Kite spot on water · New Zealand

Ohau, Rotorua

Name: Ohau, Rotorua
Address: NZ

Riders have kited it in SW.

Show on the map-38.0488, 176.3227

Works in: SW
Nearest airport: ROTRotorua Regional Airport, 7 km

Forecast and webcams

Before you go

Forecasts often disagree. When Windguru, ALADIN and Windy agree, it is worth going.

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

worksno reports

Direction the wind blows from. Based on riders' experience, not a forecast.

Pparking

From riders

What you need to know

Size of the area: Tight launch area.

Watch out for

Tight launch area, tricky for self-launching.community map

Where to launch

The launch area is tight and requires direct onshore (SW) wind. Self-launching is tricky but doable; assisted launch is no problem.community map

Parking

Car park about 500 m from the spot.OpenStreetMap

Riders' tips

Self-launching is tricky (but doable), assisted launch is fine.community map

In riders' own words

„needs a straight onshore (sw) to work“
„The launch is tight“
„The launch is tight and needs a straight onshore (sw) to work .It is trickey solo, but not undoable, Fine with assistance.“
„OpenStreetMap way/1289240806“
„OpenStreetMap way/1289240779“
„It is trickey solo, but not undoable, Fine with assistance.“

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.

5.8Jan3.0

5.4Feb2.8

5.3Mar2.7

5.3Apr2.7

5.6May2.9

5.9Jun3.0

5.9Jul3.0

5.7Aug2.9

6.1Sep3.1

6.4Oct3.3

6.1Nov3.1

6.0Dec3.1

windiest monthsaverage wind in knots, NASA POWER; below the month in m/s

Values by month

January	5.8 knots · 3.0 m/s
February	5.4 knots · 2.8 m/s
March	5.3 knots · 2.7 m/s
April	5.3 knots · 2.7 m/s
May	5.6 knots · 2.9 m/s
June	5.9 knots · 3.0 m/s
July	5.9 knots · 3.0 m/s
August	5.7 knots · 2.9 m/s
September	6.1 knots · 3.1 m/s
October	6.4 knots · 3.3 m/s
November	6.1 knots · 3.1 m/s
December	6.0 knots · 3.1 m/s

Nearby

More spots within 60 km

Been there?

Add what you know

Parking changed, a new ban, a new obstacle in the water? Tell us, we will check it and update the page.

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.