Discover Waihi Beach

Waihi Beach is more than a beach destination: around ten kilometres of coastline, surf lessons and a variety of trails give your trip several distinct highlights. For planning, the contrast between Waihi Beach and nearby Orokawa Bay is especially useful: both offer coastal experiences, but the bay’s beach has a different swimming assessment.

Distinguishing the beach from the bay

Waihi Beach has around ten kilometres of beach suitable for safe swimming and surfing. Waihi Beach Surf School offers surf lessons and surf packages for adults and children. All instructors are experienced surfers and hold an NZSA Surf Instructor Accreditation from Level 1, a beach lifeguard qualification and a first-aid certificate.

Orokawa Bay beach is nearby. Because the seabed drops away steeply, it is not considered safe for swimming. Visitors enjoy picnicking in the bay beneath overhanging pōhutukawa trees; fishing from the rocks is possible at the northern end of the bay. The Orokawa Bay Track starts at the northern end of Waihi Beach and runs between Waihi Beach and Orokawa Bay. It offers views of the Pacific Ocean and Waihi Beach.

Explore on foot and by bike

On the Waihī Beach Trig & Forest Loop, the Forest Loop via the Trig Trail takes 90 minutes as a return walk. The Waihī Beach Heritage Trail is a self-guided walk featuring seventeen sights across four loop routes. It offers a different way to explore than a single loop with a set walking time.

The Waihī Beach Cycle Trail is an informal extension of the Hauraki Rail Trail and makes a day-long ride from Paeroa to Waihi Beach possible. A scenic cycling route between North End and Bowentown has clearly marked trail posts. This means a 90-minute return walk and the option of a full-day bike ride offer distinctly different ways to plan your day.

Art and food in the Western Bay of Plenty District

Katikati offers a distinctive cultural highlight in the Western Bay of Plenty District. The Katikati Town Centre loop leads from Haiku Park along paths with haiku poems carved into rocks and paving. It follows the Uretara Stream, crosses a footbridge to Uretara Landing, then continues along the main road to murals and other artworks in the town centre. Individual art installations may change.

For a food-focused experience, the Katikati Cuisine Trail lets you meet local artisan food producers and sample their products on site. The producers and their offerings may change.

Choose accommodation to suit your travel plans

If you would rather plan time at the beach and for surf lessons, your days will have a different rhythm than if you spend a full day cycling. So consider which experiences you want to shape your stay before choosing Waihi Beach as your accommodation base.

Discover more destinations: Whakamarama, Lower Kaimai, Paengaroa, Te Puna, Papamoa, Katikati, Pukehina, Athenree

For the broader travel overview: Western Bay of Plenty District.