Whakatane Heads Surf Forecast and Surf Reports
(Bay of Plenty, New Zealand)
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Whakatane Heads Surf Guide
Whakatane Heads in Bay of Plenty is an exposed beach and reef break that has reasonably consistent surf and can work at any time of the year. Works best in offshore winds from the south. Tends to receive distant groundswells and the ideal swell direction is from the north northeast. A right hand reef. Best around low tide. When the surf is up, it can get quite busy in the water. Take care of rips, rocks and obstacles.
Whakatane Heads Spot Info
| Type: | Rating: | Reliability: | Todays Sea Temp*: |
|---|---|---|---|
 Beach and reef |  3 | fairly consistent | 18.2°C*ocean temperature recorded from satellite |
Surfing Whakatane Heads:
The best conditions reported for surf at Whakatane Heads occur when a North-northeast swell combines with an offshore wind direction from the South.
What's the best time of year to surf Whakatane Heads (for consistent clean waves)?
Explore Whakatane Heads Location Map
Interactive Whakatane Heads 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 Whakatane Heads is Whakatane Airport (WHK) in New Zealand, 8 km (5 miles) away (directly). The second nearest airport to Whakatane Heads is Rotorua Airport (ROT), also in New Zealand, 63 km (39 miles) away.
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Break
Live Wave Height (m)
Live Wind Speed (km/h)
Surf Rating (10 Max)
Ocean Swells (m)- Wind Speed (km/h)
Wednesday, 6 May 2026, 23:58 Local Time
| Wed | Thursday 07 | |||
| 9PM | 0AM | 3AM | 6AM | |
| Wave (m) | ||||
| Period (s) | 6 | 6 | 8 | 9 |
| Wind (km/h) | ||||
| Wind State | on | cross- on |
cross- on |
cross- on |
Tides at Whakatane Heads
| NEXT | IS AT (local time) | remaining |
|---|---|---|
| high tide | ||
| low tide |
Swell History at Whakatane Heads
Surf stats for Whakatane Heads, see the swell variation by month or season on the history page here.
Wind History at Whakatane Heads
Wind stats for Whakatane Heads, see the variation in direction and stength by month or season on the history page here.
Whakatane Heads Reviews:
Interactive Porthcawl Point location map. View nearby buoy information, live wind conditions and surrounding roads, paths and locations to help find new breaks. Click the buoys or wind icon to view more information.
- Overall:3.0
- Quality on a good day:
3.6 - Consistency of Surf:
1.9 - Difficulty Level:3.6
- Wind and Kite Surfing:
1.0 - Crowds:2.9
I was disappointed to read this comment (“Whakatane Heads is the most over rated surf spot in New Zealand. Hardly ever breaks and is polluted beyond a joke.”
MORGZ from NEW ZEALAND - 13 May 2010) especially the bit where it is polluted beyond a joke! Our river and bar entrance is not polluted at all, the water clarity is great. However, if we have a significant rain fall or flood then the river is dirty only because of that factor - then it clears within a few days depending on the severity of the flood. This happens worldwide - any flooding creates a dirty river or sea but it does not mean it is polluted. The duty maritime officer is always picking up any debris that has come down in the floods in our river entrance and around the moorings.
Raewyn, Whakatane”
Other Nearby Breaks Closest To:
Discover surf breaks near Whakatane Heads. Click below to view there surf guides.
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