Beaches and coast

With 15,000 km of coastline, New Zealand has everything from wild black-sand surf beaches to sheltered golden coves under pōhutukawa trees.

Where to go

• Abel Tasman Golden sand and clear turquoise water.
• Coromandel Cathedral Cove and Hot Water Beach (dig your own pool at low tide).
• Bay of Islands Sheltered bays for swimming, sailing and kayaking.
• Piha and Muriwai Black sand and big surf near Auckland.
• Mount Maunganui A classic surf beach with a walk up the mount.
• Wharariki Beach Rock arches and seal pups in Golden Bay.

Good to know

Rips are common on surf beaches: swim between the red and yellow flags where lifeguards patrol, and never swim alone. The sun is strong in New Zealand, so use sunscreen even on cloudy days.