With 15,000km of coastline, our island nation is spoilt for choice when it comes to sweet stretches of sand – or stones – to plonk a towel on.
Whether you like your beaches wild and wavy, tropical island-esque, home to sunbathing seals, or covered in semi-precious gemstones, there’s something to suit.
Here are 50 of our favourites. Share yours in the comments.
Sacred to Māori, who believe it to be a departure point for the spirits of the dead, this isolated Far North Beach is undeniably a special place. Swim, surf, fish, or set out along Te Paki Coastal Track, which follows the Cape Reinga coastline to Te Paki Stream on the west coast. There’s an idyllic campground if you’d like to linger longer.
READ MORE:
* The best beaches in Coromandel
* The best beaches in the Nelson Tasman region
* The best big beaches in the Bay of Plenty
This broad crescent of soft white sand on the Karikari Peninsula offers a classic Kiwi summer holiday experience. Think camping or picnicking in the shade of gnarly pōhutukawa and swimming, snorkelling, stand-up paddleboarding or kayaking to your heart’s content. Conveniently, New Zealand’s northernmost vineyard (Karikari Estate) is just down the road.
Set at the southern end of Ninety Mile Beach, this unspoiled sandy beach attracts surfers from far and wide with what is said to be one of the best left-hand breaks in the country. Surf casting, land yachting and the “tuatua twist” are also popular activities, the latter involving twisting your feet in the sand at low tide until you uncover the tasty shellfish. Whip up a batch of tuatua fritters and return to the beach to devour them as you watch one of the most spectacular sunsets Aotearoa has to offer.
It’s a steep walk down to this golden beach in the outer reaches of the Bay of Islands, but well worth it for the calm, swim-friendly waters and sense of blissful isolation.
Accessible only by foot or water, this half moon of bush-backed white sand could be mistaken for Fiji if it weren’t for the unmistakably Kiwi pōhutukawa that overhang it. Snag a shady spot beneath their branches and check out the snorkelling hot spots around the rocks.
A surfer’s paradise, this long stretch of fine white sand is also a treat for swimmers, kayakers, walkers and wildlife lovers. The clifftop walk is one of the best, short walks in Northland, with nīkau palms framing views of offshore islands and, if you time it right, passing whales. Hop across the horseshoe estuary to an otherworldly dunescape that doubles as a bird sanctuary.
Hit the surf or enjoy a relaxed swim in the sheltered old quarry which, with its sandy white bottom and cellophane-clear water, looks like a tropical lagoon. Aotearoa Surf offers lessons and hires out gear at the end of Te Ārai Point Rd, from which you can also pick up the trail to a still more secluded – and sublime – beach on the other side of the point.
If the water were a few degrees warmer, you could almost make believe you were in the Pacific Islands at this cracker of a white-sand beach in an open sanctuary outside Matakana. On sunny days, the grassy area overlooking the beach is filled with friends and whānau tucking into BYO feeds beneath pōhutukawa trees, the scent of sizzling sausages and sunscreen channelling classic Kiwi beach vibes.
Come summer, this sandy bay on Waiheke’s lesser-visited eastern side has a celebratory vibe, with boaties and picnickers enjoying takeaway wine and wood-fired pizza from the Man O’War winery across the road.
A true island idyll, this long, white-sand surf beach is a top spot for dolphin sightings and, if you’re lucky, you might also be treated to a performance from a pod of passing orca. Swim, surf or boogie board by day and catch the sunset and stargaze by night – Great Barrier was designated an International Dark Sky Sanctuary in 2017 and Dark Sky ambassadors Good Heavens’ base backs the beach.
Boasting movie star credentials (Jane Campion’s The Piano was filmed here in 1993), this black sand beauty is among the best in Auckland’s west, seeming a million miles from New Zealand’s biggest city. Glinting silver when dry and mirroring bush-clad cliffs when wet, its scolding hot sands seem to stretch on forever, meaning you can always find a place to plonk your towel in peace. Jump over the giant waves (taking care to stay between the flags), surf, slide down sand dunes that look like the dark side of the moon, and take in sweeping views of the dramatic coastline from one of the walking tracks.
Dominated by an eroded volcano that looks like a reclining lion, this black sand beauty demands respect. Reliably big swells provide thrills and spills for swimmers and surfers alike, and walking tracks from both ends lead to viewpoints over wave-hammered cliffs. At high tide, waves crashing through the Gap create a safe, saltwater swimming pool.
Separated from the surf meccas of Manu and Whale bays by an unsealed road that winds its way between farmland and the west coast, this broad, black sander feels like a place apart. It’s dangerous to swim here, but popular with surf casters, and ideal for those looking to clear out the cobwebs with a long walk along a beach which, reflecting the sky on sunny days, feels like a meeting point between heaven and earth.
A black sand version of the Coromandel’s Hot Water Beach, this west coast wonder receives just a fraction of the visitors. Drive to the end of Te Puia Road and cross the dunes to find geothermally heated water bubbling up through the sand. BYO spade and dig a private spa pool.
