Unforgettable New Zealand beaches

With 15,000 kilometres of coastline, New Zealand is heaven for beach-lovers. Its diverse shores dish up everything from lazy days and blazing sunsets, to active adventures such as swimming, kayaking and surfing. Finding a great beach is easy; to find an unforgettable one, read on…

Ninety Mile Beach

It’s a poorly kept secret that Ninety Mile Beach is in fact only 88km, but there’s no way you’ll feel short-changed here. Starting near Kaitaia and ending close to Cape Reinga (Te Rerenga Wairua) – New Zealand’s spiritual northern point – it’s an epic expanse of sand and endless ocean, backed by massive dunes that are guaranteed to put sand in your pants. Just shy of the Cape is Te Paki Stream car park. A walkway from here leads to the beach and northwards to Scott Point.

Piha

The popular TV show Piha Rescue follows the heroics of this beach’s busy surf-lifesaving crew. But while Piha is infamous for unruly surf and strong undertows, it well deserves its mantle as Auckland’s most popular seaside playground. Sizzle yourself on its hot black sand, frolic amid foamy white rollers (always swim between the flags), and wander the beach and surrounding walking tracks to better admire the shapely headlands of Lion Rock and Taitomo Island.

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