Hickory Bay, New Zealand
Also within 20 km of Akaroa
- Tumble Down Bay Surf spot · 2.7 km from Akaroa
Watch this spot We email you when Hickory Bay is worth the trip.
About Hickory Bay
Facing, offshore wind, exposure, level and swell range are estimated. Facts: verified, surf details estimated.
The spot faces SE (126°), so it takes swell from the SE. The wind blows offshore from the NW (306°). It is sheltered to the open swell. It suits intermediate surfers and up. It works in 3–12 ft of swell. The sea floor shelves moderately: 10 m deep about 250 m out (1 in 27). On a typical 5 ft, 11 s swell the waves here would crumble. The sea is about 10°C in August, its coldest month (4/3 or 5/4, boots and gloves), and 17°C in January, its warmest (3/2 wetsuit). For intermediate surfers the best months are usually February, April, May and June, with about 2 good days in 7. From the weather of past years. The town to stay in is Akaroa.
Water about 12°C: 4/3 or 5/4, boots and gloves. Typical sea temperature for the time of year, not a forecast.
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Book the trip
From Chicago: about 27 h 15 door to door, one way. An estimate; the journey never changes the score.
Fly. Chicago Midway International Airport (MDW) to CHC, changing at San Francisco International Airport (SFO).
See flights MDW → CHC · Skyscanner from about £765 returnAdGetting there. 1 h 20 from the airport to Hickory Bay.
Accommodation.
Nearest beds: Akaroa, 12 km (about 25 min by car)Ad
No town with beds to book is nearer Hickory Bay: 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 Akaroa, 12 km away (ad) on Booking.com →Closest towns to stay in
Akaroa 22 min by car · rooms from £85 a night · where Hickory Bay stays
Places to stay in Akaroa · Booking.com Ad
Typical prices for a double room that month, not a quote. Drives are estimates.
Hire and lessons.
Surf lessons in Akaroa · GetYourGuideAdBoard and wetsuit hire in Akaroa · GetYourGuideAd
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Where it is
Hickory Bay on Google Maps · Directions
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Forecast
The score for intermediates, coloured as on the area pages:GoodFairPoorToo bigToo small
| Day | Score for intermediates | Swell | Energy | Wind | Temp |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Sun 18Oct | 0, too big | 6 ft9 scrumbling | 537kJ | wind from the north, 5 knots | 15°C |
| Mon 19Oct | 36, fair | 5 ft9 scrumbling | 373kJ | offshorewind from the north-north-west, 6 knots, offshore | 16°C |
| Tue 20Oct | 47, fair | 6 ft10 scrumbling | 537kJ | wind from the north, 3 knots | 14°C |
| Wed 21Oct | 60, good | 4 ft8 scrumbling | 224kJ | wind from the north-east, 5 knots | 18°C |
| Thu 22Oct | 48, good | 3 ft9 scrumbling | 142kJ | wind from the south-south-east, 1 knot | 22°C |
| Fri 23Oct | 50, good | 5 ft10 scrumbling | 420kJ | wind from the north, 7 knots | 17°C |
| Sat 24Oct | 60, good | 4 ft9 scrumbling | 221kJ | wind from the east-south-east, 4 knots | 23°C |
| Sun 25Oct | 53, good | 3 ft11 shollow | 224kJ | wind from the north, 3 knots | 23°C |
| Mon 26Oct | 21, too small | 2 ft6 smushy | 31kJ | offshorewind from the north-north-west, 9 knots, offshore | 22°C |
| Tue 27Oct | 37, fair | 4 ft6 smushy | 105kJ | offshorewind from the north-west, 11 knots, offshore | 22°C |
| Wed 28Oct | 48, good | 3 ft7 smushy | 80kJ | offshorewind from the north-north-west, 9 knots, offshore | 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 intermediate surfers. Change dates
- Mon 19 OctTravel out
Fly MDW to CHC, changing at SFO, then 1h 20 by road. About 27h 15 door to door
- Tue 20 OctSurf Hickory Bay
Best 10:00 to 13:00 local time: 6 ft at 10 s, wind 3 kn (6 km/h).
- Wed 21 OctSurf Hickory Bay
Best 13:00 to 16:00 local time: 4 ft at 8 s, wind 5 kn (8 km/h).
- Thu 22 OctSurf Hickory Bay
Best 10:00 to 13:00 local time: 3 ft at 9 s, wind 1 kn (2 km/h).
- Fri 23 OctSurf Hickory Bay
Best 19:00 to 22:00 local time: 5 ft at 10 s, wind 7 kn (13 km/h).
- Sat 24 OctSurf Hickory Bay
Best 16:00 to 19:00 local time: 4 ft at 9 s, wind 4 kn (7 km/h).
- Sun 25 OctTravel home
Fly MDW to CHC, changing at SFO, then 1h 20 by road. About 27h 15 door to door
Rough cost
About £1,455–£2,790 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 CHC, estimated from distance and season, changing at SFO, full-service airlines, with a hold bag | £765–£1,585 |
| 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 | £1,455–£2,790 |
Prices from public sources, checked in 2026: where they come from. Lessons, lift-pass deals and insurance are extra.
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