Lying along a gravel road in the peninsula’s far north, this sandy surf beach will take you back in time to the Coromandel of yesteryear. Pitch a tent in the park-like campground, kayak or SUP across the twin estuaries, explore the dunes and walking tracks, and enjoy evening drinks under a sky saturated with stars.
An often-overlooked side trail on the walk to Instafamous Cathedral Cove leads to a mini version minus the crowds. High white cliffs ensure secluded swimming, sunbathing and white-sand strolling.
Lying at the end of the gravel road that leads to the eastern tip of the peninsula, this deep inlet is as remote and ruggedly good-looking as it gets. Home to a popular campsite, the driftwood-strewn beach is also the start – or end – point of the Coromandel Coastal Walkway. Begin at Stony Bay and you can lay on the beach afterwards for a natural hot stone massage.
Just a few minutes’ boat ride off the coast of Tairua, this privately owned island’s white-sand beaches are open to the public and free to use.
Chilling on the uncrowded white sands of this old-school Coromandel beach town, it’s hard to believe the holidaymaker magnets that are Whangamatā and Waihī Beach are just up and down the road. Little more than a scattering of retro baches, a library, general store and that glorious surf beach, Whiritoa is a top choice for a laid-back beach break. Lifeguards patrol the main beach in season, and there’s a stream at the northern end which is popular with kids and adults who prefer wallowing to battling the waves.
Accessible only by foot or water, Homunga Bay is the stuff New Zealand summer dreams are made of, with the added bonus of a beach shower. Even on a hot January day, I had it all to myself.
Stretching 14 sublime kilometres, Ōhope Beach has been named New Zealand’s best on multiple occasions, and it’s not hard to see why. Its good looks aside, it caters for swimmers, surfers, seafood gatherers, surf casters, and lovers of long walks and lazing for hours on end on the sand.
A 15-minute clifftop walk from the West End of Ōhope Beach leads a semi-secret beach with scores of seashells and Fiji-clear water.
Hugged by sun-bleached hills, this unspoilt stretch of white sand boasts some of the most consistent surf in a city famous for its surf beaches. Watching the rising sun set it aflame in the morning as seasoned surfies do their thing is about as magical a start to the day as you could imagine.
Four kilometres of golden sands fringe Te Tapuwae o Rongokako, a marine reserve that is a snorkeller’s and diver’s paradise. At low tide, the deep channels and pools exposed in the reef are ideal for snorkelling. Kina, marine snails, sponges, and fish such as spotties (paketi), red moki (nanua), butterfish (greenbone, mararī) and marblefish (kehe) are among the species you could encounter. Peer into the crevices and overhangs and you could see hundreds of tiny crayfish depending on the time of year.
Backed by a classic Kiwi beach community, this soft-sanded surf beach is just a 10-minute drive from Gisborne central – or a 6km ride along the sealed Wainui Beach cycle trail. It’s long enough to ensure you never have to stretch out your towel within earshot of someone else’s and there are picnic spots aplenty.
Hike from Tolaga Bay Wharf, the longest in the Southern Hemisphere, to one of the loveliest coves on the East Cape. The 5.8km (2.5-hour) return walk will take you across farmland and through regenerating native forest to the cove where Captain Cook stopped to repair the Endeavour and get fresh supplies. Sheltered by the Mitre Rocks, it’s a perfect place to while away a sunny afternoon.
Captain Cook called this pretty wee bay a “place of profound peace” when he made a pit stop there back in 1769, and the description holds true to this day (except perhaps during the peak summer period when campers flock to the beachfront DOC-managed campsite). About a 90-minute drive north of Gisborne, it’s a primo spot for a swim, surf or picnic.
A favourite with families, this white, sandy beach is great for swimming, surfing and fishing. At certain times of the year, dolphins might treat you to a show.
Located along Surf Highway 45, this crescent-shaped beach is, as you might imagine, a firm favourite with the surfie set. Stretch your legs on the 7km Ōpunake Loop Trail, which will take you past Lake Ōpunake and a historic pa and cemetery, before refuelling with fish and chips from a shop that has reeled in locals and visitors alike since the 1960s.
Just a short drive from town, this black sand beauty boasts surf, sand dunes and secret mermaid pools on a nearby island. Climb Paritutu Rock for panoramic views across the beach, Sugar Loaf Islands and surrounding area.
Come for the iconic lighthouse – one of just two remaining beam lighthouses in the country – and stay for a play on the beach, which is great for swimming, surfing and paddleboarding around the lagoon. Bring your boogie board for the epic sand dunes.
Small but photogenically formed, this golden stretch of sand is wedged between bush-covered mountains and a calm, teal-coloured sea – without a disfiguring McMansion or skyrise in sight. The beach is sheltered by the twin islands of Motu and Ngawhiti, also known as the Tata Islands, home to seals, penguins and New Zealand’s largest colony of spotted shags, who put on quite the show just before sunrise each morning.
