Explore Surf Highway 45 and surf the Taranaki region

The Taranaki coastline provides some of the best surf in New Zealand. New Plymouth’s Fitzroy Beach faces north west, Stent Road faces west, and Opunake Beach faces south-west: so you are guaranteed adrenalin-pumping rides all within a 60 km radius. The Taranaki cape has many farm service roads which fan out from the volcano to the sea.

Fitzroy Beach

New Plymouth’s main holiday spot, Fitzroy Beach is a great place to start with excellent beach breaks. Westerly Swells from the deep south produce excellent waves all along the coast from Waiwakaiho river to Belt Rd. Back Beach is just south of the port and has excellent sand bars and takes a North / East / South winds, Back beach is a great check for wind and swell , if there is white wash he who hesitates is last.

Oakura Beach

Oakura Beach is an amazingly beautiful sea village with ok waves at high tide. Ahu Ahu Road has slow left and right-hand reef breaks, but can be off more than on. Stent Road (37 kms from New Plymouth) is regarded by most as one of New Zealand’s top rated surfing spot, the right hand point takes up to 12+ feet and is most challanging, there are gauranteed tubes here, respect the locals though and watch the bowl!!!.

The Taranaki South coast

Take S.H.45 from New Plymouth and turn off just past the village of Warea. The west-south-west orientation of the Stent bay seems to magnatise all swells that hit the coast. The result is consistently excellent waves that break on a near perfect right hand shelf, this all comes together to make Stent Road a favourite spot

Opunake Surf

Opunake Beach (64 kms from New Plymouth), the dump, Mangahumi are all close by and provide some excellent juice this is an amazing surf Location with shallow reefs, Points and sand bars , Opunaki is surf active all year round. Have a look at Greenmeadows just south of Opunake you will need a local Guide to set you up here and the sand has moved on making this somewhat a hit or miss (large proportion MISS) deal you have to drive past a lot better to get there

Surfing in the rest of New Zealand