Anchor Bay

North facing Anchor Bay lies approximately 1.5 hours north of Auckland in Tawharanui Regional Park. Found on a peninsula of land of the same name, it sits between Kawau Bay to the south and Omaha Beach to the north.

One of Auckland’s east coast beaches, grassy dunes shaded by pohutukawa trees slip down onto a wide expanse of pale sand which can be reached by a short set of well-tended stairs.

The beach itself is large enough that there’s space enough for everyone even on popular days such as national holidays, and it is considered one of the best swimming and surfing beaches in the region. It is especially recommended for beginner surfers. Anchor Bay is split into roughly equal two halves by rocks, although it’s easy enough to walk between them most of the time.

Facilities at Anchor Bay are relatively limited. There are public toilets and changing rooms, as well as barbeque facilities, but nowhere to buy either food or drink. The last section of the road to the bay comprises gravel. As part of the regional park, Anchor Bay is a protected space that is home to several species of rare native birds including dotterels. As a result, no dogs are allowed onto Anchor Bay, and fishing is also prohibited.