These are the most beautiful beaches in New Zealand, according to Travel Leisure

From a beach bought by 40,000 Kiwis to a stretch of volcanic black sand where The Piano was filmed, New Zealand's best beaches

Credit: Nelson Tasman Official Site

New Zealand’s coastline extends across two main islands separated by the Cook Strait, and the beaches that line those islands reflect the full range of what ocean environments can produce. The North Island’s beaches tend toward warmer water and more accessible conditions, with surf beaches on the west coast and sheltered harbors and coves on the east. The South Island’s west coast is wilder and wetter, shaped by the Southern Alps and the Tasman Sea, while the east coast runs from the alpine landscapes of Otago north to the top of the island and the national parks that line it. The seasonal calendar works differently here than in the Northern Hemisphere: summer runs December through February, but the shoulder seasons — autumn from March through May and spring from September through November — often deliver beach-quality weather across much of the country.

The beaches here span both islands and showcase the variety New Zealand’s geography offers. Several are remote enough to require planning: Awaroa Beach in Abel Tasman National Park is accessible only by boat or multi-day hike, and Rarawa Beach is a five-hour drive from Auckland. Others are within an hour of major cities and can be done as day trips. Together, they cover the range from surf beaches to geothermal sand, from white quartz shores to black volcanic sand, and from geological curiosities to UNESCO-recognized natural environments.

These 10 beaches come from Travel Leisure’s selection of the best beaches in New Zealand, representing both the North and South Islands across a range of beach types from geothermal sand to volcanic black sand, and ancient spherical boulders to quartz-white Far North shores where quartz purity makes sunglasses essential equipment for comfortable viewing of the quartz-white shore in direct New Zealand coastal sunlight.

1. Awaroa Beach passed from private hands to 40,000 Kiwis

Credit: Nelson Tasman Official Site

Awaroa Beach in Abel Tasman National Park is located at the top of the South Island, along Tasman Bay, known in te reo Māori as Te Tai-o-Aorere. The beach itself is a long strip of golden sand fringed by turquoise water and backed by the native bush that covers much of the national park. Its conservation story is as notable as its landscape: in 2016, nearly 40,000 New Zealanders contributed to a crowdfunding campaign to purchase the beach from a private owner for more than two million dollars, and donated it to New Zealand’s Department of Conservation. The collective purchase made national news and highlighted the cultural significance of coastal access in New Zealand.

Access requires some planning. A boat ride from Kaiteriteri takes roughly 90 minutes and deposits visitors directly onto the sand. Alternatively, the Abel Tasman Coast Track connects Awaroa to other sections of the national park on foot: the segment from Totaranui Beach covers 4.5 miles, while the approach from Bark Bay adds up to six miles. Bark Bay itself is not road-accessible, so hikers starting from that end need to book a shuttle boat to Medlands Beach, where the Bark Bay segment begins.

On the beach, kayaking and paddleboarding in the crystal-clear water make use of the sheltered bay conditions. The Abel Tasman Coast Track is one of New Zealand’s nine Great Walks, which means the infrastructure along the route — huts, campsites, and boat connections — is well maintained and booked well in advance during the peak summer season. Visitors who plan shoulder-season travel find the same landscape, with significantly fewer people and similar swimming conditions. The full Abel Tasman Coast Track spans the length of the park and connects Awaroa to a series of other beaches and coves, making it possible to spend multiple days walking between swimming stops in one of the most comprehensively rewarding national park coastal environments in New Zealand.

2. Wharariki Beach marks the South Island’s northwest corner

Credit: Nelson Tasman Official Site

Wharariki Beach sits at the northwesternmost point of the South Island, accessed by a 20-minute walking track from the end of Wharariki Road. The walk crosses farmland and low dunes before opening onto a beach defined by its Archway Islands: three large rocks shaped like natural arches that emerge from the surf and provide the photographic landmark most visitors come to see. The arches vary in scale and alignment with tidal position and light, giving the beach a different visual character at different times of day.

New Zealand fur seals use the shore and rocks as resting areas, and encounters with the animals are reliably available without the artificial staging of a managed wildlife experience. The dunes behind the beach provide additional exploration terrain, and sea caves accessible at low tide add another dimension to the visit. Horseback riding along the beach is available through local operators, offering an unusual way to experience the coastal landscape.

Low tide is the recommended time to visit for the best exposure of the rock formations and sea caves. The beach is genuinely remote, which means it retains a quality of isolation that more accessible South Island beaches have lost to visitor volume. The Archway Islands, photographed from every angle and in every light condition, consistently reward the walk in from the road. The 20-minute........

© Quartz