New Zealand is famous for its beautiful beaches, some of which are known only to the locals. Wendy Montrose investigates.
With a whopping 15,000 kilometres of coastline, New Zealand is at the mercy of the weather, no matter which way the wind blows. But it’s also why we have so many stunning beaches to enjoy at any time of the year. While Mother Nature has thrown everything at us this summer, there’s still time to visit the beach, the water’s still warm and the crowds are thinner.
1. Orewa beach, Auckland
Auckland is blessed with beautiful beaches on both coasts. One of those is Orewa Beach, three kilometers of Pacific coast popular for swimming, surfing and leisurely walks. Surf patrolled in summer, Orewa Beach is a family favourite with a campground at one end and only half an hour from Auckland. Visit on a Sunday morning and pick up gastronomic delights at the farmers market and when you’ve had enough sun, stroll across the road for some retail therapy.
2. Te Haruhi Bay, Shakespear Regional Park, Auckland
Situated at the tip of the Whangaparaoa Peninsula, Shakespear Regional Park is an open wildlife sanctuary protected by a pest free fence. Inside the sanctuary is beautiful Te Haruhi Bay, popular for swimming, boating and wind surfing or just relaxing on a blanket with a book. There are plenty of shady trees and if you feel energetic, a number of walks of varying lengths. You’ll also find public toilets, free electric barbecues and a camp ground behind the sand dunes. Wildlife and dogs don’t mix so you’ll have to leave the pooch at home for this one.
3. Waiotahe Beach, Bay of Plenty
Aptly named, the Bay of Plenty is home to a myriad of beautiful beaches making choosing one a hard ask. The long sweep of Waiotahe Beach on State Highway 2 between Whakatane and Opotiki is one of my favourites. Popular with the locals, there’s plenty of room to set up for a day of swimming or fishing under the pohutukawa trees or just take a walk along the water’s edge. Whakaari White Island puffs away offshore and you may be lucky enough to see orca cruise by. The Ōpōtiki Surf Lifesaving Club & public toilets are at the Opotiki end just before the motorcamp, and across the Waiotahe River at the Whakatane end is a wonderful freedom camping spot commonly known as the ‘pipi bed’ by locals. Need I say more?
4. Opunake Beach, Taranaki
When Gabrielle loomed on the east coast, we hid out in our little camper for two days at Opunake Beach on Surf Highway 45. Once the clouds cleared and the wind died down, the crescent shaped beach returned to it’s gorgeous self in no time. Great for swimming and surfing, the beach is patrolled over summer and Shelley and Julian run a friendly and comfortable campground across the road. Grab a feed of fish and chips in town and enjoy a west coast sunset from one of the beach front picnic tables. Or take a walk up above the camp and settle down on one of the town’s mosaic benches to feast on the view.
5. Waiinu Beach, South Taranaki
Another Taranaki gem, this one was recommended to us and it didn’t disappoint. Turn off State Highway 3 at Waitotara for this small beachside community and the Waiinu Domain. Camping on the domain is administered by the South Taranaki Council and is far cheaper than the facilities would suggest. There are clean public toilets and a free barbecue and the beach offers swimming, fishing, boating and fossicking galore for the magpies among us. It’s a long coast and you can walk for miles if that’s your jam. A half hour walk north of the campground and you’ll see where the coloured stones on the beach come from.
6. Totaranui Beach, Abel Tasman National Park
With a hem line of golden sand and a backdrop of lush native forest, the campground at Totaranui is often booked out between Christmas and mid-February. Go any other time though and you might have it almost to yourself. The sand is coarse and the sandflies fierce but the combination of bush and coast is magical. I love this place and when we visited in October, the weather was kind and the beach practically empty apart from a couple of local caravanners, the DOC ranger and friendly weka. You can swim or snorkel in the clear water, kayak in the estuary when the tide is in and there’s a walk to suit everyone.
7. Le Bons Bay, Banks Peninsula
If you are looking for something completely secluded and away from the crowds, this is the spot for you. A hidden gem and one of the best beaches to visit close to Akaroa, Le Bons Bay boasts a cluster of summer baches and not much else other than an absolutely stunning beach. The beach is bordered by rolling hills and a river where seals are often found frolicking. A good couple of hours from Christchurch on Banks Peninsula, Le Bons Bay is about as far east as you can drive in Canterbury, and for many years the only access was by boat. It was settled much later than the other bays; the first settler arrived in about 1857. The remains of the jetty can still be seen. Apparently, the beach was named when a French vessel commanded by Captain Le Bas mistook the bay for Akaroa Harbour, and the Captain sent a boat ashore to investigate. The first sailor to set foot on the beach was called Le Bon.
8. Long Beach, Otago
Long Beach is a small settlement of holiday homes 30 minutes north of Dunedin, via Port Chalmers. Known to Māori as Warauwerawera, the beach boasts 2.4km of shimmering white sand and coastal rock formations, including caves. The caves on the beach are located at the far end. The caves start rather low, however open up to large caverns. Popular with rock climbers, who scale the cliffs and rock formations found all the way down the beach, the relatively calm surf and out-of-the-way location make it a great swimming and picnicking spot. Bird life is abundant and you may be lucky enough to spot blue penguins and seals. At the end of the carpark on beach road, you’ll find a 1.5-hour family and dog friendly walk.
Just a note of caution:
The beach is New Zealand’s favourite playground, but many of our picturesque spots can be dangerous as well. Following the four basic rules of the Water Safety Code ensures you can enjoy the beach safely when you venture into or near the water; be prepared, look out for yourself and others, be mindful of the dangers, and know your limits.
