You’ve probably seen the photos. That perfect golden crescent of sand, the turquoise water that looks like it’s been hit with a saturation filter, and not a single high-rise building in sight. It’s New Chums Beach, or Wainuiototo Bay if we’re being official about it. For years, it’s been voted one of the best beaches in the world by people who get paid to rank sand. But honestly? Getting there is kinda a pain. It isn’t a place where you just park your car, step out, and start tanning. You have to earn it.
Most people head to the Coromandel Peninsula and stick to the heavy hitters like Cathedral Cove or Hot Water Beach. Don't get me wrong, those spots are iconic for a reason. But New Chums is different. It’s raw. There are no toilets. There are no trash cans. There definitely isn't a cafe selling $7 flat whites nearby. It’s just you, some very slippery rocks, and a whole lot of native bush.
The Reality of Getting to New Chums Beach
Let’s talk about the "hike." Some travel blogs make it sound like a leisurely stroll through a meadow. It’s not. To reach New Chums Beach, you start at the northern end of Whangapoua Beach. You’ll see a little stream. Cross it. If it’s high tide, you’re getting wet up to your knees, maybe your waist. Pro tip: check the tide charts before you leave Auckland or wherever you’re staying. If you time it wrong, you’re either swimming or waiting hours for the water to recede so you can get back to your car.
After the stream, you’re scrambling over rocks. Big, jagged, sometimes slimy rocks. It takes about 30 to 40 minutes depending on how much gear you’re hauling and how good your balance is.
Wear actual shoes. I’ve seen tourists trying to do this in flip-flops—or "jandals" as we say here—and it’s a recipe for a twisted ankle. The track eventually ducks into the nikau palms and pohutukawa trees. It’s beautiful, sure, but it’s a workout. The heat in the Coromandel can be brutal in January or February, and the humidity under the canopy is no joke. You’ll be sweating. You’ll probably wonder if a beach can really be worth this much effort.
Then you break through the trees.
The first glimpse of that white sand is usually when the "overrated" thoughts start to disappear. It’s massive. Because it’s so hard to get to, the crowds are thinner than at nearby spots. You might share the beach with twenty people instead of two hundred. In the shoulder season, you might actually have it to yourself. That’s the real draw. It’s one of the few places left in New Zealand that feels truly undeveloped, thanks to some pretty fierce local conservation efforts over the last decade.
Why This Slice of Coastline Almost Disappeared
We need to talk about the politics of this place because it’s a miracle it hasn’t been turned into a luxury subdivision. Back in the late 2000s and early 2010s, there were massive plans to develop the land behind the beach. We’re talking multimillion-dollar houses, access roads—the whole kit and kaboodle.
The locals lost their minds. And rightly so.
Groups like Preserve New Chums For Everyone fought tooth and nail against developers. They argued that once you put a road in, the soul of the place dies. It’s the "unspoiled" nature that makes it valuable. After years of legal battles and public outery, a huge chunk of the land was bought by the Environmental Defence Society and the New Zealand Coastal Trust. Basically, it’s protected now. When you’re standing on that sand looking back at the hills, you’re looking at a landscape that looks almost exactly the same as it did a hundred years ago. That’s rare.
The Lookout: Don't Skip It (Even Though Your Legs Hurt)
Most people arrive at the beach and just collapse on their towels. Big mistake. Huge.
Before you hit the sand, there’s a fork in the path that goes straight up. It’s steep. It’s unofficial. It’s basically a root-climbing exercise. But this is where you get the shot. The view from the Motuto Point lookout gives you that bird's-eye perspective of the entire bay. You can see the reef, the deep blue of the Pacific, and the thick green mantle of the forest.
Is it dangerous? Kinda. If it’s been raining, that clay track turns into a slide. If you aren't sure-footed, maybe skip it. But if you want to understand why New Chums Beach keeps winning awards, you have to see it from above. Just don't do it for the 'Gram and then leave. Actually stay and enjoy the silence.
