New Zealand impresses tourists and locals alike with its diversity of beautiful beaches. From black sand to hot water pools, this amazing part of the world can indeed satisfy all expectations.
Choosing the most beautiful beach of the North Island is an impossible feat as each stretch of sand offers a different ambience and setting. Seeing all the beaches of the North Island might be a challenge, so make sure to include these ones in your tour!
- Muriwai Beach
Muriwai beach is located only 42 km west of Auckland and is one of the most unforgettable beaches of the North Island. The main attraction of the beach is not the black sand, which is quite common in the region, but the rugged scenery characterized by crashing waves and sand dunes together with the crisp air. Although this area retained much of its natural beauty, there are many things you can do on Muriwai beach. Dine in one of the fine local cafes, visit the colony of gannets at Maukatia (Maori Bay), or take some surfing lessons. Don’t forget to take a walk on the beach in the evening to catch the breathtaking sunset!
- Hot Water Beach
If you’re taking a North Island tour of New Zealand, a visit to its Hot Water Beach will make your trip an unforgettable one. The beach is located between Tairua and Whitianga and boasts fine golden sands watered by the restless waves of the Pacific Ocean. But that’s not the reason why Hot Water Beach will remain in your memories forever.
To discover the peculiarity of this place, visit the beach at low tide and remember to bring a shovel with you. An underground hot water river flows under the golden sands and at low tide, the thermal waters start bubbling on the beach. The awesome part is that you can literally dig your own hot pool to sit back and enjoy New Zealand’s marvellous nature.
- Cathedral Cove
Cathedral Cove is one of the most characteristic beaches of the North Island and is located in Coromandel Peninsula, only 5 minute walk from the Hot Water beach. It boasts fine golden sands and crystalline waters, but the true attraction is a rock arch that joins two bays located on the arch’s sides. The best time to visit Cathedral Cove is early in the morning if you want to enjoy a real paradise of peace.
- Ninety Mile Beach
On the northernmost part of the North Island stretches a thin strip of land that holds one of the most unforgettable beaches in the country. The so-called Ninety Mile beach is not actually 90 miles long. It isn’t even 90 km long, yet it will rest in your memories forever because of the unforgettable sunsets it offers. If you’re not the romantic type, just think of surfing, swimming, diving, or riding on the incredible sand dunes. You’ll soon understand why visiting the Ninety Mile Beach is a must-do experience.
- Karekare Beach
If you’re a cinema enthusiast, you’ll recognize this country’s most famous beach that was used as a location on the award-winning film The Piano. The wilderness of this black sand beach charms surf lovers, naturalists, and romantics from all over the world. There aren’t many services in the area, so this is certainly the place to go to enjoy New Zealand’s vast uncontaminated nature.