Explore the beaches around Matakana - something for everybody!

People frequently take a day trip up to Matakana to go to the markets and enjoy the gorgeous village life of Matakana, but those who decide to stick around for a couple of days have the added advantage of time – time to explore all the wonderful beaches within a stone’s throw of Matakana. Beaches the whole family will enjoy.

The most obvious stop from Matakana is Omaha beach, which spreads for as far as the eye can see and offers everyone lots of space for which to set up their spot for the day. In the morning it is full of people out for their morning walk enjoying feeling the sand between their toes as the sun rises. For those that don’t like getting too sandy, there is an amazing walkway that follows the length of the beach in the new part which is suitable for bikes, prams and scooters.

Because Omaha beach is a surf beach, there is often enough waves for the kids to have a great time boogie boarding in the surf. It also means that as the tide goes out, there are frequently little pools of water further up the beach left by the receding tide which provides a very safe option for the littler ones to splash about in. There is constantly something to watch, whether it be the surf school teaching the next wave of young surfers, or the kayakers and paddle boarders cruising up and down the beach. There is also a café, four square and clothing shop for you to pick up a couple of ice creams, a new sun hat and a coffee to take with you down to the beach.

Once you have fully explored Omaha, the next stop should be Tauwharanui, in Tawharanui Regional Park. The long sandy beach offers lots of spots for swimming, or surfing and there is a large grassed area above the beach perfect to sit under the shade of the pohutukawa trees to enjoy a picnic. There is an ecology trail which gives beautiful views of the native forest, or if you are feeling more energetic, there are longer walking tracks that offer panoramic views from the top end of the peninsula.

A little further away from Matakana, but well worth the effort is Te Arai beach. It is well known by surfers as being a consistent and safe beach, but enjoyed by everyone. A gorgeous spot to take the family, there are rock pools at one end of the beach for some exploring or you can enjoy swimming at the sheltered old quarry swimming hole. Here there are also lots of sea life to explore so consider taking your snorkel.

If snorkelling and getting amongst the marine life is more your thing, then consider heading to Goat Island, near Leigh. It is a nature reserve and offers amazing snorkelling and diving. There are also kayak tours or if you would prefer to sit back and enjoy the scenery, there are also glass bottom boat tours. There is a gorgeous walkway that takes you up the hill to enjoy the views over Goat Island and across to Pakiri. At low tide you can walk to Pakiri Beach. It involves walking across sand, the rocky shore and hopping across boulders to get there. On the way is a beach with pink sand and a small waterfall after rain. Just make sure you come back before the tide comes back in again!

Pakiri beach is another beach not far from Matakana, and also offers the additional benefit of having a holiday park right on the waters edge. Situated off an estuary, the Pakiri Holiday park has an inflatable jumping pillow and water slide right into the estuary for the kids to enjoy, and provides a sheltered and safe swimming spot for the whole family. It is also a great place to learn to SUP. The main beach offers great surf and with 9kms of white sand to explore you will never be short of options.

So next time you plan on heading to Matakana for the day, consider staying a few extra days and spend time exploring the many great beaches around the area. You never know, you may end up wanting to stay for longer!