The West Coast beaches of Auckland, New Zealand
Otherworldly. Dramatic. Cinema-worthy.
There is definitely no shortage of words when it comes to describing the awe of these beaches. And at the same time, no words can fully encompass their magnificence.
Welcome to Auckland’s West Coast.
Less than an hour away from Auckland’s city centre, you’ll be treated to black sand beaches, rugged coastlines full of rock formations, and the most grandiose sunsets you could imagine. It really doesn’t matter whether you decide to visit them during summer or winter – every season brings its own flavour and creates a different vibe. During my 6+ years living in Auckland, I’ve probably visited these beaches hundreds of times.
Below you’ll find some more details and photos of the ones I’ve visited, listed in alphabetical order.
Important note:
As of Sep 2023, most of these beaches are now open again — they were closed due to slips and damage caused by flooding and cyclone Gabrielle earlier in the year. Drive carefully as there are traffic light systems in place and/or quite a bit of pot holes.
However, most of the hiking tracks still seem to be closed. For most up-to-date information, visit the Auckland Council website, under the section “West”.
General tips:
Unlike the tourist spots across Europe, there are no sun beds at any of these beaches (or any New Zealand beach I’ve visited). This means you can put down your towel anywhere and just chill.
Be very careful if you decide to go for a swim / surf, as the waves here are notoriously known for drownings and incidents. Swim between the flags if lifeguards are on duty.
Use the Swimsafe website to check the water quality and swimming conditions before going for a swim.
Check for tide times and plan accordingly. You don’t want to find yourself stuck somewhere.
There is no public transport to / from these beaches, you need a car. Parking is free – though some of these carparks have gates with specific opening / closing times depending on season. Auckland Council’s website has more info.
Apply a good amount of sunscreen if you’re visiting in summer (Dec – Feb). During winter months (Jun – Aug), it’s mostly rainy and windy – bring a good jacket.
There are plenty of coastal hikes around these beaches and in the nearby Waitākere Ranges, check the DOC website for the latest updates on track openings and other details.
Bring your photo gear, you won’t believe the variety of shots you can take here. Drones are allowed on all of these beaches, except around the Muriwai Gannet Colony.
Anawhata Beach
Things to know:
Once you leave the asphalt road, get ready for a 20 min drive across gravel road, followed by a 20 min hike to get down to the beach. Once you’re there, you can climb on top of the small rocky island (first photo above) – walk to the right and follow the small stream of water that goes behind the island. You’ll figure out the rest. (check out Auckland Council’s website for other info)
Beware of small insects, I got bitten a few times and the red bumps can last weeks.
There is a public toilet at the car park.
Parking: Park at the start of the track. (limited parking capacity)
Exact location: Anawhata Beach on Google Maps.
The hidden gem that not a lot of people know about, and one of my favourite beaches. Well, at least I like to think that not many know about it, even though it appeared in Amazon’s Rings of Power (the scene where Galadriel rides a horse in super slow motion). Don’t be surprised if you get to the beach and there are no footprints at all – chances are you have it all to yourself. If you’re extra lucky, you’ll get to see a variety of birdlife as well.
Bethells Beach
Things to know:
It takes some 10 minutes to get to the beach from the car park. All flat and easy.
Te Henga Walkway coastal hike starts from here, and ends towards the south end of Muriwai. Alternatively, the other way around also works. Note: This track is closed for now.
Bethells Beach Cave is worth visiting at the south end of the beach, it’s fairly deep.
If you keep walking north for 10 minutes, you’ll climb up a small dune / hill and eventually get to O’Neill Bay (more on this further down below).
Lake Wainamu and the sand dunes are also nearby, interesting spots to visit.
There are public toilets near the carpark.
Parking: Bethells Beach car park.
Exact location: Bethells Beach on Google Maps.
Likely my favourite beach for drone flying, I’ve experienced the least amounts of wind here. Bethells will give you a conflict of interest: you’ll want to sit on top of the dunes and just soak in the goodness, but you’ll also want to roam around and see the scenery from a different perspective. It means you’ll likely end up visiting it multiple times like I did – all the photos shown above as proof.
