New Zealand Surfing - Top Three Surfing Spots on NZ's North Island
New Zealand may be known for its sheep-filled, rolling farm hills, mountain valleys and world-class wineries, but it's also home to some of the best surf beaches and spots in the world. These New Zealand surfing beaches, like New Zealand itself, have constantly changing surroundings/landscapes that range from black sand beach fronts and grass-covered fields to jagged cliff walls, stand-alone rock formations, and small surf towns filled with surfers from all over the world. They also provide some of the cleanest waves I've ever seen or surfed. These perfect waves roll into beaches all along the East and West Coasts of the North Island, provide waves of varying sizes, and offer New Zealand surfing beaches that are either packed with people, or (wait for it) completely isolated and secluded among the New Zealand wilderness.One thing to be aware about, however, is that, because of New Zealand's position in the Southern Hemisphere, the water is typically pretty cold. I went in New Zealand's summertime (December & January), and most people were wearing wetsuits. Now, being from Canada and all, my friend Greg and I wore board shorts and a rashguard (as it took the cold waters of Tofino, BC to actually get us to wear wetsuits) and we were able to stay in the water for a good forty five minutes at a time. If you would like to stay out in the water for longer bouts, a wet suit is cheap to rent and they're pretty easy to come by in NZ. They're well worth the money for a longer day on the water, which you'll want once you see some of New Zealand's surfing beaches and surf breaks.Greg and I road-tripped from the top of the North Island down to the bottom of the South Island, so we didn't exactly have time to check out every surf beach along the way; this article is simply a guide to the top three spots that I experienced while we were there. It is by no means a definitive guide to the best surf beaches out there. The best way to find your perfect New Zealand surfing beach (or any surf beach for that matter) is to research before you travel, talk to the locals when you get there, and (my all time favorite) drive down side roads until you find a surf break worthy enough to pull the boards off the roof rack, strap the leash to your ankle, and run into ice cold waves. Here were my three favorite spots in NZ:
Piha
Piha is a must stop for anyone starting their trip in Auckland, as it's only a 45 minute drive away. My buddy Greg and I essentially flew into Auckland, grabbed our rental van, and then drove out towards the west coast (this also gave us a chance to get used to driving on the left side of the road before we journeyed out on our full-out road trip). The road to Piha winds through thick foliage for a while, opens up to cliff-side roads that overlook the Pacific Ocean, and descends towards the surf beaches of Piha and its famous Lion Rock, which is a massive rock formation that juts out of the earth right at the shoreline.Piha is a small town, so there aren't too many surf shops to choose from, but there is a really neat one up on the hill (just as you start descending down towards the beach) called the
. The shop is located in an old red house, offers surfboard and wetsuit rentals, and has a chicken pen in the backyard that provides a view of the beach and Lion Rock. The shop is also only about a five minute drive from the beach.The beach itself is massive. The waves here aren't as crazy as the ones in Raglan (at least they weren't on the day that we went), but, as I said, it's a good starting point to any New Zealand surfing trip. The break are all beach breaks, the waves aren't too crowded (despite how many people hang out on the beach), and there's a surf club that provides decently-sized meals for when you're done shredding. If you still have energy post surfing, you can even hike up Lion Rock and take in the sunset before heading back to Auckland for a night out on the harbor.
Raglan
Raglan is not only the most well-known New Zealand surfing spots, but is also considered one of the best surf spots in the world, and it doesn't disappoint. The town itself is filled with surfer-packed bars, trendy cafes and restaurants for a post surf meal, and accommodations that range from small, backpacker-friendly hostels to higher-end hotels. The town also is fairly small, so everything is within walking distance, except for one key thing: the beach. The Raglan Beach is located a short five minute drive down the road from the town centre, so you most likely won't want to walk there with your board. I'd still recommend staying in the town centre though, as that's where all of the fun is once surfing's over.There are a few surf shops on the road to the beach where you can stop and rent boards and wetsuits, pick up some souvenirs, or chat with the shop staff about the local breaks. My favorite was the
, as they rented me a brand new Torq Fish board, which made my day in Raglan that much more fun/epic.So, once you finish your coffee and avocado toast, grab your gear and a new snapback from one of the local shops, and head out down the road to the beach, you will quickly realize why Raglan is considered one of the greatest surf spots in the world. The beach is surrounded by massive cliffs, black sand covers the entire coastline, and massive, strong waves crash along the shore. This beach, as you can imagine, is usually pretty busy, but it's well worth meandering through the crowds to ride some of Raglan's waves. There are a few areas that are pretty rocky, the riptides can be strong, and the waves can be massive, so tread carefully out in the water.Raglan is definitely a must-stop for any New Zealand surfing trip, and it's definitely worth spending a few days there to enjoy the town and the beach. If you can tear yourself away from the bars or waves at dusk, there's an incredible lookout point on top of one of the cliffs that provides a vantage point for viewing a Raglan sunset and enjoying a glass of NZ wine. Better yet, grab your surfboard, head down to the water and have a sunset surf. Either way, the scene will leave you with an image of one of the world's most incredible surf spots that you'll never forget.
Ahipara
Now, Ahipara was one of those spots that I had never even heard of until we showed up there for a dune buggy tour one morning, but, as soon as I got there and saw the beach in the background, I knew we had to surf afterwards. The Ahipara Beach is located at the start of Ninety Mile Beach, which is a beach that is technically a highway, so cars drive up and down the beach as you surf. The surrounding water is turquoise, warmer than most waters in New Zealand, and provides some of the most perfect barrels I've ever seen. The great part about these barrels is that they seem to roll in constantly. They are also a manageable size for an intermediate surfer.The good new about Ahipara is that it's also not the most well-known New Zealand surfing spot, so the waves weren't very crowded. Ahipara is a very (and I mean very) small town, so you get that experience of surfing in a tiny coastal town that feels semi secluded from the rest of the country. The one thing I will say, though, is that, because the town is so tiny and secluded from its surroundings, there are very few food and surf rental options. I managed to rent a short board from one (maybe the only) hostel in the area, but we struggled to find food. The only place to buy food near the beach was a food truck. When we went to buy food at 4:30 PM, we were told that they were closing up shop for the day. After realizing that we were starving from a day of dune buggying and surfing, they gave us some of their left over fries and pogo sticks. Not exactly the best post-surf snack of all time, but we needed something after exerting all of that energy.Is Ahipara worth it considering the lack of food a surf shops? Yes. In fact, it was my favorite surf spot on the trip. Ahipara offers some of the cleanest waves I've ever ridden, a secluded beach to surf on, and a small town vibe not frequented by a fleet of tourists. Just make sure you bring as many snacks, water bottles and suncreen bottles as you need to get you through the day, otherwise you'll end up being hangry surfers like us.So, whether you're into the classic surf town vibes of Raglan, or a secluded beach like Ahipara, there really is a surf beach for everyone in New Zealand. There are tons of breaks along both the East and West Coasts of the North Island, so use this list, if anything, as a starting point. Half the fun of surfing is exploring new roads, getting a little lost, and finding the perfect wave for me. So get out and get lost in New Zealand, and make sure you surf a little too.Check out our
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