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Smailis Beach, New Zealand

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

Also within 20 km of Dunedin

Watch this spot We email you when Smailis Beach is worth the trip.

About Smailis Beach

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

The spot faces S (163°), so it takes swell from the S. The wind blows offshore from the N (343°). 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 moderately: 10 m deep about 200 m out (1 in 22). On a typical 5 ft, 11 s swell the waves here would break hollow. The sea is about 10°C in August, its coldest month (4/3 or 5/4, boots and gloves), and 15°C in January, its warmest (4/3 wetsuit and boots). For intermediate surfers the best months are usually February, March, May and June, with about 2 good days in 7. From the weather of past years. The town to stay in is Dunedin, 8.5 km away (about 15 min by car). Within 5 km we also list 2 surf spots.

Water about 11°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 30 h 20 door to door, one way. An estimate; the journey never changes the score.

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

    See flights MDW → DUD · Skyscanner from about £780 returnAd

  2. Getting there. 50 min from the airport to Smailis Beach.

    Car hire · Discover CarsAd

  3. Accommodation.

    Stay in DunedinAd

    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 Dunedin · GetYourGuideAdBoard and wetsuit hire in Dunedin · GetYourGuideAd

Everything else for the trip

Where it is

Smailis Beach on Google Maps · Directions

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Forecast

Smailis Beach does not suit beginners. This is the forecast for intermediates, so you can see what it does.

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

DayScoreInter­mediateSwellEnergyWindTemp
Sun 18Oct06 ft8 scrumbling436kJ16°C
Mon 19Oct245 ft9 scrumbling375kJ17°C
Tue 20Oct06 ft9 scrumbling630kJ15°C
Wed 21Oct574 ft7 smushy174kJ19°C
Thu 22Oct313 ft8 smushy106kJ18°C
Fri 23Oct535 ft9 scrumbling353kJ19°C
Sat 24Oct604 ft8 scrumbling224kJ16°C
Sun 25Oct594 ft11 shollow262kJ20°C
Mon 26Oct223 ft5 smushy30kJ12°C
Tue 27Oct203 ft7 smushy118kJ21°C
Wed 28Oct393 ft7 smushy58kJ13°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 DUD, changing at DFW and AKL, then 50 min by road. About 30h 20 door to door

  2. Tue 20 Oct
    Surf Tomahawk Beach

    Best 19:00 to 22:00 local time: 5 ft at 8 s, wind 4 kn (8 km/h).

  3. Wed 21 Oct
    Surf Tomahawk Beach

    Best 19:00 to 22:00 local time: 4 ft at 7 s, offshore wind.

  4. Thu 22 Oct
    Surf Blackhead

    Best 10:00 to 13:00 local time: 3 ft at 8 s, wind 6 kn (11 km/h).

  5. Fri 23 Oct
    Surf St Kilda Beach

    Best 10:00 to 13:00 local time: 5 ft at 9 s, offshore wind.

  6. Sat 24 Oct
    Surf St Kilda Beach

    Best 10:00 to 13:00 local time: 4 ft at 8 s, offshore wind.

  7. Sun 25 Oct
    Travel home

    Fly MDW to DUD, changing at DFW and AKL, then 50 min by road. About 30h 20 door to door

The plan picks the best of 5 spots near Dunedin each day: Blackhead, Smailis Beach, St Clair, St Kilda Beach, Tomahawk Beach.

The trip from Dunedin, with every spot near it

Rough cost

About £1,420–£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 DUD, estimated from distance and season, changing at DFW and AKL, full-service airlines, with a hold bag£780–£1,615
To the UK airportparking or the train, there and back£35–£65
Taxiairport and back, shared£50–£85
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£1,420–£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

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