Northland Beaches
There are a number of beaches that have historically been utilised for the purposes of having time in the sun and in the sea without the need for yukky swimming costumes.
Uretiti Beach
Uretiti Beach is one of the three top beaches in the country. It's about 38 km south of Whangarei, on SH 1.
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Waitata Beach Waitata Bay (Donkey Beach)
Just around the corner from Russell in the idyllic Bay of Islands. [Read More...]
Tapotupotu Beach
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.
Henderson Bay
Henderson Bay is half way up the peninsula on the way to Cape Reinga. There is a motorcamp at Houhora, a few kilometres south.
Maitai Bay
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.
Long Beach - Bay of Islands
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.
Kauri Mountain Beach
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!
Ocean Beach (Whangarei)
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.
Whale Bay
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.
Mimiwhangata
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.
Omaha Beach
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.)
Tawharanui Beach
Tawharanui is on the road toward Takatu point, only an hour or so north of Auckland. Can you beat the developers to it?