North Canterbury
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Positives
- Consistent swells
- Quality right pointbreaks
- Uncrowded and friendly
- Great surf/snowboard combo
Negatives
- Cold water, strong windchill
- Poor Christchurch beaches
- Frequent onshores
- Long flights
North Canterbury surf travel guide
The foothills of the snow-covered Kaikoura Range extend down to the Pacific coast leaving a narrow corridor for rail and road access. Surfing and snowboarding in one day are a real possibility. While much of the South Island relies on quality beachbreaks, this zone is sprinkled with pointbreaks and rivermouths, helping hardcore surfers avoid ice-cream headache paddle-outs.
Surf spots in North Canterbury
Research the 20 surf breaks in North Canterbury and discover what spots suit the current conditions.
Break lowdown
We’ve collated the wave data giving you a unique insight into the 20 breaks in North Canterbury.
When to go
Surf and weather statistics to help plan your surf trip to North Canterbury
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Library
Helpful surf travel videos and articles featuring North Canterbury.
Travel Information
General
- Current Time
- Tourists
- 3,686,000
- Population
- 4,822,233
- Tourist Info
- Tourist Info
Security
Health
Money
- Currency
- NZD
- Exchange rate
- $1 = 1.43 NZD NZD
Cost of living
Communication
- Dialing in
- +64
- Dialing out
- 00
- Emergencies
- 112
- Language
- English, Maori
Visas
No visa is required for stays of up to 90 days for members of the EU, USA, Canada, Japan, Brazilians and some others. UK nationals can stay up to 6 months and Australians can travel with no restrictions. South Africans need to get a visa before arrival.
Getting There
Christchurch is the South Islands only international airport. From Auckland is $188 o/w (1h20mins). Kaikoura is 170km from Christchurch, 2.5hr drive.
Getting Around
Excellent InterCity bus network. Catch the Coastal Pacific train.
Accommodation
Motels, motor inns, bed & breakfast, home-stays, holiday parks, farm-stays or backpacker hostels. Surfwatch Lodge at Mangamaunu is great: $140/dble. Topspot Backpacker in town. Expect $22/dble for a budget dorm room. Kaikoura means ‘eat crayfish’. A typical meal would be $15.
Activities
Whale watching in Kaikoura; soak in the natural pools of Hanmer Springs; Canterbury’s has 12 ski areas; alpine trekking in the Mt Cook region; “flightseeing” from Lake Tekapo or enjoy Christchurch, the garden city.
Hazards & hassles
Shingle/boulder shorebreaks can be intimidating at high tides with some swell, be patient getting in and out. Seals are common in the water. Shark attack in Kaikoura 2007 and Christchurch a couple last century. Be ready for the cold. Crowds, if any, are mellow. Earthquakes are common and have recently affected some breaks and the road system.
Handy Hints
Get your gear at Kaikoura Surf Company. Custom boards from Surge Surfboards. Travel with NZ Surf Adventures, the all inclusive Searcher package covers both islands in a 12 day trip for $3000pp. Christchurch is only 4h from the west coast breaks between Westport and Greymouth.
Due to global pandemic, Visas, Getting There, Getting Around or Accommodation information and pricing may have changed. Always check Government Travel Advice before travelling.