The North Island Surf Road Trip: Raglan, Taranaki & the East Cape

The best surf road trip in NZ

The North Island's surf coast is a proper adventure — a 1,500 km loop that takes you from the world's longest left at Raglan, down Taranaki's Surf Highway 45, across to Gisborne (first city in the world to see the sun) and up the remote East Cape. Ten days if you want to actually surf, not just drive past.

What you need before you go

• Experience: most of these breaks are intermediate+. Total beginners should stick to learner beaches.
• A car with roof racks. Our 7-seater SUV and mid-size SUV come with roof racks on request — perfect for a couple of longboards or shortboards plus luggage. Solo travellers with one board can get away with an economy car plus $30 soft racks from any surf shop.
• Wetsuit: 3/2mm in summer, 4/3mm autumn–spring. Water gets cold below Taranaki in winter.
• Camping gear or a tent: the best breaks are on remote coast; DOC campsites are $10–15/night. See our DOC camping guide.

The 10-day itinerary

Day 1–2: Auckland → Raglan (2 hrs)

Pick up in Auckland. Head straight to Raglan.

• Manu Bay — the famous long left-hand point break, intermediate+, gets busy
• Whale Bay — right next door, another point, less crowded
• Indicators — outer point, only breaks on bigger swells
• Ngarunui Beach — beach break for warm-ups and learners
• Stay: Raglan Sunset Motel or Karioi Lodge

Day 3: Raglan → New Plymouth (4 hrs)

Long inland drive south through King Country. Base yourself in New Plymouth.

Day 4–6: Surf Highway 45 (Taranaki)

State Highway 45 loops around Mount Taranaki with 30+ named breaks in 105 km. Highlights:

• Fitzroy Beach — right in New Plymouth, consistent beach break
• Kumara Patch — heavy right reef, experienced only
• Stent Road — the iconic Taranaki reef, several lefts and rights
• Kaupokonui — friendly beach break, family-friendly

Rent a longboard for the smaller days — surf shops in New Plymouth all hire.

Day 7: New Plymouth → Whanganui → Wellington (5 hrs) OR skip to Gisborne

If you're loop-committed, skip Wellington and cut across to Gisborne via SH2 (7 hrs) — long but scenic.

Day 8–9: Gisborne

• Wainui Beach — Gisborne's home break, several peaks along a long beach
• Makorori Point — right-hand point break, world-class on the right swell
• The Island — offshore break, boat/paddle
• Try local Gisborne Chardonnay after your surf — see our wine regions guide.

Day 10: East Cape → Bay of Plenty → Auckland

The East Cape road (SH35) is one of NZ's most beautiful drives. Empty peelers everywhere if you know where to look — ask locally. Finish with a session at Mount Maunganui and drive back to Auckland (2.5 hrs).

Total distance & fuel

~1,600 km. Budget around $250–300 in fuel for a mid-size SUV, less for an economy car. See our fuel stops guide and road trip cost calculator.

Where to sleep

Mix of surf lodges (Karioi Lodge in Raglan, Egmont Eco Lodge in New Plymouth), motels and DOC campsites. Freedom camping is tightly restricted along this coast — only sleep in a self-contained vehicle or a designated site.

Tips from locals

• Check swell direction, not just size. Raglan needs SW, Taranaki loves W, Gisborne needs S/SE.
• Wind is everything. Offshore = clean. Onshore = victory at sea.
• Surfline and Swellmap are the go-to forecasting apps — see best NZ travel apps.
• Be polite in the lineup. Locals surf these breaks every day; take your turn, don't drop in.

Related reading

• Learn to surf in NZ — beginner's guide
• Best surf spots near Auckland
• Best surf spots in New Zealand
• Ultimate North Island road trip

Ready to load the boards? Book a 7-seater SUV with roof racks or get an instant quote on the full fleet.