Surf & Stay
2 to 5 nights at Te Arai or Mangawhai: bed, coaching and unlimited gear in one booking. The proper way to learn.
from $395 pp
See the packages
Who it's for
Surfing for adults
Not a kids camp with adults tolerated: trips and weekends built for grown-ups first. Learn properly, stay somewhere great, and remember what tired-happy feels like.
from $79
Beginner to improver
Solo, mates or mixed crews
Pick your speed
Three ways in
Surf Tours
Weekend wave hunts from Mangawhai: five guided sessions, teepee basecamp, Auckland pickup, all of it in the price.
$495 all-in
Dates + booking
Lessons
2 hour group sessions or 90 minute privates at Te Arai, Orewa and Christchurch. Test the water before the weekend.
from $79
Book a lesson
Honestly though
Adults learn faster than they think
You listen, you follow instructions, and you actually want to be there: three advantages every coach will take over teenage fearlessness. Most first-timers stand up inside their first two hours; a weekend gets you paddling into waves yourself. Couples do it as a getaway, mates do it as a mission, solo travellers join a small crew and leave with new ones.
Everything is coached by ISA qualified instructors at target ratios of no more than 1:6, with 4.9 stars across 1050+ Google reviews behind the operation. For two, start at Couples Surf & Stay, from $395 pp.
Straight from Google
What adults say
★★★★★
I am 53 and have dreamed of being able to surf for over ten years. Finally booked a lesson, and not only could I pop up on the first wave, I learnt to gain speed by stepping forward on my first lesson. I left the beach a completely different person. I am a surfer now. Just book it.
★★★★★
Tony was a super friendly and really good instructor. With him I managed to stand up on the board for the first time after just a few tries. I felt well taken care of for the entire two hours and would definitely take more lessons.
★★★★★
We had the best fun at our private surf lesson with Marit. Big challenge for her as we are both in our 60s but she was very patient and supportive.
Questions
Adults FAQ
Am I too old for this?
No. Most of our stay and tour guests are adults, plenty starting from zero in their 40s and 50s. Coaching matches your level and fitness, not your birth year.
I'm coming alone. Weird?
Completely normal. Solo travellers are half of every Surf Experience and tour; you will share a lineup and a BBQ with a small mixed crew.
How fit do I need to be?
If you can swim confidently and paddle for a few minutes, you are in. Sessions are paced to the group and nobody is chasing anyone down the beach.
Stay, tour or just a lesson?
Want your own room and a flexible schedule? Surf & Stay from $395 pp. Want the best banks found for you? Surf Tour, $495 all in. Just testing the water? A 2hr lesson from $79 answers the question fast.
Where would I stay?
Ocean view pods and glamping teepees at Te Arai, or the Surf Lodge in the heart of Mangawhai Heads with cafes a short walk away. You pick at booking.
When is the best season for adults?
Whenever you can get away. Summer brings warm water and long evenings, autumn the cleanest banks, and winter the emptiest lineups with proper wetsuits doing the work. Our pick: Sep to Dec or Feb to Apr, less crowds!
The weekend upgrade
Book the version of you that surfs
Surf & Stay from $395 pp, tours $495 all-in, lessons from $79. Instant booking on everything.
Surf & Stay Surf Tours