Oceania's Top 50+ Beaches
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Mount Maunganui Beach // New Zealand
Mt Maunganui beach is a beautiful, long stretch of pristine white sand in the holiday resort town of Mount Maunganui, less formally known as "The Mount". Together with Matakana Island, a massive sand bar to its north, Mount Maunganui forms the main entrance to Tauranga Harbour in the Bay of Plenty on New Zealand's North Island.
Just to the north… read more »
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Medlands Beach // New Zealand
being grateful journal Surrounded by lush forest, Medlands Beach lies on Oruawharo Bay on the east coast of Great Barrier Island, just off New Zealand's Coromandel Peninsula. It is linked to the North Island by regular ferry services to Tryphena, which last approximately an hour.
Its pristine white sand is a favourite with both swimmers and surfers, with Medlands being the closest surf… read more »
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Sandfly Beach // New Zealand
© Andrea Schaffer / CC BY Sandfly Bay lies on the Otago Peninsula on New Zealand's South Island, not far from the city of Dunedin. This beautiful, wild beach is backed by high dunes.
At the northern end of the beach is a bird watching hide constructed to watch the yellow-eyed penguins that are found in this area. The beach is also a good spot to… read more »
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Little Palm Beach // New Zealand
Little Palm beach sits next door to Palm beach in a relatively sheltered bay on Waiheke Island's north coast. It is yet another of the island's pristine beaches with a white sandy shoreline facing into clear blue sparkling waters.
What makes Little Palm well known amongst a plethora of other beautiful beaches of Waiheke Island is its reputation as… read more »
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Onetangi Beach // New Zealand
© trakesht / CC BY At nearly 2 km (1.2 miles) long, the north-facing Onetangi Beach is the longest on Waiheke Island. The local have taken full advantage of this fact and the beach has been home to the Onetangi Beach Horse Races for many years.
Other activities the beach is well known for include the annual sandcastle-building contests; the soft sand, which is free… read more »
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Coogee Beach // Australia
© Sardaka / CC BY Coogee Beach is one of the oldest beachside suburbs south of Sydney. Well developed, it has all the trademarks of a beach lifestyle with good amenities. These include the last remaining women's and children's ocean baths in Australia known as Wylie's Baths and McIvers Baths!
The inviting white sands and generally calm surf are popular with families. It is perfect in… read more »
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Palm Beach // Australia
Simon Morris Sandwiched between Burleigh Heads and Tallebudgera Creek on the north end and Currumbin Point to the south, Palm Beach is a popular patrolled beach on Queensland's glorious Gold Coast.
The sandy beach extends for about 4km (2.5 miles) parallel to the busy Gold Coast Highway 200m to the west. Park on one of the many side streets and direct… read more »
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Obelisk Beach // Australia
© Ernest McGray, Jr. / CC BY Situated within the greenery of Sydney Harbour National Park is a secluded, pretty little sandy cove. Obelisk Beach is tucked away behind Middle Head, only a stone's throw from Mosman and neighbouring Balmoral Beach. However, this hidden beach feels a world apart being sufficiently off the beaten track to rarely attract a crowd.
Getting to Obelisk beach involves at least some… read more »
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Seven Mile Beach // Australia
© Peter Jones / CC BY There's no real need to guess the length of Seven Mile Beach, although there may have been some rounding error! Situated between Nowra and Kiama, the beach comes in at 12 kilometres (7.8 miles) long. Backed almost exclusively by uninterrupted littoral forest with eucalyptus (gum) trees, it is encompassed into Seven Mile Beach National Park.
Its long ribbon of pale sand… read more »
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Balmoral Beach // Australia
© Anton Leddin / CC BY Balmoral beach isn't just a posh name, this is one of the most upmarket neighbourhoods on the northern side of Sydney Harbour. Beautiful homes nestle in the the leafy streets clinging to the hillside, overlooking any number of fancy yachts moored out in the bay. Located only 8km from sowntown Sydney most can only imagine what the real estate prices… read more »
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New Chum Beach // New Zealand
© Pseudopanax / CC BY The 1 km long pristine white-sand of New Chum beach sits in a secluded spot on the northeastern coast of the Coromandel Peninsula. Although not far from the nearest settlement this beach retains a very unspoilt feel.
At the northern end of the beach is the 171 m tall wooded hill of Pukenui whilst the southern end is overlooked by… read more »
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Wharton Beach // Australia
© alfotokunst Located within Cape Le Grand National Park, around an hour's driving time from Esperance, Wharton Beach is best known for its surf. Facing south and forming a semicircle 4.5 kilometres in total length, this white-sand beach is home to some of the areas most consistent and manageable waves. The waves tend to be best towards the centre and western end… read more »
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Hanauma Bay // USA
© Banzai Hiroaki / CC BY The sandy beach of Hanauma Bay is one of the most popular tourist destinations on the Hawaiian island of O'ahu. Given the wealth of beautiful beaches in Hawaii, what makes this one so special?
Well, firstly it is a bit of a stunner. The crescent of golden sand looks out onto the near circular bay formed from two sunken volcanic craters.… read more »
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Washaway Beach // Australia
© Doug Beckers / CC BY Washaway Beach faces east into Sydney Harbour with superb views across to Balmoral and the Manley Ferry coming and going. After a storm, the sand really does get washed away, exposing the rocky slab beneath! At other times it boasts a 200m stretch of sand and waves usually 0.5m or more, depending on the outside swell.
At high tide you may… read more »
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Newport Beach // Australia
© Maurice van Creij / CC BY North of Bungan Head, Newport Beach has long red-golden sands that extend north from Newport Rockpool for about 1.3 kilometres.
At the north end of the beach the sand stops at a tumble of rocks beneath the headland known as The Peak. Newport Beach is a top spot for surfing as it is home to three-times world surf champion Tom Carroll.… read more »