What You Actually Need to Pack
Since there are zero facilities, you have to be your own pack horse. I’ve seen people arrive with nothing but a bottle of water and regret it within an hour.
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- Water: Bring more than you think. Double it.
- Sunscreen: The NZ sun is a different beast. You will burn in 10 minutes.
- A Bag for Trash: If you bring it in, you carry it out. Every single piece of plastic.
- Food: There is nothing worse than being "hangry" on a remote beach.
- First Aid: Even just some Band-Aids for those rock-scramble scrapes.
The water is generally safe for swimming, but there are no lifeguards. None. If you get into trouble, you’re a long way from help. The surf can get decent here, which attracts a few locals on longboards, but mostly it’s just gentle rolling waves. Keep an eye on the kids. The drop-off can be a bit sudden depending on how the storms have shifted the sand recently.
The Best Time to Visit (The Honest Truth)
If you go in the middle of Christmas holidays (late December to mid-January), it’s going to be busy. Not "Manhattan" busy, but "where do I put my towel" busy. The car park at Whangapoua fills up by 10:00 AM.
The sweet spot? Late February or March. The water is at its warmest—usually around 20°C to 22°C—and the frantic holiday energy has died down. The weather is more stable, too. Autumn in the Coromandel is stunning.
Winter is a different vibe. It’s moody. The mist hangs low over the hills. You won't be swimming unless you have a thick wetsuit and a death wish, but the walk is still worth it for the raw, windswept beauty. Just watch out for the stream crossing after heavy rain; it can turn from a trickle into a torrent pretty fast.
Local Etiquette and Respecting the Land
New Zealanders are pretty protective of their "secret" spots. Even though the secret is well and truly out for New Chums Beach, you should still act like a guest.
The area is culturally significant to local iwi (tribes). Respect the land. Stay on the tracks to avoid crushing native seedlings or spreading kauri dieback disease—a fungus-like pathogen that is killing our ancient trees. There are usually cleaning stations at the start of major tracks in the Coromandel; use them. Scrub your shoes. It takes thirty seconds and saves a forest.
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Also, don't be that person with a drone. People go there for the sound of the ocean, not the buzz of a giant mechanical mosquito.
Is it Really the Best Beach in New Zealand?
That’s a loaded question. If you want convenience, go to Mount Maunganui. If you want surf, go to Raglan. If you want crazy geothermal activity, go to Hot Water Beach.
But if you want a place that feels like the edge of the world, New Chums Beach is hard to beat. It’s the lack of infrastructure that makes it special. The fact that you have to sweat and scramble and check the tides creates a barrier to entry that keeps it from becoming just another crowded tourist trap.
It’s a reminder of what New Zealand looked like before we paved everything. It’s messy, it’s sandy, and it’s a bit of a trek. But when you’re floating in that clear water looking at the pohutukawa trees leaning over the sand, you’ll get it.
Actionable Steps for Your Trip
To make the most of your visit without ending up stranded or sunburnt, follow this simple checklist:
- Check the Tide Times: Use the NIWA or Metservice websites. Aim to arrive at Whangapoua about two hours before low tide. This gives you plenty of time to get across, stay for a few hours, and get back before the water rises.
- Download Offline Maps: Cell service is patchy at best. Download the area on Google Maps or use an app like AllTrails for the specific track coordinates.
- Drive Carefully: The road to Whangapoua (the 25 and 25A) is winding and can be dangerous if you aren't used to narrow, hilly roads. Take your time.
- Check the Weather: If there’s a gale warning or heavy rain, stay away. The rock scramble becomes a death trap and the stream will be impassable.
- Park Responsibly: Don't block driveways in the Whangapoua township. The locals are nice, but their patience wears thin when they can't get out of their houses.
Stop at the local store in Whangapoua for a real fruit ice cream on your way out. You've earned the calories. Just remember to leave the beach exactly as you found it so the next person gets to have that same "first discovery" feeling.