CS2027 dates

Kite spot on water · New Zealand

Tauranga Harbour Entrance

Riders have kited it in N, S.

Show on the map-37.6356, 176.1674
Works in
N, S
Nearest airport
TRGTauranga Airport, 5 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

NNNENEENEEESESESSESSSWSWWSWWWNWNWNNWNESW

worksno reports

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

From riders

What you need to know

Who it suits
For experienced kiters only due to boat traffic and challenging conditions.
Size of the area
Small launch/landing beach and a small flat-water area near the beach, larger near Matakana Island.

Watch out for

  • Small beach, trees, tidal currents, with the open ocean on one side and the harbor on the other.community map
  • All-day boat and shipping traffic - riding crosses the main shipping channel.community map

Where to launch

  • Small beach by the statue and harbor entrance (1/4 of the way around Mount Maunganui from Pilot Bay).community map

Parking

  • Parking in Pilot Bay.community map

Getting there

  • From the Pilot Bay parking lot, walk with your gear around the mountain (1/4 of the way around the Mount) to the beach.community map

Rules and respect

  • When the pilot boat is departing or arriving, stop on the beach with your kite at 12 o'clock and wait for it to pass.community map
  • Do not linger on the beach with your kite; head straight to the water.community map

Conditions

  • Flat water (small area near the beach, larger by Matakana Island) and tidal swells. The beach disappears at high tide.community map
  • In N wind, ride only from mid to low tide; in S wind, from mid to high tide.community map

Riders' tips

  • Choose kite size carefully.community map
In riders' own words
  • „Wind Directions: S“
  • „Tauranga Harbour Entrance is only for Experienced Kiteboarders“
  • „Small flat water area by the beach and bigger flat water area by the beach oat Matakana Island.“
  • „The kite setup, launching/landing and pack down area is the small beach by the statue and entrance“
  • „you will need to park your car in pilot bay and the walk round the mount to the beach“
  • „park your car in pilot bay and the walk round the mount to the beach carrying your gear“
  • „Beware of ships and boats if kiting as you are kiting across the main shipping lane“
  • „not the nicest place to be flying a kite due to, Harbour, Small beach, Trees, Tides and boats.“
  • „if you see the pilot boat going out or coming in... stop and stand on the beach on the Mount or Matakana with your kite at 12 o’clock“
  • „don’t play on the beach with your kite head straight out to the water.“
  • „Tidal swells... Tides: Half tide to low tide or low tide to half tide. (No beach at high tide)“
  • „Tide for kiting here with a North wind, tide going out, and half tide to low tide only.“
  • „Please choose your kite size carefully.“

Photos from the area

Walking up Mount Maunganui 02 (5645025065)
Walking up Mount Maunganui 02 (5645025065) · 191 m from the spot
Ronnie Macdonald from Chelmsford, United Kingdom, CC BY 2.0, Wikimedia Commons
Panoramic view from Mount Mauao Reserve in Mount Maunganui - New Zealand. (50524718178)
Panoramic view from Mount Mauao Reserve in Mount Maunganui - New Zealand. (50524718178) · 298 m from the spot
Umedha Hettigoda, CC BY-SA 2.0, Wikimedia Commons
Pilot Bay 1 (5644971069)
Pilot Bay 1 (5644971069) · 570 m from the spot
Ronnie Macdonald from Chelmsford, United Kingdom, CC BY 2.0, 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
January10.2 knots · 5.2 m/s
February9.8 knots · 5.0 m/s
March9.9 knots · 5.1 m/s
April9.8 knots · 5.0 m/s
May10.6 knots · 5.5 m/s
June11.4 knots · 5.9 m/s
July11.4 knots · 5.9 m/s
August10.9 knots · 5.6 m/s
September11.2 knots · 5.8 m/s
October11.4 knots · 5.9 m/s
November10.8 knots · 5.6 m/s
December10.6 knots · 5.5 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.

A week on the water

Kite safari in the Red Sea

8 days on a yacht from Hurghada to the islands of the northern Red Sea. Next departure 7-14 November 2026, the 2027 dates are coming soon.

See the safari

The safari is organised by Mohamed of Paradise Kitesurf Red Sea. I've known him for years and we work together.