Best time to surf Hot Water Beach – Coromandel

The best time to surf at Hot Water Beach – Coromandel is July, with waves of about 1.7 m and water around 16°C.

Hot Water Beach, Coromandel, New Zealand

Sports: Surfing

Best time to go: July

Hot Water Beach is on the east coast of the Coromandel Peninsula, between Whitianga and Tairua, signposted off State Highway 25 at Whenuakite and about two and a half hours' drive from Auckland. The beach is about 2 km long and faces north-east to the open Pacific. Parking near the main entrance is metered and fills up quickly in summer; there are toilets and changing rooms, and a café and spade hire across the road. Hot springs come up through the sand at the southern end, and for two hours either side of low tide crowds dig pools there; the water can reach 64 °C.

The waves break over sand banks with rocks nearby, short rides of usually less than 50 metres. It works best in a north-east swell with a west to south-west wind, which blows offshore, around low tide and on the rising tide. North-east swells come mostly from late summer to winter, with tropical lows and easterly storms; in a good swell the line-up gets very crowded.

This is one of New Zealand's more dangerous beaches: strong rips run beside the rocks at both ends and in the southern part, there are hidden rocks, and swimmers from the hot pools are in the water near the springs. It suits experienced surfers; surf with others, and between the flags when the surf life saving club patrols in summer. The water is about 15 °C in August and 21 °C in February: a 4/3 in winter, a 3/2 or a spring suit in summer. Thames Hospital is about an hour and a half away.

Month by month at Hot Water Beach – Coromandel

January: 5 windy days (15+ knots), average wind 9 knots, waves 0.6 m, water 20°C, air 23°C (nights 17°C), 26 sunny days, 17 rainy days
February: 2 windy days (15+ knots), average wind 8 knots, waves 0.6 m, water 21°C, air 23°C (nights 17°C), 24 sunny days, 15 rainy days
March: 2 windy days (15+ knots), average wind 8 knots, waves 0.8 m, water 21°C, air 22°C (nights 15°C), 28 sunny days, 11 rainy days
April: 6 windy days (15+ knots), average wind 9 knots, waves 1 m, water 20°C, air 20°C (nights 15°C), 24 sunny days, 18 rainy days
May: 5 windy days (15+ knots), average wind 8 knots, waves 1.2 m, water 18°C, air 17°C (nights 12°C), 24 sunny days, 12 rainy days
June: 5 windy days (15+ knots), average wind 9 knots, waves 1.5 m, water 17°C, air 16°C (nights 11°C), 24 sunny days, 13 rainy days
July: 5 windy days (15+ knots), average wind 9 knots, waves 1.7 m, water 16°C, air 15°C (nights 10°C), 24 sunny days, 13 rainy days
August: 4 windy days (15+ knots), average wind 8 knots, waves 1.5 m, water 15°C, air 15°C (nights 9°C), 24 sunny days, 13 rainy days
September: 5 windy days (15+ knots), average wind 9 knots, waves 1.5 m, water 15°C, air 17°C (nights 11°C), 26 sunny days, 12 rainy days
October: 5 windy days (15+ knots), average wind 9 knots, waves 1.2 m, water 16°C, air 18°C (nights 12°C), 27 sunny days, 14 rainy days
November: 3 windy days (15+ knots), average wind 9 knots, waves 1 m, water 17°C, air 20°C (nights 14°C), 26 sunny days, 17 rainy days
December: 6 windy days (15+ knots), average wind 9 knots, waves 0.8 m, water 19°C, air 22°C (nights 16°C), 27 sunny days, 15 rainy days