TARANAKI WAVE CLASSIC TRIP
New Zealand's Original Windsurf Wave Event, Since 1983
Start / End
Oakura, Taranaki
Duration
5 Days
Meals
Fully Catered
Transport
Self-drive
Group
5-6 max.
Difficulty
Intermediate +
What is the Taranaki Wave Classic Trip?
The Taranaki Wave Classic Trip is a 4-night, 5-day windsurf and wingfoil wave holiday in Oakura, Taranaki, built around New Zealand’s biggest and oldest windsurfing wave-sailing event, from $1,045 NZD. It’s fully catered and self-drive, for small groups of 5-6, and suits intermediate riders and above. Around 80 entrants typically join the event each year, with non-windsurfing partners welcome too.
Participate in the biggest & oldest windsurfing wave-sailing event in New Zealand, the Taranaki Wave Classic with Water Nomads as your hosts!
With around 80 entries in the last few years and a lot of non-windsurfing partners attending, you can be sure to make new friends! So come on a four night Taranaki Wave Classic trip for a windsurf, wing foil wave weekend holiday, the undisputed wild west that is Taranaki. With its 270° exposure, the Taranaki coastline offers great wave-sailing conditions in nearly any wind direction.
Water Nomads Surfari Trips are all inclusive, meaning you don’t need to do a thing except book the trip and turn up!
Highlights
NZ's Original Wave Event, Since 1983
Join the country's oldest windsurf wave-sailing event, still going strong.
No Heats, No Judging, Just Sailing
A social event, not a competition - everyone shares tips and shares the water.
80 Riders, Instant Community
Windsurfers and wingfoilers from across NZ, plus non-sailing partners welcome too.
Beachfront in Oakura
Your accommodation looks straight over the beach - watch the swell from the porch.
Entry Fee and Sunday Social Included
TWC event entry and the Sunday dinner and drinks are already covered.
Self-Drive, Your Own Call
Come and go as you please - your independence stays uncompromised.
World-Class Break On Your Doorstep
Stent Road is just 30 minutes away for keen surfers wanting more.
The Affordable Way Into Taranaki
From $1,045 - a lower-cost entry to New Zealand's wave sailing capital.
Who Is This Trip For
- This trip is suitable for intermediate and expert wave-sailing windsurfers and wing foilers. To have fun on this trip, you should at least be able to:
- be competent and confident water-starting
- be sailing in footstraps and harness
- be able to get back to where you started from
- Due to the nature of the sailing locations, we can usually find sheltered areas for less experienced people. At the same time, more experienced people can be out blasting and playing in the rolling swells and waves. We will point you to the best spot for your skill level.
- For keen surfers: Famous breaks such as Stent Road are only ~30 minutes drive from our accommodation.
- This trips is not for beginners. The locations presented are ruggered and challenging.
If you’re not sure if this trip suits you, please don’t hesitate to get in touch with us.
What is Included
Taranaki Wave Classic - event entry fee included.
World classic wave conditions - no extra charge.
4 nights in a premium home at Oakura Beach.
Expert local spot knowledge and weather advice.
Chef catered meals and snacks every lunch and dinner.
Fresh coffee, artisan bread and continental breafast every morning.
Professional photographs for purchase or social sharing.
Surfari Trip Date
-
22nd - 26th October 2026 Available Now
Surfari Trip Price
5 Day Package
- $1345 NZD Single occupancy room.
- + $150 NZD Private Ensuite addon.
- $1045 NZD Double room per person.
- + $75 NZD Private Ensuite addon per person.
- $1045 NZD Twin share room per person.
Double / Twin share rooms must be booked and paid together.
Secure payment via Stripe using a credit card or your favourite digital wallet.
Equipment Rental Add-on
- $450 NZD for 1 windsurf or wingfoil board + 3 wings / sails for the whole duration of the trip (if required, by prior arrangement only).
What Our Guests Say
The accommodation was spectacular, right on the beachfront with amazing views over Oakura beach. The food was plentiful and yummy as well as healthy; a rare combo in my experience. But the best was the classic, down the line wavesailing conditions that Taranaki regularly throws up. An unforgettable trip.
Bevan and Heidi organised excellent shared accommodation for the group. We all travelled down individually so I could do my own thing as well but the main purpose of the trip was an introduction to wave sailing and they were spot on with where to go, providing valuable wind and tide information - important to know on this wild and rocky coast. They were super helpful and the food was excellent, especially the packed lunches supplied by a local windsurfer. Thanks for a great trip guys.
We had just the best time on the last Taradise trip. Accommodation right on the water front with spectacular views, fantastic vegetarian food and, of course, there was the sailing. Taranaki showed itself yet again to be the best waves ailing spots with 3 days of cross shore wind and clean, head high plus waves.
What to Expect
You are taken on a four day fully catered wave-sailing windsurf / wing foil adventure to participate in the “Taranaki Wave Classic” event. If you don’t have the right gear, or simply want to try something different. Maybe you wish to try the latest offerings from Severne or Starboard, AXIS or PPC? Water Nomads can provide, by prior arrangement, board and gear rental on site.
In Oakura (15 min south of New Plymouth), Water Nomads have accommodation within walking distance of the TWC base, which offers plenty of room for everyone to hang out.
Water Nomads cater for small groups of up to 6 guests, thus you will enjoy the large living spaces and comfortable bedrooms.
