Best surf spots in Gisborne / East Cape
Our pick of the best surf spots in Gisborne / East Cape, ranked, from mellow beginner beaches to serious reefs and points. Tap any to see exactly what it is doing right now, the 7-day forecast and a proper local guide. Conditions change daily, so the best spot today is the one that suits the swell and wind, see which is firing.
1
Arguably New Zealand's most consistent beach break. Nine peaks across four kilometres of east-facing sand, with world-class barrels at Stockroute, Pines and No Access when a clean E or NE swell meets NW offshore winds.
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The best-shaped barrel on the Gisborne town beach, a sand-bottom peak with hollow rights and lefts that turn on through autumn and winter. One of the most consistently good waves in town when it lines up.
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A wide sand crescent 45 minutes north of Gisborne that hides a long right-hand bar at its south end, presided over by one of the Southern Hemisphere's longest wharves. Quiet most days, special on the right swell.
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A sand-and-shingle river mouth at the top of the East Cape, with several peaks and a right-hand point that barrels hard on a big NE swell. One of the least-surfed quality waves in the country, and the first coast in New Zealand to see the sun.
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A swell magnet that keeps producing rideable peaks when the points and sheltered beaches have gone flat, hiding in a secluded green-backed bay well off the main road north of Gisborne.
See live conditions & guide →See all 5 Gisborne / East Cape breaks on the live Gisborne / East Cape list, or find surf near you.