Tawharanui Regional Park

Great place for a school camp. The good people from TOSSI were on hand to share some education on protecting our endemic wildlife along with guided kiwi walks in the evening. Plenty of coastal walks and ecotrails to enjoy. Superb surfing and swimming conditions to cool of after the long walks

A great natural reserve. Go with friends and family to make it a day picnic. Getting there can be a bit tricky f you have a small car filled with people as the access to the reserve for the last 5 to 10 kms from Matakan is windy and when wet slightly slippery. The roads are very well maintained but you need to be an experienced and patient driver. There are surf guards there on patrol. The views are typicall NZ.. One in a million, unique, pristine. Whether you love birds, nature or the sea. It is what we have and very grateful to all the DOC staff that maintain thd reserve

This place is amazing, I loved seeing all the birds, and in general it's just beautiful. We did look for Kiwis and we spotted 7! The last one we saw was clearly a very young one and it was so cute. A cool experience that I'll never forget!

Lovely beach day, but strong side currents so watch your kids while they are swimming. Great for boogie boarding and surfing. Remember this is a reserve, so bring something to take your rubbish home.

What a walk, we only had a short time here due to another booking nearby but wish we had stayed longer and taken more of it in. It’s got a bit of everything, definitely visit here!

First time in our Motorhome and it was perfect. Lovely calm night, sun shining, no one on the beach, just our footprints left behind. Beautiful walk in the morning. Saw a Dotterrl chick on it's own and heard the Kiwi calling last night. Also the Morepork was active. Birdlife incredible. We should have booked for more nights as one wasn't enough!

Lovely part of Nz. The perfect escape for weekends. You have the option to spent time at the beach (you can choose different beaches), walk or stay at the park/grass area. Plenty of toilets and clean

It's a lovely walkway to observe various types of birds, the beach is beautiful too, and the parking area has ample space. In summer, it's better to arrive early to secure a good parking spot.

If I had to pick a favourite day trip out of Auckland there's a high chance that Tawharanui would be it. It has the most beautiful beach, large enough for everyone to spread out over busy summer weekends but small enough to still feel intimate and easy enough to find friends who've had the same idea as you! You can walk out past the first bay and there is a huge stretch of beach - more popular with the surfers as the break is bigger on this side. If sunbathing and lazing isn't your thing, there are plenty of walks and wildlife in the regional park, and you can even camp here (something I've never done but is on my bucket list). Looking forward to plenty of day trips next summer already!

I'd been in Auckland for precisely two weeks when my friends insisted one hot hungover Sunday that they were going to drive me to Tawharanui beach for a day of sunbathing. Sit in a car for over an hour? On a boiling hot day? With a hangover? I still can't believe they managed to talk me into it...But I'm oh so glad they did. Tawharanui is without a doubt my favourite out of Auckland day trip. The beach is just gorgeous with perfect white sand, big crashing waves and lots of caves at the side you can explore. It literally makes the inner city beaches pale in comparison. Stop in Matakana for ice-cream or a meal on the way there or back. Load up a cool box with beer and sit and take in the amazing view. Tip: it gets really packed on sunny days so head there early to secure a good spot. Also, not drinking the night before will help to uphold your enthusiasm for the journey.

Tawharanui is a small piece of paradise that I've been lucky enough to grow up next to. I've spent many a summers day in the waves at Anchor Bay or picnicking under the pines along the coast. We love it so much we even spend every second Christmas at the campground. It's a magic place for me and if you're visiting the area would be my first recommendation. It's a bit of a drive out there, and the last part of road is treacherous, so plan to stay the day. The whole area is a Regional Park and is protected by DOC. There is a state or the art predator fence around the park, and animals (dogs included) are strictly forbidden. Part of the park is still an operational farm and there are many walking tracks over it. My favourite is the 'ecology trail' which is an easy walk through a beautiful piece of regenerated bush. You can continue up over the hills for some stunning views. The beach is bigger and less busy than others in the area, and there is decent swell for surfers (or boogey boarders like me). Tawharanui is the perfect day trip, or if you have time, summer camping trip.

A popular escape for Aucklanders, Tawharanui is usually buzzing on a fine weekend. It is an easy drive from Auckland and is a great swimmer's beach. It is only about an hour from the Supercity. There is plenty of parking, which is particularly useful when there are large crowds. The beach is just big enough for a bit of breathing room on busy days, while small enough you are able to easily find friends. There are plenty of beaches nearby also if Tawharanui proves to be too crowded. If the group is a mix of surfers and swimmers, as it were with us, the numerous beaches nearby provide other options for surfers, who favour less crowded places and better waves, whereas the swimmers might as well stick to where the crowds are, with Tawharanui being a swimmer's paradise anyway.

This place is amazing! Would definitely go if you are a surfer, great waves, never had one incident and I come here almost every weekend in the summer, by far my favourite beach!