Motu river, New Zealand

No town nearby. No stay checked for this site yet: Ōhope, 47 km away, is the nearest town we list. Nearest airport: WHK (WHK), 60 km.

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About Motu river

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

The spot faces NW (297°), so it takes swell from the NW. The wind blows offshore from the SE (117°). It is sheltered to the open swell. It suits beginners and up. It works in 2–8 ft of swell. The sea floor shelves gently: 10 m deep about 700 m out (1 in 69). 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 beginners the best months are usually February, March, April and June, with about 1 good days in 7. From the weather of past years. No town nearby. No stay checked for this site yet: Ōhope, 47 km away, is the nearest town we list. Nearest airport: WHK (WHK), 60 km.

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 40 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 returnAd
Getting there. 1 h 20 from the airport to Motu river.
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Accommodation.
No town nearby
No stay checked for this site yet: Ōhope, 47 km away, is the nearest town we list. Nearest airport: WHK (WHK), 60 km.
Hire and lessons.
Surf lessons in Motu river · GetYourGuideAd Board and wetsuit hire in Motu river · GetYourGuideAd

Everything else for the trip

Where it is

Motu river on Google Maps · Directions

Surf spot

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Forecast

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

Forecast and score for intermediate surfers at Motu river, each day
Day	Score for intermediates	Swell	Energy	Wind	Temp
Sun 18Oct	5, too small	1 ft10 scrumbling	8kJ	wind from the south-east, 4 knots, offshore	15°C
Mon 19Oct	6, too small	1 ft10 scrumbling	9kJ	wind from the north-east, 4 knots	14°C
Tue 20Oct	5, too small	1 ft9 scrumbling	7kJ	wind from the north-north-east, 4 knots	15°C
Wed 21Oct	6, too small	1 ft2 smushy	1kJ	wind from the west-north-west, 1 knot	15°C
Thu 22Oct	10, too small	1 ft3 smushy	3kJ	wind from the east-north-east, 4 knots	16°C
Fri 23Oct	7, too small	1 ft3 smushy	1kJ	wind from the north-north-west, 3 knots	16°C
Sat 24Oct	2, too small	under 1 ft7 s	1kJ	wind from the west, 4 knots	16°C
Sun 25Oct	14, too small	1 ft3 smushy	2kJ	wind from the west-north-west, 3 knots	16°C
Mon 26Oct	7, too small	1 ft3 smushy	3kJ	wind from the west, 7 knots	16°C
Tue 27Oct	12, poor	4 ft6 smushy	89kJ	wind from the north-north-west, 12 knots	17°C
Wed 28Oct	36, fair	3 ft5 smushy	57kJ	wind from the north-west, 9 knots	17°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 Oct
Travel out
Fly MDW to WHK, changing at DFW and AKL, then 1h 20 by road. About 29h 40 door to door
Tue 20 Oct
Rest day
Too small: 1 ft at best.
Wed 21 Oct
Rest day
Too small: 1 ft at best.
Thu 22 Oct
Rest day
Too small: 1 ft at best.
Fri 23 Oct
Rest day
Too small: 1 ft at best.
Sat 24 Oct
Rest day
Too small: under 1 ft at best.
Sun 25 Oct
Travel home
Fly MDW to WHK, changing at DFW and AKL, then 1h 20 by road. About 29h 40 door to door

Rough cost

About £1,195–£2,350 each for 6 nights, 2 people sharing a room. A guide from typical prices, not a quote: check the real prices before you book. No town nearby, so no stay is in it.

Rough cost per person for this trip
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
Food	7 days eating out	£230–£430
Board and wetsuit	5 days, or about £85 to fly your own	£100–£165
Total		£1,195–£2,350

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

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Flights · Skyscanner Car hire · Discover Cars

In the waterAd

Surf lessons · GetYourGuide Board and wetsuit hire · GetYourGuide

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