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NEW ZEALAND
NORTH ISLAND
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| Auckland & Northland
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WEATHER
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NUDE BEACHES
Auckland is the only really large city in New Zealand, with a metro area of nearly 1.5 million people, or about one third of the population of the entire country. The city's central business district (CBD) is located on the south side of Waitemata Harbour (a.k.a. Auckland Harbour) and is connected to the northern suburbs by the kilometer-long Auckland Harbour Bridge. The most recognizable structure of the CBD is an observation tower called the Sky Tower, which is just slightly taller than the Eiffel Tower and has a similarly iconic effect on the city skyline.
There are a number of well-established nude beaches that are either within or near metro Auckland. The two that are most centrally located are St. Leonards Beach -36.7998, 174.7912   , which is about 10 kilometers by car from the CBD (across the Harbour Bridge) and Ladies Bay Beach -36.8440, 174.8633 , which is also about 10 kilometers by car from the CBD, but directly east and with great views of the city's skyline. Although conveniently located, both these beaches have tarnished images, and many Aucklanders prefer to go a bit farther afield to find a naturist atmosphere more to their liking.
About 25 kilometers north of the CDB, Pohutukawa Bay Beach -36.6681, 174.7464 in the suburb of Torbay is quite beautiful and secluded. Nudity is very well established, but a potential drawback is the long (but scenic) hike of nearly 2 kilometers. East of Auckland, Waiheke Island is a sizable land mass of 92 square kilometers that is roughly 20 kilometers from the CDB as the crow flies, and Little Palm Beach -36.7797, 175.0400 is a charming nudist cove on the north side of the island. Although Little Palm is one of New Zealand's best loved nude beaches, it is more of an occasional getaway for Auckland naturists due to the time and expense of the requisite ferry trip. About 30 kilometers southwest of the CBD, Orpheus Bay Beach -37.0096, 174.5785 on Manukau Harbour is quite secluded, tucked away in a large area of forested parkland. It is a rather obscure and lightly attended nude beach despite its relative proximity to Auckland, but it is highly regarded by those in the know.
The peninsular land mass than extends northward from Auckland is known as Northland, and it has the warmest climate of any part of New Zealand. About 125 kilometers directly north of Auckland and 32 kilometers south of Whangeri, Uretiti Beach -35.9373, 174.4624 on the east side of the peninsula is the premier nude beach of New Zealand. It is especially popular as a weekend escape for Auckland naturists, and there is a primitive (but textile) campground next to the beach. Farther north, Waitata Bay Beach -35.2553, 174.1313 in the small and very remote town of Russell is about 240 kilometers by car from Auckland. Due to the efforts of the naturist-friendly owner of the property next to the beach, there is a sign at this small and hidden beach announcing that Waitata Bay is a naturist beach, but the beach is little known and lightly attended despite the sign.
NATURIST RETREATS
Auckland Outdoor Naturist Club
-36.8740, 174.6088
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Waitakere
Auckland Sun Club
-36.9222, 174.5989
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Oratia
Brumar Naturist Homestay
-35.2322, 173.9460
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Kerikeri
Counties Sun Club
-37.1354, 174.9755
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Ramarama (Drury)
Eden Naturally
-35.7444, 174.4215
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Onerahi (Whangarei)
Kirikau, Hibiscus Coast Sun Club
-36.5895, 174.6778
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Orewa
Waitata Bay Retreat
-35.2557, 174.1299
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Russell
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| Central North Island
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WEATHER
(Bay of Plenty, Gisborne, Hawke's Bay, Manawatu-Wanganui, Taranaki, Waikato)
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NUDE BEACHES
The Bay of Plenty is a very long and prominent indentation that stretches over 250 kilometers along the eastern side of the north coast of the North Island, and Tauranga is the largest town along the bay, located toward its western end, about 200 kilometers southeast of Auckland. Near Tauranga, a small section of Papamoa Beach -37.6787, 176.2482 is a well-established and easily accessible nude beach, and it continues to draw nudists even though the surrounding area has seen an explosion of growth and development over the past few decades.
