PARADISE IN NORTHLAND
17 SEPTEMBER 2022
One of the many beautiful treasures we found at Smugglers Bay Beach
Emerald Water And Fine White Sand
Smugglers bay is an eastern beach in Northland, New Zealand that showcases a deep emerald ocean and fine white sand. It's set out in Bream Head, just a short 30-minute drive from central Whangarei.
We were lucky enough to spend time here when we did the Smuggler's Bay Loop Track. It's a place that looks like an uninhabited tropical paradise, hours or even days away from anyone, yet it's just a short 15 minutes from the Urquharts Bay carpark (or 1 hour 15 mins if you're doing the loop track the usual way).
There are so many viewpoints to relax at while enjoying the sweeping views across the bay. You can see how clear the water is from these points and you may even spot a stingray or octopus!
We were lucky enough to spend time here when we did the Smuggler's Bay Loop Track. It's a place that looks like an uninhabited tropical paradise, hours or even days away from anyone, yet it's just a short 15 minutes from the Urquharts Bay carpark (or 1 hour 15 mins if you're doing the loop track the usual way).
There are so many viewpoints to relax at while enjoying the sweeping views across the bay. You can see how clear the water is from these points and you may even spot a stingray or octopus!
View of Smuggler's Bay Beach while on the loop track
The bay has crystal clear water
To the left, in the distance, you can see the Hen and Chicken Islands
On The Brink Of Extinction
Smugglers Bay has a fenced off area on the sand dunes where Oystercatchers and NZ Dotterels are nesting. They are threatened with extinction so by fencing off the area and keeping any pets and pests away, the Bream Head Conservation Trust and DoC (Department of Conservation) can try to bring the birds back from the brink of extinction.
They hope to create a reserve that has healthy forests and abundant bird song where anyone visiting can experience nature at its best.
They hope to create a reserve that has healthy forests and abundant bird song where anyone visiting can experience nature at its best.
The Smuggler's Bay Loop Track takes you down to the beach
A previous visitor's attempt at a bonfire
Every angle of the beach is picturesque
The Winterless North
We wish we knew how incredibly beautiful the beaches in Northland were, we would have done a lot of day trips up from Auckland! The water at Smuggler's Bay was so inviting and even though Northland is called the 'winterless north', it wasn't warm enough to spend tooooo much time as we went at the beginning of spring. If it was summer, we would be having a different conversation.
Lath and Sienna went in the water for a while and it was great because they had the whole beach to themselves - although we did see some splashing near Lath at one point!! The sand near the rocks is on a bit of a steep slope, so it gets deep quite quickly - keep the kiddies nearby if they aren't confident swimmers. Because it's like this, we reckon that snorkeling here would be a lot of fun and you wouldn't have to go out far at all to see the marine life, especially around the rocks.
Lath and Sienna went in the water for a while and it was great because they had the whole beach to themselves - although we did see some splashing near Lath at one point!! The sand near the rocks is on a bit of a steep slope, so it gets deep quite quickly - keep the kiddies nearby if they aren't confident swimmers. Because it's like this, we reckon that snorkeling here would be a lot of fun and you wouldn't have to go out far at all to see the marine life, especially around the rocks.
There's nothing better than walking in the ocean (ok there is)
Absolute paradise
We had the whole beach to ourselves
View out to Busby Head which is part of the Smugglers Bay Loop Track
What Did We Find?
We absolutely love to explore every nook and cranny, cave, rock pool and tide line we see. The tide was turning as we were there and stuff was getting washed up onto the sand at the tide mark. We found some really interesting shells, big shells (seriously, Northland has the biggest shells we have seen in New Zealand!), starfish and lobster parts - yes, parts. Either someone had been catching lobster and left the non-edibles behind, or there's a sea monster lurking, preying on innocent lobster and tearing their bodies apart! Dun dun duuuuun! Buuut most likely someone had caught the lobster and discarded what they didn't want.
Bella spent ages collecting shells and making a sandcastle. Every beach has different decorations to be used on top of a sandcastle and if your kids are like ours and love being creative then they will thrive with making castles.
