Last updated October 2026
Manu Bay is the bay on the coast south-west of Raglan where the town’s famous left-hand point break begins. It is the innermost of three left-hand point breaks along the same rocky shoreline, with Whale Bay and Indicators further west, and the New Zealand Coastal Policy Statement lists all three as surf breaks of national significance.
Hamilton & Waikato Tourism describes them as world renowned for their large, consistent waves and suitable for experienced surfers, and says that on a large swell they can link up into a ride of more than two kilometres.
Waikato District Council says Manu Bay is popular with local, regional and international surfers, and surfing events here draw big crowds to the shoreline. There is no lifeguard patrol at the points: the nearest is at Ngarunui Beach, and the council says Whale Bay is not a swimming beach.
Surf Facts
Surf today at Manu Bay
Today at Manu Bay
Monday 9 NovemberSurf breaks at Manu Bay
3 breaks: 3 pointsShowHide
Practical Information
- Location
- Manu Bay Road, on the coast south-west of Raglan, Waikato District
- From Hamilton
- Raglan is 45 km from Hamilton, about 41 minutes by car (Hamilton & Waikato Tourism); the points are beyond the town
- Surf breaks
- Manu Bay, Whale Bay and Indicators: left-hand point breaks, all three nationally significant
- Who they suit
- Experienced surfers (Hamilton & Waikato Tourism)
- Facilities
- Council public toilets at Manu Bay and Whale Bay; boat ramp at Manu Bay Reserve; grassed picnic area at Whale Bay
- Swimming
- Whale Bay is not a swimming beach (Waikato District Council); no lifeguards at the points
- Camping
- Camping and overnight stays are prohibited on these coastal reserves
- Dogs
- On a lead: the district dog policy requires a lead in public places, including boat ramps, outside listed exercise areas
About Manu Bay
Manu Bay, also known as The Point, is the innermost of Raglan’s three nationally significant left-hand point breaks, according to a surf break study prepared for Waikato Regional Council.
The bay has a council reserve with a boat ramp, and Waikato District Council notes it is also a popular spot for fishing. The same council lists Manu Bay among its coastal reserves, where camping and overnight stays are not allowed.
Waikato Regional Council explains how the wave forms. The swell is generally generated by storms deep in the Southern Ocean, and as it reaches the coast it refracts and wraps around the headlands into Manu Bay.
The council says the waves are surfable regardless of the tide, and that the headland can give valuable shelter from south-westerly winds. Its surf break study adds that at lower tides the eastern end of the point produces very hollow barrels, a section known as “The Ledge”.
The point is not a single take-off. The regional council study describes Boneyards, a shorter wave west of Manu Bay and before Whale Bay that can link up with The Point in bigger swells, and, east of the boat ramp towards Halfmoon Bay, a sand-bottom peak that gives lefts and rights during large swells but comes and goes with the sand.
Raglan’s surf found worldwide fame through Manu Bay. Hamilton & Waikato Tourism notes that the bay featured in the 1966 film The Endless Summer as the beach with waves so long that “Raglan surfers don’t carry wax, they carry lifeboat rations”, and that the Raglan Point Boardriders’ club was founded in 1962. The Raglan Districts Museum has memorabilia and exhibitions on the area’s surfing history.
In May 2026 the bay hosted the New Zealand Pro, a stop on the World Surf League Championship Tour. Beforehand Waikato District Council replaced worn sections of the Manu Bay boardwalk and carried out safety work on the boat ramp (work it says was already planned), and a temporary maritime event permit allowed a 1000 m by 1000 m exclusion zone on the water during the competition.
Whale Bay and Indicators
Whale Bay is the second of the three points, a little further along the coast. Waikato District Council describes it as famous for its surf break and a popular holiday destination, and says it is not a swimming beach, but that surfers brave the rocks to ride one of the fastest left-hand breaks around. There is a grassed area for picnics with views over the coast. The regional council study says the seabed here is made up of rocky reef outcrops and boulders.
Indicators is the most westerly and outermost of the three, a left-hand boulder point break. The regional council study describes several sections that can link up, starting from Outsides (with two recognised peaks, Outside Waterfall, also called 2nd Boil, which works on bigger swells, and the more consistent Outside Boil), then through Indicators and on to the Valley. It calls the waves high performance, with the chance of barrels.
