Stent Rd

Stent Road is the yin to Raglan's yang, and serious surfers routinely call it the best right-hand point in New Zealand. It breaks over a shallow reef just south of Warea, starting with a hollow, bowling takeoff that throws hard on the drop, running through a barrelling middle, then walling up into a long, almost endless right that just keeps going. It holds real size, performing at double overhead and beyond when everything lines up. The window is a SW or W swell with an E or SE offshore wind, and it works through all tides, which is part of what makes it so reliable. This is intermediate to expert terrain, with an unforgiving takeoff zone and the reef close beneath you. Surf Seeker rates it 9 out of 10 and Good Surf Now simply calls it a world class right point in the heart of the Surf Highway.

The setting matches the wave, with snowy Mt Taranaki rising behind the coast and the point sitting in a dense cluster of breaks alongside Arawhata Road, Kumara Patch and Graveyards. You reach it by turning off SH45 at the famous orange boulder just south of Warea, one of the most photographed roadside landmarks in the country, then following the road sealed then gravel to informal parking and a short walk to the point across private farmland, so respect every gate and the access you are given. This coast lies in the rohe of Taranaki iwi, with the hapū Ngā Māhanga a Tairi and Puniho Marae near Warea, so tread lightly and with respect.

• Below about 1.5m the wave loses its definition over the reef and above 3m it becomes a heavy, serious commitment, so a clean SW or W groundswell in the 2m range with a light SE offshore is the sweet spot to aim for.
• Assess the point from the road before you walk down, and if Stent is too crowded or too big the surrounding cluster of Arawhata Road, Kumara Patch and Graveyards gives you close alternatives within a few minutes.
• Stop at the orange boulder for the obligatory photo even if you are not surfing, it is a Surf Highway icon and a landmark in its own right.
• Cape Egmont Lighthouse is a short drive south and Egmont National Park with Mt Taranaki sits inland, both easy add-ons for a non-surfing partner or a flat day; Koru Pā near Oakura is another nearby stop worth your time.

• The shallow reef is the main danger and it sits close beneath the bowling takeoff and barrel section, so know exactly where the boil and the dry rocks are before you commit and keep your hands in front of you on a wipeout.
• This is the most localised lineup on SH45 when it is firing, so sit wide, wait your turn, learn the right-of-way and do not drop in; the crew have surfed this wave for decades and earn priority.
• The takeoff zone is steep and unforgiving, so sit outside and watch where the set waves break for a good ten minutes before paddling out, because timing errors here have consequences on the reef below.
• It holds serious size at double overhead and beyond, so be honest about your level and bring a step-up; when it is genuinely big this becomes a wave for experts only, with a long hold-down on offer.
• Access is across private farmland with no facilities at the break, so carry everything you need, leave gates as you find them and do not rely on phone coverage.

Getting there

On SH45, the Surf Highway, turn off at the famous orange boulder just south of Warea onto Stent Road (Coast Road), in the South Taranaki District. The road runs sealed then gravel down toward the point. New Plymouth is about 35 minutes north and Ōkato about 5km north.

Parking

Informal roadside and farmland parking near the end of the access road, then a short walk to the point. The final stretch crosses private farmland, so park considerately, do not block gates or the track, and respect the access you are given.

Toilets & showers

None at the break. The nearest public facilities are in Ōkato, roughly 5km north, and in New Plymouth.

Shops, cafes & fuel

No shops or fuel at the break. Ōkato, about 5km north, has a Four Square on Carthew Street for basic supplies and the Stony River Hotel for a meal and a drink. The nearest reliable fuel and a full supermarket are in New Plymouth, about 35 minutes away.

Accommodation

The Stony River Hotel at Ōkato is the closest accommodation, a boutique hotel with a well-regarded restaurant. Oakura Beach Holiday Park, about 20 to 25 minutes north, offers cabins, powered and tent sites right on the beach. Baches and holiday rentals are scattered along this coast and through Ōkato and Oakura.

Camping

There is no camping at the break. Freedom camping on this coast is tightly restricted under the South Taranaki bylaw and is limited to self-contained vehicles in a small number of permitted spots, with active enforcement over summer. Nearby reserves and pā access roads on this coast are closed to campers out of respect for wāhi tapu, so do not camp on farmland or at the point; use Oakura Beach Holiday Park or a New Plymouth park instead.