Mt Maunganui, Bay of Plenty

We may be wrong about this, but we understand there's some fine print in the passport that says you can't call yourself a Kiwi unless you've completed a summer in The Mount. The chilled-out town is the perfect place to unwind in the sun and the main beach is consistently voted NZ's best for its surf, beachside cafes and never-ending white sand.

St Clair, Dunedin

Just minutes from the Octagon, this beach is a popular spot for surfing, swimming and walking. The Pacific beach boasts our most consistent surf break; the Esplanade has long been a destination for weekend walks or dips in the sea, with cafes and bars lining the promenade; and the 1884 lido is the only heated seawater swimming pool in the land.

Kaiteriteri, Nelson Tasman

Turquoise water and golden sand. Safe swimming, stand-up paddleboarding, kayaking, boating, relaxing on the shore. Beachfront campground, apartments, motels, an eco-resort, general store and places to eat. And if that's not enough to keep you occupied, Kaiteriteri - 13km from Motueka – is the launching place for trips into the wonderful Abel Tasman National Park.

Ōhope, Whakatāne

If you take all the images of Kiwiana and put them into one place, it'd be Ōhope: the 11km stretch of white sand, a beach where kids can walk hundreds of metres into the Pacific at low tide, great surf, crimson pōhutukawa blooms, motels and campgrounds, ice-cream and fish'n chip shops, surfcasting. Heck, they even welcome dogs. What's not to like?

Mangawhai, Northland

"A little out of the way. A lot out of the ordinary" is how they pitched the east coast village 80 minutes north of Auckland. Mangawhai is a water-lover's paradise that offers everything from safe swimming, kayaking, windsurfing and water-skiing in the harbour to surfing and boogie boarding on the surf beach.

Matai Bay, Karikari Peninsula

Remote, untouched, its clean, clear water and soft white sand make this the ultimate summer escape for many Kiwis every year. Swim, snorkel, kayak, watch time go by and sleep under the stars in the DoC campsite on the quintessential Northland beach, 45km north of Kaitaia.

Matapōuri, Tutukaka Coast

The clear blue water and white sand of this large, crescent-shaped bay are always featured in any "best beaches in New Zealand" list. Sadly, Te Wai o Te Taniwha, also known as the Mermaid rock pools, have been closed because thoughtless visitors trashed the site. Walk over the headland to the calm, pristine and inviting swimming spot of Whale Bay.

Matarangi, Coromandel

If you build it, they will come – and they did. Matarangi, on the east coast of the Coromandel Peninsula, was developed as a tourist hotspot in the 1980s around its resort and 18-hole golf course. Most summer visitors are drawn by the 4.5km north-facing beach of gently sloping white sand, sheltered by offshore islands. Excellent for families, fishing, diving or watching birdlife, dolphins or the occasional pod of orcas.

Ōakura, Taranaki

Surf Highway 45 runs through the town. Where other burgs have the Big Mango or the Big Beef, "the world's biggest surfboard" dominates the main street. So Ōakura, just a few minutes south of downtown New Plymouth, is best known for … well, its 'laxed atmosphere, family-friendly, black-sand beach, vibrant cafes and galleries – and surfing.

Taupō Bay, Far North

It's quite a hike to this idyllic spot just north of the Whangaroa Harbour entrance – an hour's drive from Kerikeri – but well worth it. One of the North's best beaches (a very high bar), the wide, white sand slopes stretch almost 1.5km. With ample beachfront accommodation, a campground and old-school baches amid native bush, it's perfect for families and groups.

Whangamatā, Coromandel

You guys voted this "best beach in New Zealand" in our 2018 contest. How will "Whanga" go this year? Holidaymakers flock to the Coromandel hotspot for the amazing ocean beach which claims some of the best surfing breaks and safest swimming in the country; its saltwater estuaries are a kids' and a boaties' paradise; the town, bordered by Coromandel Forest Park, hosts the classic Kiwi beach bach holiday.

Wainui, Tairāwhiti Gisborne

Ten minutes' drive or a 6km bike trail from the city, Wainui is world-famous – and not only in New Zealand – for surfing, swimming and fishing. A paradise for the small community lucky enough to live there, visitors also appreciate this stunning spot for watching the sunrise or strolling the golden sands and nature reserve. And it wouldn't be a proper Kiwi beach without a store for ice-creams, milkshakes and takeaways.

Can't see your favourite place on the list? Don't worry, it'll be that much easier to find a place to spread your beach towel in the shade of that pōhutukawa (or rata if you're in the south).