WAIHEKE BEACHES - a rough guide
Top choices:
Palm Beach - for a charming medium sized surfy beach. Has playground, barbecue & shop nearby.
Onetangi - for those who want a lengthy walk, surfy & sandy plus cafe/bars & barbecue
Palm BeachBoth are on a bus route so accessible to all. Both have toilet facilities. more details below
Being a small island, of 92 sq kms, Waiheke has a range of beaches - ranging from sandy to stony so it's useful to have some sort of rating system in order to selectively choose, as a visitor, what sort of beach experience suits you best.
The larger North side beaches like Palm Beach tend towards surf action and are sandier, deeper
The South side beaches like Surfdale are usually calm and shallow, generally a mix of stony or sandy.
Many of the beaches have no nearby amenities for food, drink or comfort stops
Dogs can be brought onto Waiheke beaches all year round off leash but time restrictions in summer, covering most beaches means dogs are banned within the hours of 10am-4pm in the extended summer period October-April and from 10am-6pm in the peak vacation period (December 24 to February 1 inclusive)
Beaches in the west to central portion of Waiheke are accessible by walking, cycling or by taking a bus. Beyond Onetangi and heading east, are fewer accessible beaches, and greater isolation. Most people will require transport to access these locations.
Young children may prefer less surf and more calm shallows plus some sand to play in: here's the better options -
1. Enclosure Bay - means what it says as the bay is a pool of water is created by rocky outcrops. Enclosed, shallow and calm. Beach is stony but enough sand for playing.
2. Surfdale - is shallow, calm, sandy, close to amenities, plus the east end is dog friendly all day all year round for a full family day out.
West and Central including north & south coasts:
Matiatia - a boat bay where passenger ferry arrives. Pebbly, not for swimming; walk left or right side to walkway tracks
Owhanake - usually quiet, isolated, few boats anchored, nice walking left or right side to walkway tracks; free access for dogs all year
Oneroa - high rated swimming beach, generally calm, sandy, good curvy length, lots of boats in summer; near shops
Little Oneroa - petite, good swimming, sandy, play area & shop handy. Stream & runoff unclean, best avoided.
Hekerua Bay - secret hideaway, no road access, 3 tracks lead there, pebbly, tiny beach
Sandy Bay - popular for boat launching, sandy, tiny beach
Enclosure Bay - sheltered within rocky outcrops, sandy, tiny beach
Palm Beach - medium sized popular swimming in vibrant surf, sandy beach with clothes-free extension through rocks west end; nearby shop
Onetangi - prime swimming in active surf, extensive sand, quality amenities nearby
Blackpool - stony, usually calm, shallows with wading birds, boats at anchor, not for swimming, great to walk along
Surfdale - sandy, calm shallows, quiet, locals enjoy swimming
Hooks - isolated east end of Surfdale, quiet, sandy, shallow, calm, suitable swimming; free access for dogs all year
Shelly Beach - quiet, shallow, boat launching beach
Anzac Bay - quiet, shallow, boats anchored, not suitable for swimming; free access for dogs all year
Putiki Bay - main boat anchorage other than Matiatia; not for swimming but an interesting meander on foot
Omiha - main bay is boat anchorage but the western bay is a shallow, quiet walking beach leading to a track
East and South East locations
Whakanewha - sandy, shallow, quiet, scenic beach in regional park, protected birds, no dogs
Woodside - stony, shallow isolated beach, not for swimming, with access to a magical walk
Otakawhe - sandy, shallow isolated bay more for boating but walkway track heads west
Pearl Bay - 15 mins from Otakawhe, sandy, shallow isolated, a well kept hideaway
Man-O-War - shelly, scenic beach facing east, shallow, calm, good swimming
The larger North side beaches like Palm Beach tend towards surf action and are sandier, deeper
The South side beaches like Surfdale are usually calm and shallow, generally a mix of stony or sandy.
Many of the beaches have no nearby amenities for food, drink or comfort stops
Dogs can be brought onto Waiheke beaches all year round off leash but time restrictions in summer, covering most beaches means dogs are banned within the hours of 10am-4pm in the extended summer period October-April and from 10am-6pm in the peak vacation period (December 24 to February 1 inclusive)
Beaches in the west to central portion of Waiheke are accessible by walking, cycling or by taking a bus. Beyond Onetangi and heading east, are fewer accessible beaches, and greater isolation. Most people will require transport to access these locations.
Young children may prefer less surf and more calm shallows plus some sand to play in: here's the better options -
1. Enclosure Bay - means what it says as the bay is a pool of water is created by rocky outcrops. Enclosed, shallow and calm. Beach is stony but enough sand for playing.
2. Surfdale - is shallow, calm, sandy, close to amenities, plus the east end is dog friendly all day all year round for a full family day out.
West and Central including north & south coasts:
Matiatia - a boat bay where passenger ferry arrives. Pebbly, not for swimming; walk left or right side to walkway tracks
Owhanake - usually quiet, isolated, few boats anchored, nice walking left or right side to walkway tracks; free access for dogs all year
Oneroa - high rated swimming beach, generally calm, sandy, good curvy length, lots of boats in summer; near shops
Little Oneroa - petite, good swimming, sandy, play area & shop handy. Stream & runoff unclean, best avoided.
Hekerua Bay - secret hideaway, no road access, 3 tracks lead there, pebbly, tiny beach
Sandy Bay - popular for boat launching, sandy, tiny beach
Enclosure Bay - sheltered within rocky outcrops, sandy, tiny beach
Palm Beach - medium sized popular swimming in vibrant surf, sandy beach with clothes-free extension through rocks west end; nearby shop
Onetangi - prime swimming in active surf, extensive sand, quality amenities nearby
Blackpool - stony, usually calm, shallows with wading birds, boats at anchor, not for swimming, great to walk along
Surfdale - sandy, calm shallows, quiet, locals enjoy swimming
Hooks - isolated east end of Surfdale, quiet, sandy, shallow, calm, suitable swimming; free access for dogs all year
Shelly Beach - quiet, shallow, boat launching beach
Anzac Bay - quiet, shallow, boats anchored, not suitable for swimming; free access for dogs all year
Putiki Bay - main boat anchorage other than Matiatia; not for swimming but an interesting meander on foot
Omiha - main bay is boat anchorage but the western bay is a shallow, quiet walking beach leading to a track
East and South East locations
Whakanewha - sandy, shallow, quiet, scenic beach in regional park, protected birds, no dogs
Woodside - stony, shallow isolated beach, not for swimming, with access to a magical walk
Otakawhe - sandy, shallow isolated bay more for boating but walkway track heads west
Pearl Bay - 15 mins from Otakawhe, sandy, shallow isolated, a well kept hideaway
Man-O-War - shelly, scenic beach facing east, shallow, calm, good swimming