The Herald is searching for New Zealand’s Best Beach and we need your nominations. Find out how to get involved, and take inspiration from comedian Tom Sainsbury, who reveals which beaches he’ll be nominating.
The ocean is one of my favourite places. I just love floating in the water, getting refreshed, exfoliating my feet in the sand and diving under the waves. I just love looking out at the horizon as well. It’s grounding.
Swimming, eating chips, doing power walks along the sand after indulgent meals.
Cooks Beach in the Coromandel. Low waves that you can just float in, or waterski on. Plenty of bush walks all around.
Cheltenham Beach in Auckland. It’s the calmest and closest. So we go there to cool down.
The Mount, Mount Maunganui. I’m useless at surfing but we’ve got boogie boards!
I once went camping in Te Werahi Beach in the Far North and it was a very, very special time.
Smugglers Bay in Whangārei Heads. You have to park and walk for 500 metres to the beach. But it is gloriously worth it.
The film and TV industry gets pretty quiet in January so I’m going to be escaping to the beach as much as possible. And reading books. No special events but a road trip down the North Island to Kāpiti Coast. We’ll be staying at Pukerua Bay which has the cutest little beach.
The second season of Tom Sainsbury’s Small Town Scandal is out now – listen on iHeartRadio
To submit your nominations for NZ’s Best Beach, go to nzherald.co.nz/bestbeach or fill out the entry form below. Nominations are open until January 8, and the finalists in all five categories will be revealed on January 15. You’ll then be able to vote for the ultimate winners.
Desperate for a summer getaway but don't want the admin? Waiheke has the answers.