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Travel Guides · New Zealand · Updated 2026 · 9 min read
Hawke’s Bay is warm, sunny and right on the coast, so you would expect it to be full of beaches. It is, but with a catch. Much of the shoreline here is steep shingle rather than sand, and not all of it is safe to swim. The best beaches near Hastings are the handful of true sand beaches, and knowing which is which matters more here than in most places.
Get it right and the reward is real. Long golden bays, warm summer water and, most days, plenty of space to yourself. Get it wrong and you end up on a pretty stretch of pebbles you cannot swim at.
This guide covers the beaches worth the drive, which are safe for the water, and which are better for a walk. A quick note on the region too. Parts of the coast were hit by Cyclone Gabrielle in 2023, so check access for the more rural spots before you go.
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The Best Beaches Near Hastings
The best beaches near Hastings split into two clear groups. The true sand beaches sit south and east, out past Havelock North. The shingle beaches run along the closer coast at Haumoana, Te Awanga and Napier. Both have their place, but only some are for swimming. Here they are.
Waimarama Beach
Waimarama is the best beach near Hastings, and it is not a close call. A long stretch of golden sand runs for several kilometres, backed by intact dunes and low hills. Bare Island, or Motu-o-Kura, sits just offshore. On a clear summer day it is genuinely lovely.
The water is good for swimming, surfing and bodyboarding. Surf lifeguards patrol the southern end on weekends from November to March. There are rip currents here, so swim between the flags when the patrol is on. Outside those months, take more care.
The village has a store, toilets, a playground and a camp ground. It is about thirty minutes from Hastings on a winding road. Give it a full afternoon.
Distance: 30 minutes southeast · Patrol: weekends, November to March · Best for: swimming, surfing and a family day.
Ocean Beach
Just over the hill from Waimarama, Ocean Beach is the quieter of the two. It is less developed, backed by dunes and farmland, with the same golden sand and open surf. Surfers and families both come here, and it rarely feels crowded.
It also has summer lifeguards on duty, so it is a safer swim than the shingle beaches closer to the city. There is a designated off-lead area, which makes it a favourite for anyone travelling with a dog. Bring what you need, as facilities are limited.
Distance: 30 minutes southeast · Patrol: summer holidays · Best for: surfing, dogs and a quiet swim.
Waipatiki Beach
North of Napier, Waipatiki is a small sandy beach tucked into its own sheltered bay. It feels hidden, reached by a side road off the highway, framed by bush-covered hills and a wetland behind. It is the prettiest of the northern beaches.
The setting is the draw. It is calmer and more enclosed than the big southern beaches, with a DOC reserve and walking tracks nearby. This corner of the coast was hit hard by the cyclone, so check access before you drive out. On a settled day it is a gentle spot for a swim and a picnic.
Distance: 40 to 45 minutes north · Best for: a sheltered swim and quiet scenery.
Te Awanga and Clifton
East of Hastings, Te Awanga and Clifton sit on the shingle coast. These are not swimming beaches in the usual sense. The shore is pebbly and the water drops away steeply, so they are better for a walk than a dip. What they offer instead is character.
This is the gateway to Cape Kidnappers, and the tractor and overland gannet tours leave from Clifton. Small coastal cellar doors like Elephant Hill and Te Awanga Estate sit close by. Come for the wine, the birds and the wide coastal views rather than the swimming.
Distance: 20 minutes east · Best for: coastal walks, wine and the gannet tours.
Haumoana
Next along the same coast, Haumoana is another shingle beach with a quiet, arty character. A small community of makers and painters has settled here over the years. The beach itself is for walking and driftwood, not swimming, as the shingle and surf make the water risky.
It is a good place to stretch the legs and watch the sea. The nearby Clifton to Napier cycle trail passes through, which makes it an easy stop on a ride. Take the coast in rather than the water.
Distance: 20 minutes east · Best for: a coastal walk and the cycle trail.
Central Hawke’s Bay Beaches
South of the district, Central Hawke’s Bay holds a run of remote beaches that few visitors reach. Pourerere, Kairakau, Mangakuri and Aramoana are small, wild and quiet. Some are sand, some are shingle, and the drives out are long and rural.