The same study says that in optimal conditions Indicators and Whale Bay link up for rides of more than 1 km, and Hamilton & Waikato Tourism says all three points can join on a large swell. These are waves for experienced surfers. Hamilton & Waikato Tourism notes that the Raglan Surf School runs lessons year round at Ngarunui Beach.
Safety, Boats and Sharing the Water
The points have rocky entries and no lifeguard patrol. Raglan Surf Life Saving Club patrols Ngarunui Beach in summer (check the club or Surf Life Saving New Zealand for this season’s times), so if you want to swim, go there and swim between the flags.
At Manu Bay and Whale Bay, watch from the shore unless you are a capable surfer, and check the conditions before you paddle out.
Manu Bay’s boat ramp means surfers and boaties share the water. Waikato Regional Council warns that boat wakes can wreck wave quality, either by cancelling out the wave energy or by making the surf choppy.
Under the council’s Navigation Safety Bylaw, surfers are protected in a surf zone 200 m up the coast and 500 m offshore, where boaties must have a spotter, keep under five knots and not get in surfers’ way.
Hamilton & Waikato Tourism encourages visitors to familiarise themselves with Raglan’s Surfers Code before going out. The points are surfed by locals and visitors alike, and the tourism organisation describes the waves as large and consistent, so know your limits before paddling out.
Where to Learn More
Department of Conservation: NZ Coastal Policy Statement, Schedule 1: the official list of surf breaks of national significance, including Manu Bay, Whale Bay and Indicators.
Waikato Regional Council: Protecting surf perfection: how the Manu Bay wave forms, how the coastal plan protects it and the boating rules near surfers.
Waikato District Council: coastal reserves: notes on Manu Bay and Whale Bay and the camping rules for the coastal reserves.
Frequently Asked Questions
Where is Manu Bay?
On the coast south-west of Raglan, reached by Manu Bay Road, where the council boat ramp is. Raglan itself is 45 km from Hamilton, about 41 minutes by car. Whale Bay and Indicators are further west along the same stretch of coast.
What kind of wave is Manu Bay?
A left-hand point break. Waikato Regional Council says swell from the Southern Ocean wraps around the headlands into the bay, the waves are surfable at any tide, and the headland can shelter the bay from south-westerlies.
Do Manu Bay, Whale Bay and Indicators link up?
Sometimes. Waikato Regional Council’s surf break study says Indicators and Whale Bay link up in optimal conditions for rides of more than 1 km, and Hamilton & Waikato Tourism says all three can join on a large swell for a ride of more than two kilometres.
Who are the Manu Bay waves for?
Hamilton & Waikato Tourism says the three points suit experienced surfers. It notes that the Raglan Surf School runs lessons year round at Ngarunui Beach.
Can you swim at Manu Bay or Whale Bay?
There are no lifeguards at the points, and Waikato District Council says Whale Bay is not a swimming beach. For a swim, go to Ngarunui Beach, which Raglan Surf Life Saving Club patrols in summer, and swim between the flags.
Are there toilets at Manu Bay?
Yes. Waikato District Council lists public toilets at both Manu Bay and Whale Bay. Whale Bay also has a grassed picnic area.
Can I camp or bring my dog?
Camping and overnight stays are prohibited on these council coastal reserves. Dogs must be on a lead, as Manu Bay and Whale Bay are not listed dog exercise areas, and the lead rule also covers the boat ramp.
Has Manu Bay hosted the World Surf League?
Yes. Manu Bay hosted the New Zealand Pro, a World Surf League Championship Tour stop, in May 2026.
Spotted something incorrect on this page? Let us know.
Sources and data notes 2
- Today at Manu Bay: Tides: LINZ, CC BY 4.0; predictions only. Sea temperature: NASA JPL MUR satellite data for 7 Nov, via Tideteller.
- Surf Facts: Breaks, type and skill level: Waikato Regional Council surf break layer (CC BY 4.0). Nationally significant breaks: NZ Coastal Policy Statement 2010 (DOC). The way each break faces, the swell that can reach it and its offshore wind are worked out from the LINZ coastline (CC BY 4.0); positions checked on LINZ aerial photos. Legal access: Herenga ā Nuku Aotearoa, Outdoor Access Commission, from LINZ and DOC data (CC BY 4.0).