Punakaiki Surf Forecast and Surf Reports
(West Coast South Island, New Zealand)

Punakaiki Surf Guide
Punakaiki on the West Coast is an exposed beach break that has quite consistent surf and can work at any time of the year. Ideal winds are from the east northeast. Most of the surf here comes from groundswells and the ideal swell angle is from the southwest. Waves at the beach break both left and right. Best around mid tide. It very rarely gets crowded here. Dangerous rips are a hazard of surfing here.
Punakaiki Spot Info
Type: | Rating: |
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Reliability: | Todays Sea Temp*: |
fairly consistent | 16.5°C*ocean temperature recorded from satellite |
Surfing Punakaiki:
The best conditions reported for surf at Punakaiki occur when a Southwest swell combines with an offshore wind direction from the East-northeast.
What's the best time of year to surf Punakaiki (for consistent clean waves)?
Explore Punakaiki Location Map
Interactive Punakaiki surf break location map. View information about nearby surf breaks, their wave consistency and rating compared to other spots in the region. Current swell conditions from local buoys are shown along with live wind speed and direction from nearby weather stations. Click icons on the map for more detail. The closest passenger airport to Punakaiki is Westport Airport (WSZ) in New Zealand, 47 km (29 miles) away (directly). The second nearest airport to Punakaiki is Hokitika Airport (HKK), also in New Zealand, 72 km (45 miles) away.
Monday, 19 April 2021, 23:26 Local Time
Mon | Tuesday 20 | |||
9PM | 0AM | 3AM | 6AM | |
Wave (m) |
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Period (s) | 15 | 15 | 16 | 16 |
Wind (km/h) | ![]() |
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Wind State | cross | cross- off |
cross- off |
glass |
Tides at Punakaiki
NEXT | IS AT (local time) | remaining |
---|---|---|
high tide | ||
low tide |
Swell History at Punakaiki
Surf stats for Punakaiki, see the swell variation by month or season on the history page here.
Wind History at Punakaiki
Wind stats for Punakaiki, see the variation in direction and stength by month or season on the history page here.
Other Nearby Breaks Closest To:
Discover surf breaks near Punakaiki. Click below to view there surf guides.
Wave Buoys Nearest To Punakaiki:
- Closest Wave BuoyFairway Beacon116 mi
- Second closest Wave BuoyGolden Bay Buoy129 mi
- Third closest Wave BuoyTory East Head Buoy167 mi
- Fourth closest Wave BuoyBay of Plenty Buoy415 mi
- Fifth closest Wave BuoyBream Bay Buoy464 mi