Pristine white sandy beaches, turquoise waters, stunning landscapes, world-class wines, and excellent cuisine—it's easy to see why Waiheke Island is considered the jewel of the Hauraki Gulf. Although just 40 minutes from Auckland, it feels a world away. Visitors can browse local art galleries, sample award-winning olive oils, and soak in spectacular sea views.
Waiheke Island is regularly ranked among the top island destinations globally, with recent accolades from Condé Nast Traveler, Lonely Planet, and Travel + Leisure. The island draws nearly one million visitors each year, yet with over 130 kilometres of coastline and around 40 kilometres of beaches, it rarely feels crowded.
The white sands of Oneroa, Little Oneroa, Palm Beach, and Onetangi gently slope into the clear waters of the Hauraki Gulf, making them ideal for swimming, kayaking, or simply enjoying a relaxed picnic.
Oneroa Village is the main shopping and dining precinct on Waiheke Island. Sitting just above the beach, it serves as the island’s central hub, offering a lively café scene, quality bars and restaurants, boutique shops, a cinema, post office, banks, butchery, and library. It's well suited for both casual browsing and essential errands. Recent additions include Akito Eatery, known for its plant-based brunches; The Courtyard, a laid-back eatery with a garden bar atmosphere; and a new Island Gelato outlet offering award-winning flavours. Wine bars and restaurants such as Fenice and Vino Vino remain popular for their food and coastal views.
Little Oneroa Beach is just around the headland from Oneroa Village, accessible on foot at low tide. It’s a safe, family-friendly swimming spot with changing rooms, toilets, and showers. A shaded playground and a large grassy area with picnic tables and free gas barbecues make it ideal for relaxed afternoons with kids or casual seaside gatherings.
Palm Beach, located just 4 km from Oneroa, remains one of Waiheke’s most popular family beaches. It offers pristine white sand and a spacious playground that children love.
There are two public BBQ areas and a boat-shaped playground that serve as welcoming gathering spots for friends and families to enjoy picnics and beachside get-togethers. Across the road, the Palm Beach Store provides general supplies, takeaway coffee, and hand-scooped ice cream. Next door, there’s also a small bottle store where you can purchase wine, beer, and spirits.
Arcadia, located at 39 Palm Road, is a well-established café‑restaurant‑bar that continues to draw locals and visitors alike. It offers breakfast, lunch, dinner, and takeaway options in a relaxed setting with a courtyard, covered deck, and garden lounge. The menu focuses on fresh, locally sourced ingredients—seafood, organic produce—and is paired with craft beers, a curated wine list, cocktails, and a notable selection of gin.
Ostend Village is located near the centre of Waiheke Island’s populated area and serves as the island’s main service hub. It’s home to the well-known Saturday Morning Market, held at the Ostend Domain and inside Ostend Hall, next to the RSA. The market is a popular spot to browse local produce, artisan food, crafts, and second-hand goods in a relaxed, community setting.
Ostend also hosts the island’s main Woolworths supermarket (formerly Countdown), Placemakers hardware store, and a mix of retail, commercial, and light industrial businesses. Key services such as the medical centre, pharmacy, and Auckland Council service desk are also based here.
Located less than 5 km from Oneroa Village and connected by regular bus routes to the rest of the island, Ostend is a practical and accessible centre for both residents and visitors.
Onetangi is located just under 10 km from Oneroa Village, with regular bus services connecting the two. The area has a general store, gas station, playground, takeaway options, and a liquor outlet, making it convenient for both day-trippers and those staying nearby. Close by you’ll find a range of excellent activities, including the scenic 9-hole Waiheke Golf Course, numerous wineries, breweries and distilleries and the tree-top zipline adventure at EcoZip.
The Onetangi Loop Track is a well-loved one-hour walking trail offering expansive sea views.This natural wilderness is home to mature kauri groves and a wide variety of native birdlife. Offshore, orcas and dolphins are often spotted from the beach.
For dining, Onetangi offers some of the island’s most popular beachfront restaurants. Charlie Farley’s, Three Seven Two, and Ki Maha each provide excellent food and relaxed atmospheres with views directly over the sand and sea.
