Wanna know a secret – the secret of where the best beaches in NZ are? We found them. And, we’re kind of in two minds as to whether we should be telling you our secrets – but, here goes!
Wait on. Are we somehow in Fiji?
It’s the thought my partner and I both shared as we headed to the first beach on our list of ‘must-sees’ up north. And then again the next day, when he breathlessly asked, “Is this real?” as we came around the corner and saw crystal clear light blue water and soft white sand of the next beach.
I’d never ventured so far north before – apart from a day trip from Paihia to Cape Reinga more than a decade ago when we didn’t venture off the beaten path – and now I realise what a mistake I’ve made. It’s gorgeous. Stunningly so. The beaches are insane, and there’s so many different ones to visit, you’ll often find there’s only a handful of people at them – even on a long weekend during summer!
The drive is also not as long as I’d imagined it to be – even with two kids (including a toddler) in the backseat, in the height of summer. It’s about four to five hours all up, depending on your traffic, to get from Auckland up to Mangōnui – a great place to base yourself. It’s a hell of a lot easier than flying to Fiji – not to mention cheaper!
Mangōnui is a gorgeous little seaside town, with a little stretch of shops: gift shops, a great Thai restaurant, plus the cutest Four Square I have ever seen. It’s perched out over the sea, so as you shop, you’re looking straight out to the ocean. It’s also home to the world-famous Mangōnui Fish and Chip Shop, which again, has a stunning location sitting out over the water. There’s a covered balcony area to eat your catch of the day, or if you can’t find a seat, they do a roaring takeaway business. Oh, and if you’re gluten free, I have excellent news: they do a GF batter. It was heaven.
At short notice, we managed to find a gem of a place to stay at on Booking.com (yup, they do holiday houses as well as hotels/motels etc – in fact in NZ holiday homes lead the way, having received the most Traveller Review Awards). The spacious two-story ‘Harbour View Apartment‘, three-bedroom apartment sits above a quiet real estate business along the main road and looks out directly at the sea. The bottom floor is home to a long deck where you can enjoy a morning coffee (or let the toddler live out his dreams, getting to wave at the tourist buses as they roll by), and it’s where you’ll find the open plan living/dining/kitchen area, a double bedroom, a beautifully decorate kids’ bedroom with bunks (it’s perfect for little ones who nap, as it’s an internal room without a window), as well as a large bathroom. Upstairs is dedicated to a huge master bedroom with an ensuite and sweeping views across the bay.
As soon as we arrived, dropped our bags and opened the balcony doors facing out to the sea, I instantly felt more relaxed. Which is in keeping with Booking.com’s latest survey which found that nearly three quarters (74%) of Kiwis agreed that being close to the water instantly makes them feel more relaxed and over a third (42%) are interested in water-centric holidays.
After this experience, I’m inclined to say, you can’t get more relaxing than this neck of the woods. There are no flashy hotels, no chain stores or tourist traps. And, it’s the perfect base for visiting all the incredible local beaches of the Karikari penisula. I actually had second thoughts about writing this and bringing them to anyone else’s attention, but really, they’re a secret too good not to share.
Here’s Where To Go:
Waikato Bay (main picture)
About 30 min’s drive up the peninsula from Mangōnui, you’ll find the perfectly situated and secluded Waikato Bay. It’s unique positioning keeps it sheltered from winds coming from all directions and it has a very gently sloping drop into the sea – perfect for taking little ones for a swim.
The water is insane. It’s crystal clear, with only the most gentle of lapping waves – again, making this the spot to take kids.
Rangiputa
This is the beach that locals refer to as NZ’s Fiji. It’s the one that made us all collectively gasp as we came down the hill and saw its light blue waters and insanely white sand.
As you look out to sea, you can see the bright white of sandbars in the not too far distance. It’s heaven, and certainly one of NZ’s best kept secrets.
Besides the ridiculously beautiful beach, there’s not a lot else going on in Rangiputa – apart from being home to a number of residences and holiday homes, many with beautiful, elevated views across the bay. And, being a hub of activity for fishermen. We watched as cars towing their boats came and went quite frequently – with one of them stopping to show the ginormous snapper they were taking home.
In my view, this is the jewel in Karikari’s crown, which is a big call, particularly as my life flashed before me on this beach when I realised that the tickling sensation on my thigh was actually the largest grasshopper I’ve ever seen.
Cooper’s Bay
Just around the corner from Mangōnui, you’ll find a great, good old Kiwi beach with a long stretch of sand and perfectly positioned pohutakawa for a shady spot to park your family. The beach is huge, so there’s oodles of space (there was a ratio of maybe five pohutakawa to every family the day we were there!).
Plus, just up the road there’s a little block of shops – you’ll find a bigger Four Square, plus my favourite café, the Beach Box. It’s a gorgeous little spot, with a couple of picnic tables available and makes excellent coffee, bagels and real fruit ice cream. They even do a delicious dairy-free option – plus they have vegan, GF items on the menu. Definitely worth stopping by for a post swim bite to eat (or three? That’s how many times we went in three days!)
Cable Bay
Drive around another bay from Cooper’s and you’ll find an entirely different beach. The first thing that strikes you is the colour of Cable Bay – the beach is a vibrant gold, made up of striking coarse sand.
It’s home to a huge playground, which looks out to the sea, with a small row of shops – including a fish and chip shop.
At low tide to the right side of the beach you’ll find a treasure of rock pools, that little ones (and not so little ones!) will love searching through.
Alice was hosted by Booking.com. All activities were booked independently. Her opinions are entirely her own
