Otago & Southland Surf Spots

Beginner-friendly beachbreak with a walling right point at Nicks Point — remote Southland solo surfing territory.

Really long cruisey rights at low tide when big S swells wrap in — 500m+ rides west of Invercargill.

Grinding left pointbreak over rocky reef in remote Southland — barrels and walls on S swells. Farmland access only.

Average beachie requiring a long sandhills hike — best on small swell at low tide. Yellow Eye Penguin reserve.

Mellow rivermouth beachie with hollow A-frame peaks — and Hector's dolphins often join the lineup.

Hub of Dunedin surfing — quality beachbreak peaks plus a long right point near the hot pools on big S swells.

Small-swell Dunedin beachbreak with an established left in the east corner — lots of rips, crowded when on.

Sand spit A-frame near Dunedin offering square barrels on NE swells, with bigger waves beneath volcanic cliffs.

Hollow rivermouth bar rights on E swells with a sucky, challenging outside point breaking close to rocks.

Sheltered multi-sectioned rights beneath steep cliffs on rare NE swells — long paddle from the rivermouth.

New Zealand's heaviest big-wave reef, delivering long barrelling rights and lethal dredging lefts for hellmen only.

Remote Catlins ledge firing ledgy lefts over rock on S swells. Fast, hollow walls with critical take-offs up to 500m.

Grinding left pointbreak throwing heavy barrels over rocky reef on S swells — farmer permission required.

S swell bends around a rock island into workable walls with a hollow takeoff — beachbreak gets epic with anchored sandbanks.

Very isolated west-facing beach on Stewart Island — 1hr boat ride from mainland. More birdwatchers than surfers.

World-class right-hand point break over boulders and sand, firing on rare NE swells 25km from Dunedin.

Left reefbreak on large S swells near Monkey Island — gateway to the virgin breaks of Fiordland.