Kite Area guide
Karikari / Rangiputa, Karikari Peninsula
Rangiputa is the flat-water reason to drive this far north: turquoise water over silica sand, and sandbars that stay glassy.
When to kite
Best months: January, February, March, April, November, December.
About this Kite Area
Rangiputa sits on the Karikari Peninsula in New Zealand's Far North, on white silica sands with turquoise water in front of them. The sandbars here are the point: waist-deep flat water that stays mirror-flat even when it is blowing 25 knots and more, which is a rare and very useful combination for learning and for freestyle.
The peninsula gets more kiteable days than most of New Zealand — as the local school puts it, they get so much wind here they named the place twice.
Tokerau Beach on the other side runs eighteen kilometres, with small waves at the northern end building larger toward the south; the teaching happens at the northern section. Between the two beaches the peninsula covers flat water and waves at every level.
It is remote, a long drive from Auckland through Northland, with limited services once you arrive.