Tuapeka Point, New Zealand

No town nearby. No bookable town within 50 km: the nearest, Māhia, is 695 km away. Nearest airport: CHT (CHT), 10 km.

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About Tuapeka Point

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

The spot faces NE (48°), so it takes swell from the NE. The wind blows offshore from the SW (228°). It is sheltered to the open swell. It suits intermediate surfers and up. It works in 5–18 ft of swell. The sea floor shelves moderately: 10 m deep about 300 m out (1 in 28). On a typical 5 ft, 11 s swell the waves here would crumble. The sea is about 12°C in July, its coldest month (4/3 or 5/4, boots and gloves), and 16°C in January, its warmest (3/2 wetsuit). No town nearby. No bookable town within 50 km: the nearest, Māhia, is 695 km away. Nearest airport: CHT (CHT), 10 km.

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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From Chicago: about 29 h 55 door to door, one way. An estimate; the journey never changes the score.

Fly. Chicago Midway International Airport (MDW) to CHT, changing at Dallas Fort Worth International Airport (DFW) and Auckland International Airport (AKL).
See flights MDW → CHT · Skyscanner from about £725 returnAd
Getting there. 30 min from the airport to Tuapeka Point.
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Accommodation.
No town nearby
No bookable town within 50 km: the nearest, Māhia, is 695 km away. Nearest airport: CHT (CHT), 10 km.
Hire and lessons.
Surf lessons in Tuapeka Point · GetYourGuideAd Board and wetsuit hire in Tuapeka Point · GetYourGuideAd

Everything else for the trip

Where it is

Tuapeka Point 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 Tuapeka Point, each day
Day	Score for intermediates	Swell	Energy	Wind	Temp
Sun 18Oct	6, too small	2 ft10 shollow	38kJ	wind from the west-south-west, 25 knots, offshore	12°C
Mon 19Oct	10, too small	2 ft7 smushy	24kJ	wind from the south-south-west, 16 knots, offshore	10°C
Tue 20Oct	6, too small	1 ft9 shollow	29kJ	wind from the west, 22 knots, offshore	12°C
Wed 21Oct	7, too small	2 ft9 shollow	31kJ	wind from the west-south-west, 17 knots, offshore	12°C
Thu 22Oct	7, too small	2 ft7 smushy	39kJ	wind from the south-west, 26 knots, offshore	10°C
Fri 23Oct	8, too small	2 ft7 smushy	20kJ	wind from the west, 17 knots, offshore	14°C
Sat 24Oct	6, too small	2 ft6 smushy	18kJ	wind from the west-south-west, 8 knots, offshore	13°C
Sun 25Oct	2, too small	1 ft9 shollow	22kJ	wind from the north-west, 20 knots	14°C
Mon 26Oct	3, too small	2 ft7 smushy	44kJ	wind from the north-north-west, 26 knots	14°C
Tue 27Oct	22, too small	3 ft7 smushy	87kJ	wind from the west, 17 knots, offshore	14°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 CHT, changing at DFW and AKL, then 30 min by road. About 29h 55 door to door
Tue 20 Oct
Rest day
Too small: 1 ft at best.
Wed 21 Oct
Rest day
Too small: 2 ft at best.
Thu 22 Oct
Rest day
Too small: 2 ft at best.
Fri 23 Oct
Rest day
Too small: 2 ft at best.
Sat 24 Oct
Rest day
Too small: 2 ft at best.
Sun 25 Oct
Travel home
Fly MDW to CHT, changing at DFW and AKL, then 30 min by road. About 29h 55 door to door

Rough cost

About £1,105–£2,200 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 CHT, estimated from distance and season, changing at DFW and AKL, full-service airlines, with a hold bag	£725–£1,510
To the UK airport	parking or the train, there and back	£35–£65
Taxi	airport and back, shared	£15–£30
Food	7 days eating out	£230–£430
Board and wetsuit	5 days, or about £85 to fly your own	£100–£165
Total		£1,105–£2,200

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

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Surf lessons · GetYourGuide Board and wetsuit hire · GetYourGuide

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