Roll up the beach towel, pick up the picnic scraps and toss the melting ice out of the chilly bin on to the grass. The votes have been tallied and our quest to find the Best Beach in Aotearoa is done and dusted, like sand from wet togs.
Time to name the winner from our readers' 10 favourite beaches and three wildcards the Herald Travel team added to the shortlist.
New Zealand's Best Beach 2021 is Ōhope, narrowly pipping the winner of our 2018 contest, Whangamatā.
Why does Ōhope's fan club rate 11km of Bay of Plenty sand as the best beach in the land?
Three reasons kept coming up in our readers' replies: space, safety and fun for families.
Robin Deal bullet-points it: "Safe. Very gradual incline. Perfectly suitable for bodysurfing. Northfacing. The Pacific. Offshore islands. Beachside playgrounds. Vast pōhutukawas perfect for climbing. Shops selling ice-creams. All you could want."
The place has unique charms, too. For several readers, pet-friendliness is one. "It's the perfect beach for dogs. No matter the tide there's always space for dogs to run and play, the gentle slope is perfect for any size dog to chase sticks in water… There's plenty of other dogs about to make friends with but it's not too crowded… You can walk for hours, depending on your dog's exercise needs," writes Kate Campbell, who's lived there most of her life.
As we've noted throughout the series, beachside cuisine is a deal-breaker. Em Rampling agrees – "Great food options from fish 'n' chips to fine dining" – as does Katrina Elder, plumping for "the sunniest, surfiest, friendliest and yummiest (fish and chips) beach in the land."
For Simon Stokes, there's history: "It is still the way beaches used to be – fun, family and freedom. It is also probably the first beach that our early Polynesian seafarers walked upon."
Apart from water activities, Lara Dixon appreciates the wildlife: "Shell collecting, driftwood huts, biking, NZ birds and sometimes even sea lions. Home to NZ fauna, and humans, with spectacular views to the East Cape and rolling ranges and sea for miles."
Jos van de Laar adds a daytime bonus – "It enjoys more sunshine than the rest of the country almost every year" – while Rachel Gilden favours the twilight zone: "It has the most spectacular sunsets."
Several visitors enjoyed encounters with lucky folk who live there: "Mostly it's the friendly locals who stop and chat when you meet them on the beach," writes Julie Jukes.
Last word to Abby Tozer, who reminds us that a great Kiwi beach is for all to share. "It welcomes surfers and kids and families and cool teenagers and kite-boarders and fishermen and people in wheelchairs and paddleboarders and everyone - you can come and enjoy."
Read about the 12 other best beach finalists here.
Source: NZ Herald
