Surf spot

Kakanui

Forecast conditions and map view for Kakanui in New Zealand, New Zealand SI, SE Coast. Open the interactive surf map to inspect wind, waves, and nearby spots.

Country: New Zealand, New Zealand SI, SE Coast
Coordinates: -45.1831, 170.9055

Metric
Metric	12:00	15:00	18:00	21:00	00:00	03:00	06:00	09:00	12:00	15:00	18:00	21:00	00:00	03:00	06:00	09:00	12:00	15:00	18:00	21:00	00:00	03:00	06:00	09:00	12:00	15:00	18:00	21:00	00:00	03:00	06:00	09:00	12:00	15:00	18:00	21:00	00:00	03:00	06:00	09:00	12:00	15:00	18:00	21:00	00:00	03:00	06:00	09:00	12:00	15:00	18:00	21:00	00:00	03:00	06:00	09:00
Wave height (m)	0.7	0.5	0.7	0.8	0.8	0.9	0.9	0.7	0.8	0.7	0.6	0.8	0.7	0.7	0.8	0.8	0.8	0.8	0.8	0.7	0.7	0.6	0.6	0.6	0.5	0.5	0.5	0.5	0.4	0.4	0.4	0.3	0.3	0.3	0.3	0.3	0.3	0.3	0.3	0.4	0.7	0.8	0.8	0.7	0.7	0.6	0.5	0.6	0.6	0.7	0.7	0.7	0.7	0.7	0.7	0.7
Wave direction	S	S	S	S	S	S	S	S	SSE	S	S	S	S	SSE	SSE	SSE	SSE	SSE	SSE	SSE	SSE	SSE	SSE	SSE	SSE	SSE	SSE	SSE	SSE	SSE	SSE	SSE	SE	SSE	SE	ESE	ESE	ENE	ENE	SSE	SSE	SSE	SSE	SSE	SSE	SSE	ESE	ESE	ESE	ESE	ESE	ESE	ESE	ESE	ESE	ESE
Wave period (s)	4.6	7.2	7.7	6	6	6	5.2	6.1	6.7	6.7	7	5.6	6.9	8.1	7.5	7.5	7.1	7	7	7	7.1	8	8	8	7.9	7.2	7.4	7.4	6.9	6.8	6.9	6.8	7.3	6.4	7.3	8.4	8.2	6.3	6.5	4.9	4.7	4.3	4.2	4.2	4.2	4.2	8.8	9.8	10	10.1	9.6	9.4	9.4	9.8	9.8	9.8
Wave energy (kJ)	20	30	61	45	49	53	40	39	52	43	38	38	49	64	76	76	71	63	63	51	44	52	46	43	34	30	30	25	17	13	12	8	7	6	10	13	15	9	9	7	22	26	20	18	15	12	32	60	72	89	85	93	92	95	85	85
Wind speed (km/h)	4.3	10.5	8.9	15.5	13.8	16.9	20.8	12	10.5	21.1	12.6	6.8	10.5	11.6	13.6	9.2	5.3	3.8	4.7	4.8	9.5	16.9	8.4	6.5	8.2	8.9	8.7	9	12.1	9.8	5.1	13.2	16.2	13	12.2	4.7	17.7	26.8	22.9	9.6	6.5	9.4	10.5	12.4	16	7.4	52.2	45.1	32.2	26.4	21.9	22.5	22.4	15.8	6.1	5.2
Wind direction	WGlassy	WCross-off	WSWCross	WCross-off	WCross	NECross-off	NCross-off	NWOffshore	WNWCross-off	WSWCross	WSWCross	WCross-off	WCross-off	ENECross	NECross-off	NNWOffshore	NNWOffshore	WNWGlassy	WGlassy	NNWGlassy	NNECross-off	NECross-off	NNECross-off	NNWOffshore	NWOffshore	NWOffshore	NWOffshore	NNWOffshore	NNECross-off	NNECross-off	NOffshore	NWOffshore	WNWCross-off	WNWCross-off	WCross-off	EGlassy	SSEOnshore	SSEOnshore	SOnshore	SSEOnshore	WSWCross	NWOffshore	NNWOffshore	NNWOffshore	NCross-off	NWOffshore	SWBlown out	WSWBlown out	WSWCross	WSWCross	WCross	WCross-off	WCross-off	WNWCross-off	ECross-on	NNECross-off

Kakanui is a mellow surf spot on the South Island’s southeast coast of New Zealand, just north of Oamaru. It’s a classic small-town beachbreak with a relaxed, low-key feel and a pretty exposed ocean-facing setup that picks up south and southeast swell well.

Surf characteristics

Type: Beachbreak with shifting sandbanks, sometimes with a few more defined peaks
Best swell: South to southeast
Wind: Light northwest/offshore is generally best; southerly onshore winds can make it messy
Consistency: Moderate — it relies on swell angle and sand conditions, so quality can vary
Wave quality: Can offer fun, punchy peaks when aligned, but usually more of a playful regional surf than a heavy, high-performance wave

Conditions

Works best on a mid tide to lower tide depending on sand placement
Can handle a decent amount of swell, but larger conditions may make it too powerful or closed-out
More suitable for intermediate surfers, though beginners may find gentler sections on smaller days

Atmosphere

Quiet, rural coastal setting
Less crowded than many better-known NZ surf locations
Good for surfers looking for a simple, scenic stop rather than a highly polished surf destination

Nearby context

The surf here is part of the broader SE Coast setup, which can be very rewarding when a good south/southeast pulse lines up. It’s worth checking a few nearby beaches too, since sandbanks and exposure can change the quality a lot from day to day.