Best Beach 2025: The top 50 finalists and how to vote for your winners

The Herald Travel is on its annual hunt for New Zealand’s best beach, and the competition is heating up. We can now reveal the top 10 finalists for each of the five categories, and voting is open for the ultimate winners. Scroll down to find our 50 finalists - and how to vote for your favourite slice of Kiwi coastline.

We asked, and New Zealand, you delivered.

The Herald’s annual search for the best beaches around the motu is under way for another year, highlighting the unanimous favourites to the under-appreciated stretches of Kiwi coastline.

Fifty finalists across five categories have been narrowed down from thousands of nominations, with a few old faithfuls making a triumphant return.

Bay of Plenty’s Ōhope, a frontrunner for the past two years, has cropped up in three categories, as well as Coromandel mainstay Whangamatā.

Auckland oasis Ōrewa and Bay of Plenty holiday hotspot Mount Maunganui have nabbed an impressive four categories apiece.

Mount Maunganui Beach has nabbed four nominations in the top 50 Best Beach categories. Photo / Western Bay of Plenty Tourism and Visitors Trust

In case you’ve forgotten, we’re looking for Aotearoa’s best beaches in five prime categories: Best Family Beach, Best Surf Beach, Best City Beach, Best Hidden Gem and Best Camping Beach.

If you want a reminder on the specific criteria, you can revisit our rundown here.

Across the finalists, North Island regions Auckland, Coromandel, and Bay of Plenty proved the most popular coastal destinations, with the South Island scooping a handful of coveted top 50 slots.

Whangamatā has proved to be a popular destination. Photo / Christine Cornege

Tasman enclave Kaiteriteri, a picture-postcard slice of golden sand that scored a respectable gold, silver, and bronze in 2024, received nods in both Best Family Beach and Best Camping Beach - the latter of which it ultimately won last year.

The other South Island spots to make the list in 2025 were recreational retreat Tāhunanui in Nelson and Christchurch summertime stalwart, Sumner - both of which were in the top 10 for Best City Beach.

Another South Island spot to make the list in 2025 was recreational retreat Tāhunanui in Nelson. Photo / www.nelsontasman.nz

We’ll be profiling all the finalists in more detail in our print and online editions over the next week, so stay tuned.

So how do I vote?

Well, dear readers, this is what you need to know.

Below, you’ll find the full list of our finalists - a top 10 in each of the five aforementioned categories.

You have until 11.59pm on Sunday, January 26, to vote for your favourites in each category. You can vote at nzherald.co.nz/bestbeach or by using the form below.

We’ll announce the winners in the Herald on Sunday and at nzherald.co.nz on Sunday, February 2.

BEST BEACH 2025 FINALISTS

Best Family Beach

Hāhei, Coromandel

Kaiteriteri, Tasman

Matapōuri, Northland

Mount Maunganui, Bay of Plenty

Ōhope, Bay of Plenty

Ōrewa, Auckland

Takapuna, Auckland

Waihī Beach, Bay of Plenty

Waipu, Northland

Whangamatā, Coromandel

Best Surf Beach

Mount Maunganui, Bay of Plenty

Muriwai, Auckland

Piha, Auckland

Raglan, Waikato

Ōhope, Bay of Plenty

Ōrewa, Auckland

Sandy Bay, Northland

Waihī Beach, Bay of Plenty

Waipu Cove, Northland

Whangamatā, Coromandel

Best City Beach

Cheltenham, Auckland

Long Bay, Auckland

Mission Bay, Auckland

Mount Maunganui, Bay of Plenty

Ōrewa, Auckland

Oriental Bay, Wellington

St Heliers, Auckland

Sumner, Christchurch

Takapuna, Auckland

Tāhunanui, Nelson

Best Hidden Gem

Langs, Northland

Lonely Bay, Coromandel

Maitai Bay, Northland

Orokawa Bay, Bay of Plenty

Ōtama, Coromandel

Pokohino, Coromandel

Sailors Grave / Te Karo Bay, Coromandel

Te Pahi Bay, Northland

Whale Bay, Northland

Whiritoa, Coromandel

Best Camping Beach

Hāhei, Coromandel

Kaiteriteri, Tasman

Mount Maunganui, Bay of Plenty

Ōhope, Bay of Plenty

Ōrewa, Auckland

Tāwharanui, Auckland

Waipu Cove, Northland

Waikawau Bay, Coromandel

Waihī, Bay of Plenty

Whangamatā, Coromandel