Sandy Bay, New Zealand

No town nearby. No stay checked for this site yet: Tutukaka, 8 km away, is the nearest town we list. Nearest airport: WRE (WRE), 28 km.

Watch this spot We email you when Sandy Bay is worth the trip.

About Sandy Bay

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

The spot faces NE (46°), so it takes swell from the NE. The wind blows offshore from the SW (226°). It is exposed to the open swell. It suits intermediate surfers and up. It works in 3–10 ft of swell. The sea is about 16°C in August, its coldest month (3/2 wetsuit), 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. No town nearby. No stay checked for this site yet: Tutukaka, 8 km away, is the nearest town we list. Nearest airport: WRE (WRE), 28 km. Within 5 km we also list 2 surf spots.

Water about 17°C: 3/2 wetsuit. Typical sea temperature for the time of year, not a forecast.

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From Chicago: about 28 h door to door, one way. An estimate; the journey never changes the score.

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
Getting there. 3 h 10 from the airport to Sandy Bay.
Car hire · Discover CarsAd
Accommodation.
No town nearby
No stay checked for this site yet: Tutukaka, 8 km away, is the nearest town we list. Nearest airport: WRE (WRE), 28 km.
Hire and lessons.
Surf lessons in Sandy Bay · GetYourGuideAd Board and wetsuit hire in Sandy Bay · GetYourGuideAd

Everything else for the trip

Where it is

Sandy Bay on Google Maps · Directions

Surf spot

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Forecast

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

Forecast and score for expert surfers at Sandy Bay, each day
Day	Score for experts	Swell	Energy	Wind	Temp
Mon 19Oct	11, too small	2 ft6 s	30kJ	wind from the south, 3 knots	19°C
Tue 20Oct	7, too small	2 ft6 s	13kJ	wind from the south, 5 knots, offshore	18°C
Wed 21Oct	6, too small	1 ft9 s	15kJ	wind from the south-west, 7 knots, offshore	18°C
Thu 22Oct	7, too small	1 ft9 s	18kJ	wind from the south-south-west, 7 knots, offshore	18°C
Fri 23Oct	6, too small	2 ft4 s	5kJ	wind from the south-south-west, 8 knots, offshore	17°C
Sat 24Oct	4, too small	1 ft7 s	8kJ	wind from the north-north-west, 6 knots	18°C
Sun 25Oct	4, too small	1 ft10 s	10kJ	wind from the north-north-east, 2 knots	18°C
Mon 26Oct	2, too small	1 ft9 s	11kJ	wind from the north-north-west, 8 knots	19°C
Tue 27Oct	3, too small	2 ft5 s	14kJ	wind from the north-west, 11 knots	21°C
Wed 28Oct	17, too small	3 ft4 s	31kJ	wind from the west-south-west, 6 knots, offshore	19°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. 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 Tue 20 Oct, leaving from Chicago, for expert surfers. Change dates

Tue 20 Oct
Travel out
Fly MDW to AKL, changing at DFW, then 3h 10 by road. About 28h door to door
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: 2 ft at best.
Sat 24 Oct
Rest day
Too small: 1 ft at best.
Sun 25 Oct
Rest day
Too small: 1 ft at best.
Mon 26 Oct
Travel home
Fly MDW to AKL, changing at DFW, then 3h 10 by road. About 28h door to door

Rough cost

About £1,205–£2,360 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 AKL, estimated from distance and season, changing at DFW, full-service airlines, with a hold bag	£740–£1,530
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		£1,205–£2,360

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

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.