Whangamata Beach

Recently voted the best beach in the country by New Zealanders, Whangamata Beach is also famed for its breaks, and welcomes surfers from across the globe eager to tackle the left hand break of Whangamata Bar. But if you’re not expert enough on a board to try your hand at this just yet, there are plenty of gentle peaks for even beginners to stand on a board for the first time.

Should that give you the bug for board sports, stand-up paddleboards – alongside surfboards and kayaks – can be rented in town to help uncover the secrets of this six-kilometre beach and the estuaries that lie at either side of it.

Backed by protected dunes that are the habitat of the endangered Dotterel bird, access to Whangamata Beach is limited to specific points through the dunes. Access points 8 and 9 near the Surf Club are generally considered the best, particularly for those with disabilities, since a boardwalk runs from the car park here right to the beach.

On the downside Whangamata’s international acclaim does mean it gets crowded in the holidays.