Orokawa Bay Beach -36.7797, 175.0400 and Homunga Bay Beach -37.3615, 175.9376 are nearby beaches located in a scenic reserve near the town of Waihi, which is about 150 kilometers southeast of Auckland at the far western end of the Bay of Plenty. Neither can be described as being firmly established nude beaches, but both get very limited use and nudity is usually possible. We have included them here because they are especially beautiful beaches. Both require a good bit of hiking. It is about 45 minutes from either beach to the closest respective parking area, then it takes about 90 minutes to walk from one beach to the other.
NATURIST RETREATS
Bay of Plenty Sun Club
-37.9246, 176.7418
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Matata
Katikati Naturist Park
-37.5731, 175.8926
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Katikati
Manawatu Naturist Club
-40.3595, 175.2769
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Himatangi
Rapere, Hawke's Bay Naturist Club
-39.4436, 176.7521
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Rissington (Napier)
Rotota Sun Club
-38.4666, 176.1503
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Mihi (near Taupo, at Waikato border)
Waikato Outdoor Society
-37.7810, 175.3792
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Matangi (Hamilton)
Waiongana Park
-38.9972, 174.1856
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Brixton (Waitara)
PLACES TO STAY—GAY
Ngatahi Lodge
-39.6746, 176.8597
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Havelock North
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| Wellington
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WEATHER
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NUDE BEACHES
Wellington is the capital of New Zealand, and it is located at the far south end of the North Island. With a bit less than 400,000 residents, metro Wellington is less than one third the size of metro Auckland. About 10 kilometers southeast of the city center, Breaker Bay Beach -41.3303, 174.8363 is a well-attended nude beach that is the most popular place for bare bathing anywhere in the southern half of the North Island. About 65 kilometers north of Wellington, Peka Peka Beach -40.8251, 175.0599 near the small town of Waikanae is the second best established nude beach in the general vicinity of the capital city, but it is a distant second in popularity to Breaker Bay.
NATURIST RETREATS
Wellington Naturist Club
-41.0927, 175.1344
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Te Marua (Upper Hutt)
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SOUTH ISLAND
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| Northern
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WEATHER
(Marlborough, Nelson, Tasman, West Coast)
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NUDE BEACHES
Tasman Bay is the most prominent indentation of the far north end of the South Island, and the town of Nelson, which is the third largest town of the South Island, is located on this bay. About 25 kilometers by car from Nelson, Rabbit Island -41.2688, 173.1672 is an uninhabited island that is bridged to the mainland and operated as a day-use park with very limited development. The island has over 8 kilometers of beach that faces Tasman Bay, and nude bathing is well known to occur toward the eastern end, but crowds are small.
NATURIST RETREATS
Gazebo Backpackers
-40.8539, 172.8078
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Takaka (Golden Bay)
Mapua Leisure Park
-41.2512, 173.1060
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Mapua
Nelson Sun Club
-41.3130, 173.0180
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Upper Moutere
Wai-natur Naturist Park
-41.5632, 173.5309
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Blenheim
PLACES TO STAY—GAY
Autumn Farm
-40.8791, 172.8211
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Takaka (Golden Bay)
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| Central / Southern
MAP
WEATHER
(Canterbury, Otago, Southland)
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NUDE BEACHES
With a metro area of not quite 400,000 people, Christchurch is by far the largest city of the South Island, and it is so similar in size to Wellington that the two cities are virtually tied for the title of second largest city in New Zealand after Auckland. On the north end of Christchurch, there is a long stretch of lightly attended and mostly undeveloped beach that extends almost 10 kilometers, and the central area of this stretch is known as Spencer Park Beach -43.4249, 172.7135 . There are well-established zones of nude use both to the north and to the south of the main access to Spencer Park. Straight nudists tend to gather at the north zone, which gay men tend to prefer the south zone.
NATURIST RETREATS
Orchard Sun Club
-45.5665, 170.1229
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Sutton (Middlemarch)
Pineglades Naturist Club
-43.6042, 172.3723
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Rolleston
South Canterbury Sun Club
-44.0409, 171.2711
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Geraldine
Southern Naturally
-46.0653, 168.0532
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Aparima
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