Ngarunui Beach

Ngarunui (sometimes called Ocean Beach or Wainui Beach) is the main sandy swimming beach in Raglan.  A magnificent blacksand surfing beach, it’s ideal for swimming, is perfect for learning to surf or simply sunbathing on the sand. The beach has an area patrolled by surf lifesavers (October to April) immediately in front of the access trail to the beach.

You can also enter Ngarunui Beach at the north eastern end from Riria Kereopa Memorial Drive (formerly Ocean Beach Road), where the beach begins.  If you are walking from Raglan this is the best way to come.  Except at spring high tides you can walk about 6km along the beach to the far south western end of Ngarunui Beach.

Things to do at Ngarunui Beach

Surfing and Swimming

The ideal surf for swimming and for people wanting to learn surfing attracts people to Ngarunui Beach.  The Raglan Surf School operates on the beach (see below) , or if you’ve had a few lessons you can hire boards and wetsuits by the hour near the main entrance to the beach.   The area above the beach is the Wainui Reserve where you’ll find picnic spots, lookouts, sculptures, walking trails and toilets.  Its great place to come and watch the sunsets.

Learn to surf
Raglan Surfing School at 5b Whaanga Rd, Whale Bay provides surfing lessons for groups or individuals on Ngarunui Beach. Beginner lessons available.

Phone 07 825 7873. Email info@raglansurfingschool.co.nz
Click here to book a Surfing Lesson

Surf Life Saving
Volunteers from the Trust Waikato Surf Life Saving Club patrol Ngarunui Beach (Ocean Beach) each weekend and every public holiday from labour weekend until Easter.

The safest place to swim is between the flags.  The Club also patrols the whole beach, the adjacent ocean and the harbour entrance using 4 wheel quad bikes and inflatable rescue boats.  The club rooms are in Wainui Reserve overlooking Ngarunui Beach.  There is an observation tower on the beach.  In addition to surf life saving, the Club promotes community education and takes part in surf sports including swimming, paddling, rowing and racing inflatable rescue boats.

Getting to Ngarunui Beach

From Raglan drive down Wainui Road, keep going across the one way bridge, continue on Wainui Road passing Poihakena Marae on the right, Kereopa Drive on the right, and turn right into the Wainui Reserve access road.  Follow the road until you come to a traffic island.  Go straight ahead for the surf beach access and car parks.  During the peak summer period the car parks fill up quickly and overflow carparks are opened on the adjacent farm areas.

There are public toilets and changing rooms near the main car park  and at the end of the path to the beach.

There are no food stalls in the reserve or on the beach so make sure you bring your own supplies.

The Raglan Taxi can take you from Raglan to Ngarunui Beach
Phone 07 825 0506 Mobile 027 525 0506
Raglan Shuttle
Raglan Scenic Tours operates an on-demand luxury chauffeur driven shuttle service. For further information see www.raglanscenictours.co.nz For bookings phone 07 825 0507, Mobile 021 0274 7014, or Email raglanscenictours@yahoo.co.nz

Between Raglan and Whale Bay Bus Stop. The charge is $25 per person. Maximum pickup of seven people.
Public Bus Service to Ngarunui Beach
A limited daily bus service runs 3 times a day and twice a day at weekends and on public holidays and is provided from Hamilton Bus Terminal via Raglan by the Route 23 bus, from November to April.  This summer service runs to Manu Bay and goes past Wainui Reserve/ Ngarunui Beach.

To download the Hamilton to Manu Bay, Raglan bus timetable click here, click here or to view it as a web page click here

There is no public bus service to Ngarunui Beach during the winter months. Hitchhiking is a popular way of getting from Raglan to Ngarunui Beach. Head out from Raglan and start thumbing a ride when you are past the Union Church on the corner of Stewart Street and Wainui Road.

Ngarunui Beach Bay Satellite View

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