Cancel

    Open app

    Search

    Piha Beach

    4.6 (17 reviews)
    Open Open 24 hours

    Piha Beach Photos

    Recommended Reviews - Piha Beach

    Your trust is our priority, so businesses can't pay to alter or remove their reviews. Learn more about reviews.
    Yelp app icon
    Browse more easily on the app
    Review Feed Illustration

    Reviews With Photos

    Alex D.

    Despite living in Auckland most of my life, until recently I had never been to Piha Beach. I'd seen it on Piha Rescue and for some silly reason had decided that it wasn't worth the hour long drive. After all, I lived 2mins from a safe and sheltered beach. Well, I couldn't have been more wrong... Piha is truly breathtaking. Everything about it from the black sand to the sweeping dunes to the windy road you take to get there, epitomises the rugged beauty of the West Coast. We went recently for a weekend drive to walk the dog and despite Luca vomming (we're hoping he'll grow out of it..) in the car, he loved it. Sooo many new smells and friends to make. Afterwards we stopped in at the Piha Cafe for a pizza and a couple of beers (they've got Garage Project in cans) - the perfect end to a pretty perfect day! NB. Dogs are only allowed off lead on certain parts of the beach. Make sure you check out the signs when you get there.

    The wild west coast
    Phillipa P.

    When you need to get the cobwebs blown out and are in need of some fresh air you should head straight to Piha. This beach on the wild, windy west coast is one of my favourite places to go in winter which is something you don't hear much when it comes to beaches. It's in its element on a cold winters day as the whole place comes alive. I wouldn't dare go near the water as there are seriously dangerous rips out there but it is amazing to look at. I like to get a coffee from the Piha Café and park up by the beach and watch Mother Nature get angry. There's an awesome lookout from the top of the hill as you come in to Piha which is a great place to take it all in too. No matter what time of day you're there whether it's sunrise, sunset or even the middle of the night this place is magical and I doubt there's anywhere else in the world quite like it.

    Hannah H.

    Whenever someone from outside Auckland asks where they should go, Piha is one of the first things I say. I love it. When I was younger we used to have a bach here, and I've never lost my fondness for it. But it's not just the memories that make it great - it's a spectacular beach. We don't have a lot of accessible West Coast beaches in Auckland, and the black sand is a novelty, though a VERY hot one in the summer. There is a great café and plenty of room on the beach. There's also Lion Rock, which is stunning, and an awesome walk out to Fairy Falls. Yes, it's a dangerous beach, but just don't be an idiot. Don't go swimming if you're a bad swimmer, stay inside the flags, don't wear a hoodie when you're swimming. Done.

    Storm passing through
    Tanya Q.

    Warm water , rolling waves in sets of 3 and a huge expanse of room this is a place to check out . Never a huge fan of West coast beaches I'm being converted after the holiday weekend . Not a lot of shade here so bring all things your going to be needing and wear shoes as the black sand can get hot like lava ! And for the love of God !! Swim between the flags here !

    Chris C.

    Beautiful beach just Northwest of Auckland! Worth the drive!

    Piha Grotto
    Melanie M.

    My first visit to this beach and the grotto rock formations are what stood out to me the most. They are awesome! What stunning beauty from Mother Nature; they are huge, so the sheer impact of their size against our small insignificant sized bodies created part of this sense of awe. I am sure that the details in these rocks bring about great inspiration to many creative minds, young and old alike. The black sand is also a unique feature for out-of-towners, interesting on the eye but also fun to play with creating swirls of shimmering imprints. Each time I have visited I have seen few swimmers, but a lot of surfers.