Particularly pretty at high tide when the clear blue waters create what feels like a giant saltwater swimming pool, Ligar Bay is ideal for families and those who’d prefer not to have to battle with big waves. When they’re sick of swimming, the kids can collect shellfish, explore the rock pools and challenge each other to kayak races. There’s a handy barbecue area too.
This 800 metre arc of bush-backed golden sand in Abel Tasman National Park is so special Kiwis donated more than $2.8 million to save it from falling into overseas ownership in the biggest crowd-funding campaign the country had ever seen. At high tide, the estuary is a magical place to kayak – keep your eyes peeled for stingrays.
With a broad sweep of rose-gold sand sandwiched between thick native bush and a sea spangled with reflected gold, this Abel Tasman National Park gem is as beautiful a beach as can be. Luckily there’s a campground so you can stay a while.
About an hour’s drive from Tākaka in the Nelson Tasman region, Wharariki is a porthole back to coastal New Zealand as it was before tourism took hold. The 30-minute walk through Pūponga Farm Park to reach it puts enough people off to ensure that, in winter especially, its broad stretch of sand, just a few kilometres from Farewell Spit, never feels crowded. Strangely-shaped sea arches, giant sand dunes and the seal colony at the eastern end should keep you amused.
Hang a right after the Lyttelton Tunnel to reach this sheltered beach with views across Banks Peninsula. Paddle out to the floating pontoon or leap straight off the jetty.
Keep an eye out for seals swimming in the river that flows into this cute wee bay a little under two hours’ drive from Christchurch. Backed by classic Kiwi baches and rolling hills, it’s one of the prettiest beaches on Banks Peninsula.
Less than half an hour from the city, this windswept stretch of coast is home to sea caves reminiscent of the Coromandel’s Cathedral Cove, along with little blue penguins.
Don’t let the name put you off. A track through farmland leads to a viewing platform over this rugged, white sand beach before continuing down a sandhill toward the wavy waters. Native fur seals (kekeno) and sea lions (rāpoka) hang out on the rocks and beach, and there’s also a sizeable colony of yellow-eyed penguins (hoiho).
Dunedin’s answer to Bondi, this popular surf beach boasts a heated saltwater pool for those not keen to brave the brisk southern waters. Grab a coffee and join the promenaders.
This beach is such a looker that, in the 19870s, local politician John Cargill commissioned a tunnel to be hand-carved through a rock wall so his family could have private access to it. While not safe for swimming, it’s a spectacular place to explore with its sea stacks, arches and unusual limestone formations.
Full of hidden semi-precious gems in the form of jasper, quartz and sapphire, this cliff-backed beach makes for a treasure hunt with a difference. Leave the togs at home though – swimming’s off the cards here too.
Even if weren’t for its famous dinosaur egg-like boulders, this smooth, sandy beach is well worth a visit. It’s about a 45-minute walk along the beach from the village to the Moeraki Boulders, which weigh several tonnes each and stand up to two metres high. Head in the other direction on the Kaiks Wildlife Trail to find a cute old wooden lighthouse. Fur seals and little-eyes penguins might put in an appearance.
Seals, snow-capped peaks and standout sunsets give this former gold-mining settlement a triple edge. Hike up to nearby Galway Beach (about three-and-a-half hours return) to spot the colony of seals. The four other walks from the beach include a five-minute stroll to a historic miner’s cemetery, and a one-hour-and-40-minute return hike to a lagoon and viewpoint.
Many come for the technicolour gorge and move on. But their loss is longer-staying visitors’ gain in the form of a blissfully uncrowded, wave-battered, black sand and pebble beach. Home to little blue penguins, the beach is great for swimming and surfing if you’re experienced, or simply a soul-soothing stroll. If you’re on an evening walk, finish up at Sunset Point, where you can chomp on fish and chips as the sun does its daily disappearing act above the Tasman Sea.
The almost hour-long walk from Kohaihai to this wild, nīkau palm-fringed beach puts a lot of people off, meaning you could easily have it all to yourself. Strewn with driftwood and often enshrouded in mist, it feels like the beach that time forgot. Don’t attempt to swim here though.
Backed by the fossilised remains of a 180-million-year-old forest, Curio Bay is also home to a colony of rare yellow-eyed penguins (hoiho) and pod of Hector’s dolphins – summer visitors can often see them playing in the surf. Wave-lashed Porpoise Bay, arguably the best swimming beach in the Catlins, is the only place where dolphins come so close to the shore without people enticing them with food.
Home to one of the longest sea caves in the world, this remote beach is accessed via a track through the podocarp and kāmahi forest of the Waipati Scenic Reserve. Up to 30 metres high, the caves can only be reached for an hour either side of high tide.
Located in the well-named Glory Cove Scenic Reserve, this blissfully isolated beach is at its most magical at night, when those with good night vision might spot the local kiwi foraging. If you don’t, you’ll still be treated to one of the most star-studded nightly shows in Aotearoa.
Have we missed your favourite beach? Let us know in the comments.
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