RoadAtlas
Taranaki's Surf Highway — New Zealand — Scenic
Australia & Pacific

Taranaki's Surf Highway

New Zealand

Point-to-point
New Plymouth Hawera

In short: Taranaki's Surf Highway is a 110 km scenic road trip in New Zealand, typically driven over 2 days, best in Year-round. Highlights: New Plymouth, Len Lye Centre, Oakura.

Distance
110 km
Duration
2 days
Best Season
Year-round
NotableEasyScenicEV-friendly

SH45 around the western flank of Mount Taranaki, a short coastal drive past dairy farms, surf breaks made famous by boardriders seeking the perfect wave, shipwrecks, and lighthouses. New Plymouth's Len Lye Centre kinetic sculpture and the Tawhiti Museum of settler history frame the journey's beginning and end.

Practical notes
Taranaki reef breaks are not beginner swimming beaches. Book any beginner lesson with a current local school at a beach and time selected for beginner conditions, swim only between patrol flags when lifeguards are operating, and check Surf Life Saving, MetService and local warnings that day. Never promise surf at an unpatrolled reef. Confirm Tawhiti Museum's operating day and entry time before leaving Opunake.

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Day-by-day itinerary

Day 1New Plymouth to Oakura and Opunake

Booked beginner surf lesson at Oakura or Opunake · Cape Egmont Lighthouse viewpoint · Butlers Reef

Day 2Opunake to Hawera

Tawhiti Museum · King Edward Park · Someday Cafe

Stops along the route

New Plymouth — Departure — Taranaki's Surf Highway — New Zealand
Departure
New Plymouth
Mount Taranaki (2,518m) rises above New Plymouth in a near-perfect volcanic cone. The Len Lye Centre and Pukekura Park anchor a city with an outstanding arts and outdoor scene.
Hotels
Oakura — City — Taranaki's Surf Highway — New Zealand
City
Oakura
The Surf Highway's first beach town, with reliable reef breaks year-round. Black sand, Mount Taranaki looming to the right, and open ocean to the left define the drive south.
Hotels
Okato — City — Taranaki's Surf Highway — New Zealand
City
Okato
A quiet farming village midway along SH45 where the Cape Egmont Lighthouse stands sentinel on a black-sand spit, the closest point on the highway to Mount Taranaki's flanks.
Hotels
Opunake — City — Taranaki's Surf Highway — New Zealand
City
Opunake
The Surf Highway's largest town faces the Southern Ocean swell directly. Good cafes, a sheltered swimming beach, and an authentic small-town Kiwi welcome.
Hotels
Hawera — Arrival — Taranaki's Surf Highway — New Zealand
Arrival
Hawera
The Tawhiti Museum presents Taranaki settler and Maori history through life-size dioramas of astonishing detail, crafted by farmer Nigel Ogle over three decades.
Hotels

Things to Do

Len Lye Centre — Landmark — Taranaki's Surf Highway — New Zealand
Landmark
Len Lye Centre
A shimmering ribbon-steel gallery displaying the kinetic and wind sculptures of New Zealand-born artist Len Lye, attached to the Govett-Brewster Art Gallery.
Cape Egmont Lighthouse — Landmark — Taranaki's Surf Highway — New Zealand
Landmark
Cape Egmont Lighthouse
New Zealand's oldest lighthouse structure, relocated here in 1877, guiding ships past the cape's treacherous shoals. The black-sand foreshore and mountain views are superb.
Booked beginner surf lesson at Oakura or Opunake — Guided surf lesson — Taranaki's Surf Highway — New Zealand
Guided surf lesson
Booked beginner surf lesson at Oakura or Opunake
Use a current instructor and the beach/conditions they select; do not send beginners to exposed reef breaks.
Cape Egmont Lighthouse viewpoint — Coastal viewpoint — Taranaki's Surf Highway — New Zealand
Coastal viewpoint
Cape Egmont Lighthouse viewpoint
Use the legal public viewpoint and respect private land.
Tawhiti Museum — Regional museum — Taranaki's Surf Highway — New Zealand
Regional museum
Tawhiti Museum
Visit only on a confirmed operating day and allow its published visit duration.
King Edward Park — Short town walk — Taranaki's Surf Highway — New Zealand
Short town walk
King Edward Park
Use as an optional short stop after the museum, not as a surf substitute.

Where to Eat

Butlers Reef — Cafe and bistro — Taranaki's Surf Highway — New Zealand
Cafe and bistro
Butlers Reef
A correctly placed Oakura meal; verify current kitchen hours.
Sugar Juice Cafe — Cafe — Taranaki's Surf Highway — New Zealand
Cafe
Sugar Juice Cafe
An Opunake arrival option; verify hours.
Someday Cafe — Cafe — Taranaki's Surf Highway — New Zealand
Cafe
Someday Cafe
A Hawera meal timed around the museum booking.

Nearby and similar drives

Frequently asked questions

How long is the Taranaki's Surf Highway drive?

The Taranaki's Surf Highway covers 110 km from start to finish.

How long does the Taranaki's Surf Highway take to drive?

Most travellers spend 2 days on the Taranaki's Surf Highway, depending on stops and pace.

When is the best time to drive the Taranaki's Surf Highway?

The recommended season for the Taranaki's Surf Highway is Year-round.

Where does the Taranaki's Surf Highway start and end?

The Taranaki's Surf Highway runs from New Plymouth to Hawera.

What are the main stops on the Taranaki's Surf Highway?

The Taranaki's Surf Highway passes through New Plymouth, Len Lye Centre, Oakura.

How difficult is the Taranaki's Surf Highway to drive?

The Taranaki's Surf Highway is rated easy and is best handled with any vehicle.

Can I drive the Taranaki's Surf Highway in a regular car?

Yes — the Taranaki's Surf Highway is paved end-to-end and a regular car is fine in normal conditions.

Is the Taranaki's Surf Highway EV friendly?

Yes — the Taranaki's Surf Highway has charger coverage along the route and works as an EV road trip.

Is the Taranaki's Surf Highway safe to drive?

Taranaki reef breaks are not beginner swimming beaches. Book any beginner lesson with a current local school at a beach and time selected for beginner conditions, swim only between patrol flags when lifeguards are operating, and check Surf Life Saving, MetService and local warnings that day. Never promise surf at an unpatrolled reef. Confirm Tawhiti Museum's operating day and entry time before leaving Opunake.

What scenic tier is the Taranaki's Surf Highway?

The Taranaki's Surf Highway is a notable drive — Notable scenic drives — strong character routes that locals know well and that reward travellers willing to step beyond the most-photographed roads.