Every summer, people flock to Aotearoa New Zealand’s beach towns to spend long days exploring their surrounds and topping up the Vitamin D levels to experience the quintessential kiwi summer holiday.
With 14,000km of coastline, there is fierce competition as to where the best beach lies, and for the past three years, Ōhope has won the best family beach honours.
Just 6km from Whakatāne, Ōhope Beach is an idyllic, iconic piece of postcard-perfect Kiwiana, with blooming pōhutukawa lining 11km of uninterrupted, white, Pacific beach sand.
Whakatāne and Ōhope offers its own kind of magic and far more than just a beautiful beach. It is an easy drive from the likes of Tauranga and Rotorua, offering an awesome day trip option, or just under four hours’ drive from Auckland.
Whakatāne was named the Sunshine Capital of New Zealand in 2020 and there are amazing waters to cool down in over summer.
There is no shortage of sunshine in the district, with Whakatāne named the Sunshine Capital of New Zealand in 2020 and fortunately, there are also crystal-clear waters to cool down in.
From the entrance of Ōhiwa Harbour to West End, Ōhope Beach stretches for 11km of golden sand and beachgoers can spread out, setting up for a day of safe swimming, learning to surf in gentle waves, or paddling a SUP or kayak.
Whakatāne is a fisherman’s dream and from December through late April, you can try your luck catching yellow fin, skipjack, albacore tuna, shark, and marlin on a charter, or try your hand at surfcasting off the beach, or trout fishing the rivers and streams of Te Urewera and Whirinaki.
Whakatāne boasts a wealth of walking and biking trails, reserves, and sanctuaries.
Natural wonders
If you need to stretch your legs, Whakatāne is rich with walking and bike trails, reserves, and sanctuaries, featuring an abundance of natural wonders.
The Ngā Tapuwae o Toi - Footprints of Toi walking trail incorporates pā sites of major historic significance, superb native forest, spectacular pōhutukawa stands, unsurpassed coastal views, seabird colonies, forest birds, and three major scenic reserves - Kohi Point Scenic Reserve, Ōhope Scenic Reserve and Mokorua Scenic Reserve.
In Whakatāne, kiwi are literally in people’s backyard, and with help from the Whakatāne Kiwi Trust, the Whakatāne Kiwi Project, and the community, kiwi in the area are prospering.
