Surf spot

New Pier

Forecast conditions and map view for New Pier in South Africa, Durban. Open the interactive surf map to inspect wind, waves, and nearby spots.

Country: South Africa, Durban
Coordinates: -29.8597, 31.0419

Metric
Metric	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	12:00	15:00	18:00	21:00
Wave height (m)	1	1	1	0.9	1	1	1	0.9	0.9	0.9	0.9	0.8	0.9	1.1	1.3	1.2	1.4	1.5	1.5	1	1.2	1.4	1.8	2.2	2.1	2.1	1.9	1.8	1.7	1.7	1.7	1.6	1.6	1.5	1.4	1.4	1.3	1.2	1.2	1.2	1.2	1.1	1.1	1.2	1.1	1.1	1.1	1	1	1.2	1.9	2.1	2.1	2.7	2.8	2.9
Wave direction	S	S	S	S	S	S	S	S	S	SSE	SSE	SSE	E	E	E	SSE	ESE	ESE	ESE	ESE	ESE	ESE	ESE	E	E	E	E	E	E	E	E	E	E	E	E	E	E	E	E	E	E	E	E	ESE	E	E	E	E	E	S	S	SSE	SSE	SSE	SSE	SSE
Wave period (s)	9.4	9.6	9.3	8.2	8.3	8.6	8.3	8.3	8	7.5	7.5	7	6.7	5.8	6	9.4	6	6	6.6	6.8	7.5	7.3	7.3	7.4	7.3	7	7	7.1	7.2	7.3	7.2	7.3	7.5	7.6	7.8	7.8	8	8.1	8.1	8.1	8.1	8.1	8.1	7.3	8.1	8.1	8	7.9	8	9.4	6.8	7.7	7.7	8.1	8.2	8.1
Wave energy (kJ)	191	199	182	114	132	152	143	120	112	83	82	57	78	84	116	249	141	156	196	102	171	197	358	530	479	418	361	319	300	294	293	287	274	253	245	228	207	189	195	187	177	171	168	148	171	163	149	135	118	238	341	526	523	928	1069	1119
Wind speed (km/h)	4.7	2.2	1.8	14.2	18.4	14.9	11.5	11.3	8.1	3.7	7.6	13.7	13.8	14.2	12.4	13.6	15.6	15.9	23.8	31.7	41.6	40.8	37.2	33.2	13	7.1	6.2	15.3	12.8	8.5	3.9	3.2	4.1	3.4	1.9	11.8	13.4	10.4	6	11.7	9.9	24.9	24.8	24.9	33.5	27.5	16.4	13.3	8	4.8	4.6	10.2	16.9	8.4	23.1	23.6
Wind direction	SSEGlassy	WGlassy	NGlassy	ENEOnshore	ENEOnshore	ENEOnshore	EOnshore	NECross-on	NNECross-on	NGlassy	NECross-on	EOnshore	EOnshore	ENEOnshore	NECross-on	NECross-on	NECross-on	NECross-on	NECross-on	NECross-on	NEBlown out	NEBlown out	NNEBlown out	NECross-on	NNECross	SWCross-off	WNWOffshore	SSECross-on	SECross-on	SSECross	WNWGlassy	WNWGlassy	NWGlassy	WNWGlassy	ENEGlassy	ENEOnshore	EOnshore	ENEOnshore	SSWCross-off	SWCross-off	SSWCross-off	SSWCross-off	SSWCross-off	SCross	SCross	SSWCross-off	SWCross-off	WSWCross-off	WSWOffshore	SSWGlassy	SSWGlassy	SECross-on	SECross-on	SSECross-on	SSWCross-off	SSWCross-off

New Pier (Durban, South Africa) is a well-known urban beach break on Durban’s Golden Mile, right by the city’s central beachfront and surf culture. It’s a popular, accessible spot that can deliver fun, fast waves, especially when the swell lines up from the Indian Ocean.

What it’s like

Wave type: Mostly a beach break with shifting peaks
Best for: Intermediate to advanced surfers, though on smaller days it can be workable for beginners with supervision
Wave shape: Can be peaky, punchy, and sometimes hollow, with quick takeoffs
Consistency: Fairly consistent thanks to Durban’s exposure to swell, but quality depends a lot on sandbanks and wind

Conditions

Best swell: Generally east to southeast swells
Best wind: Light offshore or light land breeze; strong onshore winds can make it messy quickly
Tides: Can work at a range of tides, but the exact best tide depends on the sandbanks and swell size on the day

Hazards / things to know

Crowds: Often busy because it’s central and easy to access
Currents: Like many Durban beach breaks, rips and strong currents can be an issue
Local awareness: It’s an urban spot, so keep an eye on your gear and surroundings
Conditions change: Sand movement can change the break noticeably from week to week

Vibe

New Pier has a classic Durban surf feel: city beachfront energy, lots of regulars, and a mix of surfers, bodyboarders, and beachgoers. It’s not usually a mellow, secluded wave — more of a lively, public surf zone where timing and local knowledge help a lot.