There are numerous lesser known areas throughout the Island that offer a more private setting such as Enclosure Bay, Te Whau Point and Woodside Bay.
Enclosure Bay is especially popular with families due to its sheltered waters and lack of strong waves, making it a safe spot for young children to swim. At low tide, rock pools are exposed, providing great opportunities for kids (and adults) to spot starfish, crabs, and other marine life.
The area is largely residential and doesn’t have shops or cafes, which helps maintain its quiet, local feel. However, it’s only a short drive to Oneroa or Palm Beach for supplies.
For those staying nearby, it’s also a fantastic spot for a morning swim or sunset paddleboard. The natural protection from the surrounding rocks means the water remains calm even when nearby beaches are windier or rough.
Rocky Bay, or Omiha as it’s traditionally known, is a quiet, local community on the southern side of Waiheke Island. It offers a more rugged, natural setting compared to the northern beaches, with steep bush-covered hills, native birdlife, and views across the Te Whau Peninsula and Putiki Bay. The bay itself is a small, pebbly beach with boat access, and is popular with kayakers and paddleboarders exploring the calm inlet. At low tide, the beach reveals interesting rock formations and shallow pools. While not ideal for classic swimming or sunbathing, it’s a peaceful place to relax or launch a kayak.
Rocky Bay is mostly residential and has no shops or cafés, but it’s only about a 10-minute drive to Ostend or Onetangi for amenities. A small local hall and playground near the beach serve the close-knit community, and the surrounding bush is criss-crossed with walking tracks including access points to the Whakanewha Regional Park.
It’s a good choice for visitors looking for a quieter, more natural side of Waiheke, away from the more commercial areas.
Located on the southern coast of the island and accessed via Whakanewha Regional Park, Woodside Bay is a quiet, relatively undeveloped part of Waiheke. It’s home to what is believed to be the island’s oldest wooden house—a simple villa once owned by left-wing intellectual Peter Lee.
The bay is known for good windsurfing conditions and its open, expansive views. The area is peaceful, with limited development and minimal foot traffic, making it appealing to those looking for a low-key coastal setting away from the island’s more built-up areas.
Sunsets here can be striking, and the surrounding bush and coastline offer a sense of space and seclusion without being remote.
The far east of the island, known locally as 'The Bottom End' is far less populated and only accessible by private vehicle. Despite being fairly remote there are some notable spots to visit, including some wonderful wineries, fabulous walks, beaches and the historic Stony Batter reserve.
Orapiu is a quiet settlement at the eastern tip of Waiheke Island, known for its sheltered bay, native bush surrounds, and peaceful atmosphere. The public wharf is popular with recreational fishers, and the area appeals to those seeking a more remote, off-the-beaten-track experience. Otakawhe Bay is just a 10-minute walk or a few minutes' drive from the Orapiu Wharf. It’s a quiet, south-facing beach with good swimming around mid to high tide. Several walking tracks nearby provide access to native forest and scenic coastal views.
A short drive further north brings you to Man O’ War Bay, a sheltered spot often dotted with visiting boats. The bay is home to the well-known Man O’ War Winery, and features picnic tables and free public gas barbecues right beside the beach—ideal for a relaxed afternoon by the water.
Surfdale is a small village just 3 km from Oneroa. It offers a few cafés and restaurants, a minimarket, a fruit and vegetable store, and takeaway options. It's easily reached by car in a few minutes, or on foot via a pleasant 30-minute walk.
Blackpool, located on the southern side of the island, sits on the edge of Huruhi Bay. Despite its somewhat unflattering name, Blackpool Beach is a quiet, attractive tidal beach with white shell and sand. It's particularly good for swimming in the few hours before and after high tide.
Sandy Bay lies roughly halfway between Oneroa and Palm Beach, about 4 km by road from Oneroa Village. A coastal walkway connects Sandy Bay to Little Oneroa and on to Oneroa Village, offering excellent views along the route. The track is around 2.5 km long and takes about 30 minutes to walk at a moderate pace.
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