Kite spot on water · New Zealand
Foxton beach
Riders have kited it in SE, S–N. Best in SW–NW.
- Works in
- SE, S–N
- Best
- SW–NW
- Watch out
- NW
- Nearest airport
- PMRPalmerston North Airport, 38 km
Forecast and webcams
Before you go
Forecasts often disagree. When Windguru, ALADIN and Windy agree, it is worth going.
Webcams nearby
Live images from cameras within 25 km of the spot. Click to open the camera on Windy.com.
Webcams: Windy.com
Tips for this spot
- Offshore wind carries you away from land. Do not ride it without a rescue boat.
- When a storm is coming, get out of the water and land the kite at once. Gusts before a storm are violent and a kite overhead is the highest point around.
- New spot: ask locals about shallows, currents and where people launch.
On site
Wind and riding area
bestworksdoes not work / gustyno reports
Direction the wind blows from. Based on riders' experience, not a forecast.
From riders
What you need to know
Watch out for
- Strong current in the main channel on the far side of the rivermouth, 5 to 6 knots (3 m/s) on ebb tide (quickly sweeps away a lost board)community map
- Fishermen, whitebaiters, and fishing lines along the banks of the river mouthcommunity map
- Driftwood, especially after storms or during king tidescommunity map
- Gusty wind further inland toward towncommunity map
Where to launch
- At the river mouth, park at the base of the dunes and carry your gear about 100 m along the water to the high sandbank with soft sand free of driftwood, or to the left on the flatscommunity map
- With 2WD, walk down the beach a bit from the parking lot; with 4WD, drive onto the beach left or right of the parking area and rig away from crowds.community map
- Rigging on a raised sandspitcommunity map
- Rigging on flat groundcommunity map
Parking
- Beach parking for 2WD, with 4WD you can drive right onto the beach; the estuary is also accessible by 2WDcommunity map
Getting there
- To the river mouth: drive into Foxton Beach past Mr Grumpy's Fish & Chip Shop and the camp on the left, turn left before the main gate and follow the track to the estuary (accessible by 2WD); 100 m carrycommunity map
Rules and respect
- Bird sanctuary near the town end of the estuary - keep away and stay closer to the river mouthcommunity map
Conditions
- Manawatu river mouth: flat water, sandy bottom; best around high tide (weaker current and more shallow flat areas)community map
- Foxton Beach: small to medium waves, sandy bottomcommunity map
- Soft sand with no driftwoodcommunity map
Riders' tips
- Stay on the Foxton side out of the main current channel, and closer to the beach than the town.community map
Facilities
- Mr Grumpy's Fish & Chip Shop and a campsite on the way to the spotcommunity map
In riders' own words
- „In the estuary SW thru W to NW Also SE ... On the beach S thru W to N“
- „Works best in SW or W with outgoing tide ... The Word Estuary is an Epic flat water Spot in anything with W in it.“
- „NW is cross off in the estuary so if you cannot keep upwind, ride in the surf on the beach as its cross on in a NW“
- „Level: All Levels ... Estuary is Perfect for beginners in SW or W ... Low tide riding for experienced riders only“
- „Park up and carry gear along waters edge approx 100m to high sand bank. Best place to set up as there's no driftwood and is just soft sand.“
- „If in a 2wd park here and walk down the beach a bit away from the car park tom set up if busy. If 4wd, drive on to beach“
- „High Sand bar to set up on. No Driftwood, just soft sand.“
- „Set up on flat, look out for driftwood especially after a storm or Super high tides“
- „Drive thru Foxton Beach to the beach car park. If in a 2wd park here ... You can drive on with a 2wd.“
- „just in front of entrance bear left and carry on driving to get to Estuary. You can drive on with a 2wd.“
- „Be very mindful of Whitebaiters and fishermen along the edge of the estuary and stay out of their way“
- „The main channel of the river is on the far side of the estuary so stick to the Foxton side unless you're prepared for the current. 5 to 6 knot current at lower tide.“
- „Stay closer to the beach than the town as it gets gusty the further inland you get“
- „look out for driftwood especially after a storm or Super high tides“
Photos from the area
Arnim Littek, CC BY 4.0, Wikimedia Commons
Shaun (axons), CC BY 4.0, Wikimedia Commons
Arnim Littek, CC BY 4.0, Wikimedia Commons
Wind by month
When it blows
Average wind speed 10 m above ground from NASA POWER (MERRA-2, 2001–2025). The model works on a grid of roughly 50 km; on hills and by the water the wind is often stronger and gustier.
windiest monthsaverage wind in knots, NASA POWER; below the month in m/s
Values by month
| January | 12.6 knots · 6.5 m/s |
|---|---|
| February | 11.8 knots · 6.1 m/s |
| March | 11.6 knots · 6.0 m/s |
| April | 11.6 knots · 6.0 m/s |
| May | 12.8 knots · 6.6 m/s |
| June | 13.2 knots · 6.8 m/s |
| July | 13.2 knots · 6.8 m/s |
| August | 12.6 knots · 6.5 m/s |
| September | 13.9 knots · 7.2 m/s |
| October | 13.9 knots · 7.2 m/s |
| November | 13.6 knots · 7.0 m/s |
| December | 12.5 knots · 6.4 m/s |
Nearby
More spots within 60 km
Been there?
Add what you know
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Sources: Community map “Kitesurfing spots in NZ” (Google My Maps). Wind NASA POWER, airports OurAirports, photos Wikimedia Commons (author and licence with each photo). As of 17 October 2026. These are riders' reports; local rules change, so look around before you ride and follow local signs.
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