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Mangawhai Heads 49.1
#4535 of 5753 surf spots in the world · 🇳🇿 New Zealand · Northland · near Whangarei
Very consistent, wind is the enemy here, no off season.
Works all yearBeginner friendlyBeginner
Surf score49.1 /100
Surfable days77% of the year
Clean days3% groundswell + friendly wind
Groundswell5% period 11 s+
Typical size0.8 m 2.8 ft median
Water18°C a 3/2 wetsuit
Best time to surf Mangawhai Heads
The best time to surf Mangawhai Heads is March, April, May. It rarely works. In May the water sits around 19°C, so pack a 3/2 wetsuit, and the typical wave is 0.9 m. The nearest airport is AKL (104 km) and the nearest town is Whangarei (47 km).
| Month | Surfable | Clean | Size | Water | Suit |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Jan | 72% | 3% | 0.7 m | 21°C | 2mm |
| Feb | 91% | 3% | 1.0 m | 21°C | 2mm |
| Mar | 92% | 4% | 0.9 m | 21°C | 2mm |
| Apr | 79% | 5% | 0.8 m | 20°C | 2mm |
| May | 79% | 7% | 0.9 m | 19°C | 3/2 |
| Jun | 81% | 0% | 0.9 m | 18°C | 3/2 |
| Jul | 79% | 2% | 1.0 m | 16°C | 3/2 |
| Aug | 74% | 4% | 0.9 m | 15°C | 4/3 |
| Sep | 74% | 3% | 0.8 m | 15°C | 4/3 |
| Oct | 67% | 2% | 0.7 m | 16°C | 3/2 |
| Nov | 71% | 0% | 0.8 m | 19°C | 3/2 |
| Dec | 72% | 3% | 0.8 m | 20°C | 2mm |
Why 49.1
Seven parts, each normalised 0 to 1 and weighted; the sum is scaled so the best spot in the world is 100.
Consistency 26%
23.4
Clean days 24%
1.3
Groundswell 12%
0.6
Season spread 10%
10.0
Wave size 8%
1.4
Water comfort 10%
3.9
Access 10%
7.2
The detail
Faces 87° with 39% open water around it. Friendly morning wind 62% of days. Mean peak period 8.0 s. Days over 3 m: 1%. Mellow days (0.4 to 1.2 m): 70%. Months that work: 12 of 12. Coordinates -36.081, 174.599 (OpenStreetMap).
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