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A lovely west-coast beach where there's often dolphins close to shore. There’s a public BBQ – bring your own meat and drinks for an epic sunset. Generally not a surfing beach.
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White Cliffs
A track runs between Blind Bay Rd and Whangaparapara Rd, with a side track to the 398-m summit. It's 30 minutes from either end to the junction and another 30 to the summit. Nice aerobic walk (gradual descent/ascent). 360-degree view at the top.
Museum in an old house giving island history and an art gallery showing works by local artists, with a small gift shop.
Run by a hobbyist, but it has interesting exhibits about the history of the island. The 3 room Wiltshire Manor Backpackers is on the same site.
Will you love the combo of dark mountains looming in the background of this sparkly white beach? Spot mermaid pools in the rocks at the southern end. Has consistent surf.
An easy and attractive walk 30-45 min one way from Whangaparapara Rd to the main pool, where there are seats, a picnic table and a toilet. Five minutes further upstream there are more pools, which are hotter. Take care – they can be quite hot.
Hammerhead sharks can sometimes be spotted, usually from the plane.