Generations of adventurous surfers have made the pilgrimage along Taranaki’s coastline in search of the perfect wave. Take their lead this summer on Surf Highway 45.
The 105-kilometre highway runs from New Plymouth, around the elbow of coastline that encloses Mount Taranaki to Hāwera, with almost every point along the coast home to the type of surf that dreams are made of.
From Fitzroy Beach’s famous ‘hollow waves,’ to the powerful surf and shifting sandbanks of Back Beach or the left-hand break with fast barrel sections at Kumera Patch, there are waves here to challenge even the most experienced surfer.
There are, of course, sea and mountain views to die for and the small towns along the highway – Ōakura, Ōkato and Ōpunake – all have welcoming cafés and a growing array of artisan studios and galleries for those not wanting to get wet.
And, at the end of the day, salty and happy, nothing much beats a west coast sunset with world famous (in New Zealand) fish and chips.
