Waiheke Beaches and Bays

Waiheke Island has over 40 beaches and bays located around the coastline of the island. You will not go with out a ocean swim on Waiheke, there are plenty to choose from. The island offers a dramatic contrast between the sun-drenched, white-sand beaches of the north and the quiet, tidal, ecologically rich estuaries of the south. While there are also dozens of smaller, secluded coves only accessible by boat or hiking tracks.

Beaches and Bays Summary

Popular beaches/ Bays – Big Oneroa, Little Oneroa, Enclosure Bay, Palm Beach, Onetangi Beach.

Quiet Beach/Bays – Surfdale Beach, Sandy Bay, Blackpool Beach, Hekerua Bay, Shelly Beach, Putiki Bay, Anzac bay, Rocky Bay, Omiha Bay, Owhanake Bay.

Best Surf – Onetangi beach and Palm beach

Best Snorkeling/Sea scootering – Enclosure bay, Sandy bay, Hekerua bay

Best Paddleboarding – Enclosure bay, Sandy bay, Palm beach

Best for watersports – (sea biscuiting, Kite surfing, wind surfing, Wakeboarding) – Surfdale Beach, Blackpool beach, Sandy bay.

Best picnics – Oneroa Beach, Little Oneroa Beach, Shelly Beach, Picnic bay, Anzac Bay, Putiki bay, Dead dog Bay, Rocky bay.

Northern Beaches/Bays

Waiheke is well known by its most visited beaches that are located on the northern side of the island these are Oneroa Beach, Little Oneroa, Palm beach, Enclosure bay and Onetangi Beach. These beaches/bays face the open Hauraki Gulf, offering clear, turquoise waters and sand that ranges from ivory to golden. These are the most accessible beaches, known for their white sand and safe swimming conditions.

Oneroa Beach

Known as Big Oneroa is the gateway to the island. Just a short walk from the main Oneroa village, which is where you will find plenty of shops and food places to enjoy. It is the go to beach for having a quick dip in the ocean, socialising on the beach or even taking your dog for run. At high tide, the water is a brilliant blue, often filled with yachts seeking safe anchorage and lined with beautiful Pohutukawa on the edges of the beach.

Little Oneroa

Known as Little O. Little O is a beach for families. It features a popular playground, a beach dairy and fish and chip shop and a grassy reserve that acts as the community’s backyard. At low tide, you can walk between the two via the rocks.

Palm Beach

A well known favourite of Waiheke locals but also tourists, with its beautiful white sand and Palm trees surrounding the beach it makes you feel like you are in the tropics. The water here is generally calmer than Onetangi, making it a favourite for swimming, tanning and paddle boarding.

Just over the rocks there is a Clothing optional beach called Little Palm Beach also known as Nudie Beach.

Enclosure Bay

A hidden gem bay made of rock formations that almost entirely encloses the water from the sea, creating a natural, shallow swimming pool. It is the best spot on the island for snorkeling, sea scootering and teaching young ones to swim.

Onetangi Beach

It stretches nearly two kilometers, it is the longest beach on Waiheke. Onetangi is the only beach on the island that regularly sees surfable waves, and its sheer scale means that even on the busiest summer day, you can find a quiet corner. The beachfront is lined with high-end eateries.

Sandy Bay

Located metres away from Enclosure bay on the northern side is a picturesque white sand bay thats perfect to launch boats, paddle boarding or doing wakeboarding.

Southern Beaches

The southern side of Waiheke is often ignored by day-trippers, but for those who live here, it represents the island’s soul. These beaches are tidal—meaning the water retreats hundreds of meters at low tide, revealing vast mudflats and shell banks. These beaches/Bays are Surfdale beach, Blackpool beach, Shelly beach, Putiki Bay, Rocky Bay and many more.

Surfdale Beach

Is the main location on the island’s kitesurfing, windsurfing and sea biscuiting takes place. It features a ski lane and basic boat ramp because it faces south, it catches the prevailing winds. At high tide, it’s a wide, shallow playground; at low tide, it becomes a massive expanse for dog walkers.

Blackpool Beach

It is stony and rugged, but it offers some of the best views of the Auckland city skyline. It’s a place for quiet reflection, far removed from the bustle of the northern boutiques. It is also a wild bird sanctuary and perfect for kite surfing.

Shelly Beach

Is a south side beach on Waiheke, the beach is best at half tide or higher. The beach is secluded and less populated than the northern beaches which makes this a nice spot for a quiet picnic. The name represents itself as a shelly beach, made of crushed shell.

Putiki bay

Is the home of waiheke locals house boats and the little yellow submarine, it is a beautiful calm little bay that wraps around the causeway and wharf road.

Rocky Bay

Also formally known as Kuakarau Bay is a pretty quiet bay, it is perfect for a picnic and a fun space for children to play on its wooden playground The Black Smith.

The “bottom end” of the island is a full of gravel roads and rolling hills. With many bays that are usually only located by car, privately accessed or accessed by boat, here the beaches feel like a step back in time. Man O war Bay, Cactus Bay, Otakawhe Bay, Pearl bay, Orapiu bay that’s just to name a few.

All beaches and bays on Waiheke have all their own special characteristics no beach is the same Sand, rock, shell, tidal, tropical and surf.

The beaches on waiheke are endless, which ever one you visit im sure you will fall in love with.

Bay/Beach Table