About Taranaki

The gentle sea with the purest water and the magnificent sandy beaches of Taranaki attract more and more tourists yearly. The crystal turquoise color of the seawater sets the level of your vacation somewhere between stunning and perfect. So if you are looking for the perfect sea, this is your place!

Good for Relax

Opunake Beach

Opunake 0.5 km
Very good
8.3
Free entrance • Amenities beach • Easy access • Gray sand • Crowded in season • Large low tide
4.5 Amenities index
Good for Relax

Oakura Beach

Oakura 1 km
Very good
8.3
Free entrance • Amenities beach • Easy access • Gray sand • Crowded in season • Large low tide
2.5 Amenities index
Good for Relax

Fitzroy Beach

New Plymouth 2.4 km
Very good
8.2
Free entrance • Amenities beach • Easy access • Gray sand • Crowded in season • Large low tide
2.7 Amenities index
Good for Relax

Urenui Beach

Urenui 0.9 km
Good
7.8
Free entrance • Virgin beach • Easy access • Gray sand • Turquoise water • Large low tide
1.5 Amenities index
Good for Relax

Ngamotu Beach

New Plymouth 3.5 km
Good
7.7
Free entrance • Amenities beach • Easy access • Gray sand • Crowded in season • Large low tide
5 Amenities index
Good for Relax

Onaero Beach

Onaero 0.3 km
Good
7.5
Free entrance • Virgin beach • Easy access • Gray sand & rocks • Large low tide • Sand & Rocks bottom
1 Amenities index

Calm, measured rest and the sound of waves are perhaps the most common associations that arise with the word "beach". This is not surprising, as relaxation is exactly what many beach travelers are looking for. If you associate your vacation primarily with such activity, choose one of the 8 beaches in the region.

To make your choice easier, we have prepared a list of the best beaches for relaxation in Taranaki.

Attraction and Infrastructure

As for the main features of the beaches of Taranaki, they are as follows:

  • The region's beaches are mainly wide, long and have a high level of cleanliness. The most common surface is sand of gray color.
  • Usually, entry into the water is gentle, which is very good for kids. There are 6 such beaches.
  • An important clarification, 8 beaches in the region have a long intertidal zone, which means that during low tide hours you may have to travel a considerable distance. This is also something to consider if you don't want to suddenly be in the water at high tide.
  • The average distance from the road to beach in Taranaki is less than 500 meters. 8 beaches are relatively easy to access.

Wild beaches with no infrastructure dominate the coastline of Taranaki however, even here you can find a beach with a standard set of accessories: sun beds, umbrellas, restaurants, showers and toilets.

Latest reviews on Taranaki's beaches

Opunake Beach
10 Julia Wrolstad

We love coming to this beach every time. When the tide is low, there are fantastic rock pools that the kids can explore. The playground is always a favorite among the children, and we adore the picnic spots along the sandy shore. The public facilities are also good. The walkways are pleasant, and the views are stunning.

Oakura Beach
10 Davey J

This holiday park is absolutely stunning, with the beach right at our doorstep. We really appreciate being able to bring our dog along, and the people here are incredibly friendly. We will definitely return in the future!

Finding hotels in relative proximity to the beaches is usually fine. Many beaches have enough nearby accommodation, which gives good opportunities to choose the right place to stay.

The hottest month of the region is February - air temperature during this time warms up to 22.3°C and water up to 18.8°C in March. The coldest month is July - air temperature drops to 12.3°C and water to 13.5°C.

Do you know how many beaches there are in Taranaki? In total there are 8 beaches and the most popular is Opunake Beach.