The Last Flight
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Karekare Beach
Things to know:
There’s a 10 minute walk from the car park to the beach, flat and easy.
Note: At the moment of writing this, there’s some construction work going on, so for beach access you’d have to take a different path – there is signage at the car park. The road to this beach was heavily damaged due to flooding and cyclone, so access was only restricted to residents. I think that has now been extended to all visitors, but again, check with Auckland Council.
You can do the Comans Track (a coastal hike) from here and connect to Mercer Bay Loop track, it’ll take a few hours to complete but good fitness levels are required. Fantastic views though. More info on the Alltrails website. Note: This track is still closed.
There are public toilets at the carpark. (Also here’s Auckland Council’s website for more details)
Parking: Karekare Beach carpark. (limited parking capacity)
Exact location: Karekare Beach on Google Maps.
Honestly if I could build a small bach somewhere on this beach, I would. Likely one of the cleanest beaches around Auckland, Karekare stretches for a kilometre and then continues onwards to a somewhat swampy area, and finally to Whatipu Beach. This long stretch of black sand looks absolutely unreal to a point where you can get lost in the vastness of the space. To make it even more enticing, the 30m tall Karekare Falls are nearby.
Maukatia Bay
Things to know:
A temporary home of the gannets! Hundreds (even thousands) of these large birds form a colony here between the months of September and March. There are well built viewing decks so you can observe and take photos. (some more info on 100% Pure NZ’s website).
No drones allowed. Please respect that.
Technically still a part of Muriwai (details further below), although this beach looks towards the Maukatia Bay, hence the name.
You can walk down to the beach, takes just 5 minutes. Be ready for some incredible sunset views, with the gannets flying back and forth to their colony.
There are public toilets at the car park.
Parking: Muriwai Scenic Lookout.
Exact location: Maukatia Bay on Google Maps.
My most visited beach ever and it’s easy to see why: gorgeous rock formations, 2-metre-wingspan gannets gliding through the skies, and golden light engulfing everything. Try as hard as you can, it’s impossible to take a bad photo here – landscapes, portraits, you name it. I have spent countless hours sitting on the rocks at the beach (pictured above), soaking up the warm sunrays and admiring the scenery. Just writing these words makes me want to get in the car and drive there right away.
Mellow Dreams
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Muriwai
Things to know:
This beach apparently stretches for 47km! (North towards Woodhill Forest Beach)
You can drive on it, but you’d have to access it from up North (Vehicle Entrance location) and you also need a beach driving permit.
You can expect lots of people here: some walking their dogs, others flying their kites, surfing, picnicking, horse riding… The number of activities is endless.
There are public toilets at the carpark. (here’s Auckland Council’s website for more info)
Parking: Muriwai Beach car park.
Exact location: Muriwai Beach on Google Maps.
If you want to walk at a beach for hours, this is the one. Black sands and an endless ocean horizon – it’s easy to lose track of time and get alone with your thoughts. Depending on time of year, it can be super moody and hazy, or the most colourful spectacle you’ve witnessed. If you have a drone, bring it along – the length of this beach deserves to be seen from above. Don’t fly it towards the Muriwai Gannet Colony though, drones are not allowed there.
O’Neill Bay
Things to know:
Accessed through the North side of Bethells Beach, it takes some 20 minutes of walking from the Bethells Beach car park. You’ll have to cross a shallow stream of water as well.
A lot less crowded than Bethells, but also unpatrolled – swimming and surfing is at your own risk.
You can do the Te Henga Walkway hike, and view O’Neill Bay along with Bethells Beach from above (second photo above). Note: This track is still closed due to slips and damage.
Public toilets are at the Bethells Beach carpark, no toilets at O’Neill Bay.
Parking: Bethells Beach car park.
Exact location: O’Neill Bay on Google Maps.
Another hidden gem on the West Coast, O’Neill Bay has given me such great photos throughout the years. It takes a bit of planning upfront if you plan on visiting it at sunset, purely because the drive + walk to the beach will easily take over an hour from Auckland’s CBD. It’s not a massive beach by any means, but I guess that’s the beauty of it – it’s more secluded and intimate than the others. Despite the fact that it’s unpatrolled, there can be a number of surfers chasing big waves here.
