Hawai river, New Zealand
Also within 20 km of Whakatāne
- Ohope Beach West End Surf spot · 4.5 km from Whakatāne
- Coastlands Beach Surf spot · 4.7 km from Whakatāne
- Otarawairere bay Surf spot · 4.7 km from Whakatāne
- Ohope beach Surf spot · 4.8 km from Whakatāne
- Tarawera Surf spot · 19.7 km from Whakatāne
Watch this spot We email you when Hawai river is worth the trip.
About Hawai river
Facing, offshore wind, exposure, level and swell range are estimated. Facts: verified, surf details estimated.
The spot faces NW (321°), so it takes swell from the NW. The wind blows offshore from the SE (141°). It is sheltered to the open swell. It suits intermediate surfers and up. It works in 3–10 ft of swell. The sea floor shelves gently: 10 m deep about 550 m out (1 in 53). On a typical 5 ft, 11 s swell the waves here would spill softly. The sea is about 15°C in July, its coldest month (4/3 wetsuit and boots), and 22°C in February, its warmest (2 mm shorty). For intermediate surfers the best months are usually January, February, March and April, with about 1 good days in 7. From the weather of past years. The town to stay in is Whakatāne.
Water about 16°C: 3/2 wetsuit. Typical sea temperature for the time of year, not a forecast.
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From Chicago: about 29 h 35 door to door, one way. An estimate; the journey never changes the score.
Fly. Chicago Midway International Airport (MDW) to WHK, changing at Dallas Fort Worth International Airport (DFW) and Auckland International Airport (AKL).
See flights MDW → WHK · Skyscanner from about £730 returnAdGetting there. 1 h 15 from the airport to Hawai river.
Accommodation.
Nearest beds: Whakatāne, 49 km (about 1h 25 by car)Ad
No town with beds to book is nearer Hawai river: plan on the drive each day you surf.
Typical prices for a double room that month, not a quote.
Room photos are examples, not these hotels (credits).
See all places to stay in Whakatāne, 49 km away (ad) on Booking.com →Closest towns to stay in
Whakatāne 85 min by car · rooms from £85 a night · 2 places to stay · where Hawai river stays
Places to stay in Whakatāne · Booking.com Ad
Typical prices for a double room that month, not a quote. Drives are estimates.
Hire and lessons.
Surf lessons in Whakatāne · GetYourGuideAdBoard and wetsuit hire in Whakatāne · GetYourGuideAd
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Where it is
Hawai river on Google Maps · Directions
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Live webcam
In Whakatāne, the nearest town, 49 km away
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Forecast
The score for experts, coloured as on the area pages:GoodFairPoorToo bigToo small
| Day | Score for experts | Swell | Energy | Wind | Temp |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Sun 18Oct | 3, too small | 1 ft10 shollow | 8kJ | offshorewind from the south-east, 7 knots, offshore | 16°C |
| Mon 19Oct | 3, too small | 1 ft10 scrumbling | 9kJ | wind from the north-east, 3 knots | 15°C |
| Tue 20Oct | 3, too small | 1 ft9 scrumbling | 7kJ | wind from the west, 4 knots | 19°C |
| Wed 21Oct | 3, too small | 1 ft2 smushy | 1kJ | wind from the west-north-west, 1 knot | 17°C |
| Thu 22Oct | 5, too small | 1 ft3 smushy | 3kJ | wind from the east-north-east, 2 knots | 17°C |
| Fri 23Oct | 3, too small | 1 ft3 smushy | 1kJ | wind from the north-west, 4 knots | 18°C |
| Sat 24Oct | 1, too small | under 1 ft7 s | 1kJ | wind from the north-west, 4 knots | 17°C |
| Sun 25Oct | 6, too small | 1 ft3 smushy | 2kJ | wind from the north-north-west, 2 knots | 16°C |
| Mon 26Oct | 4, too small | 1 ft3 smushy | 3kJ | wind from the west-north-west, 6 knots | 16°C |
| Tue 27Oct | 6, too small | 4 ft6 smushy | 89kJ | wind from the north-north-west, 10 knots | 16°C |
| Wed 28Oct | 15, too small | 3 ft5 smushy | 57kJ | wind from the north-west, 8 knots | 16°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 expert surfers. Change dates
- Mon 19 OctTravel out
Fly MDW to WHK, changing at DFW and AKL, then 1h 15 by road. About 29h 35 door to door
- Tue 20 OctRest day
Too small: 1 ft at best.
- Wed 21 OctRest day
Too small: 1 ft at best.
- Thu 22 OctRest day
Too small: 1 ft at best.
- Fri 23 OctRest day
Too small: 1 ft at best.
- Sat 24 OctRest day
Too small: under 1 ft at best.
- Sun 25 OctTravel home
Fly MDW to WHK, changing at DFW and AKL, then 1h 15 by road. About 29h 35 door to door
Rough cost
About £1,420–£2,725 each for 6 nights, 2 people sharing a room. A guide from typical prices, not a quote: check the real prices before you book.
| What | How we worked it out | Each |
|---|---|---|
| Flights | return MDW to WHK, estimated from distance and season, changing at DFW and AKL, full-service airlines, with a hold bag | £730–£1,520 |
| To the UK airport | parking or the train, there and back | £35–£65 |
| Hire car | 6 days, shared | £100–£170 |
| Stay | 6 nights, a mid-range double, shared | £225–£375 |
| Food | 7 days eating out | £230–£430 |
| Board and wetsuit | 5 days, or about £85 to fly your own | £100–£165 |
| Total | £1,420–£2,725 |
Prices from public sources, checked in 2026: where they come from. Lessons, lift-pass deals and insurance are extra.
Places to eat near Whakatāne
- Viet Eatery & CafeVietnamese · 2.0 km from the centre
- Noodle Canteen1.8 km from the centre
- Freds Fish & ChipsFish and chips · 1.9 km from the centre
- Gallipoli Turkish Restaurant1.9 km from the centre
Within 2 km of the town centre, listed by how complete the listing is (website, opening hours, cuisine) and whether two sources name it. Not a judgement of the food: we have no reviews. Listings © OpenStreetMap contributors (ODbL) and Overture Maps Foundation. Credits
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