Where Are The Best Beaches In Waikato, New Zealand?
Waikato’s coastal areas are quite contrasted, with its rugged black sand beaches on the west coast of the North Island, and its calm, sheltered white sand spots tucked in and around the Coromandel Peninsula over on the eastern side of the North Island. Here is your guide for where to go, whether you’re chasing big surf, hot water pools, or quiet – even secret – beaches to explore.
Best Beaches on the West Coast
The West Coast of the Waikato region is a continuation of that rugged coastline that comes down from the southwest areas of the Auckland region – think more black sand beaches, more pounding surf, more killer sunsets over the horizon in the West. This coastline is the Tasman Sea, a wide, vast horizon that stretches out to Australia.
⛱️ Sunset Beach / Port Waikato Beach
Sunset Beach – also known as Port Waikato Beach – is an impressive black sand beach, with its raging West Coast surf, and is a favourite with surfers and swimmers. Lifeguards patrol here, which is just as well, and you can also walk to the mouth of the Waikato River – which is New Zealand’s longest river. There’s interesting rocks to explore when the tide recedes, impressive cliffs and sand dunes, good fishing, and abundant bird life.
⛱️ Ngarunui / Ocean / Main / Wainui Beach
This Raglan beach – with its many names! – caters to surfers of all levels and has surf schools operating there, making it an all-rounder surfie destination, whether you are a pro or an amateur. I took a surf lesson here in 2013 and it was a lot harder than in Hawaii, where the breaks were even more beginner friendly, but it is a good place to learn regardless, and arguably one of the best surfing spots in the country.
⛱️ Kāwhia Hot Water Beach / Ocean Beach
This quieter alternative to the more famous Hot Water Beach on the Coromandel Peninsula is quite a unique place to visit, with its black sand, epic sunsets, views over the Tasman Sea, and most importantly, the hot water that will fill any little pool you can manage to dig two hours either side of low tide. The one on the Coromandel Peninsula is much more famous and can get crowded – why not head west instead, and try this one out? Bring a spade and a beverage, and go within two hours of low tide. Another name for this spot are the Te Puia Springs; they’re one and the same.
Best Beaches on the Coromandel Peninsula
The Coromandel Peninsula has got to be one of the best beach destinations, not just in the region, but in the entire country. A hotspot for holidaymakers from all over the upper North Island, I have spent many a summer on these beaches. You really are spoilt for choice here, but these beaches next would be the best:
⛱️ Ōamaru Bay
Ōamaru Bay makes the cut as it is really close to the main Coromandel township, has a stretch of calm water, and is a lovely relaxing swimming beach with lots of accommodation options nearby. Its the easy, accessible option!
These next three beaches are all right at the top of the peninsula. They’re remote, they’re a bit of a drive, and a little more unspoilt and isolated as a result. The drive up to Fletcher Bay can be a little hairy – think narrow, cliffside one-way roads – but if you’re up for a bit of an adventure, go for it.
⛱️ Fletcher Bay
Fletcher Bay is remote and isolated – with magical scenery, sitting right at the top of the Coromandel Peninsula. It’s the last stop along the Port Jackson Road, and a starting point for the Coromandel Coastal Walkway down to Stony Bay, if you want to see even more by foot.
⛱️ Stony Bay
Stony Bay is the other trailhead for one of the country’s best coastal walks – a 10 kilometre (6 mile) walk between here and the top of the peninsula (Fletcher Bay). There’s good camping, fishing and diving here, and a stream for little ones to wade in.
⛱️ Waikawau Beach
The location of Waikawau Beach right up the top of the Coromandel Peninsula lends itself to that remote, untouched feeling. There’s a big campsite operating here, too – we spent New Years here in 2017. Next door is Little Waikawau Beach, Waikawau’s mini-me, another little slice of white sand paradise.
Moving down the eastern coast of the Coromandel Peninsula now, we have a trio of beaches, all fabulous in their own right:
⛱️ New Chums Beach / Wainuiototo Bay
New Chums Beach has been voted as one of the best 10 beaches in the world, and features often in ‘best beach’ lists, both nationally and internationally. It is increasingly popular, but still has the secluded feeling as you can only get there by foot, and sometimes even dolphins can be seen in the surf. A track up to Motuto Point provides epic views. Walking over to New Chums from Whangapoua Beach will take you 25 minutes.
⛱️ Whangapoua Beach
Whangapoua Beach is a much loved beach with its quintessentially-Coromandel white sand, safe swimming, and clear waters. It’s also the access point over to the renowned New Chums Beach and has a lagoon as well, meaning you can swim away from the waves and currents if you are not so confident.
⛱️ Matarangi Beach
Over the warmer months, the popular Matarangi Beach is home to a colony of New Zealand dotterel birds. It is a favourite holiday destination beach for many Kiwis and shares those beautiful sandy shorelines with the other Coromandel beaches on this list. There’s great bike paths nearby, good fishing here – and would be considered generally one of the better Coromandel beaches for its great swimming and surf. Dolphins and orcas have been seen here, so it does happen!
The next trio of beaches sit together on the land that juts out into the east (it’s the Kuaotunu Peninsula) and it’s between Matarangi and Whitianga as you come down the eastern coast of the Coromandel Peninsula. Visit one, two, or all three – they’re all next to each other and easy to see in one hit.
⛱️ Otama Beach
Otama Beach has it all: stunning waters, stretches of white sand, a lagoon, sand dunes caves, rock pools, and a rope swing. It’s white, sandy shoreline is an excellent place to spend a day!
