Top 10 Surf Spots for Intermediate or Advanced Surfers on Northland's West Coast in 2025
Waimamaku had good surf 264 days last year—that's 72% of the year. Here's where Northland really fires.
Northland West Coast for Intermediate or Advanced Surfers
Looking for the best waves on Northland's West Coast? We crunched an entire year's worth of Swellify surf data to find out which spots are firing the most number of days in 2025.
These rankings are based on 365 days of real forecasted conditions at every break. Today we'll be looking at two factors:
- How many days had 3 or more hours of "good" surf
- How many days had 3 or more hours of perfect surf (perfect wave size and perfect winds for ideal conditions)
For Intermediate & Advanced: Where the Good Stuff Is
Waimamaku absolutely dominates with good surf on 264 days—that's 72% of the year. And it's not just quantity: 157 of those days were perfect conditions. That's the most perfect days of any intermediate/advanced spot in Northland.
But here's what's interesting about Northland's West Coast: the consistency is off the charts across the board. The top 4 spots all had 240+ good days. You've genuinely got options two out of every three days of the year.
Top spots for intermediate/advanced:
- Waimamaku - 264 good days, 157 perfect days
- Baylys Beach - 247 good days, 151 perfect days
- Pouto - 246 good days, 138 perfect days
- Glinks Gully - 240 good days, 137 perfect days
- 90 Mile Beach - 237 good days, 140 perfect days
- Kawerua Reefs - 235 good days, 128 perfect days
- Waipoua Reefs - 233 good days, 129 perfect days
- Tanutanu - 225 good days, 125 perfect days
- Te Paki - 225 good days, 122 perfect days
- Aranga Beach - 224 good days, 133 perfect days
What this means: Northland's West Coast is ridiculously consistent for experienced surfers. Even the 10th ranked spot (Aranga Beach) had good surf 224 days—that's 61% of the year. If you live up north or you're planning a surf trip, you're basically guaranteed to score.
The Hidden Gems
Baylys Beach is seriously slept on. It's more accessible than most spots on this list (actual driving directions, not just a pin on a map), and it had 247 good days with 151 perfect days. That's nearly as good as Waimamaku but probably half the crowds.
Pouto is another one that delivers—246 good days and relatively accessible. It's the furthest south on this list, so if you're coming up from Auckland, this might be your first taste of Northland's consistency.
90 Mile Beach needs a mention because it's iconic. 237 good days and 140 perfect days. The access is gnarly (4WD territory), but if you've got the vehicle and the skills, you can find empty peaks for days. Literally.
The Bottom Line
The West Coast of Northland delivered 220+ surfable days last year at every spot in the top 10. The only way you miss out is if you're not paying attention.
Waimamaku leads the pack, but honestly? The top 7 spots are all within 30 days of each other over a full year. Check the forecast, see what's working, and go. I hope this helps you score more waves in 2026! Thanks for reading 🤙
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Tobias is the Founder of Swellify, a surf forecasting app built in Wellington that helps surfers like you catch more waves with way less hassle. After "accidentally" moving to New Zealand in 2019 and falling in love with Aotearoa, he's spent years obsessively studying every beach, point break, and island to make sure Swellify's 420+ spots are dialed in. Got any feedback or a killer session to share? Flick him an email at tobias@swellify.app.