Best Beach 2024: Winners announced

This article first appeared in the NZ Herald Travel Section, 28 January 2024. View the article here.

During January, we asked you to nominate your 10 favourite spots around the motu in five categories: Family, Camping, Surf, City and Hidden Gem Beaches.

Voting ended last weekend and this week we’ve tallied thousands of votes to find the champions.

And while some hardy perennials have made the podium, you’ve thrown up more than a few surprises.

We’ve been running this poll for more than five years and for the first time a South Island beach has really taken on the northern big guns. In Olympic Games terms, picture-perfect Kaiteriteri in the Nelson-Tasman region took home a gold, a silver and a bronze.

Across the North Island, Ōhope remains the fans’ favourite, with a gold and two silvers.

And if we were naming an overall winner, it would have to be the Whakatāne juggernaut — but that’s not in the rules of our game, so we won’t.

It’s at this point that we’d usually say, “So, without further ado ... ” but we can’t sign off without noting that this is Anniversary Weekend in the north of Te Ika-a-Māui, and remembering what took place exactly one year ago, and across the country in the following weeks. Many communities are back on their feet; many are still feeling the effects, the pain. Let’s hope that 2024 brings safer, happier times.

And the winners are...

BEST FAMILY BEACH

WINNER: Ōhope. Steph O’Sullivan, Chief Executive Toihautū at Whakatāne District Council, says families have enjoyed holidays at Ōhope for generations, “so it’s no surprise that we’ve scooped Best Family Beach for three years running.

“There is so much to love about Ōhope — 11km of safe swimming, an excellent surf break at West End for learners and experts, Ōhiwa Harbour for sailing, kayaking and standup paddleboarding, and of course spectacular scenery with plenty of sunshine.

“The new hot spot — Wharfside — at Port Ōhope Wharf has also become a family drawcard. Parents sit and relax with a drink in hand and a bite to eat, while kids practise their manu off the wharf. Boating families also have their pick from myriad fishing spots and a water-ski lane on the harbour.

“Families who choose Ōhope for their holiday frequently tell us they’ll never go anywhere else. And with summer stretching into late autumn, we tick all the boxes for the ultimate Kiwi beach holiday.”

Second place: Kaiteriteri, the go-to holiday spot for generations, a long crescent of golden sand, turquoise water, safe swimming, gateway to Abel Tasman National Park, home to 60,000 over summer.

Third place: It takes more than a cyclone, floods and a tornado to keep Waihī Beach down. The community rallied to clean up and welcome thousands to summer holidays at the stunning 10km beach.

BEST CAMPING BEACH 2024

WINNER: Kaiteriteri. Why? Let’s hand the mic to Newstalk ZB’s Mike Yardley: “It is the postcard-perfect beach, glistening turquoise water, thickly forested headlands, gloriously golden sand and that classic crescent shape.

“Awakening to that fabled arc of golden sand, washed by the gentle waves of Kaiteriteri Beach is one of life’s great pleasures. Savouring the first crack of daybreak across the wide sweep of Tasman Bay is appointment viewing.

“Kaiteriteri Recreation Reserve comprises 250ha of Crown land, with 100 per cent of the business profits being reinvested into the township’s amenities. The onsite dining is drool-worthy, whether you want to wrap your lips around some blockbuster buns or fish ’n’ chips from Gone Burgers or dine in style at Kai Restaurant.”

Second place: Ōhope, a popular summertime destination for Kiwi families. The holiday park is outstanding; beachside with a grassy campsite surrounded by pōhutukawa, cabins or upmarket options.

Third place: Hahei’s well set-up holiday resort is key to the beach’s popularity: pōhutukawa with rope swings, barbecues on the sand, 6.5ha of beachfront real estate to spread out and let kids roam wild.

BEST HIDDEN GEM BEACH 2024

WINNER: Ōtarawairere. Thrilled about Ōhope, O’Sullivan is in two minds about Ōtarawairere winning Best Hidden Gem two years in a row. “We’d like to keep this special place just the way it is — a peaceful, secluded, paradise.

“Sitting between Whakatāne township and Ōhope Beach, Ōtarawairere has been likened to the scenery of Italy’s Cinque Terre.

“Quite different from Ōhope Beach, Ōtarawairere is sheltered by rocky shore at each end of the bay, with crystal-clear water fringed by a mass of ancient pōhutukawa. In between is a calm, sandy, swimming bay scattered with glistening, crushed seashells.

“Accessible by foot via the renowned Ngā Tapuwae o Toi Walkway, or by kayak, it’s well worth the effort and the perfect spot for a picnic and swim or exploring the rock pools.

“Otherwise, we suggest just sit back, enjoy the serenity and forget about the world for a while ... but don’t tell anyone else!”

Second place: Cathedral Cove is one of the most Instagrammed and visited spots in Aotearoa: is it a “Hidden Gem”? The track and cove were severely damaged last year and the track is still closed; put it on the bucket-and-spade list.

Third place: Popular with southerners, not so much with northerners, Kaiteriteri’s turquoise waters, golden sandy beaches and year-round attractions on the doorstep of Abel Tasman National Park.