    See all

    Photo of Hannah S.
    660
    1153
    24895

    1 year ago

    Helpful 38
    Thanks 11
    Love this 38
    Oh no 0

    8 years ago

    Helpful 2
    Thanks 0
    Love this 2
    Oh no 0

    9 years ago

    Helpful 2
    Thanks 0
    Love this 2
    Oh no 0
    Photo of Alex D.
    875
    602
    2865

    11 years ago

    Helpful 2
    Thanks 0
    Love this 4
    Oh no 0
    Photo of Phillipa P.
    18
    268
    326

    13 years ago

    Helpful 0
    Thanks 0
    Love this 0
    Oh no 0
    Photo of Hannah H.
    5
    270
    245

    13 years ago

    Helpful 1
    Thanks 0
    Love this 0
    Oh no 0

    10 years ago

    Helpful 0
    Thanks 0
    Love this 1
    Oh no 0
    Photo of Hannah B.
    6
    175
    192

    13 years ago

    Helpful 1
    Thanks 0
    Love this 1
    Oh no 0

    11 years ago

    Helpful 1
    Thanks 0
    Love this 2
    Oh no 0
    Photo of Chris C.
    79
    150
    263

    12 years ago

    Helpful 1
    Thanks 0
    Love this 1
    Oh no 0

    13 years ago

    Helpful 1
    Thanks 0
    Love this 0
    Oh no 0

    13 years ago

    Helpful 0
    Thanks 0
    Love this 0
    Oh no 0
    Photo of Amy M.
    14
    271
    383

    13 years ago

    Helpful 0
    Thanks 0
    Love this 0
    Oh no 0
    Photo of Jack F.
    8
    467
    0

    12 years ago

    Helpful 1
    Thanks 0
    Love this 1
    Oh no 0
    Photo of Katie C.
    2
    135
    135

    13 years ago

    Helpful 1
    Thanks 0
    Love this 0
    Oh no 0

    10 years ago

    Helpful 0
    Thanks 0
    Love this 0
    Oh no 0
    Photo of Sheer W.
    5
    269
    270

    13 years ago

    Helpful 0
    Thanks 0
    Love this 0
    Oh no 0

    Review Highlights - Piha Beach

    My friends and I took a bit of a drive from Auckland in search of black sand and were surprised and pleased by Piha Breach.

    Mentioned in 8 reviews

    Read more highlights

    Verify this business for free

    People searched for Beaches 136 times last month within 15 miles of this business.

    Verify this business

    Anchor Bay - Human sized rock pool!

    Anchor Bay

    5.0(3 reviews)
    69.5 km

    This has to be one of the busiest beaches during the summer months! And it's pretty obvious why…read more The beach itself is absolutely beautiful. The water is clear and crisp and the sand is squeaky clean... it actually squeaks sometimes when you rub your feet in it! This is a great beach for the family as more often that not there are little waves, which make for some fun boogie boarding or body surfing. As Jacob said it's not often that there's real surf-able waves here but when the east coast swell gets up and hits at the right angle you might be in for a treat. There are some awesome rock pools to explore and a hill to climb which gives you a great look out over the bay. But be careful! I once saw a group of young kids get washed along the rocks as a set wave rolled in. Make sure you accompany your kids and only go exploring if there aren't big waves and the tide's not too high!

    Beautiful Anchor Bay is a day trip spent perfectly in one of our regions golden treasures…read more I spent Easter Sunday here with my son and partner, we arrived not too long after lunch, and the car park close by was already packed to maximum capacity. A short walk down to the beach via the beach path and we found a lovely patch of sand with our name on it. I spent my time here swimming in the beautiful clean cool ocean, body surfing waves, and sun tanning. I recommend if you're not too relaxed to take a walk down the beach towards the rock pools which fill up and explore a deep human sized rock pool that you can dive bomb into! Sublime. The little kids will enjoy running about the rock pools and soaking in them, or searching for the little and big crabs that call it their home. The oceans out beyond the bay are protected as a marine reserve so the fish/sea creatures are happy and you won't see a fisherman in this regional park area. I love the peace I feel at Anchor Bay and always cherish my time here.

    Photos
    Anchor Bay - Big rock jump for the brave!

    See all

    Big rock jump for the brave!

