Mount Maunganui / North Island / New Zealand

This place is right next to the town, making it a really convenient place to surf – you don't even have to drive to get to it.  It is suitable for all experience levels, and conditions are much less challenging than those to the north end of this stretch of coast.

The beach is long but narrow, made up of lots of golden sand. It's a pretty quiet place during the week although it can get crowded at weekends, especially during the holiday season.  Temperatures are mild here, and you will be okay with a shorty most of the year except for in the winter when a full wetsuit will be needed.

You get the best conditions here when the wind is blowing from the south-west and the swell is coming from the north-east, and it works on all tide positions and on both rising and falling tides. The waves will begin at about 1 m high and hold up to a maximum of about 2.5 m, maybe a little bit more on a good day. It is a beach break, both right and left, and the waves are pretty average really in terms of power and speed but they are still enjoyable. The length is a bit disappointing as it is usually about 50 m, but on a good day it can be between 100 m and 150 m.

This is a decent sized town with a fair bit of choice when it comes to places to stay, restaurants, nightlife and so on.

There are no hazards here at all, this is the safest stretch of water in the area.