Uretiti Beach is one of the three top beaches in the country. It's about 38 km south of Whangarei, on SH 1.
This is a good, safe place for kids, and fun too
There are many beaches in the Northland region suitable for clothes-optional recreation. If you are into a 'good day out' New Zealand's most northerly popular beach is Tapotupotu. It's over 100 km from Kaitaia. The 'textiles' use the area immediately beside the road, which comes in about ½ way around the bay. Skinny dippers walk to the left, over the creek and past the exposed rock formation dividing the bay in two.
January; 'textiles' in the background, no worries
Henderson Bay is half way up the peninsula on the way to Cape Reinga. There is a motorcamp at Houhora, a few kilometres south.
This was a rough day at Henderson Bay - but there's plenty of room
Like Uretiti, Matai Bay is under the jurisdiction of DoC. It is only half the distance of Cape Reinga from Kaitaia but it feels rather more isolated than Tapotupotu.
The right-hand of the two bays - most textiles go to the left
This treasure is only 2 km from Russell in the Bay of Islands, next to Long Beach. A 100 m
signposted track leads there from just above the toilets at the Russell end of Long Beach.
The naturist owner of the two large houses
has put the beach area into a QEII
National Trust covenant.
One of the two mansions overlooking the beach.
This is one of the notices
specifying the QEII National Trust covenant near the track which, at the bottom
'bullet point', confirms the permanent naturist status of this idyllic
spot with the line: "Waitata Bay is a naturist beach".
One of several notices near the beach.
Only 3 km from Russell in the Bay of Islands, is Long Beach. Mostly, houses adorn the road behind the beach but at the far end, past the camping area, there's a pleasant place to be. Donkey Beach is the more popular, though.
The first cove from the far end of Long Beach Rd
As well as the popular Uretiti Beach, Kauri Mountain Beach is
an option for those around Whangarei. (It is the north end of Whangarei's uninterrupted Ocean Beach -
next, below).
Once over the mouth of this creek (dicey when the tide's in, as here), there's an optional
10km walk to the other end available!
This area is only a short walk from the parking place
Starting just over the creek - just past the rocks - Ocean Beach offers the opportunity for a long walk. The other end, too, is accessible by car and also available for clothes-optional use, after a walk north of 500 m or so.
A glimpse of the long walk...
This is such a lovely spot that it's commonly overrun by textiles in the holiday season. If you find textiles within about 20 m it may be wise to check that skinny-dipping is okay... But there are several other spots close by, to check out around the peninsula at the north end of Matai Bay .
A deserted Whale Bay - it's the middle of winter!
Mimiwhangata is about 2 hours north of Whangarei. It is a DoC reserve, with lovely beaches facing every direction. Oke Bay is one of them, which in this case is sheltered from the south.
Plenty of room on these beaches for everyone
Omaha, near Warkworth, has a little cove at the far end - enjoy! (Information on current usage would be welcome - the picture is about 10 years old.)
A pleasant spot, characteristic of Auckland's east coast
Tawharanui is on the road toward Takatu point, only an hour or so north of Auckland. Can you beat the developers to it?
Tawharanui Beach looking back toward Omaha