Kuoatunu Reef, New Zealand
Also within 20 km of Tairua
- Sailors Grave Surf spot · 2.1 km from Tairua
- pauanui Surf spot · 2.2 km from Tairua
- Mania reef Surf spot · 10.9 km from Tairua
- Opotere Surf spot · 12.3 km from Tairua
- Onemana Surf spot · 17.2 km from Tairua
Watch this spot We email you when Kuoatunu Reef is worth the trip.
About Kuoatunu Reef
Facing, offshore wind, exposure, level and swell range are estimated. Facts: verified, surf details estimated.
The spot faces NW (337°), so it takes swell from the NW. The wind blows offshore from the SE (157°). It is sheltered to the open swell. It suits beginners and up. It works in 4–18 ft of swell. The sea floor shelves steeply: 10 m deep about 150 m out (1 in 13). On a typical 5 ft, 11 s swell the waves here would break hollow. 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). The town to stay in is Tairua. Within 5 km we also list 1 surf spot.
Water about 16°C: 3/2 wetsuit. Typical sea temperature for the time of year, not a forecast.
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The link holds the trip itself: nothing about you is kept. Check the forecast again before you book.
Book the trip
From Chicago: about 26 h 40 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 returnAdGetting there. 1 h 55 from the airport to Kuoatunu Reef.
Accommodation.
Nearest beds: Tairua, 32 km (about 1h 00 by car)Ad
No town with beds to book is nearer Kuoatunu Reef: 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 Tairua, 32 km away (ad) on Booking.com →Closest towns to stay in
Tairua 57 min by car · rooms from £85 a night · 16 places to stay · where Kuoatunu Reef stays
Places to stay in Tairua · Booking.com Ad
Typical prices for a double room that month, not a quote. Drives are estimates.
Hire and lessons.
Surf lessons in Tairua · GetYourGuideAdBoard and wetsuit hire in Tairua · GetYourGuideAd
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Where it is
Kuoatunu Reef 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 | 4, too small | 1 ft4 shollow | 7kJ | wind from the north-east, 6 knots | 16°C |
| Mon 19Oct | 4, too small | 1 ft5 shollow | 4kJ | wind from the east, 2 knots | 17°C |
| Tue 20Oct | 3, too small | 1 ft4 shollow | 2kJ | offshorewind from the east-south-east, 3 knots, offshore | 18°C |
| Wed 21Oct | 3, too small | 1 ft6 s | 2kJ | wind from the south-south-west, 4 knots | 20°C |
| Thu 22Oct | 3, too small | 1 ft9 shollow | 6kJ | wind from the south-west, 10 knots | 19°C |
| Fri 23Oct | 3, too small | 1 ft7 s | 3kJ | offshorewind from the south-east, 2 knots, offshore | 20°C |
| Sat 24Oct | 2, too small | under 1 ft7 s | 2kJ | wind from the north-east, 1 knot | 21°C |
| Sun 25Oct | 1, too small | under 1 ft9 s | 2kJ | wind from the west, 6 knots | 20°C |
| Mon 26Oct | 2, too small | 1 ft4 s | 1kJ | wind from the north-west, 7 knots | 20°C |
| Tue 27Oct | 7, too small | 3 ft5 smushy | 43kJ | wind from the west-north-west, 12 knots | 21°C |
| Wed 28Oct | 16, too small | 2 ft5 shollow | 22kJ | wind from the north-west, 6 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 OctTravel out
Fly MDW to AKL, changing at DFW, then 1h 55 by road. About 26h 40 door to door
- Tue 20 OctRest day
Too small: 1 ft at best.
- Wed 21 OctRest day
Too small: 1 ft at best.
- Thu 22 OctRest day
Too small: 1 ft at best.
- Fri 23 OctRest day
Too small: 1 ft at best.
- Sat 24 OctRest day
Too small: under 1 ft at best.
- Sun 25 OctTravel home
Fly MDW to AKL, changing at DFW, then 1h 55 by road. About 26h 40 door to door
Rough cost
About £1,430–£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.
| 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 |
| 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 | £1,430–£2,735 |
Prices from public sources, checked in 2026: where they come from. Lessons, lift-pass deals and insurance are extra.
Places to eat near Tairua
- Johnny's TairuaBurger · 1.1 km from the centre
- Punters Bar and GrillBar and grill · 1.1 km from the centre
- Sangam Modern Indian Eatery and BarIndian · 1.1 km from the centre
- Santa Maria Pizza ItalianaPizza · 1.1 km from the centre
- Surf 'n' Sand TakeawaysFish and chips · 1.1 km from the centre
- My Thai1.1 km from the centre
Within 2 km of the town centre, listed by how complete the listing is (website, opening hours, cuisine) and whether two sources name it. Not a judgement of the food: we have no reviews. Listings © OpenStreetMap contributors (ODbL) and Overture Maps Foundation. Credits
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Links marked Ad may pay us a small commission if you book. You pay the same price, and it never changes a score.