Taupo Bay
Northland, New Zealand
A peaceful, pohutukawa-fringed golden bay that embodies the timeless character of a New Zealand summer holiday.
Northland, New Zealand
A peaceful, pohutukawa-fringed golden bay that embodies the timeless character of a New Zealand summer holiday.
Location
Whangaroa Harbour area, East Northland
Best For
Family Holidays, Swimming, Fishing
Water Temp
20–24°C (Dec–Mar)
Crowds
Moderate — local families only
Parking
Roadside parking and holiday park car park
Facilities
Holiday park, toilets; nearest shops in Mangonui
Taupo Bay is a quintessential Northland beach — a gently curving arc of golden-brown sand on the east coast of the Far North, backed by rolling green hills and bordered by the crimson-flowering pohutukawa trees that New Zealanders call the "Christmas tree" for their habit of blooming in December. The bay has a quietly timeless quality: a small holiday park, a few houses on the hillside, fishing boats launched from the beach at dawn, children in the shallows, and evening barbecues under the trees. Nothing more, nothing less.
The water at Taupo Bay is warm in summer (up to 24°C), calm on most days, and reasonably clear — good for swimming, snorkeling around the bay's rocky margins, and kayaking in the sheltered lower reaches. The beach is popular with local families from the surrounding district and from Kaitaia and Mangonui, but rarely busy enough to feel crowded. The fishing is excellent — blue cod, snapper, and kahawai can be caught from the beach or from a small boat. Nearby Whangaroa Harbour is one of the North Island's finest big-game fishing destinations, with marlin and yellowfin tuna in season (December–April).
Taupo Bay is a wonderful base for exploring Northland's Far North, with Mangonui Harbour (30 minutes south) offering excellent fish and chips from among the best known waterfront takeaways in New Zealand, and the Northland wine region around Kerikeri and the Bay of Islands accessible within an hour. The nearby Matauri Bay — just over the headland to the north — is another beautiful east coast bay worth visiting, and the wreck of the Rainbow Warrior (the Greenpeace vessel sunk by French intelligence agents in 1985) was relocated to Matauri Bay where it now lies as a spectacular diving reef.
Taupo Bay is 30 minutes from Mangonui and 45 minutes from Kerikeri. Take the turn-off from SH10 at Kaeo and follow the signs. The road is fully sealed. Nearest services (fuel, supermarket) are in Mangonui. There is no public transport. Auckland is approximately 3.5 hours south via Whangarei and Kerikeri.
The warmest swimming conditions are December through March, with the pohutukawa trees flowering magnificently in December and January. The bay is calm on most summer days, especially mornings. Autumn visits (March–May) offer warm water, fewer people, and excellent fishing conditions. Year-round visits are pleasant for walking and enjoying Northland's mild climate.