Wharariki Beach

• Puponga
• Walks & Hikes

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Wild, wonderful and windswept, Wharariki Beach is undoubtedly one of New Zealand’s most intriguingly beautiful beaches.

A scattering of carved rock arches and landforms adorn the pristine white sands of Wharariki, whilst the quartz sandstone cliffs further inland conceal an array of hidden caves. Visitors to the beach are promised hours of entertainment, discovering the nooks and crannies of the coastline, rolling down the wind-carved sand dunes, spotting seals playing in the rockpools and capturing photographs of the majestic archway islands.

It’s a short 20-minute walk across undulating farmland and manuka coastal forest to the beach. From the Wharariki carpark, you’ll follow an unpaved track across the farm, before the trees give way to the magnificent sights of the archway islands from the top of the sand dunes.

Note: the weather at Wharariki is wild, and swimming is prohibited.

How to get there: The walking track begins from the carpark at the end of Wharariki Road.

Photo credits: (1-2) Cape Farewell Horse Treks, (3) Zatori, (4-7) www.nelsontasman.nz.