These are for people who want space more than facilities. Pourerere in particular is well liked for swimming on a calm day. Take everything you need, check the roads first, and do not expect a store at the end of the drive.
Distance: 45 minutes to 1 hour south · Best for: solitude and a wild coast.
Westshore and Marine Parade, Napier
These two sit right in Napier, twenty minutes north, and they need an honest word. Marine Parade looks like a beach, but it is dangerous to swim. The shingle drops away steeply and the waves dump hard, and people have drowned here over the years. Do not be tempted in.
Westshore is the safer of the two and is patrolled in summer, though it has turned mostly to shingle over time. Both are fine for a stroll along the front, and Marine Parade is one of Napier’s best walks. For an actual swim in the city, the heated Ocean Spa pools beside the parade are the reliable answer.
Distance: 20 minutes north · Best for: seafront walks, not open-water swimming.
Tips for Beach Days Near Hastings
Know your sand from your shingle. The safe swimming beaches are Waimarama, Ocean Beach and Waipatiki. The shingle beaches at Marine Parade, Haumoana and Te Awanga are for walking, not swimming. This is the single most useful thing to know about the local coast.
Swim between the flags. Waimarama and Ocean Beach have rips, and lifeguards patrol only in the warmer months. Stay between the flags when the patrol is on, and take real care outside the season.
The Hawke’s Bay sun is fierce. Burn times can be as short as ten minutes in summer. Bring a hat, sunscreen and water, and a good pair of reef-safe sunscreen for long days on the open sand.
Check the water quality and the roads. The regional council monitors popular beaches through summer, and the LAWA website shows current results. Some rural coast is still recovering from Cyclone Gabrielle, so check access for the further beaches. A dry bag is handy on the wilder stretches.
Consider being covered for the water. If your trip involves surfing, diving or the exposed southern beaches, travel insurance is worth it. World Nomads includes those activities as standard.
How to Reach the Beaches
A car is essential here. The best beaches sit well outside the city, and public transport does not reach them. Waimarama and Ocean Beach are both about half an hour southeast on winding rural roads.
The shingle beaches on the closer coast are quicker, at around twenty minutes east. Waipatiki and the northern beaches lie north of Napier, and the Central Hawke’s Bay beaches are a longer run south. Allow more time than the map suggests.
Hastings and Napier both make good bases, and the beaches sit within reach of either. For a proper beach stay, Waimarama itself has baches and a camp ground. You can compare places to stay in the area here and plan around the coast.
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Frequently Asked Questions
What is the best beach near Hastings?
Waimarama is the clear pick. It is a long golden sand beach about thirty minutes southeast of the city, good for swimming and surfing, and patrolled in summer. Ocean Beach next door is a close and quieter second.
Can you swim at the beaches near Hastings?
At some of them, yes. Waimarama, Ocean Beach and Waipatiki are the safe sand beaches for swimming. The shingle beaches at Marine Parade, Haumoana and Te Awanga are not safe to swim, so treat those as places to walk instead.
Why is Napier’s Marine Parade not safe for swimming?
Marine Parade is a steep shingle beach with a sudden drop-off and heavy dumping waves. Those conditions have caused drownings over the years. It is a beautiful place to walk, but you should not swim there. For a swim in the city, use the heated Ocean Spa pools nearby.
Are the beaches near Hastings patrolled by lifeguards?
Some are, in summer only. Waimarama and Ocean Beach have surf lifesaving patrols from around November to March, and Westshore is patrolled in Napier. Always swim between the flags when the patrol is on, and take care outside those months.
Do you need a car to reach the beaches?
Yes. The best beaches are well outside Hastings, and there is no public transport to them. Waimarama and Ocean Beach are about half an hour away on rural roads, so a car is the only practical option.
Final Thoughts
The Hawke’s Bay coast rewards a little local knowledge. Once you know which beaches are sand and which are shingle, the best beaches near Hastings are easy to love. Warm water, long golden bays and space to spare.
Head south for the swim and stay for the afternoon. Keep the shingle coast for walking and wine. Either way, the sun does the rest.
Check the flags, respect the water, and take your time out there.
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