Where is NZ’s Best Beach 2024? Here’s how to nominate your favourites

The Herald is searching for New Zealand’s Best Beach and the first phase in the campaign is about to close. Don’t miss your chance to nominate your favourite beaches – here’s how.

From north to south, east to west, Aotearoa New Zealand is blessed with some of the world’s most beautiful beaches. Most Kiwis have their favourite, whether it’s the place you’ve been going for generations to stay at the family bach, or a hidden gem where you can get away from the bustle of everyday life. But which beaches should be named New Zealand’s best?

The Herald’s annual search is now on, but it’s your last chance to send in your nominations in our five categories – you’ll find the easy form at the bottom of the page, or head to nzherald.co.nz/bestbeach to enter.

Let’s start with the unexpected – we want to know the beach you consider New Zealand’s Best Hidden Gem. This is the place you like to go to get away from it all, where you’ll find solitude and unspoilt beauty. Don’t keep the secrets all to yourself – tell your fellow Kiwis about the treasures hidden around the country.

Next, tell us your top pick for New Zealand’s Best Surf Beach, where surfers can find the most reliable waves, and non-surfers can take a refreshing walk along a wild, rugged beach to blow out the cobwebs.

Best Family Beach was a hotly contested category last year and we want to hear more about your favourite place to take the whānau for a relaxing day in the sand. Nominate the spots that have safe water for the kids, a good stretch of grass to lay out a picnic blanket, some shade to keep everyone sun-safe, and necessities like toilets and showers, playgrounds and icecream vans.

We also want to know your picks for the nation’s Best Camping Beach – the place you can pitch your tent with an ocean- or lake-front view, and start your day with a refreshing dip, rather than a shower.

And last but by no means least, we want to know your recommendations for Best City Beach, whether it’s in Auckland, Wellington, Christchurch, Dunedin, or even a smaller city around the motu. Nominate your favourite beach in Aotearoa’s urban centres – maybe it’s your local spot or the place you go for a city break.

Getting your nominations in is easy – just scroll to the bottom of this page or go to nzherald.co.nz/bestbeach to find the simple entry form. There, you’ll be able to nominate one contender for each category.

You can also tell us a little bit about why you think these beaches deserve to win and send us a favourite photo of you and your whānau enjoying these great summer spots – we’ll profile entries throughout the month.

Nominations are open until the end of tomorrow – Monday, January 8. From there, your entries will be counted and the 10 most popular nominees in each category will be named as finalists. You can then vote for the ultimate winners, which will be crowned at the end of the month.

Any beach, anywhere around the country could make the final list, from the tip of Te Tai Tokerau Northland to the bottom of Rakiura Stewart Island. It’s all up to you!

Go to nzherald.co.nz/bestbeach to submit your nominations or fill out the entry form below.