Matapouri Beach

If you get hungry, there are a few restaurants near Matapouri Beach.   Kereru Lounge - Wood Fired Pizza is present near the beach and serves incredible pizzas.  Schnappa Rock Restaurant & Bar serves incredible salad, tacos, meat, seafood, and poultry dishes.  The Estuary Bistro Restaurant serves delicious salads, burgers, meat, seafood, and poultry dishes.  Te Akau Roa Restaurant serves sandwiches, waffles, seafood, and poultry dishes.  If you are looking for another good and affordable restaurant nearby, The Quay serves amazing all-day menus including seafood, meat, poultry dishes, steaks, tacos, pizzas, and burgers.

If you are looking for hotels near Matapouri Beach, there are many great options nearby.  If you are looking for an upscale hotel, the 4-Star Lupton Lodge is 27 minutes away by car and offers many amenities, including an outdoor pool, a hot tub, a deck with sun loungers, a terrace, gardens, a lounge with a pool table, and a restaurant.   A more affordable hotel is the 4-Star Comfort Hotel Flames, which offers many amenities, including an outdoor pool, a hot tub, a barbecue grill area, a garden, and a restaurant.  Another moderately priced option is the 3-Star Quality Hotel Oceans Tutukaka, which has several amenities, including a seasonal outdoor pool, barbecue grill facility, and a restaurant.  A more reasonably priced option is the 3-Star Pacific Rendezvous Motel Resort, which has many amenities, including an outdoor pool, an open-air, furnished patio, a hot tub, tennis courts, a game room, and a lawn with picnic areas.  If you are looking for another affordable hotel, Kingswood Manor Motel has an indoor hot tub, a garden, and a barbecue grill area.

Matapouri Beach, New Zealand, does not have lifeguards but has many other amenities, including restrooms, shaded areas, nearby hiking trails, restaurants, hotels, holiday homes, and campgrounds.

Matapouri Beach is a family-friendly beach that offers many fun activities, including swimming, sunbathing, beachcombing, snorkeling, scuba diving, hiking, kayaking, paddleboarding, fishing, rock pooling, boogie boarding, picnicking, and photography. If you plan to go into the water, this naturally sheltered bay makes it a safe area to swim. There is a shallow estuary that runs into the beach, which is a perfect spot for kids to wade in. The water near the beach is calm and shallow, which is ideal for canoes, kayaks, and small boats to explore the nearby sea caves and other interesting rock formations. Snorkelers and divers may spot the diverse marine life that thrives in its clear waters. Visitors often spot dolphins, seals, and various native birds, including tui and kereru (wood pigeon), in the surrounding waters. Hikers can enjoy the nearby Matapouri Headland Track, which offers unique insights into the local biodiversity. If you want to enjoy Matapouri Beach camping, you may book a nearby campsite that offers an amazing camping experience near the beach. The area has a subtropical climate, making it a great spot for beach activities year-round. Dogs are not allowed here, and the beach is open from sunrise until sunset.

Matapouri Beach does not offer an access path for people with disabilities.

Getting to Matapouri Beach is easy - the beach has a small car park near 24/26 Wehiwehi Road, Matapouri 0173, New Zealand.  After parking, there is a wooden boardwalk that provides easy access from the parking area down to the beach. For directions, you may refer to the Matapouri Beach map.

The famous Mermaid Pools are located on the northern end of Matapouri Beach and are easily accessible via a steep climb over the rocks.  These natural tidal rock pools were once a popular attraction of the region, known for their crystal-clear, turquoise rock pools that filled with seawater during high tide.  However, they have been permanently closed to the public since 2019 due to environmental damage and concerns from the local Maori tribe over the area's cultural and ecological significance. (The Maori people were the indigenous Polynesian people of mainland New Zealand – the originated with settlers from East Polynesia, who arrived in New Zealand in several waves of canoe voyages between roughly 1320 and 1350.)

There are many things to do in Matapouri near the beach.  Whangarei Falls is a breathtaking 26-meter-tall waterfall that cascades into a picturesque pool where visitors can take a refreshing dip.  Visitors can access this waterfall via an easy hiking trail that winds through lush native bushes, which offers a tranquil escape into nature.  Ngunguru Village is a picturesque coastal village located along the Ngunguru River Estuary.  Visitors to the village can enjoy many fun activities, including kayaking, paddleboarding, fishing, boating, and hiking, and enjoy local fresh seafood and classic Kiwi treats at local cafes and eateries.  Tutukaka Marina is a vibrant harbor located on the Tutukaka Coast that serves as the main departure point for boat trips to the Poor Knights Islands, one of the world’s best diving and snorkeling destinations.  The marina is also a hub for fishing, sailing, diving, snorkeling, kayaking, paddleboarding, and waterfront dining.

The Poor Knights Islands are a group of volcanic islands located just off the Tutukaka Coast and are known as one of the world’s top diving and snorkeling destinations.  These islands are part of a protected marine reserve that is home to unique marine life, underwater caves, vibrant coral gardens, arches, and dramatic rock formations.  Visitors can enjoy many fun activities, including scuba diving, snorkeling, kayaking, paddleboarding, watching wildlife, boating, and capturing the breathtaking cliffs, natural rock arches, and crystal-clear waters.   If you are looking for another nearby attraction, A. H. Reed Memorial Kauri Park is a beautiful subtropical forest reserve, which is home to majestic 500-year-old kauri trees.  It has walkways that have raised boardwalks, where visitors can experience the canopy of the towering kauri trees up close, without disturbing their sensitive roots.  In addition, there is a hidden waterfall along the track, popularly known as Pukenui Waterfalls, offering Instagram-worthy views.