    Whatipu Beach And Caves - Welcome to Whatipu

    Whatipu Beach And Caves

    4.5(4 reviews)
    10.3 km

    I was truly excited to visit Whatipu Beach because I have been to so many of our West Auckland…read morebeach favourites, but I had not experienced this wonder. Upon arrival I was off with my family to walk the 20 minute/1.5km track to the Whatipu Caves. On the walk to the biggest cave you pass smaller old sea caves along the track, they are really fun to walk into for some exploring. The big cave was very impressive; I really enjoyed walking around and hearing my voice bounce around its walls. I made sure I listened to the department of conservation- and sprayed a disinfectant on the bottoms of my shoes before and after entering the walk; this would help prevent the deadly Kauri collar rot which is easily passed from soiled footwear to trees. After the cave walk, I headed to the beach for a bite of lunch and a chance to soak in the scenery, hardly a sole to see. Picturesque waves rolled in to the shore, while in the distance the Manukau bar dramatically splashed up almost to say check me out I'm dangerous. I will be back Whatipu I promised as I departed this afternoon- you are a mysterious beauty.

    Over Christmas my husband and I knew we wanted to go camping but also wanted some quietude, so we…read morelooked somewhere close to home, the Waitakere ranges were it, and Whatipu Lodge camp grounds looked quite remote but interesting. It took quite a windy drive to get to, passing very close to the oceans edge and down some narrow curly passes but with just a mild case of nausea (for me) we eventually got there. The space was very open and had one other camper nearby, a family tenting. We have a van decked out, which was ideal as the place was very windy and wet. It rained the whole time, but I liked it none the less, it wasn't cold and a bit of rain is no drama in my world. The hike up the big hill was easy and gave amazing views of the coast that we had walked along earlier in the day. The wind up on the cliffs did mean we had to keep our wits about us, and no rock climbing. We tried to get to the caves but it wasn't really possible without more serious wet weather gear, we got soggy shoes and socks even through the mere attempt to get at them. I recently read about all the ghost sightings in this place, we saw, nor felt, none, but it did give off a rather haunting feel. But that could also be because it felt like such an isolated environment and was so wet and windy. We did, however, see a lot of bird life. Bird watching is not a hobby of mine but it was kind of cool to see so many and all their antics. The lodge caretakers came over to the car and collected the $15 (per night, per car) and had a brief chat soon after we had arrived. Bookings are essential before you arrive.

    Photos
    Whatipu Beach And Caves - Spray your shoes and prevent damaging kauri trees

    Spray your shoes and prevent damaging kauri trees

    Whatipu Beach And Caves - Pukeko caught in the wind

    Pukeko caught in the wind

    Whatipu Beach And Caves - Walk to Caves

    See all

    Walk to Caves

    Karekare Beach - Karekare Beach -- evening ca 2002

    Karekare Beach

    5.0(7 reviews)
    4.6 km

    On the first day of our trip, we had just flown into Auckland the night before, and wanted to check…read moresomething off our bucket list right away. Going to a black sand beach ended up being super simple as this beach is located in Waitakere Ranges Regional Park and is only a 45 minutes drive from Auckland. What could be easier? The drive is beautiful and it was a straightforward find with the assistance of google maps.They have a nice visitor's parking area with well maintained toilets, information on hiking and local activities, and even a picnic area. The walk out to the beach was short and we enjoyed a rewarding coastline and soft smooth sand. We were there during the end of winter, so it was still pretty cold and windy but no less beautiful. It is a dog friendly spot and a lot of people were out flying kites and walking their furry buddies. It's a great location to spend a few hours or the better part of a day; and if you're traveling from a country where black sand beaches don't exist, it's an easy check off that must see list.

