Kite spot on water · New Zealand

Waitara, Taranaki

Name: Waitara, Taranaki
Address: NZ

Riders have kited it in E–SW, W, NW. Best in W.

Show on the map-38.9842, 174.2302

Works in: E–SW, W, NW
Best: W
Nearest airport: NPLNew Plymouth 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

bestworksno reports

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

Pparking

From riders

What you need to know

Watch out for

Rocks to avoid and an outer reef.community map

Parking

Car park about 500 m from the spot.OpenStreetMap

Conditions

Outer reef with down-the-line waves and flat water just inside the reef toward shore. NW wind gives the easiest conditions.community map

In riders' own words

„NW winds provide the easiest conditions. People mainly kite there in southwest to east winds. West is best.“
„West is best.“
„OpenStreetMap way/904970919“
„OpenStreetMap way/906079399“
„This place does have rocks to be able to avoid. However it has an outer reef with down the line waves to play on.“
„However it has an outer reef with down the line waves to play on. Just inside the reef there can be flat water to play in.“

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.

12.1Jan6.2

11.3Feb5.8

11.9Mar6.1

12.6Apr6.5

14.0May7.2

15.0Jun7.7

14.7Jul7.6

13.9Aug7.2

14.4Sep7.4

14.2Oct7.3

13.4Nov6.9

12.5Dec6.4

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

Values by month

January	12.1 knots · 6.2 m/s
February	11.3 knots · 5.8 m/s
March	11.9 knots · 6.1 m/s
April	12.6 knots · 6.5 m/s
May	14.0 knots · 7.2 m/s
June	15.0 knots · 7.7 m/s
July	14.7 knots · 7.6 m/s
August	13.9 knots · 7.2 m/s
September	14.4 knots · 7.4 m/s
October	14.2 knots · 7.3 m/s
November	13.4 knots · 6.9 m/s
December	12.5 knots · 6.4 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.