Wainui Beach one of 10 finalists in NZ Herald Travel competition

Two surfers ride a wave at a Wainui break. Wainui Beach has been rated nine out of 10 for surfing quality in The NZ Herald’s annual best beach competition.Picture by Ben Cowper

Wainui Beach is among the category finalists in The New Zealand Herald Travel section’s annual best beach competition.

Wainui has been named among the 10 finalists for best surf beach.

The Herald Travel contest features five categories — best surf beach, best family beach, best city beach, best hidden gem beach and best camping beach.

Each category has been whittled down to the 10 most popular nominees. Finalists were named this week and winners will be decided by reader vote and be named at the end of the month.

The other nominees for best surf beach are Ōhope, Bay of Plenty; Whangamatā, Coromandel; Manu Bay, Raglan; Mount Maunganui, Bay of Plenty; Piha, Auckland; Sandy Bay, Tutukaka, Northland; and Ocean Beach, Whangārei Heads, Northland.

In a detailed piece on the best surf beaches, The NZ Herald reporter Ewan McDonald gave Wainui a “quality rating” of nine. Raglan was the only other beach to receive a nine.

“In the surfing heaven of Gizzy, Wainui provides good, consistent waves year-round,” he wrote. “It has several peaks — Whales (north end), Pines (surf club), Schools (school) and — probably the best — Stock Route (south end) for right- and left-hand tube rides. Best for intermediate to advanced surfers.”

To vote in the best beach competition go to nzherald.co.nz/bestbeach