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NEW ZEALAND
NORTH ISLAND
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| Auckland & Northland
MAP [ ↑ ]
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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 36.8003S, 174.7919E , which is about 10 kilometers by car from the CBD (across the Harbour Bridge) and Ladies Bay Beach 36.8440S, 174.8634E , 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 36.6688S, 174.7467E in the suburb of Long Bay 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 36.7798S, 175.0400E 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 37.0096S, 174.5787E 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 35.9379S, 174.4626E 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 35.2553S, 174.1314E 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.
LODGING
Auckland Sun Club
36.9222S, 174.5989E 
Oratia (suburban Auckland)
Auckland Outdoor Naturist Club
36.8740S, 174.6088E 
Ranui (suburban Auckland)
Counties Sun Club
37.1354S, 174.9755E 
Ramarama (south of Auckland)
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| Central North Island
MAP [ ↑ ]
(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 37.6785S, 176.2478E 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 37.3844S, 175.9387E and Homunga Bay Beach 37.3615S, 175.9376E 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.
Between Auckland and the Bay of Plenty, the Coromandel Peninsula is a scenic, hilly landmass that juts northward for over 80 kilometers. On the east side of the peninsula near Whangamata, nude bathing is quite common at Opoutere Beach 37.0907S, 175.8860E a long and rather remote beach that is sparsely attended.
LODGING
Taranaki Naturist Club
38.9972S, 174.1856E 
Brixton (Taranaki)
Manawatu Naturist Club
40.3595S, 175.2769E 
Himatangi (Manawatu-Wanganui)
Katikati Naturist Park
37.5731S, 175.8926E 
Katikati (Bay of Plenty)
Bay of Plenty Sun Club
37.9246S, 176.7418E 
Matata (Bay of Plenty)
Rotota Sun Club
38.4666S, 176.1503E 
Mihi (Waikato)
Hawke's Bay Naturist Club
39.4436S, 176.7521E 
Puketapu (Hawke's Bay)
Guysers Gaystay
38.1371S, 176.2439E 
Rotorua (Bay of Plenty)
Waikato Outdoor Society
37.7810S, 175.3792E 
Tamahere (Waikato)
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| Wellington
MAP [ ↑ ]
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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 41.3298S, 174.8356E 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 40.8165S, 175.0656E 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.
LODGING
Wellington Naturist Club
41.0927S, 175.1344E 
Te Marua (Upper Hutt)
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SOUTH ISLAND
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| Northern
MAP [ ↑ ]
(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 20 kilometers by car from Nelson, Rabbit Island 41.2688S, 173.1672E 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.
North and west of Tasman Bay, rather isolated Golden Bay is known for its laid-back atmosphere and countercultural ethos. At the south end of Golden Bay, sporadic nudity occurs at the beaches of Wainui Bay Beaches 40.8072S, 172.9282E , some of which are within the boundaries of Abel Tasman National Park.
LODGING
Mapua Leisure Park
41.2512S, 173.1060E 
Mapua (Tasman)
Autumn Farm
40.8791S, 172.8211E 
Takaka (Golden Bay)
Nelson Sun Club
41.3130S, 173.0180E 
Upper Moutere (Tasman)
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| Central / Southern
MAP [ ↑ ]
(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 43.4249S, 172.7135E . There is ample space for nude bathing, with most nudity occurring a bit north of the main textile area of Spencer Park.
LODGING
Southern Naturally
46.0653S, 168.0532E 
Aparima (Southland)
South Canterbury Sun Club
44.0409S, 171.2711E 
Orari Gorge (Canterbury)
Pineglades Naturist Club
43.6042S, 172.3723E 
Rolleston (Canterbury)
Orchard Sun Club
45.5665S, 170.1229E 
Sutton (Otago)
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