⛱️ Opito Bay
Like Otama Beach, the colour of the sand and water is a massive drawcard for these magical Kuaotunu Peninsula spots. There is a walk up to the Opito Point Pā that is worth doing. There’s awesome snorkelling here – and access to Crayfish Bay via a 10 minute walk, which is our next magical beach on this list:
⛱️ Crayfish Bay
If Otama and Opito Bays were not beautiful enough, Crayfish Bay is the little secret gem further along from Opito Bay. The water is a bright turquoise, it’s incredibly private, and there’s little caves to explore, too. This one is one to take note of and will exceed expectations, if the previous two did not already! There’s more snorkelling here too, so bring a mask.
These next five beaches are within proximity to the beach town of Whitianga, which, after Thames, at the base of the peninsula, is the second largest town in the area. For this reason, many people base themselves in Whitianga for the duration of their holiday, and if the next beaches are on your must-see list, you should consider doing the same!
⛱️ Buffalo Beach (Whitianga)
Buffalo Beach is loved for its proximity to the town centre of Whitianga, to the ferry terminal, and to all the waterfront restaurants. A good one for ease of access and proximity to amenities!
⛱️ Cooks Beach (Mercury Bay)
Enclosed within the wider Mercury Bay, Cooks Beach is sheltered by the edges of the bay, providing clear, calm waters for swimmers – making it a great family beach. Nearby Shakespeare Cliff provides awesome views over Cooks Beach.
⛱️ Hahei Beach
Hahei Beach is the entry point to the famous Cathedral Cove – whether you are choosing to head over to the cove by foot or by watercraft. You can catch water taxis to the cove from Hahei Beach, enabling you to really enjoy the clarity of the water in these parts, but don’t make the mistake of overlooking Hahei Beach, a gem in and of itself.
⛱️ Cathedral Cove
Cathedral Cove is one of the country’s best beaches, and quite iconic, having featured in the movie, ‘The Chronicles of Narnia: Prince Caspian’ in 2008. The beach (and the Cathedral Cove Marine Reserve / Te Whanganui-o-Hei) is only accessible by foot or boat. Both are great summer pilgrimages to this beautiful cove – wait until you see its blinding white sands, sparkling blue water, and that famous rock arch that you can walk through and take a fun silhouette photo in. Go very early and off peak season if you want to (try) and avoid the crowds!
⛱️ Hot Water Beach
Hot Water Beach is incredibly popular because of the fact that two hours either side of low tide, you can take a spade down and dig yourself a hole to sit in. The water below the sand is hot – sometimes too hot! – and if you spend long enough, you can dig yourself quite a decent little hot pool – or poach someone else’s, when they’ve left! This beach is a famous one, so expect people – but it can also be enjoyed in cooler weather, due to the fact that you’ll be soaking in warmer temperatures.
I’ve coupled together Tairua Beach and Pauanui Beach, which sit on either side of the Tairua Harbour. They’re not far away from each other but youdo have to drive inland and then out again to get from one to the other, so they are twenty minutes apart by road.
⛱️ Tairua / Ocean Beach
Tairua Beach is a real favourite for many New Zealanders, with its incredible surf enjoyed by surfers and boogie-boarders alike. A climb up Paku Hill nearby affords gorgeous views over the beach and the Tairua Harbour. Fishing is good here, too.
⛱️ Pauanui Beach
Pauanui Beach is also one of the more popular destinations on the Coromandel Peninsula, with its long stretch of white sand, great surf, lifeguard patrols, nearby estuary, and Mount Pauanui at the end of the beach, offering a good little climb for the reward of a great, panoramic view. The swimming is safe, and the conditions at Pauanui frequently lend themselves to good kitesurfing and windsurfing!
As we continue to travel south down this stretch of coastline, the next two beaches of note are Pokohino Beach and the incredibly popular Whangamatā Beach.
⛱️ Pokohino Beach
A challenging, 20 minute bush trek to Pokohino Beach means that it is not frequented by many, and a bit of a secret beach. You’ll be rewarded with caves to explore, rocks you can jump off, and rock pools you can look at at low tide – not to mention the major drawcard: the sheer beauty of this beach and the unbelievably clear water.
⛱️ Whangamatā Beach
Alongside Whitianga, Tairua and Pauanui, I’d put Whangamatā right up there with the most populous summer hotspots on the Coromandel Peninsula. Whangamatā Beach is so loved because of its gorgeous sand and surf – it’s actually world-renowned for surfing with international surfies flocking to it for its breaks, partly owing to the presence of the Whangamatā Bar.
Nearby Donut Island (otherwise known as Whenuakura Island) can be accessed by kayak and provides a bit of extra adventure for those with watercraft. It’s a blowhole that collapsed, creating a green lagoon with a hole in the top – a natural sun roof, lighting up the water below. An adjacent estuary means safe swimming options for all ages.
Waihī Beach is technically over the border and in the Bay of Plenty region, but as it lies just south of Whangamatā Beach (a 40 minute drive), I’ll include some details about it here.
⛱️ Waihī Beach
Waihī Beach is loved nationwide – another beach with a very long stretch of gorgeous white sand, with the added benefits of having awesome surf and lifeguards patrolling in summer, and considered a really safe swimming spot. It’s a stone’s throw from the port city of Tauranga, but an easily travelled distance from Auckland city, as well. It’s a whole little beach side town, with all the amenities, good walking, sheer beauty, and not to be missed.
From wild west coast surf to crystal-clear bays on the other side of the country, the Waikato region really does have the best of both worlds. Take your time exploring – guaranteed you will find new favourites of your own as you do that do not feature here; naming them all would be an impossible task in a region so rich in beautiful beaches.