If you're visiting Auckland City and like beaches and snorkelling, head up to the area between Cape Rodney and Mangawhai. The area is immediately north of the Hauraki Gulf / Tīkapa Moana and consists of a long white sand surf beach, separated by Te Ārai Point / Eyres Point, with rocky cliff-lined heads at either end. You can connect the coastal locations on a windy scenic mix of sealed and gravel roads between Leigh and Mangawhai, with various accommodation options, including camping, along the way. Allow 2 to 3 days to explore the area. Te Araroa also runs down the coast from the Mangawhai Walkway to Pākiri Beach.
Starting from the small beach community at Leigh on the south side of Cape Rodney, take Pakiri Road for 1.6 km and then Goat Island Road to explore the Marine Reserve around Goat Island. After a period of calm weather, this is a fabulous and popular place for snorkelling and a coastal walk.
Heading northwest from Goat Island Road, Pakiri Road takes you on a short scenic route to the tiny community of Pakiri. From there, head to stunning Pakiri Beach, alongside the river, on Pakiri River Road. This is also Pakiri Regional Park, which has various beach activities and a commercial campground. Te Araroa also follows the beach north of the river mouth to Mangawhai.
The next stop is Te Ārai Regional Park, centred around the beaches at Eyres Point and Te Ārai Point. The park sits on Te Araroa and includes a campsite. The main beach on the north side of the twin points is rated as a top-three surfing beach in Auckland. You can walk around the coast with fabulous views, linking the beaches or over the twin points. On the day, we also saw dolphins hanging out amongst the surfers!
Te Arai is a bit tricky to find, with several connected rural roads leading to Te Arai Point Road, so it is best to use Google Maps.
On leaving Te Arai, from Te Arai Point Road, take Mangawhai Road to Mangawhai and nearby Mangawhai Head. From there, you can access the main surf beach on the north side of Mangawhai Harbour. But the premier activity is to take the Mangawhai Walkway from the north end of the beach, which has fabulous cliff-top coastal views and a return along the rocky coast at low tide.
Mangawhai also has a local network of forest tracks, the Tanekaha Walking Tracks, which can be accessed from the end of King Road.
