Nominations are now open to vote for New Zealand's best beach. Video / Molly Floyd
Six60′s bass player Chris Mac says the choice for NZ’s best beach is easy... but it might be one that surprises you. To find out how to nominate your favourite beach in the Herald’s Best Beach campaign, scroll to the bottom of the page.
It isn’t an outrageous revelation that Southland isn’t many people’s initial thought when the phrase “New Zealand summer hot spots” is thrown around but, honestly, it’s the first place my mind wanders to when I think of a perfect beach. I’d almost go as far as to say that if you haven’t spent a sun-drenched day in Curio Bay then you haven’t ever really, truly, New Zealand’ed.
Having lived in Invercargill for years when I first moved to New Zealand, I have an unbridled fondness for Southland. I even married and whisked away one of its finest inhabitants. No, not Tim Shadbolt.
Anyway, enough about me. Grab yourself a Jimmy’s Pie, a cheese roll and throw on some music - might I cheekily suggest Six60′s new album Castle St (it’s really quite good) - as your soundtrack for the picturesque hour-long drive towards Curio Bay, a beautiful stretch of white sand with everything you could wish for on offer.
There’s surf breaks, which I have been reliably told are excellent for all level of surfer. I, however, have an impressive lack of ability in that arena so am more of an observer and/or swimmer. When swimming at Curio Bay you can be incredibly rewarded with the presence of playful dolphins, who seemingly have an insatiable desire to hang out and swim with all their visiting human friends. I’ve swum with dolphins at Curio Bay a number of times and it never gets old, although I think they may be tiring of me doing my dolphin impressions at them. I know my wife is.
Now I can hear you say “beach, swim, surf and dolphins!? That’s plenty to lure me southward. There surely can’t be any more!” Well, actually, there’s loads more to impress.
As well as great surf, sand and camping, Southland's Curio Bay is also home to hoiho - yellow-eyed penguins. Photo / Great South
Curio Bay is home to an adorable colony of hoiho (yellow-eyed penguins) and spotting them is always thrilling. If you catch them at the right time you can see them playing around in and out of the water, putting on a real show for everyone. It’s almost like that scene from Mary Poppins but without the suits or the atrocious English accents.
Potentially though, the most impressive attraction is that the bay also boasts a 180-million-year-old Jurassic fossilised forest. It’s truly mind-boggling to think you’re standing on such an incredible environmental piece of history. You’ll want to be there at low tide to see the most of these preserved logs and tree stumps.
If, for some reason, the whole “nature” of it all gets a little overwhelming and you need to refuel, the on-site Tumu Toka Curiospace Cafe has some delicious food, a decent cup of coffee and they also have a selection from the local Catlins Brewery, which are absolutely great beers, perfect to cool down with in the afternoon sun while overlooking the wide-open scenes of Curio Bay.
Could Southland's Curio Bay be New Zealand's best camping beach? Vote in the Herald's Best Beach campaign to nominate your favourite. Photo / Jeremy Pierce
There is plenty of bed-and-breakfast-type accommodation if you want to make a weekend of it, and why wouldn’t you? The other option is to camp or park up your campervan. I haven’t been camping in years but if I was to come out of tenting retirement I’d say Curio Bay would be top of my list.
Waking up amongst all of that dramatic, rugged, Southland beauty feels like something you almost shouldn’t even be allowed to do. We live in an amazing corner of the world and Curio Bay is an excellent slice of its coastline. In my opinion, one of Aotearoa’s finest.
Chris Mac is bassist for Six60. The band’s latest album “Castle Street” is out now. See them live at Dunedin’s Forsyth Barr Stadium on Saturday, March 4, 2023. six60.co.nz
Six60 bassist Chris Mac's favourite New Zealand beach is in Southland. Photo / Supplied
Nominate New Zealand’s Best Beach
The Herald is searching for New Zealand’s Best Beach 2023 and we need your help.
The Best Beach series runs through January and it starts with you. We want you to nominate your favourite beaches from around the country in these five categories:
Best Family Beach
Best Surf Beach
Best City Beach
Best Camping Beach
Best Hidden Gem
You can nominate one contender in each category and tell us a little bit about why you think they deserve to win. You can also send us a favourite photo of you and your whānau enjoying these great summer spots.
Nominations are open until the end of Sunday, January 8. From there, your entries will be counted and the 10 most popular nominees in each of the five categories will be named as our finalists. You will then be able to vote for the ultimate winners in each category, which will be crowned at the end of the month. To find the form and read more Best Beach stories, go to nzherald.co.nz/bestbeach
