably consistent with a large headland allowing large southwest swells to wrap 90 degrees and is offshore in the prevailing south westerly winds.

Gisborne

New Zealands most famous surfing destination, home to high-quality powerful, hollow waves. Gisborne is extremely consistent, coping the full brunt of both southerly, easterly and northerly swells. Due to its remote location and relaxed atmosphere, there is opportunity to score pumping waves with only a few local crew out. Gisborne is a great launching point for your surf adventure being the gateway to both the isolated Eastcape and fabled Mahia.

Taranaki

Taranaki is one of New Zealand’s better known surf spots due to its consistency and large range of breaks including reefs, bars, points and beachies. Taranaki has a swell window of almost 180 degrees so there is always a chance of finding somewhere uncrowded that’s pumping and offshore.

South Island

Kaikoura

Kaikoura is famous for its whale watching, spectacular snow capped mountains and epic right-hand point breaks. Kaikoura’s waves are intensified by deep ocean trenches and tidal upwellings. The majority of the surf breaks are located in a small geographic area and features its own micro climate in winter where mountains funnel down light offshore winds creating amazing glassy conditions uncommon in New Zealand. The water here can get cold, so be sure to have a quality steamer and all the rubber accessories.

Dunedin

Dunedin is one of New Zealand’s finest areas for surfing, and one of the least populated. Home to an amazing range of beaches, bars, points and reefs, if you’re keen to adventure there’s definitely something for everyone. Here marine life and cold temperatures add another dimension to your surf with snow often down to the water line and abundant seals, dolphins and the occasional shark. Be prepared to wear a lot of rubber as Dunedin gets cold, but the reward is tenfold.