Waihi Beach boasts walkways, beach activities and excellent fishing

Just a 10 minute drive from Waihi Motel, Waihi Beach boasts nine kilometres of stunning white sand, offering plenty of space for you to spread out.

Stock up at one of Waihi’s supermarkets in Waihi town centre and pack a picnic, before heading over to Waihi Beach for a full day of fun. Take your boogie board or surfboard and catch the waves – Waihi Beach is known as one of the safest surf beaches in New Zealand. If you haven’t surfed before, but you’d like to learn, there are surf lessons operated by professional trainers. You’ll be riding the waves like a pro in no time!

One of the best walks from Waihi Beach is over to Orokawa Bay, from the northern end of Waihi Beach. This 45 minute walk is known as one of the ‘scenic jewels of the Bay of Plenty’ and takes visitors through a scenic reserve, past Oukori Bay and down to Orokawa Bay. Relax under the pohutukawa trees, take a fishing rod or build sandcastles with the kids. For a longer walk, continue from Orokawa Bay further north, to Homunga Bay (around two hours walk from Orokawa Bay). This bay is also known for its stunning pohutukawa-lined white-sand beaches and offers the ultimate privacy of a beach with no road access.

If you’d like to explore the coastline by sea, kayaks offer the best mode of transport for accessing secluded beaches and getting to know the sea birds. Look out for the schools of fish below, and the orca pods that occasionally visit the main channel.

With a combination of beach and harbour areas, you will also find that Waihi Beach is great for fishing! Set up the long line, take a surf caster and fish off the beach or the rocks, or check out the jetties at Tanners Point and Kauri Point, for fishing with the kids. You can also take the boat out beyond the Bowentown entrance or back into the harbour. The area is known for its great snapper, trevally, kahawai and John Dory.