13 Beautiful Beaches in New Zealand

There is so much natural beauty in New Zealand that many consider it the most visually stunning place on earth. For some folks it’s the mountains that set this nation apart. For others it is the farmland or cities brimming with adventure. And then there are the lazy folk who believe the beaches are New Zealand’s greatest treasure.

Seriously, though, it’s the mountains. Nonetheless, New Zealand beaches are spectacular to behold and there is no shortage of them.

In this article we’re going to discuss a baker’s dozen sandy shores that we think are worth stealing a small amount of time from your rigorous hiking agenda to relax for a minute.

Now where are all of these wonderful beaches? You will find them on both the North and South islands. This allows you the incredible opportunity to sprinkle them all throughout your adventure.

And while the beaches tend to cluster in certain areas a bit, they can be found up and down most every coast of the country. After all, this is a pair of large islands we’re talking about here.

The first five or six beaches listed in the article we consider relatively close to “can’t miss” status. The rest are all worthwhile if you’re in the neighborhood (which you probably will be for most of them).

That’s enough preamble for this short article. Without further delay, let’s review 13 of the most beautiful beaches in New Zealand! We hope you enjoy the read!

1. Mount Maunganui

We believe that Mount Maunganui is the single best beach destination in New Zealand if you are looking for the total package. It is found on the North Island two hours south of the Coromandel Peninsula (about 3 hours from Auckland).

There are a lot of components that make Mount Maunganui special. Firstly, the beach is long, the sand is nice, and the waves are surf-able. Second, the buzzy town is blocks from the shore with dozens of shops and restaurants to enjoy.

This establishes a good baseline, and from here it gets really interesting. At the end of the beach is an ancient volcano with hiking trails running up and around it. The views from up top are tremendous. There’s also a small, explorable island spit with incredible views of the mount. Furthermore, the Bay of Plenty is packed with boats and activity, and found right on the other side of the beach.

This is one of the most active beach crowds you’ll find anywhere. From sun up to sun down the boardwalk and hiking trails are filled with people getting their exercise. The vibe is simply fantastic.

If there is one beach in New Zealand calling us back for another visit it is Mount Maunganui.

2. Kaiteriteri

If you’re looking for a beach vacation on the South Island of New Zealand, this is the best place to park a lounger and soak up the rays. Surprisingly, for all of New Zealand’s beautiful beaches there are very few with the sand and accoutrements to sustain multiple days of comfortable beach lounging.

Here at Kaiteriteri the sand is cozy and the water is blue. There’s a store and a couple of restaurants 50 steps away. Boat tours of Abel Tasman National Park are easily booked as well. And there’s an incredible tidal lake and “kiddie pool” that arrives twice a day.

Kaiteriteri Beach has enough going on to provide low key beach entertainment for a handful of days. If you’re headed to Abel Tasman plan on staying here an extra night or two.

3. Cathedral Cove

This is probably the most picturesque beach in New Zealand. You simply cannot beat Cathedral Cove for ambiance.

The 1.25 hour hike from Hahei is gentle enough and has nice scenery, so it’s hardly a travail to get here. However, Cathedral Cove is remote so you won’t find anything but a snack shack 30 minutes from the shore.

If you cannot handle the inherent menace of Instagram people you’re gonna struggle to keep your love of people intact, as the social media whoredom here is prodigious. Be sure to pack your resolve.

4. Hot Water Beach

You just might have your best New Zealand experience digging a hot tub at Hot Water Beach. Don’t allow any negative reviews to dissuade you from coming here.

Now, be warned — you’re gonna earn that scalding little piece of real-estate, unless you inherit someone else’s labor as they’re leaving. We recommend digging the sandy tub for yourself, as that’s half the fun.

The other half the fun? Watching people dig their pits, of course. It’s pure mayhem — the fortunate leading the blind. Complicating the whole affair is the water temperatures are dramatically different just moving a few feet in either direction. One pit might be insufferably hot, and five feet away it’s ocean cold.

Rent a shovel for $10 NZD at the art gallery just across the street from the Hot Water Beach parking lot.

5. Anchorage Bay

This is one of the most picturesque beaches in all of New Zealand. The best way to get here is by partaking in a boat & hiking tour of Abel Tasman National Park.