When spent so much time at beaches around Auckland when the kids were younger and we barely saw starfish, but they are abundant in Northland! We have found loads at One Tree Point Beach, Marsden Bay Beach and Waipu Cove Beach.
Bella spent ages collecting shells and making a sandcastle. Every beach has different decorations to be used on top of a sandcastle and if your kids are like ours and love being creative then they will thrive with making castles.
When spent so much time at beaches around Auckland when the kids were younger and we barely saw starfish, but they are abundant in Northland! We have found loads at One Tree Point Beach, Marsden Bay Beach and Waipu Cove Beach.
Part of a lobster
Northland beaches have a lot of starfish
Bella's sandcastle
Exploring at low tide will allow you to explore the rocks the whole way along the beach
Smugglers Bay Loop Track
What do you get when you have plywood, driftwood and Lathem? You have a big kid who wants to play pirates and rowboats, but no one else is interested.
If you have the time, we highly recommend the Smugglers Bay Loop Track which takes you to Smugglers Bay Beach, so you won't be missing out! It's a 1.5-hour track that takes you around the coast, showing the incredible blue and emerald coastline, through native bush and to some of the best beaches in New Zealand. You can even discover some WWII gun emplacements. You can read our full blog on the loop track here.
If you have the time, we highly recommend the Smugglers Bay Loop Track which takes you to Smugglers Bay Beach, so you won't be missing out! It's a 1.5-hour track that takes you around the coast, showing the incredible blue and emerald coastline, through native bush and to some of the best beaches in New Zealand. You can even discover some WWII gun emplacements. You can read our full blog on the loop track here.
Yaaaaaaar me matey
The start of the Smugglers Bay Loop Track, heading towards the gun emplacements
The track down to Smugglers Bay Beach
Know Before You Go
- Bring a snorkel and mask
- There are no toilets at Smugglers Bay Beach, you'll need to go at the Urquharts Bay carpark toilets where you park
- Keep off the fenced off areas to keep the birdies safe
- No pets allowed
- There are no rubbish bins, leave nothing behind except your footprints
Mappy McMap Face
Getting There
There's limited parking at Urquharts Bay. If it's packed, then you'll need to park further down the street where you can find space
If you want to get to Smugglers Bay Beach quickly, look out for the signs as you get onto the Smugglers Bay Loop Track. You'll head off to the left and head up a hill over the grass, instead of going straight ahead to continue on the loop track and you'll be there in around 15 minutes.
You can get to the beach on the Smugglers Bay Loop Track, it will be about 1 hour 15 mins in (the whole track takes only 1 hour 30 mins.
If you want to get to Smugglers Bay Beach quickly, look out for the signs as you get onto the Smugglers Bay Loop Track. You'll head off to the left and head up a hill over the grass, instead of going straight ahead to continue on the loop track and you'll be there in around 15 minutes.
You can get to the beach on the Smugglers Bay Loop Track, it will be about 1 hour 15 mins in (the whole track takes only 1 hour 30 mins.
Conclusion
This beach is one of the best we have been to in New Zealand. Our first impression was that it looked like Hawaii, with the emerald water surrounded by lush green hills. Summer would be the ideal time to explore the ocean here but any time of the year is perfect to explore Smugglers Bay Beach.
Gallery of Smugglers Bay Beach
Check out the rest of the awesomeness that didn't make it to the main blog but deserves to be shown.
More to do in Northland
SMUGGLERS BAY LOOP TRACK
NORTHLAND If you want to go to paradise, this is the place! Emerald water, clear rock pools and octopus encounters await you.
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HERITAGE PARK TRAIN RIDES
NORTHLAND A family fun day out at the Kiwi North Park, where there are tiny trains and larger trains to ride on for as little as $2 per ride! |
WHANGAREI FALLS
NORTHLAND A powerful 23.6m high waterfall along the Hatea River in central Whangarei. These falls will blow your mind. Remember your raincoat! |
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