Wellington surf has enough to keep even discerning experts busy for a week or two. It’s no Raglan but there’s decent variation and consistency on offer close to town.
An introduction to Wellington surf
Windy Wellington gets strong gusts that bounce off the Cook Strait and play havoc with the waves just as much as they do the rugby balls in the Sky Stadium. But there are moments when the NZ capital can shine. Waves get glassy, conditions get clean. Then, you can score some of the finest sets this side of the Tasman Sea, Raglan et al excluded, naturally.
Look, we’re not going to say that this city is the hub of Kiwi surfing. It’s not. It’s better known for its Anglo-inspired botanical gardens and jazzy marina bars. But there’s enough to keep surfers en route to the Tasman bays of South Island or the Northland past Auckland busy and manuka bees in these parts. Not least of all, that’s down to Lyall Bay, the happening urban break that’s not to be missed.
We might use affiliate links in this post. Basically, you click em’ and we get a little something from your booking or purchase. They help us keep offering more and more in-depth surf guides to awesome places all around the globe. So, thanks for that!
This guide is just one part of our complete guide to surfing in New Zealand
Wellington surf at a glance
The good…
The bad…
What’s in this guide to Wellington surf?
Where is Wellington?
You can’t really go any further south in North Island than Wellington. The city straddles the two main isles of the country of which it is the capital, gazing south across the Cook Strait to the tip of South Island, which takes about 3.5 hours to reach on the regular ferry. The city center of Wellington isn’t that well-situated for surfers. It’s famously tucked into a deep harbor where the wind can swirl like someone left the fan on from morning until night. The good news is that it’s accessible. There’s not only an international airport – the Wellington International Airport – with good domestic links to Auckland and east-coast Oz, but this is also where the two main highways running North Island converge.
A guide to the Wellington surf spots
The surf breaks of Wellington mainly face south, stringing along the beach suburbs that go from Breaker Bay to the Pariwhero red rocks. There are also some a little further afield but you will need your own car to reach them, since there’s zero public transport that goes that remote. We’ll start to the east of the city and work towards the Tasman Sea in this guide…
Cape Palliser
You’ll have to drive about two hours up and around Wellington Harbor to reach Cape Palliser in the east. It’s the place to go if you don’t like sharing waves, though, since it’s remote and most of the beaches present an access challenge. Spots like Dee Dees usually come up trumps – that’s a quick performance wave. Keep going around the cape and you’ll open up the first North Island breaks that work on April-October winter swells. We’re talking the likes of White Rock (a left) but now you’re into three-hour driving territory.
Lake Ferry
We’d say don’t bother. This sleepy beach town on a black-sand bay is pounding shore break the whole way along. It looks allergic to holding shape and size. You’re better off with the cape that’s to the east of it.
Pencarrow Head
The only real quality wave on the eastern entrance to Wellington Harbor, Pencarrow Head comes with a peeling left wall. Works when it’s a strong southerly swell in the winter but watch out if it’s windy because those dominant SW gusts are dead crossshore and will mess the whole thing up. The good thing about hopping over here is that you can dodge the crowds of downtown Wellington and Lyall Bay.
Breakers Bay
Not for the beginners, Breakers Bay is a small little cut in the coast at the mouth of the Wellington Harbor. It gets hefty punches of S swell the winter and when it does it can go OFF. Think fast drop ins to hollow sections that spin quickly over a pebble base. This one’s only for experts and locals who know the lay of the underwater, to be frank.
Airport Reef
As the runways of Wellington Airport poke south into the Cook Strait, they form a sort of natural jetty that must have made a bit of a canyon underwater when it was built. It can give peaky wedges that remind us a little of Blacks in SoCal they are that punchy and sucky. You can go right but it’s a short right straight at a concrete barrier. The left is better and more rippable if you can manage the shoulder. Usually busy with the better half of the local crew.
Lyall Bay
Lyall Bay is the star of the Wellington surf show. It’s a versatile spot that’s emerged as something of a playground for all levels at all times of the year. There’s not much localism to contend with and it’s often touted as one of the better places to learn in New Zealand. Expect all sand-bottomed beach peaks and big crowds. Hell, it’s so popular we even gave it its very own guide…
Check out our complete guide to surfing in Lyall Bay
Houghton Bay
A dramatic beach that sits in the westerly suburbs of Wellington, Houghton Bay has a mushy beach break but is really all about that right hander point that works when there’s a strong S element in the swell compass. This is certainly an intermediate+ wave and can be busy, though reigns as a popular alterative to Lyall when that one’s crowded out.
Taputeranga Island
The locals call this one Rat Island and it’s usually reserved for the sea kayakers on still summer days. During the winter, a SW, or even a NW pushing through the Pacific on a summer storm, can give a right and a left reef break on either side of the rock. It’s not easy. The rips are big and the paddle is hard. It’s also a local fav and you will be scared off if you try to claim waves.
Where to stay when surfing in Wellington?
You’ve got two choices when it comes to staying in Wellington for the surf. Either make for the southern suburbs, which gets you by the waves but further from the gastronomy and nightlife. Or stay in the center to be with the sights and bars but further from the waves. We’ve got both options below…
Laid-back Lyall self contained studio
Check the surf from the window of your own pad by going for the Laid-back Lyall self contained studio. It’s a charming, cottage-style rental that’s a short drive/medium walk from the paddle out point for what’s certainly the top spot on the Wellington surf scene. The place also comes with a small kitchenette and sitting area.
Casa Felina Apartment
Another clean and well-maintained rental option that gives good proximity to the southern beaches of Wellington – the best for surfing. Casa Felina Apartment comes with a fitted kitchen and a compact lounge, not to mention a small outdoor seating area for those balmy summer lunches.
Bolton Hotel
Pick the elegant Bolton if you want to be in the middle of the city center and plan to do surf trips down to Lyall Bay when it suits. The establishment draws on elegant 1930s styles to give a chic yet modern stay. Guests enjoy access to a gym and an indoor swimming pool. Lovely and definitely worth the extra moolah.
Step-by-step guide to planning your [yoast_kw] trip right now
Step one: Book flights to the [yoast_kw]…Lately, we like Omio for searching flights. It’s a nice interface and has lots of airline options. We also use Skyscanner because that sometimes offers deals that even beat going direct to the carrier!
Step two: Book your surf camp Book Surf Camps is the numero uno online booking platform for fully-fledged surf-stay packages on the internet right now. Then there’s Booking.com. That has consistently unbeatable rates for hotels and a nifty map feature that lets you check EXACTLY how close your hotel is to a surf break.
Step three: Get insuranceThis is kinda’ important. Not just for surf trips but for any trips. SafetyWing is great for nomad travelers. They offer rolling contracts that cover amateur surfing.
Step four (optional): Rent a car If you’re surf camping then you might not need wheels. If you’re not then we’ll just say this: We’ve never been on a surf trip that wasn’t improved by having our own car. Use RentalCars – they’re the best.
Step four: Enjoy!
When to surf in Wellington?
You don’t run much of a risk of getting skunked on the Wellington surf if you come during the NZ winter (April to October). No one says it will be clean and glassy but there’s usually plenty of swell in the SE channel, powering breaks from the cape all the way to the harbor mouth. We’d say the best conditions of the whole year swing around with the fall and the spring. Winds cool a little to go lighter crossshore and Lyall Bay can be at its finest thanks to medium-period SW swell pulsing through the islands. Summer can be flat but is best for beginners.
We might use affiliate links in this post. Basically, you click em’ and we get a little something from your booking or purchase. They help us keep offering more and more in-depth surf guides to awesome places all around the globe. So, thanks for that!
