It is no wonder that we are passionate about surfing, our 6,000 kms of exposed coastline offers some of the most consistent and crowd free surfing in the southern hemisphere. The variety of surf breaks is simply awesome - from clean barrels rolling onto pure white sand beaches on the east coast, to gnarly freight train sets pounding rugged west coast beaches.
Surfing New Zealand
Check out our ‘supertubes’ with one kilometre long joy rides at Ahipara and the consistently perfect peelers at our hottest surf spot, Raglan. Experience giant steamrollers and Malibu-style wave sets at Murderer’s Bay in Dunedin, as well as velvet-smooth tunnels at Gisborne. Our beaches can be surfed all year round.
The North Island has very warm temperatures in summer (December-March) and wet suits are not usually needed. The South Island waters are colder and generally call for some neoprene protection. The long insular shape of the country means that you can quickly move across from one coast to the other. So wherever you are in the country there’s bound to be a good break nearby. A glance at the local weather map will tell you which coast has the right swell. What makes the culture of surfing distinct in New Zealand, is its growth through surf-lifesaving.
In other countries, surfing developed early on as a kind of loafer counter-culture. Here, it is a sport for anyone and features no one specific stereotype, you could be in the water with a doctor or lawyer one minute and a plumber painter the next. It is so popular with young New Zealanders, that it is even available as a sport option in some high schools. We see it as an opportunity to challenge nature and the elements, and to conquer something that can only be conquered for a moment in the great out doors. Surfing New Zealand’s fastest growing recreational sports.