Anchorage Bay is found about an hour boat ride away from Kaiteriteri. The hiking all around this stunning bay is going to blow your mind. That said, this elevated view is better than sitting on the beach itself.

6. Wharariki Beach

This out-of-the-way stunner receives a tremendous amount of hype around the internet. Some have dared to call it a top-10 beach IN THE WORLD.

Well, it’s not that. In fact, the approach to the beach is much better than the actual waterfront; dare I say, the shore is the least interesting thing happening here. We much prefer the hiking track that explores the rolling, sheep-filled landscape just above Wharariki Beach.

The beach itself reminds us of Cannon Beach in Oregon, but it’s smaller and without the perks of a killer beach town. Furthermore, Wharariki is a couple of hours out of the way. The total package is interesting for sure, but if you’re coming for a day at the beach you could potentially be disappointed.

7. Hokitika Beach

While the dark sand and cold water doesn’t elevate the status of Hokitika Beach, there is something happening here you will not find anywhere else: Massive amounts of driftwood. So much driftwood that people have build semi-permanent structures up and down the shore. It is very cool.

The town of Hokitika is quite lovely with lots of options for fun and food. And the mountainous backdrop and lush valley setting behind the town completes the paradisiacal tableau. Hokitika is an underrated locale and therefore one of the best beaches in New Zealand.

8. Piha Beach

An hour’s drive from Auckland is a dramatic, black sand beacon called Piha Beach. Here you will find surfable waves and dramatic cliffs, and a quaint little “town” that accommodates travelers. Perhaps most noteworthy is the landmark sentinel known as Lion Rock that dominates the landscape.

9. Hahei Beach

Hahei Beach is a straightforward strip of sand with a pleasant setting. The backdrop is a sand berm with a campground directly behind it. The tiny town is a 10 minute walk up the way.

Hahei is a good place to relax for a couple of days. You can walk to Cathedral Cove from here in a little over an hour.

10. Milford Sound

You’re not going to find a better beachside view than the one at Milford Sound. And while you won’t park your lounger and pulverize the latest Reacher novel on this pebbled shore, don’t pass up the opportunity to take in the ambiance. It is worth the 15 minute walk from the parking lot. It might be the best picnic lunch of your entire vacation.

11. Glenorchy

Glenorchy hardly seems like a beach town, but there absolutely is a beach and it’s pretty cool! You can find it beside the pier where everyone photographs the little red house.

12. Queenstown

The beach in Queenstown is the perfect place to bring lunch or feed the birds, as it is smack-dab in the heart of town. The sand is coarse and rocky, which isn’t great, but the view is pleasing.

13. Wanaka

The Wanaka beach has two things going for it: 1. It’s a gorgeous lakeside setting with a spectacular mountain backdrop. 2. The town is across the street, so it’s nice and easy to visit. Also, you will find the famous #wanakatree down the way, a 15-20 minute walk from the heart of town.

The downside is this is a rocky beach with an unappealing shoreline. We visited in late summer and not a soul was in the water.

An Honest Conclusion

Honestly, these are not the best beaches in the world. The landscapes around the beaches are remarkable — occasionally spectacular — but the sand quality is moderate-to-poor and the water is chilly. Furthermore, few of New Zealand’s best beaches have legitimate commerce and accommodations nearby.

If we’re telling the truth, New Zealand is not a tropical beach destination, but rather a world-class destination that happens to have beaches. These are not the kind of beaches you lounge upon between visits to the tiki barstool booze hut. They are picnic beaches or photography lover beaches.

As long as you set your expectations to this level of understanding you should enjoy your beach time in Middle Earth. New Zealand beaches were a relatively prominent part of our vacation and we are happy with our choices. However, the most memorable things we experienced in this incredible country did not involve time on the sand.

Thank you for stopping by our website! We are the Hoffmann family, a full-time RV family that has split residence in Seattle, Washington and San Antonio, Texas. We have special needs children that we homeschool, and work travel assignments for the Veteran Affairs Hospital. If you would like to learn more about us, check out our Start Here and Biography pages. In the meantime, God bless and travel happy!

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