    Beautiful rugged beach out West. I had my first visit here today; plenty of other people were also…read moreenjoying the sunny, summer public holiday. Families with their kites, pet dogs, a few surfers and one handful of people (adults and children) were having a model boat race down the water inlet - great idea! Looked like lots of fun! There were lifeguards on duty and they had flags set up to swim in between. Although I didn't see many people out in the water. All the West coast beaches are infamous for their tough swimming conditions. The beach has a nice long stretch of sand, gorgeous views and fresh, beautiful air. What more could you want?

    Photos
    Karekare Beach - Sand dune at Karekare Beach

    Sand dune at Karekare Beach

    Karekare Beach - Summer 2015

    Summer 2015

    Karekare Beach - Marshy area on the walk out to the beach

    See all

    Marshy area on the walk out to the beach

    Titirangi Beach - awesome swing, Titirangi Beach

    Titirangi Beach

    4.3(3 reviews)
    17.1 kmTitirangi

    If there was a competition to find the coolest beach swing I would have to say Titirangi would win…read morethe prize. My family, and everyone we bring to this beach-side park, agree that the rope swing which can take multiple swingers is a great ride. The rest of the playground is ok too, lots of equipment for the littlies. There is a wide grassy expanse adjacent to the park and then there is beautiful Titirangi Beach itself. This is a tidal beach so if you want a swim it is best to search out the Manukau Harbour timings. Wear shoes if you are walking the beach at low tide because the oyster shells are really sharp. Speaking of low tide, this is a lovely time to explore the bay and shore line. We bring our dog and can spend hours here. So close to Titirangi village that the takeaways are still nice and hot when you are unpacking them on the picnic blanket. We have also had a great time or two in the Titirangi Beach community hall.

    We almost bought a house at Titirangi beach a couple of years ago and when the auction went…read moreanother way I was devastated. Titirangi beach is truly incredible. There are two sections for parking and a nice stretch of grass positioned opposite another separate grass field for sports play. There is also agreat little playground with some awesome swings. The playground is reached by going over top of a little creek that runs past the grass area. The beach itself is really nice too. Although in my opinion it is not a beach for sun-baking, swimming and spending the whole day chilling though. I see it as more of a beach made for a family picnic, a sweet stroll or a walk with the dog. Still it is a lovely beach.

    Te Atatu Peninsula Beach

    Te Atatu Peninsula Beach

    4.5(2 reviews)
    21.3 kmTe Atatu Peninsula

    My wife's family have been living in Te Atatu for over thirty years and believe it or not, they…read moredidn't know about this place until recently. I saw an article in the paper about secret beaches in Auckland and this was one of the beaches that was mentioned. The good thing is there is hardly anyone here in weekdays, mind you, you get people walking dogs and jogging on the weekends. It's a sandy beach but the surface is full of shells so you would need footwear to walk along here - well, I wear footwear but some of locals don't. There's a beautiful view of the city from an angle you've probably never encountered before. There is a also a nice walkaway which goes right around the to the next beach. It's a nice place to come for a long walk during summer. A great spot for kids, there is also a playground so plenty to keep them busy.

    A great spot for a picnic, this little beach is a great place to bring the kids, go for a swim, or…read morewalk the dogs. My friend and I used to always come here during the week when the sun was out, because there'd be hardly anyone else here. We'd bring a blanket, some food and book, and have a relaxing afternoon in the sun, looking across the harbour at Auckland City. The water itself is harbour water, so it can be a bit muddy, but it's fun for the kids because it's flat as anything, and you always see lots of kids on floaties and people out on their kayaks. There's a playground in the reserve that's pretty decent, with bark as the base for safety. Make sure you bring your dog on a lead though because everyone brings their dogs down here, so if you're dog is the type to take off, it's much safer on a lead. We bring both our dogs down here and one of them loves running into the mud and into the water. The other just likes to roll around in the sand. The sand is quite shelly, actually. It's kind of like a really small Mission Bay, out west, with no shops and of course far less people.

    Photos
    Te Atatu Peninsula Beach

    See all

    Piha Beach - beaches - Updated May 2026

    Loading...
    Loading...
    Loading...