NZ Herald's Best Beach is back for 2025 and we need you to tell us where it is. Here's all you need to know about how to nominate and vote for your fave. Video / Carson Bluck
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.
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.
