By Liam Naden
New Zealand Travel Expert, about.com
With miles of coastline and many lovely beaches and secluded bays,
it's possible to find a private spot for nude sunbathing or swimming in
most parts of Northland.
Although there are no official nude beaches, a number have been designated as places "where nudity is known to occur". Here are some of
best spots to try naturism, listed from north to south.Be aware
that nudity on a beach is not illegal, but "intending to be offensive"
is. Avoid crowded beaches and when in doubt stay a respectable distance
from clothed beachgoers. Kiwis are pretty tolerant as long as you are not blatant about it.
Tapotupotu Beach
This tiny beach is just to the south of Cape Reinga.
It is a popular spot for tour buses as well as private tourists. There is a campground at the southern end (to the right) which fronts the main part of the beach.
Naturists use the other end of the beach; walk left from the car park as far as you can go.
It is best avoided at the height of summer, however, when the entire beach will be crowded.
Henderson Bay
This
is a large and somewhat windswept beach to the north of Houhora on the
way to Cape Reinga. There is plenty of room here (and usually very few
people). Just be aware there are often four wheel drive vehicles on the
beach.
Ninety Mile Beach
The entire stretch of Ninety Mile Beach
is very suitable for a nude swim. Sunbathing is rather more of an
issue, however; the beach is an official public road and there will
often be vehicles driving past. Several tour buses use the beach daily
on a their tour to and from Cape Reinga.
The quietest spots are to
the south of Waipapakauri and to the north of the Te Paki sand dunes as
these are the entry and departure points for the coach tours.
Maitai Bay
This beautiful beach, one of the finest beaches in Northland, is at the far end of the Karikari Peninsula. Although it's quite a drive to get to, it is well worth it.
There
are two spots to head to if you want to shed your clothes. From the car
park, the beach on the right attracts fewer people; walk to the far end
of the horseshoe-shaped beach.
The other place is at the northern
end of the left-hand beach, which is Maitai Bay itself. This is reached
by a short walk from the car park. This is also the more popular of the
two beaches so make sure you walk to the far end.
Waitata Bay
Also
known as Donkey Bay, this is the closest to an official naturist beach
in Northland. It is about 2 kilometers from Russell in the Bay of Islands. There is also naturist accommodation, the Waitata Bay Naturist Retreat, close by.
Ocean Beach, Whangarei Heads
Out
on the coast from Whangarei City is Ocean Beach. The nude area is to
the left of the main section of the beach by the car park. Turn left and
head north for a couple of bays. You may see the odd fisherman, but
little else.
Smugglers Cove
This beach is to be found by
driving to Urquharts Bay on the northern side of the entrance to
Whangarei Harbor. A short walk over farmland leads to this lovely bay.
The southern end (to the right) is the more secluded but there will
often be no one on the entire length of this beach, particularly on
weekdays.
Uretiti Beach
This is the best-known and most accessible nude beach in Northland, and one of the most popular in New Zealand.
It is close to the main highway, just to the north of Waipu
and about 40 kilometers south of Whangarei. The beach itself is part of
the long sweep of Bream Bay, from Marsden Point at the entrance to
Whangarei Harbor to Langs Beach.
There is a DOC campsite at the
entrance to the beach. The accepted clothing optional section of the
beach is reached by walking to the right for a couple of hundred meters.
With views directly out to the Hen and Chicken Islands and the
Whangarei Heads in the distance, this is a lovely place to enjoy on a
summers day.
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