It starts with a continental breakfast, Artisan bread and fresh brewed espresso coffee to your taste (or tea!).
A hearty lunch is individually packed to allow you freedom to eat when you please.
The day finishes with a wholesome meal provided by Water Nomads locally commissioned chief including a rich desert and a lot of tall stories around the table!
Water Nomads take professional action shots of you on the water which are available to purchase at discounted rates.
Water Nomads respect your independence throughout the sufari so you are provided with a hearty lunch individually packed each day.
You are provided with spot location, weather condition advice, and we maintain contact with you even if you choose an alternate location to explore. You are not treated like a school group nor do we guide your every movement. Water Nomads ensure you are at the right place at the right time. It is however ultimately your judgement on your ability to sail in the presented conditions.
Watersports Conditions
The Water Nomads Taranaki Wave Classic Surfari Trip sails at variety of great spots with very specific wind conditions that offers epic wave-sailing. You don’t need to be a super hero wave sailor to participate, as this is not a competition, but rather a huge social event, with everyone having fun and sharing tips. No heats, no judging, just go out and sail, surf or SUP until you drop!
Water Nomads favourite goto reef break with a gentle lagoon entry. One of the best locations in the country for intermediate sailors wanting to venture into the waves. At the same time seasoned advanced wave hunters can be riding stunning long reef breaks nearly all day!
See our Spot Guide: Best Wavesailing in Taranaki
Just south or Oakura is a beautiful black sand beach providing a little something for everyone. Wingfoil, Windfoil, Windsurf, SUP or Surf with gentle swells and rolling breaks close to Water Nomads accommodation.
See our Spot Guide: Best Wavesailing in Taranaki
Legendary and a favourite for any seasoned wave sailing windsurfer. The coarse sand (i.e. big bouldery bays) can be intimidating, but with a few tips from Water Nomads you can be riding some of the best breaks in the world!
See our Spot Guide: Best Wavesailing in Taranaki
See our Featured Location: Wavesailing in Taranaki
Frequently Asked Questions
Taranaki Wave Classic Surfari Trip
The Water Nomads Taranaki Wave Classic Surfari Trip itinerary is pretty relaxed, and the flow is usually dictated by the wind forecast.
The first evening there is no fixed schedule, access to the accomodation will be from 4pm. Everyone is travelling, and arrive as their schedules (work) allow. Some take the day off with the plan on being up early for a Taranaki session, or looking to get a session in on the journey. Others arrive late post work. Early arrivers can opt to sort themselves dinner, or pitch together for a local takeaway meal enjoyed at the accommodation.
The following days breakfast is agreed upon, usually between 8-9am. The fresh coffee stops when you stop drinking it. Your lunch is provided individually packed to give you the freedom should you wish to spit up, or just enjoy at your leisure. The evening meal starts when everyone is refreshed and ready, this is usually agreed around ~7pm. The last day finishes when you are ready to leave, again you have your packed lunch. Play hard with us, or enjoy a sweet session on the way home…
Due to its latitude and the influence of the Taranaki volcanic mountain cone, Taranaki has the country’s best swell and wind exposure to the prevailing frontal weather systems. In spring (during our Taranaki Surfari Trips), the maximum day temperatures vary between 14 °C and 18 °C though it often feels warmer in the sun if you escape the wind.
The average sea temperature of Taranaki Coast in Spring is approximately 15 °C.
For comparison, it is much the same as Christchurch summer or Auckland winter sea temperatures.
In spring (September through November) the wind is reasonably reliable with Southeasterly through Southwesterly and Northwesterly. As a rule of thumb you will either be experiencing a Westerly frontal system or an Easterly frontal system. With a coastline exposure of 270 degrees and Mount Taranaki to accelerate the wind, it’s difficult not to have wind/wave/water time.
Due to the nature of the Taranaki Bight, it can be difficult finding wind conditions and water states to suit everyones expectations. This is where Water Nomads expertise will pay dividends on any given day.
If there is a day of light conditions, there is always a surf/SUP-surf possibility on any one of the famous surf breaks of the Taranaki Surf Highway.
Water Nomads Taranaki Wave Classic Surfari Trip does not include sailing in Wellington.
The Taranaki Bight is sparsely populated, access can be intimidating, and it can be challenging to understand the weather patterns. Thus Water Nomads providing the best opportunity to access and sail remote and beautiful places that few others venture.
The sailing spots and sailing community is very strong in Wellington so you can easily access these spots by joining the locals. You can certainly extend your stay after the Taranaki Surfari Trip and self-drive the Wellington spots. We are happy to assist with spot information and local chat groups to get you going.
Water Nomads group size is limited to 6 guests. All guests are expected to have an intermediate to expert proficiency, we do not cater for beginners or offer lessons.
The Taranaki Wave Classic Event draws between 60 and 100 windsurfers from around New Zealand, Australia and some further corners of the globe.
The journey from Auckland Airport to Ōakura is 360km which is 4 hours 30 minutes drive time.
The journey from Wellington Airport to Ōakura is 375km which is 4 hours 45 minutes drive time.
In addition, there is a regional airport in New Plymouth which is only 26km to Ōakura (30 minutes drive), rental cars are available, along with Watersports Gear Rental from Water Nomads.
5 days from $1045 NZD
57 Reviews
5 days from
$1045 NZD
Deposit $400 NZD required on booking
