Whale Bay is our favourite beach in New Zealand. Stunning at any time of the year, this little piece of paradise will take your breath away.
What to do at Whale Bay
Sit for a while under the shade of the Pohutukawa Trees, stroll along the beach and explore the rock pools or take a dip in the clear waters of the bay.
Why not take a picnic and spend a few hours there if you have the time (public toilet facilities at located at the beach).
How to Get to Whale Bay
There are 2 ways to get to Whale Bay from Matapouri Road:
1. Walk down through a lovely coastal bush track from the main Whale Bay carpark (10-15 minutes each way)
2. Walk from adjacent Matapouri Bay via a circular farm/bush track which takes about 1.5 hours at moderate pace (including some time at Whale Bay). Park at Matapouri Bay and walk northwards along the beach to find the start of the track.
To get to Whale Bay from Lupton Lodge follow Ngunguru Road past Tutukaka and Matapouri – the Whale Bay carpark is at the top of the hill. Driving time is around 25 minutes.
555 Ngunguru Rd, Glenbervie
Matapouri Road, Whangarei
Other Useful Information
The nearby beaches of Matapouri Bay, Woolley’s Bay and Sandy Bay are also worth a visit – these are longer white sandy beaches with road access and parking.
There is a small shop and takeaways located at Matapouri Bay or one of the cafes at nearby Tutukaka Marina can supply you with lunch provisions.
For More information on the Whale Bay walkway or the Matapouri Headland Track click here.
