Wharariki Beach

Wharariki Beach is a beach west of Cape Farewell, the northernmost point of the South Island of New Zealand. Located in the Nelson region, in the central part of the country, it is 200 km west of Wellington.

The view of the beach is really impressive. There are large rock sculptures as we walk along the beach, and depending on the wind, there is usually a great silence apart from the sound of the sea. The beach is a large stretch of coastline in a straight line with cliffs on one side and the ocean and rocks sculpted by time on the other.

There is a spiritual side to this beach, and many people are precisely motivated by this. According to the Maori culture, Wharariki beach is the place where the spirits leave.

Access : Coordinates: -40.503889, 172.673889 / Location : South Island , Nelson Region , Golden Bay / The north-facing sandy beach is accessible only via a 20-minute walking track from the end of Wharariki Road. The road end is approximately 4 kilometres (2.5 mi) from the nearest settlement, the small village of Puponga.
/ Nelson to Wharariki beach – 2h40 drive , 20 minute walk from the carpark.

Highlights :

•  Wharariki Beach Trail : Wharariki Beach Trail is a 4.5-kilometer round-trip trail with moderate traffic located near Collingwood, Nelson-Tasman, New Zealand. It has beautiful wild flowers and is good for all skill levels. The trail offers a series of activity options and is accessible year-round.
•  Wharariki Beach known for the Archway Islands, featured frequently in photos in New Zealand landscape calendars. It is also the default lock screen image and one of desktop wallpapers on Microsoft’s Windows 10 operating system.
•  Wharariki Archway islands , The Archway Islands are a group of four rock stacks or small islands and the large flat sand area that retains water at low tide offering amazing reflections
•  tidal pools / Wharariki sand dunes / Beach of Wharariki Caves , towards the West of the beach, you will find caves that are only accessible at low tide.

Note : Swimming at Wharariki: it is not recommended because of strong currents.

Facilities: Cafe at the Holiday park near the carpark , Toilets at the carpark , / access to the beach is free.

Activities : sightseeing / photo opportunities / trekking / Horse riding / Surfing

Go next : Kahurangi National Park in the northwest of the South Island of New Zealand / Cape Farewell is a headland in New Zealand, the most northerly point on the South Island.