The Best North Island Beaches
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31. Whangapoua Beach
Whangapoua Beach is located in the northeast of Great Barrier Island off Auckland.
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32. Baylys Beach
© David Broad / CC BY Baylys Beach is a small coastal settlement on the west coast of New Zealand’s North Island, about 10 kilometres from Dargaville. It is part of the immense stretch of Ripiro Beach, which runs for around 100 kilometres along the Tasman Sea coast making it New Zealand’s longest drivable beach.
Baylys beach is popular for fishing, surfing, and four-wheel driving, with vehicles allowed to travel along the hard-packed sand at low… read more »
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33. Big Manly Beach
© russellstreet / CC BY Great for:- Swimming
Big Manly Beach is a popular spot on the Whangaparāoa Peninsula, just north of Auckland. This sandy crescent offers calm, shallow waters, making it ideal for swimming, paddleboarding, and kayaking. The beach has a relaxed, family-friendly atmosphere, with plenty of space to unwind.
In case you were wondering, yes, there is a Little Manly Beach on the other side of the peninsula, about 1km away.
The surrounding area features coastal… read more »
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34. Brendan Beach
Great for:- Fishing
Set on a remote section of the south coast of New Zealand’s North Island is Brendan Beach. About 20 km from Wellington, it sits among the rugged coastal scenery on the western edge of Palliser Bay.
The beach is known for its isolation, strong winds, and often wild waves, making it a great place for those who enjoy quiet, windswept landscapes.
The shoreline consists of a mix of sand and… read more »
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35. Browns Bay
© Sids1 / CC BY Great for:- Swimming
Set in a laid-back coastal suburb on Auckland’s North Shore is Browns Bay Beach, a long stretch of golden sand with calm waters. The beach is an ideal spot for swimming, paddleboarding, and picnicking. A scenic walkway runs along the waterfront, offering views over the Hauraki Gulf and nearby Rangitoto Island.
The Browns Bay neighbourhood has a mix of cafés, restaurants, and shops, giving it a lively yet laid-back feel.… read more »
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36. Buffalo Beach // Coromandel Peninsula
Great for:- Fishing
- Swimming
Buffalo Beach can be found forming the coastline to the town of Whitianga in Mercury Bay. This V-shaped inlet lies on the eastern side of the famed Coromandel Peninsula of New Zealand's North Island.
Intimately connected with the first European explorations of the country, it was here that Captain Cook took his measurements of the transit of the planet Mercury across the face of the sun in 1769, leading to… read more »
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37. Howick Beach
© OrangeZone / CC BY This little, sandy beach in East Auckland has calm waters, making it ideal for swimming, kayaking, and paddleboarding. At low tide, rock pools appear along the shoreline, attracting people looking for small sea creatures.
The beach is backed by a grassy reserve with picnic tables and a boat ramp, making it a popular spot for families. The surrounding area has a mix of modern and historic homes, and nearby Howick… read more »
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38. Karikari Beach
Great for:- Swimming
- Surfing
Located on the Karikari Peninsula in Northland, this beach features a long stretch of white sand with clear blue waters. It's a quiet spot, ideal for walking, swimming, and fishing. Karikari beach is surrounded by rolling dunes and coastal vegetation, adding to its natural beauty.
Nearby, you’ll find other great beaches, including Matai Bay and Tokerau Beach, as well as vineyards and small settlements. The waters here can be… read more »
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39. Muriwai Beach
© JShook / CC BY Great for:- Fishing
- Surfing
Muriwai Beach is located on the rugged and relatively undeveloped west coast of the region around Auckland. Atmospherically if not physically far from the sights and sounds of New Zealand's biggest city 42 kilometres north west, it offers visitors a wide, flat expanse of volcanic black sand. Part of a chain of continuous beaches running for around 50 kilometres, its name is said to mean ‘water's end'.
Prevailing offshore breezes attract… read more »
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40. Opoutere Beach // Coromandel Peninsula
© Glenn Howell / CC BY Great for:- Surfing
Situated on the eastern coast of the Coromandel Peninsula facing out into the depths of the Pacific Ocean, Opoutere comes from the Maori for "place of floating posts" and boasts five kilometres of white sand.
At its southern end visitors will discover the picturesque harbour of Wharekawa, protected by a curving natural sand spit. It forms a lagoon-like appearance and is an important breeding site for many native and endangered New… read more »
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41. Peka Peka Beach
Peka Peka Beach is a quiet spot on the Kāpiti Coast on the south-east coast of North Island. It offers a long stretch of sandy shoreline, backed by dunes with a mix of native vegetation.
The waters are generally calm, though conditions can change, so it's always good to be mindful of the tides. It's also a well-known area for birdwatching, with a variety of seabirds to be seen along… read more »
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42. Puheke Beach
Great for:- Fishing
- Surfing
Puheke Beach occupies a remote and beautiful stretch of coastline in Northland. Located near the Karikari Peninsula, it features soft white sand, rolling dunes, and clear blue water.
The surrounding area includes Puheke Hill, which is worth climbing for the panoramic views of the coast. The hill is an important cultural site for Māori, adding a layer of history to the landscape.
Puwheke beach is not as well known as… read more »
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43. Rarawa Beach
© Stug.stug / CC BY Great for:- Swimming
- Surfing
Rarawa Beach is a striking stretch of white silica sand. Situated on the east coast of Northland, near the top of North Island, the sand here is unusually bright and fine, creating a strong contrast with the clear blue water and dark patches of native forest nearby. It's a quiet, open beach with generally gentle waves that are ideal for swimming and bodyboarding in the right conditions.
The beach sits… read more »
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44. Kuaotunu Beach // Coromandel Peninsula
Simon Morris Great for:- Surfing
Kuaotunu is a wide sandy beach backed by grassy dunes and mottled woodland 18 kilometres north of Whitianga on the east coast of the Coromandel Peninsula. One of the most northerly beaches on the Coromandel, it has a shallow entrance into turquoise waters, while offering a naturalistic experience. The endangered dotterel nests just off the beach, and dolphins are often observed in the shallows.
The high number of permanent residents living… read more »
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45. Maraetai Beach
Simon Morris Great for:- Swimming
Maraetai Beach is located on the Pohutukawa Coast within the Auckland Region. Facing north towards Waiheke Island, it's a popular family beach destination that becomes particularly crowded with holidaymakers from Auckland in the summer months.
It is popular for a number of reasons. For one thing, its clean sands have a shallow entry into waters that are suitable for the whole family to swim in. But there are also grassy… read more »
