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Clark Island, New Zealand

Stay in Whangamatā: see the trip Its beds, the way there and every spot near it.

Also within 20 km of Whangamatā

All 10 on Whangamatā's map

Watch this spot We email you when Clark Island is worth the trip.

Whangamata beach
Near Clark Island, 2 km away. Photo: Aidan from Wellington, New Zealand, CC BY 2.0, Wikimedia Commons

About Clark Island

Facing, offshore wind, exposure, level and swell range are estimated. Facts: verified, surf details estimated.

The spot faces E (80°), so it takes swell from the E. The wind blows offshore from the W (260°). It is exposed to the open swell. It suits intermediate surfers and up. It works in 2–9 ft of swell. The sea floor shelves very gently: 10 m deep about 1.1 km out (1 in 114). On a typical 5 ft, 11 s swell the waves here would spill softly. The sea is about 15°C in August, its coldest month (4/3 wetsuit and boots), and 22°C in February, its warmest (2 mm shorty). For intermediate surfers the best month is usually April, with about 2 good days in 7. From the weather of past years. The town to stay in is Whangamatā, 4.9 km away (about 10 min by car). Within 5 km we also list 4 surf spots.

Water about 16°C: 3/2 wetsuit. Typical sea temperature for the time of year, not a forecast.

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Book the trip

From Chicago: about 26 h 50 door to door, one way. An estimate; the journey never changes the score.

  1. Fly. Chicago Midway International Airport (MDW) to Auckland International Airport (AKL), changing at Dallas Fort Worth International Airport (DFW).

    See flights MDW → AKL · Skyscanner from about £740 returnAd

  2. Getting there. 2 h 05 from the airport to Clark Island.

    Car hire · Discover CarsAd

  3. Accommodation.

    Stay in WhangamatāAd

    Typical prices for a double room that month, not a quote.

    Room photos are examples, not these hotels (credits).

    See all places to stay on Booking.com →

    Closest towns to stay in

    Typical prices for a double room that month, not a quote. Drives are estimates.

  4. Hire and lessons.

    Surf lessons in Whangamatā · GetYourGuideAdBoard and wetsuit hire in Whangamatā · GetYourGuideAd

Everything else for the trip

Where it is

Clark Island on Google Maps · Directions

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Forecast

The score for intermediates, coloured as on the area pages:GoodFairPoorToo bigToo small

DayScoreSwellEnergyWindTemp
Sun 18Oct71 ft9 ssoft10kJ14°C
Mon 19Oct71 ft9 smushy11kJ16°C
Tue 20Oct101 ft9 ssoft13kJ15°C
Wed 21Oct111 ft9 ssoft15kJ18°C
Thu 22Oct151 ft9 ssoft16kJ18°C
Fri 23Oct91 ft9 ssoft10kJ16°C
Sat 24Oct61 ft7 smushy5kJ17°C
Sun 25Oct81 ft10 s6kJ17°C
Mon 26Oct61 ft4 smushy3kJ18°C
Tue 27Oct384 ft5 smushy65kJ20°C
Wed 28Oct322 ft5 smushy28kJ15°C

Day scores here are the conditions out of 80; a trip's score on the results is the same conditions out of 100. The journey never scores. The forecast reaches about 10 days. Energy is the swell's power in kJ per metre of wave, from its height and interval: it grows with the square of each, so a long-period swell hits far harder than a short one the same size. The word under the swell is the wave's shape, our estimate from the sea floor. Wind is in knots: 10 kn is about 19 km/h. The arrow points where the wind blows to; offshore wind, blowing from the land out to sea, is green and says so.

Your trip, day by day

6 nights from Mon 19 Oct, leaving from Chicago, for intermediate surfers. Change dates

  1. Mon 19 Oct
    Travel out

    Fly MDW to AKL, changing at DFW, then 2h 05 by road. About 26h 50 door to door

  2. Tue 20 Oct
    Rest day

    Too small: 1 ft at best.

  3. Wed 21 Oct
    Rest day

    Too small: 1 ft at best.

  4. Thu 22 Oct
    Rest day

    Too small: 1 ft at best.

  5. Fri 23 Oct
    Rest day

    Too small: 1 ft at best.

  6. Sat 24 Oct
    Rest day

    Too small: 1 ft at best.

  7. Sun 25 Oct
    Travel home

    Fly MDW to AKL, changing at DFW, then 2h 05 by road. About 26h 50 door to door

The plan picks the best of 7 spots near Whangamatā each day: Clark Island, Donut Island, Double Brown, Fudabarer, Onemana, The Bay, Whangamata Estuary.

The trip from Whangamatā, with every spot near it

Rough cost

About £1,430–£2,735 each for 6 nights, 2 people sharing a room. A guide from typical prices, not a quote: check the real prices before you book.

WhatHow we worked it outEach
Flightsreturn MDW to AKL, estimated from distance and season, changing at DFW, full-service airlines, with a hold bag£740–£1,530
To the UK airportparking or the train, there and back£35–£65
Hire car6 days, shared£100–£170
Stay6 nights, a mid-range double, shared£225–£375
Food7 days eating out£230–£430
Board and wetsuit5 days, or about £85 to fly your own£100–£165
Total£1,430–£2,735

Prices from public sources, checked in 2026: where they come from. Lessons, lift-pass deals and insurance are extra.

Book the trip

Getting thereAd

Flights · Skyscanner Car hire · Discover Cars

Where to stayAd

Places to stay · Booking.com

In the waterAd

Surf lessons · GetYourGuide Board and wetsuit hire · GetYourGuide

Links marked Ad may pay us a small commission if you book. You pay the same price, and it never changes a score.