Serendipity
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Piha
Things to know:
The most popular of Auckland’s West Coast beaches. There was even a 12-season TV show about it.
Gets really crowded during summer (Dec – Feb). A better option might be to instead visit North Piha, which is also the starting point of the Laird Thomson track (takes you to the secluded Whites Beach). Note: This track, and all others around Piha are closed due to slips and damage.
Lion Rock will give you some amazing views if you’re not afraid of heights. Read note above.
For extra bit of fun, head south towards The Blue Pool. You can also climb on top of Taitomo Rock and get some insane views of the ocean, plus it’s a perfect spot for some drone flying. (check the tide times over on Tideschart before heading to this side of the beach)
There are a few public toilets at or near each car park. (for North Piha, the toilet is 10 min further down south from the car park listed here)
Parking: Marine Parade South (Car park 1, Car park 2); Marine Parade North; North Piha
Exact location: Piha Beach on Google Maps.
Piha is the stuff of legend. It’s New Zealand’s most popular surf beach, one of the most dangerous ones, and likely one of the most visited ones too. At the risk of scaring you away – the waves at Piha are known to have snapped canoes in half, caused numerous drownings, and yet surfers keep flocking back. I can’t even count how many times I’ve visited, and every single time I’ve walked away with the most incredible photos. Words can’t convey the beauty and awe of this beach, so if you’re ever around Auckland – it’s a must see.
Whatipu
Things to know:
The drive there includes a winding and unsealed road. It’s a rather remote beach, to say the least. Getting from the car park to the beach takes another 15 minutes of walking.
There are a few hikes nearby: Omanawanui (3-4 hrs return), Gibbons Track (5 hrs return), Whatipu Caves (1 hr return). I’ve only partially done Omanawanui, and the views are beyond words.
If you keep walking north, you might see swamps / tiny lakes, but then again I haven’t been that far up north. Also, if you are persistent, walking north will eventually get you to Karekare Beach (mentioned further up above).
Public toilets are at the Omanawanui car park.
Parking: Omanawanui car park.
Exact location: Whatipu Beach on Google Maps.
Whatipu is my least explored area of all Auckland West Coast beaches, I guess mostly because of the uncomfortable drive to get there. That, plus the walk to get to the beach itself. Still, it’s likely one of the most surreal looking places I’ve been to. From the very entry to the beach you’ll see rock formations, a small lighthouse perched on top of a rock in the ocean, and a whole lot of black sand beach that will melt your feet on a sunny day.
Whites Beach
Things to know:
More than one way to get to it, but accessible only on foot. The option I’m talking about takes maybe an hour of walking from the North Piha car park, one way. (the alternative is from Anawhata Rd, you’ll have to Google it)
There are no lifeguards here, and there are big chances the beach will be empty. Don’t underestimate the water, rips are strong.
No public toilets. The closest one would be further down from the North Piha car park. Plan accordingly. (again, an alternative is at Anawhata car park, if you’ve decided on that option)]
Note: As of Sep 2023, the Laird Thomson track is still closed due to slips and damage.
Parking: North Piha car park.
Exact location: Whites Beach on Google Maps.
First things first, you’ll have to find the very hidden start of the Laird Thomson track. From the North Piha car park, enter the beach and keep walking north past the caves. Stick to the hill-side and you’ll spot the signage. There is a viewpoint at the top of this hill that will let you see some of Piha on one side, and Whites Beach on the other (pictured above). Walking down to Whites Beach was easy enough for me, although I’ve only done it once (but have been to the viewpoint a couple of times). Important to remember to stay away from climbing down the cliffs – the safer route takes you gently down the hill on the right. As I’ve mentioned above, there might be literally no one at the beach, it’s very secluded and peaceful. I just wish I had more photos of it.
If you’ve made it this far, wow, you are persistent and a true adventure lover. Here’s a YouTube video of mine, featuring some of the beaches mentioned above. Hope you’ll enjoy it!
Thanks for reading, I hope you’ve enjoyed the story and images of my journey.
If you’d like to see more of my travels – follow me on Instagram: @journeywithgoran
