New Zealand Beaches

Maitai Bay is a gorgeous white sand beach and campground located in New Zealand's Kaitaia area, popular for its myriad of seasonal recreation activities and abundance of natural wildlife. Tall pohutukawa line the beach's shoreline, while endangered bird species such as the New Zealand dotterel and oystercatcher call the surrounding bay home. Visitors to Maitai Bay have a wide range of water sports opportunities at their disposal, including chances for fishing, diving, hiking, boating, swimming, and snorkelling. As the bay is a site of cultural signifigance to the region's native Maori Iwi people, particularly along Maitai Point, visitors should note that the beach's elevated areas should be avoided for fishing due to their cultural significance. While restrooms and showers are provided for visitor use, no drinking water is available for consumption.

Ninety Mile Beach is one of the most famed beachfront stretches in the country of New Zealand, located on North Island between Reef Point and Scott Point. The beach, which actually only measures at a length of 55 miles long, is known internationally for its desertlike sand dunes, stunning sunsets, and excellent surfing and bodyboarding conditions. It has been featured in a number of television series and motion pictures, including a 2013 episode of the series Top Gear. Once a year, the beach hosts an annual five-day fishing competition, attracting competitors and spectators from around the world to catch snapper and native species such as the tuatua shellfish.

Tawharanui Regional Park is a remote beach near Kawau Island located on a peninsula that juts into the Pacific Ocean, known as one of the premeire swimming and surfing beaches in New Zealand's Auckland region. The park's present-day lands were occupied by indigenous tribes prior to New Zealand's colonization and, until the 1870s, were the home of a Te Kawerau tribe known as the Ngati Raupo. Today, the park serves as an important ecological site and a protected breeding area for New Zealand dotterel birds. More than 50 species of fish populate its barrier reefs, along with a large lobster population and frequent visits from dolphins and orcas in the area. Beachgoers can watch for wildlife or hike on trails that wind through the park and surrounding forest to reach striking views at the highest point of the peninsula.

Bledisloe House, Level 7, 24 Wellesley Street, Auckland 1010, Phone: +64-93-07-92-79

Piha Beach is a famed surfing beach located along the western coastline of New Zealand's North Island, known for its unique black sand and high waves. The strong currents at the beach can make water conditions dangerous for less experienced swimmers, though the area is patrolled by lifeguards throughout the summer and safe swimming areas are marked off with flags. Still, the beach's notorious safety conditions have made it the subject of a New Zealand reality show known as Piha Rescue, which followed beach lifeguards throughout their daily routines for 14 seasons. Beachgoers can take surfing lessons from a number of area shops or learn the art of abseil rock climbing from tour guides. A beachside cafe provides food and drinks, which can be consumed at the cafe or as part of shoreline picnics.

Te Whanganui-A-Hei, also known as Cathedral Cove, is a spacious beach, marine reserve, and bustling tourist spot in New Zealand, attracting more than 150,000 visitors to its coastline each year. The beach is home to a large and distinct natural rock formation archway that has has been a filming location for many popular pieces of media, including the feature film The Chronicles of Narnia: Prince Caspian Macklemore and Ryan Lewis' music video for "Can't Hold Us." Its shoreline is shaded by pohutukawa trees and serves as a popular spot for swimming, sunbathing, and picnicking. Clear and calm water conditions make the beach an ideal spot for snorkelers and scuba divers to observe marine life.

Mount Maunganui, commonly referred to as The Mount, is a popular Bay of Plenty spot often ranked among the best beaches in the world, renowned for its white sand and prime surf conditions. Beachgoers can ascend the top of the Mount, an extinct volcano that rises more than 760 feet above sea level and offers unparalleled views of the surrounding bay region. The beach is known as an excellent spot for swimming and sunbathing, home to a variety of diving and dolphin-watching excursion companies, golf courses, and big game fishing charters. Nearby in the town of Mount Maunganui, visitors can shop and dine at a wide variety of restaurants, bars, and boutiques or attend events such as the Gourmet Night Market, which showcases foods and goods from local farmers and producers.

Wharariki Beach is located west of Cape Farewell on New Zealand's South Island, known internationally for its large cliffs and sand dunes, interesting cave formations, and blustery high wind gusts. The remote beach is only accessible via a walking trail which begins at Wharariki Road and extends for more than 20 minutes before reaching the coastline. Its is perhaps most renowned for its unique Archway Islands formation, which have been featured as the default lock screen image for Microsoft's Windows 10 software program. Visitors should note that the best time to explore this beach is during low tide, as its landscape changes dramatically with tide conditions, making it almost inaccessible at high tide.

Abel Tasman National Park is a beach and wilderness reserve located on New Zealand's South Island, best known for its long and lovely coastline hiking trail, the Abel Tasman Coast Track. The beach and its surrounding park are home to an abundance of native New Zealand wildlife, including fur seals, bottlenose dolphins, wild pigs, and little blue penguins. It is noted for its unique terrain, which includes sections of sandy beachfront, unmodified estuaries, and rock formations. The park's lands were originally inhabited by an indigenous Maori tribe known as Ngati-Tu-mata-kokiri, who thrived in the area until the arrival of European colonizers in the mid-19th century. Though the area was used for logging and granite mining throughout the late 19th and early 20th centuries, it was preserved in 1942 to prevent further environmental damage.

South Island 7183, New Zealand, Phone: +64-35-46-93-39

Awaroa Beach is a small beach opened to the public by crowdfunding efforts in 2016, when local residents joined together to make the spot publically accessible and prevent its sale to developers. The beach is located within the grounds of Abel Tasman National Park and is typically accessed on foot or via boat ride. The beach's waters remain brilliant blue and unpolluted today, attracting legions of beachgoers looking to escape tourist crowds. Though the beach is renowned as a secluded and quiet natural getaway, visitors should note that no amenities have been developed on the site as of yet, including concession stands or campgrounds.

Hokitika Beach is a charming beach located within the town of Hokitika along New Zealand's western coast, serving as a popular spot for local residents and international tourists alike. Though families frequent the beach's beautiful coastline and gorgeous blue waters, visitors should note that no lifeguards are staffed on duty throughout the summer. Swimmers are advised to exercise caution at high tide, when drops in the ocean floor may be difficult to spot. The beach is considered to be a prime spot for fishing, canoeing, horseback riding, and dogwalking, with a motor camp located nearby within the town of Hokitika. Though the beach itself offers little in the way of visitor amenities, many services, shops, and restaurants are located nearby within the town center, catering to beach tourists throughout the season.

72 Beach St, Hokitika 7810, New Zealand